The book starts out by giving you a taste of the ending- keeping the reader intrigued and curious throughout the book. The dual perspective allows the reader to explore the inner world of both main characters. You continually go back and forth between who you feel is the “victim.” The story walks you through a very relatable journey of childhood friendship and how life circumstances can bring you together and pull you apart. Billy has gone through significant trauma throughout her life and yearns for the relationship with the only constant person she’s had throughout her life. Cassie tries to create an identity that leaves the old version of herself where it belongs- in the past. The push/pull of the trauma bonded friendship makes for a heartbreaking journey of the loss of friendship and identity.

4.5 stars

Wow, I just couldn’t get enough of this book. This is the first book I’ve read by Carola Lovering and I will definitely be reading the books she’s already published prior to

. Billie and Cassie’s relationship evolves throughout this book. From early on in life, and into their 30’s. The timeline goes back and forth from present to past. And we get a view into just how their relationship changes over time. Billie just needs to feel wanted by someone and looks for it within Cassie, but Cassie is too busy worrying about herself and her image. As this relationship deteriorates, I began to dislike Cassie a little more each day, and really feel for Billie.

This book provoked a slew of emotions for me. I really connected with Billie and wanted all the good things for her.

If you like a book with a great twist and good vs bad, I think this may be the one for you. The writing was great and I loved the story. I didn’t want to put it down once I started it! I switched back and forth between the book and the audio. The narrators did a great job and the girl who did Cassie did a great job of personifying her personality.

***Thank you Netgalley and St.Martin’s Press for an ARC copy in return for an honest review ***

Reviewed for NetGalley:

I listened to the audiobook version of this novel.

A thriller, told in two timelines between best friends Billie and Cassie (as teenagers) and in the present where they have grown apart. A tragedy in the past, and now Cassie's baby missing for an evening, bring their friendship to a head.

Kudos to Carola Lovering for writing such dialogue and situations and were so visceral to the reader, I had a hard time being able to stomach parts of the novel.

I enjoyed the dual narration as well, bringing more depth to the story as Cassie and Billie.

What a wild ride - Carola Lovering's writing had me feeling like *I* was the one who had stolen a baby - several scenes had me feeling sick to my stomach in the best way.

A suspenseful and juicy character-driven drama that delves into the fraught relationship between two former best friends. One obsessed with the other to the point of insanity, and one who just wants to move on from her past now that she's gotten her dream life with a wealthy husband and baby. From reading other reviews this seems like an unpopular opinion, but I loved Cassie and found her to be more sympathetic than Billie - I just need her to figure out how to make her own morning French press. Side note, I loved the many mentions and descriptions of coffee in this book.

I wasn't crazy about the ending (Billie's in particular felt undeserved) and it seemed a little long - I think I could have done without some of the flashbacks, although I did enjoy the 90s nostalgia - Limited Too, Alanis Morissette, You've Got Mail!

This was my first read from Carola Lovering but definitely won't be my last! Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy!

CW: Graphic sexual assault.

Not the thriller/mystery I was expecting but rather a story of a toxic friendship between childhood friends. The ending was predictable and there was not much suspense but it was still an entertaining read.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

Never having read anything by the author I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly this book drew me in from the first page. The main character, Billie, is kind, genuine and complex and because of many unresolved issues completely at the mercy of her former best friend Cassie who she seems to use as a gage for her own self-worth. Cassie on the other hand is exceedingly shallow which Billie sees glimpses of over the years but because of their complicated past fails to really embrace and accept until it's too late.
This book had me turning the pages wondering how Billie was going to resolve things and wondering at what point she would wake up to the idea that she is deserving of what she currently has and no longer needs to chase someone who obviously values status over friendship. It was a beautifully written story about the pain of losing someone who was once so close and the self-destruction involved when not being able to let go.

I really enjoy stories involving friendships and secrets and the circumstances that create them. This story is not so much a thriller as a examination of the psychology of the relationship between Cassie and Billie in the past and present. There is also the social media aspect and how that can play a part in our own brain chemistry and the way we interact with the world. The whole book is fascinating and the audiobook is expertly narrated by Helen Laser and Karissa Vacker.

This was an interesting read. Another one that I think I may have DNF if I wasn’t listening to it via audio. Dual POV and multiple timeline with some interesting twists thrown in. A story of friendships and those friendships dissolving. A woman who struggles to fit in and then does something unimaginable. But that unimaginable thing to me seemed so odd and quick that I just wasn’t sure how a whole story was written about it. Cassie is insufferable with her influencer ways and clearly only living for status. Billie is a trauma victim and simply trying to get her best friends attention. I finished and am still kind of asking myself what was the point.

Wow! What a compulsive listen.

What at first seems like a domestic thriller about a kidnapped baby ends up being a roller coaster ride about a decades-long, toxic female friendship.

The dual perspective narrators brought the contrasting characters to life in a way that drew me to two very unlikeable characters.

I would find reasons to put in my headphones to listen.

I was, however, surprised by the content re: sexual abuse, and therefore, this needs clear trigger warnings.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Raised by a single parent,a dad that doesn’t want anything to do with her….Her start wasn’t an easy one,but just when you think that she’s got it all together she does something crazy.
This book was full of twists and turns! It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat!

This book was an incredible story of a life-long friendship that is toxic. Some ties need to be broken, but this story shows how hard that can be. Narrator was really good.

I LOVE Carola Lovering. I will truly read anything she writes and I’m just obsessed with her books. Nothing will ever top Tell Me Lies for me but I have always enjoyed each book she’s written.

Bye, Baby was another great read full of mystery, intrigue, pain and hope. There were two POVs and multiple timelines, so you really need to pay attention to what’s going on otherwise you’ll miss key moments happening in the present timeline.

I do feel like there’s one very small thing that never got resolved. Technically it did but I just assumed more would come from it?? So that’s a me issue but I wanted a bit more. I don’t love when endings of thrillers are tied up with a nice little bow, and this story was absolutely closed up so we didn’t have any more questions.

Read if you like:
🤔 thrillers where you don’t have to guess whodunit
🤞🏼 complicated friendships
🤳 social media
🎁 perfectly wrapped up endings

TW: there’s some pretty intense on-page rape scenes. Proceed with caution

A missing baby. A fraught friendship. A secret that can never be told.

On a brisk fall night in a New York apartment, 35-year-old Billie West hears terrified screams. It’s her lifelong best friend Cassie Barnwell, one floor above, and she’s just realized her infant daughter has gone missing. Billie is shaken as she looks down into her own arms to see the baby, remembering—with a jolt of fear—that she is responsible for the kidnapping that has instantly shattered Cassie’s world.

We all have friends we’ve grown apart from. What if you have a friend who just won’t let go? Billie and Cassie were best friends growing up until Cassie began pulling away and moving towards a different (rich) lifestyle. I found her to be very unlikeable, and left wondering why Billie just couldn’t move on.

Then you learn about their secret.

Billie tries so hard to keep her place in Cassie’s life. Then Billie finds herself in an impossible situation that left me wide eyed wondering how she was going to find her way out. Two friends who are toxic to each other - would make for a great book club discussion!

Billy and Kassie have a lot of history and time invested in their friendship, but inevitably as most adults do, they outgrow their friendship. Kassie is very superficial, and values status and wealth. Billy is more down to earth and values quality time & her career. But Billy has a hard time accepting that things will never be the way they used to be between the two, and does something that will rock both of their worlds.

Honestly, I feel let down. The dual timelines and dual POV’s were nice, but they didn’t come together as well as I felt they could have. The whole book was building and building to this one moment where we find everything out and then…nothing happens. What did I expect to happen? I have no idea, but it wasn’t that.

. Despite me as a reader feeling let down, I can appreciate the fact that there’s some fantastic writing here, and it might work for others. The characters felt very relatable, especially being written in a time where social media is everything. I really liked the narration! Karissa Vickers is a favorite of mine so I was excited to see her on this one.

⭐️4.25
Devoured Bye Baby in just two days.

Cassie and Billie are two childhood best friends who have grown apart. The story opens with Billie in horror, realizing that she has kidnapped Cassie’s baby daughter.

The only criticism I have is that I was expecting a thriller based on the synopsis.

Here’s what I loved:
-extremely suspenseful!
-very entertaining throughout
-pacing was perfection
-narrators Helen Laser and
Karissa Vacker are outstanding
-fabulous character development

Overall a very enjoyable read and had me researching this author to find her other novels.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

Publication date: March 15, 2024

Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering, narrated by Helen Laser and Karissa Vacker, is another thrilling exploration of toxic female friendship. Lovering is absolutely spot on when it comes to telling a story that is both insanely bananas and completely believable. The story of Billie and Cassie, individually and as childhood besties, is like a slow motion car wreck—I couldn't tear my eyes away from them, even as I was cringing and stressing and hoping they could somehow steer away from the point of impact. Highly recommend!!

📕Cassie… I don’t know if I would want to be friends with her after her “transformation” even if she did what she did. She sounded shallow. She was a wanna be influencer using husband’s money and connections. She should have been more but she wanted to be an arm candy. There are things people do for survival but did she need to “survive”?
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📗Billie… girl, I understand. When you found a friend who understands you and does anything for you, you held onto to her for your dear life. But maybe remove that pink sunnies because your “friend” only talked to you when she needed you. She paid attention to you only when she thought past might come out of her cracks
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📘I’m mad at both women. I’m mad at them for trying so hard to fit in. Normalize being an outsider. Normalize owning your personality. Normalize having friends and connections with all walks of life. Or go have a party at your Gramercy apartment and be shallow

I initially requested this ebook but saw amazing reviews for the audio, so I had to request it as well and it was fabulous. I was hooked immediately and was constantly battling if Billie was going to tell Cassie the truth. I thought the way that it played out in the end was really well done. I thought it was plausible and was really happy with how it ended. I listened to the whole thing today and just loved it! 5 stars for me!

Carola Lovering's "Bye Baby" is a web of friendship, secrets, lies, drama, and betrayal. This is more of a domestic drama than a thriller, but it does contain some suspense and a whole lot of drama. The story revolves around the once-inseparable best friends, Billie and Cassie, whose friendship took a dramatic turn as life led them on different paths.
Cassie, now lives a glamorous life as a wealthy influencer, and Billie is living the single life. The toxic and obsessive nature of their friendship becomes evident as the plot unfolds, secrets start to unravel and the real reason why Billie and Cassie aren’t so close starts to come out.

This story has alternating timelines and dual points of view that keep you engaged and invested. The majority of the story unfolds in the present, with time skips taking readers back to moments in the past.

The rich narration of the audiobook enhances the overall dynamic of the story, making it an engaging and enjoyable listen. The audio adds an extra layer to the narrative, keeping listeners immersed in the unfolding drama. This story is a must read for anyone who loves suspenseful stories full of secrets, lies, and drama. 4 stars! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the advanced copy.

Read this book if you like:
*Secrets, lies, drama, betrayal
*Multiple point of views
*Dual timelines

Oh shit! This hooked me in from the very beginning!

There’s an obsessive, toxic friendship dynamic going on in this book, but as you continue reading you start to understand that what you think may not actually be reality.

Told with alternating timelines, majority of the story takes place in the present we have time skips that take us back to the past driving the plot. We also get dual POV’s- my absolute favorite!

Why you’ll like it:
Manipulative women behaving badly
Characters you can hate and characters you can root for
Fast paced cat and mouse

I wouldn’t categorize Bye, Baby as a thriller, but it was suspenseful as I had nervous energy for pretty much the entire book. Let’s call it a suspenseful domestic drama.

My only real con is that the ending felt a bit rushed. I’m not quite sure what else I wanted, but it definitely felt like it was missing something.