I listened to the audio of this book and really like the narrator. This is the story of friends that through life's ups and downs appear to have outgrown each other. One friend kidnaps the other's baby and the complexity of trying to cover up the crime and save the friendship keep you guessing.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Cassie and Billie were the best of friends when they were younger, growing up as kids. Now, they could not be more different. Cassie is a beautiful and wealthy influencer/boutique owner who just gave birth to her first baby. Billie tends to date the wrong men and is still single and childless. They are having a hard time connecting still and Cassie has moved on with her new, snobby friends. Billie feels hurt and rejected to lose her best friend since 7th grade. One day, Cassie's baby goes missing in a most mysterious way and instead of calling on her newfound rich friends, Cassie only wants the comforts of her childhood pal.

Told in alternating perspectives between Billie and Cassie, this novel will keep you turning the pages. To me, this book was deeper than your run of the mill "thriller" and I wouldn't even call it a thriller. If you are expecting thrills this book might disappoint you. Instead, I took it for what it was which was a commentary on women's friendships, what it is like to lose friends as you get older, and how friendships can evolve over time.

I do think some of the lesser reviews of this book is because the reader is expecting a thriller and this book is marketed as such. It is not thrilling hardly at all. I would consider this more women's lit. If you are expecting a whodunit about a woman's baby being kidnapped, this book is not that.

The narrator of this audiobook did an excellent job and I thoroughly enjoyed her narration.

So good! The narrator was excellent. The book jumps right into the action from the start and then back tracks to take you up to the present day (I love this strategy), I flew through this one in a day and you will too.

I enjoyed this book although it took me a bit of time to finish it. It was suspenseful and showcased female friendships which I enjoyed reading about it. I think this would appeal to lots of readers, I enjoyed listening to it as well.

As a new mom, this hit me different. The book otherwise was fine, less thriller than what I was anticipating.

Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering is an intense and emotional audiobook that dives into relationships and personal growth. The story follows Emory as she rebuilds her life after a difficult breakup, exploring new relationships and self-discovery.

While I didn't love the book personally, I recognize that it offers a compelling narrative with strong voice acting that enhances the experience. Lovering’s writing and the audiobook’s narration are well-executed, making it worth a listen for those interested in character-driven stories about personal challenges and transformation. If you enjoy exploring deep emotional themes, Bye, Baby is worth giving a try.

Toxic Friendship, Missing Baby

: Bye, Baby centers around the complex and ultimately toxic friendship between Billie West and Cassie Barnwell. The story begins with a dramatic event: Cassie's infant daughter has gone missing, and Billie, who lives one floor below Cassie in their New York apartment building, hears Cassie's terrified screams. The novel delves into the intertwined lives of these two women, unravelling their friendship from childhood to adulthood and exploring the dark undercurrents of jealousy, betrayal, and the drastic actions one might take under emotional duress.

Bye, Baby is a compelling exploration of friendship, jealousy, and the lengths to which people will go to preserve their relationships. Lovering's skillful writing and deep character insights make this novel a worthwhile read for those interested in psychological thrillers and domestic dramas. Its strengths lie in its character development and the emotional depth of its narrative, though some may find the plot twists somewhat foreseeable. Nevertheless, it is a captivating story that will keep readers engaged until the very end.

Although it seems to be marketed as a thriller or suspense book, this book is more about female friendships. It's a story about what happens when we carry teenage friendships into adulthood even as we change and mature and become different people. That part of the story was interesting and had some relatable elements. The mystery isn't tough to decipher early, and there is no suspense. I enjoyed the character development and switches in the timeline. I wish there had been more revealed or twists, but that may have just been a matter of adjusting my expectations. The writing was emotional and well-developed. This is a book that is tough to explain to someone because there isn't a lot of action. It's more of an emotional character exploration.

The audiobook is well done and nothing stood in the way of me enjoying the story. The timing and pacing worked well, and it was easy to follow the timeline switches and character differences. The tone was very conversational, and it felt like a friend telling me the story while we sip coffee.

This book took me months to finish. To be honest, when I choose to read a thriller, I hope to have my pulse pounding and be invested enough in the story to find out who did it and why. This book, while marketed as a thriller, was more fiction revolving around friendship dynamics and the deeply ingrained desire to be needed. It took me so long to read that I don't remember a lot of details. The story itself was nicely written and the pacing was consistent (apart from the ending that seemed a bit abrupt), and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys women's fiction, but as far as calling it an exciting, shocking ride - it wasn't. And that's okay! Just wasn't for me!

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for allowing me access to this audiobook!

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆
Wow, this book was really good. I listened to the entire audiobook in one day because I just could not stop! The opening chapter goes right into the drama and then the book starts with Part One- the past. I was totally invested in the lives of Billie and Cassie and the friendship they had. Part Two starts off where the opening chapter left off, with the Now, and I was just as invested! I dont want to give away any spoilers but just know that you have to read this if you haven't yet!

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲
• Childhood besties
• Twisty Thrillers
• Multiple POVs
• Dual Timelines
• Friendship fallout
• Social media influencer

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸
Helen Laser and Karissa Vacker were so perfect as Billie and Cassie. Karissa Vacker has been a fave of mine forever and Helen Laser has joined the top ranks. I listened at 1.5x speed and everything was clear and easy to understand. This audiobook was fantastic and I absolutely recommend!

Couldn't put down. Great thriller with a great narrator. I highly recommend this book! This is my first book by the author, and I will definitely read more of her work.

This was good! Each part of the book individually I would hate, but it together it’s great. The characters are insufferable. Billie is obsessive and Cassie is a gold digger. But those characters’ choices in the story make it incredibly compelling

A missing baby, a crumbling friend ship. Bye, Baby is drama that had me thinking, felling and rooting for the under dog in this story.

If you are looking for an addictive thriller this one is for you!
Twisty, suspenseful, disturbing, dysfunctional characters, shocking, complex and unputdownable, loved it!

Thank you @stmartinspress for this gifted copy.

𝗕𝘆𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗯𝘆 by @carolatlovering released January 7, 2025.

This was just okay for me. Loved the narrator. Toxic friends, slow burn. Liked it didn’t love it. Loved the idea of it but overall fell a bit flat

I did not expect to like this as much as I did. Once I started listening, I was committed as the narrators did a great job keeping me interested and their tones were perfect. While this was promoted as a thriller, it was not. It gave drama or suspense, but it was a good read/listen.

Bye, Baby is a domestic thriller that had very little thriller portions. The reader goes in knowing what happened, but not how or why. As the book unfolds the reader finds out the ins and outs of the relationship between Billie and Cassie. It did not seem at though any character was meant to be liked, making it hard to connect to the book. The entire concept of the book is unrealistic, especially with the fact that no actions had any consequences.

The narrators, Helen Laser, and Karissa Vacker, did a wonderful job of playing portraying the two friends throughout the course of their relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listening copy, and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book.

I adored this audio book. It instantly pulled me in and I could not stop listening. The story was so realistic and definitely made me question influencers and how much they show. The audiobook was executed perfectly. The narrators voice and inflictions were great.

This definitely felt more drama and suspense to me and not so much thriller. Regardless I did enjoy the storyline a lot. It was very engaging and kept my attention the entire time. Loved the female friendships and motherhood focal points. The ending was so well done also! Highly recommend the audio for this one. You'll fly through it in no time.