𝐁𝐲𝐞, 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲
𝐁𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: 𝐒𝐭. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧’𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 / MacMillian Audio
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟑.𝟓.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑆𝑜𝑜𝑛!

I’m not sure I would put this one in the thriller category. While it was suspenseful, it’s more about the dynamics of a female friendship wrought with trauma, toxicity, and poor decisions.

Billie and Cassie were the best of friends in their youth. While Billie was suffering at home, Cassie was the one who was looking for attention or needed it, and she usually got it. But after an incident occurs, the two friends are bonded by secrets, secrets that will eventually tear them apart.

As an adult, Cassie has married a wealthy man and is a recent mother. She is also a “lifestyle influencer.” She moves in different circles than Billie, who is single and childless, plus Billie reminds her too much of the past. Meanwhile, Billie desperately wants to try to restore their friendship. But Billie takes it too far when she hears Cassie’s baby crying.

I did not care for Cassie; I found her self-centered and haughty. Billie had been through a lot. I kept hoping she would just move on from Cassie, but the painful memories that bound them made her rejection all the more painful.

The narrative also discusses the lasting effects of trauma, the choice of a woman to be childless, and how secrets have a way of doing damage.

A few trigger warnings for sexual abuse, but otherwise, the story is well-paced and I felt this friendship, though toxic, became quite addicting.

Thank you @stmartinspress for the gifted ebook.

Thank you @macmillan.audio for a gifted audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced audiobook copy.

I really enjoyed this. I loved the two different POV’s along with the past a present. Karissa Vacker is one of the narrators and she does an amazing job. I really enjoy the books she narrates.

Carola Lovering's latest, BYE, BABY, is a knockout, a gripping domestic thriller of dark secrets, toxic friendships, childhood traumas, social media, and choices.

Brilliantly crafted, character-driven, powerful, suspenseful, and highly relatable- BYE, BABY is unputdownable. I loved it! My first book by the author, and I cannot wait for more.

AUDIOBOOK: I read the digital copy and listened to the audiobook. I highly recommend the audiobook, which was well done by the talented narrators Karissa Vacker (favorite) and Helen Laser. Addictive!

Billie and Cassie were long-time BFFs. They met 23 years earlier in a small Hudson Valley town when in the 7th grade. They were very close and had each other's back from childhood. They dreamed, had desires, planned their weddings, and longed for the day they could make those dreams come true and escape their hometown.

There was a devastating and traumatic event and an event that bonded them with a dark shared secret. They would take it to their grave. But as they grew older, the women grew apart.

Cassie married a society man from a wealthy family, now a fashion and lifestyle influencer on Instagram. She is a snob and no longer associates with people like Billie. She also has a new baby; all her posts are picture-perfect IG swoon-worthy.

Billie, on the other hand, is single, childless, and grew up with a traumatic childhood. However she is smart, a world traveler with a great job, but she still misses her close bond with her childhood friend, Cassie. She stalks Cassie's IG account to glimpse her former friend's world.

They meet, but things are strained with them around her new wealthy friends. She wants nothing to do with her old friend, Billie.

It is Cassie's 35th birthday party (Billie is not invited), and things get crazy; the baby is left unattended on the patio during the party.

When Cassie's baby is mysteriously abducted (later returned) unharmed, Cassie reaches out to her friend, Billie, and they seem to be back where they were on great terms. Cassie needs Billie. This makes Billie happy. Cassie was devastated and realized her life was not about social media but her baby.

However, how long will this feeling last? Will she go back to her old ways and ditch Billie again?

But Billie is hiding a secret and knows it will ruin their friendship if she comes forward. However, they both still share a dark secret from the past that will keep them bonded.

The author cleverly explores toxic female friendships, motherhood, childhood traumas, and the dangers of social media influencers in BYE, BABY.

I loved the cover, the writing, and the story—highly relatable, thought-provoking, compelling, and suspenseful. I felt for Billie and her mother, and you could not help but root for her and despise her disgusting stepdad. I liked Cassie better when she was afraid of an abductor.

For fans of Mary Kubica, Wendy Walker, and Sarah Pekkanen.

Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering will be available on March 5, 2024. Thanks a million to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for a gifted ARC and ALC and the intro to this talented author.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: March 5, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars
March 2024 Must-Read Books

This is the story about a girl Billy who is kind of obsessed with her childhood best friend, Cassie. Now that Cassie is married to a rich man and has a baby, she does not seem to give importance to Billy anymore and Billy is sad and angry about it.

The first half of the book was very gripping. The story is fast paced and I loved the weird love-hate dynamic between Billy and Cassie.

But the second half fell flat for me. There were too many coincidences and there was no mystery to the story and Billy and Cassie faced no consequences for their actions.

Overall, an entertaining read.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrators were fantastic! The storyline was intriguing and easy to listen to and held my interest throughout. I hated all of the characters but definitely not in a bad way, just in a well written way. Highly recommend this one to someone looking for a little different type of book- some mystery, some romance and a lot of gossip!

This book was a page turner from beginning to end. Reminded me of the Gabi Petino (spelling) case in the beginning and I was hesitant however it definitely created its own way and storyline. Two girls find their way to eachother and become best friends. However as with any friendship there’s usually an imbalance. It’s watching this imbalance play out that gives us the storyline. Definitely was action packed towards the end with some twists I didn’t see coming. Would highly recommend. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I received an ARC of Bye,Baby audiobook from Netgalley. Pub date: March 5, 2024. This is the second book I have read by Carola Lovering. I read Tell Me Lies and it literally had me punching the air lol. Bye, Baby focuses on best friends Billie and Cassie whose friendship is literally hanging on by a thread. Cassie married rich and of course this leads to her basically ugrading her friend circle. Unfortunately poor Billie is the collateral damage because she is not a mommy and obsessed with posting every little thing on social media and designer labels. The one thing that binds Billie and Cassie is a secret that they vowed to never tell anyone about, Billie finds out Cassie is throwing a huge party and she does the unthinkable because she is tired of being left out and ignored by her best friend. I totally despised Cassie, McKay and Wade. I truly felt sorry for Billie and wish she did not try so hard and just realized when a friendship is over.

I’ve read a bunch of Lovering’s books and have enjoyed each of them! They are all heavy on the drama and this one was no different.

Billie and Cassie have been best friends since they were young but now that Cassie has a baby and a very wealthy husband, Billie feels like Cassie is pushing her away. Billie makes a rash decision one night that changes everything.

This is a book all about toxic friendships and that it’s okay to outgrow someone and let them go. It’s a lesson Billie is still learning throughout the book. At different times throughout this story I felt for both Billie and Cassie in different ways. The flashbacks were hard to listen to (trigger warning: sexual abuse) and I felt so bad for Billie and what she went through in order to keep her mom close.

Lovering does friend dramas so well and I was invested in both sides of the story. Also I love that she is a local author and get excited when she mentions places that I am familiar with.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance audiobook in exchange for an honest review! Definitely would recommend this one!

This was such a great book with a glimpse into the life of influencers, a job that truly sounds made up.

I liked Billie and was kind of rooting for her the whole way, despite what you learn in the first chapter and leading up to it. I didn’t love Cassie and I’m truly unsure if that was the author’s point.

I liked the alternating chapters of the past, though it wasn’t totally necessary dive that far into their past. I was more interested in the present and where it would go. Audio was awesome and loved the two narrators.

When the midway hit, I truly wondered where the second half of the story would go. It was a bit less dramatic and engaging as the first half, and I could have done without the HEA for both. I was kind of hoping Cassie would go back to her ways (as she did) and there really was a deranged follower who was obsessed with her. But alas, it was different and wrapped up nicely.

Def give this a chance if you love influencer storied and rotten friendships.

This audiobook was superb! I loved both narrators.

Bye, Baby by Carolina Lovering was quite a ride.

Billie and Cassie have been friends for two decades and have been through everything together.

Billie had a rough home-life with way more challenges than the typical kid. Cassie had a very average home-life however yearned for way more, despising her very mediocre life.

Cassie attends Harvard (of course) while Billie attends Northeastern. Cassie goes for the white-collar, Vineyard Vines-wearing type.

When Cassie meets her wealthy, trust-fund husband, Cassie pushes away Billie in favor of other wealthy, trust-fund types.

As an instagram Influencer, Cassie has her whole world on display. Billie watches her stories closely, feeling left-out.

I found myself cheering for Billie despite her cringy choices. And, I was screaming “don’t do it” but clearly she didn’t hear me.

I found this book highly entertaining and I couldn’t stop reading. I just needed to find out what happened in the end. Nobody puts Baby in the corner!

Great book! Highly recommend.

⭐️⭐️🌟🌟1/2 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance audio copy of Bye, Baby in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As a Carola Lovering fan since "Tell Me Lies", I think fans and new readers alike will be so please with "Bye, Baby!" The narration is excellent.

The premise is intriguing, but the story falls short of my expectations. It feels bloated, and the resolution is anticlimactic. Additionally, none of the main characters are likable, leaving me with no one to root for. I anticipated more thrills or a twist, but it turned out to be a predictable narrative that focuses more on friendship than the actual crime.

Like others have mentioned, this wasn’t so much of a thriller/mystery as much as women’s fiction. The author did a fantastic job of portraying what toxic friendship looks like and the feelings of being cast aside by a close friend that feels they’ve outgrown you. The story moved along fairly quickly but I didn’t care for any of the characters in the book so felt less invested in their outcomes. Still, if you’re looking for an audiobook that’s interesting but doesn’t require a ton of focus, I’d recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of Bye, Baby.

This was the first book I have listened to by Carola Lovering. The narrators did a really good job telling this story. This was well written, gripping, hard to put down, thought provoking and riveting. Make sure you check trigger warnings because this book has some tough subjects. I think most woman can relate to this story and one of the characters. I found this to be a really good read and didn't want to put it down. I would definitely recommend this book!


Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this audiobook ARC for my honest opinion.

Billie and Cassie have been best friends for twenty-three years. They grew up together and share a dark secret about the past. But as they grew up and life changed, they slowly grew apart. Or rather, Cassie is the one who grew away from Billie. She married a wealthy man, is an influencer and a new mom. And she really seems to have outgrown her friendship with Billie. She views their time together these days as “something to cross off her to-do list”. It’s Billie who is holding on to the friendship. On the night before Cassie’s birthday, Billie shockingly realizes that she was not invited to her best friend's birthday party. As she watches the party unfold on Cassie’s lavish terrace, she soon begins to hear Cassie’s baby start to cry. So before she even realizes what she is doing, Cassie takes the baby. As she listens to Billie become hysterical, a small part of her relishes in the fact that Billie seems to need her again.

I think most women can relate to trying to hold onto a friendship that has run its course - or maybe was a bit one-sided all along. The hurt and the betrayal Billie felt was all too relatable. While she obviously went too far, I was not expecting to sympathize with her as much as I did. Billie was clearly more invested in the friendship from the beginning, while Cassie only seemed to want her friendship when it was convenient or she needed her. It’s a hard lesson to learn but I think a lot of us have been there. I can understand both sides, with friendships sometimes changing as you grow and it isn’t always easy.

Told in dual timelines, from dual perspectives, we see the awful secret of the past be revealed while in present day, Billie is scared that Cassie will find out the truth of her taking the baby. This is a very character-driven novel that shows growth and development in both women. It also took a bit for the “mystery” to come out; the beginning of the story was mostly focused on Billie and Cassie’s lives and friendships. I thought it was a very unique way to lay the groundwork and start to build the suspense that something was going to happen!

I also loved Cassie’s influencer perspective - again, its one quite a few of us can relate to. The audiobook was narrated by Karissa Vacker (one of my all-time favorite voices!) and Helen Laser - both of whom perfectly brought this story to life.

“Bye, Baby” releases March 5, 2024. Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and Carola Lovering for the ARC/ALC! This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly.

Bye, Baby is a domestic thriller told using multiple timelines and dual POV with the two main characters, Cassie and Billie. I BINGED this one, I absolutely loved the audio could NOT stop listening. Lovering tied together both timelines beautifully, this plot was masterfully organized. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a solid thriller!

Possible TW: sexual abuse; kidnapping; missing child

Billie and Cassie grow up together and are best friends through college and then become roommates.

Cassie is a gold digger and ends up hitting the jackpot when she marries a big shot investor and has a baby. Billie remains single with no kids and relies on Cassie’s instagram stories (cause she’s now an influencer) to see how her best friend whom she barely talks to anymore is doing.

The turning point happens when Cassie lies to Billie about not having a bday party and Billie does some real dumb ish to try to get back at her.

The book goes back and forth in time and we learn about their dark secret that bonds them together. But the older they get, the more apart they grow and all Billie wants is her best friend back.

This book touched on a number of issues: early on set Alzheimer’s, sexual abuse, toxic friendships, social media and women not wanting children.

I liked the story but didn’t care for either of the main characters. Cassie is a superficial biatch and Billie is pushover. I wanted to punch both of them in the face.

Bye, Baby had me hooked from the start. The characters were interesting and the story was paced well. The narrator of this book did a great job distinguishing between characters and conveying a variety of emotions. There are some moments in this book that involve some very heavy topics and may be challenging to read through. This was my first book by Lovering and I plan on reading other titles. I will recommend this book to those who like to read psychological fiction and suspense.

This is my least favourite sub genre of mystery thrillers, like mother/child psychological thrillers. However, this was one of my favourite by Lovering (Too Good To Be True maintains the top spot!). This one leaned more drama than mystery thriller, as hers usually do, and it was more about friendship than it was mother child. It gave a little gossipy influencer vibe which I am a SUCKER FOR while also explaining the length we go to hold onto childhood friends very well. I mean .. hopefully not to this extreme but still 😂

For it leaning drama I somehow had to know what happened next so I finished it really quick! I highly recommend this one for those who love this genre and those who don’t. It’s definitely not what I would consider a mystery thriller but I quite enjoyed it! It was unsettling hahaha.

Twenty-three years ago Billie met Cassie and the two young girls became fast friends, each others everything. The two remain bff’s throughout college bonded by a secret only the two know. When Cassie meets the rich man of her dreams, things change between them and soon Billie feels left out in the cold. Now in their thirties hurt and rejected, Billie makes an extremely poor choice, but that choice leads her back to Cassie once again, but if Cassie finds out, their friendship may never survive. A domestic drama about a deep friendship that turns toxic over time. Lovering fleshes out her characters quite well and as this was a duel read/listen the narrators bring those characters to life. A story that was hard to walk away from once started. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC and ALC of this book.