Bye, Baby was a captivating book by Carola Lovering, a new author for me. It was fast paced and well written. Bye, Baby explored the complicated friendship Billie West and Cassie Barnwell shared from around the time they were about twelve years old through the third decade of their lives. It was told in alternating first person narratives that switched back and forth between the past and present.

Billie and Cassie could not have been more different from one another if they tried. From their upbringing, relationships they had with their parents, outlooks on life and their priorities in life they differed greatly but they shared a bond of friendship with one another. From early on, Cassie took the role of leader and Billie became the follower. Billie gave in to most of Cassie’s demands and requests. There was a secret they shared that bounded them to each other.

Cassie’s family had been considered wealthy until her father lost all their money. The change in lifestyle that Cassie’s family had to make was hard for Cassie to accept. Cassie had always known that someday she would marry someone that could provide the kind of life she felt she deserved. Her aspirations were high and her expectations were unbending. Cassie was a very shallow person and one would even call her a snob. Cassie was fortunate enough to be accepted to and attend Harvard, while Billie, although having better grades than Cassie was lucky enough to attend Northeastern. Cassie set her sights high on making friends with some of the richest and most influential women in her year at Harvard. She chose friends who would benefit her and help her live the life she dreamed about. Billie and Cassie continued to be friends during those years but Billie was always expected to join Cassie at Harvard.

Years later, Cassie and Billie were in their thirties and their friendship had become strained. Cassie was married to just the sort of man she intended to marry all those years ago. She and her husband had recently had a baby girl and Cassie was enjoying motherhood. All of Cassie’s friends now were new mothers and had also married well. Cassie’s friendship with Billie had grown distant. To Billie’s dismay, Cassie rarely thought about Billie or included her in her day to day life anymore. Cassie had moved on from Billie. She had a whole new group of friends and Billie just did not fit in with them. Billie was still single and made it known that she did not ever want children. This was something that Billie had known about herself for a very long time. When Billie allowed herself to fall in love, it had become a contention between herself and the man she had fallen in love with. He had wanted to have children and Billie knew that she didn’t. Those differences caused them to end their relationship. Despite the fact that Cassie hardly if ever contacted Billie or included her in her life, Billie continued to be obsessed with Cassie and still craved her friendship. Unfortunately, it was all one sided.

On the night of Cassie’s thirty-fifth birthday party, Billie happened to be in another apartment in the same building that Cassie, her husband and baby daughter resided in. As Billie was doing what she had come to do, there was an unmistakable series a loud screams and unmistakable crying. Billie soon realized that the crying was coming from Cassie’s neglected and forgotten baby daughter. Even though Cassie had told Billie that she had had no plans to celebrate her thirty-fifth birthday, Billie soon discovered that that had been an all out blatant lie. From what Billie gathered, there must have been at least fifty guests that were helping Cassie celebrate her special birthday. Cassie had deliberately lied to Billie and chose not to include her in her celebration. Billie wasn’t sure what possessed her but the next thing she knew she was climbing up the fire escape and grabbing Cassie’s baby. She just wanted the baby to stop crying. What had Billie done? When Cassie discovered that her baby was missing she screamed a bone chilling scream that was undeniably terrifying. Billie overheard Cassie telling her friends that she needed Billie. How could Billie get Cassie’s baby back to her without her learning that she had been the one that had taken her? How would all of this affect Billie’s and Cassie’s friendship going forward?

I was not a fan of Cassie from the onset of the friendship she formed with Billie. Cassie, in my opinion, was obsessed with material things. She was very self-centered and latched on to those that could improve her life and make her look better. I felt sorry for Billie. She was made to endure and witness some things in her earlier years that most likely made her try and hold on to Cassie and the friendship they shared longer than she should have. I was glad that Billie was able to learn from all that she went through and ended up evolving into a more secure and happy person. I really enjoyed the ending of Bye, Baby. There were several topics that were touched upon that included Alzheimer’s, sexual and emotional abuse, friendships, obsession with social media and motherhood. Overall, I enjoyed Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering and recommend it highly. Publication was March 5, 2024.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering through Netgalley in exchange for this honest and voluntary review.

Bye Baby is by Carola Lovering. This is listed as a thriller but is more a dark and twisted tale of friendships and relationships gone wrong.

Growing up, Cassie and Billie were best friends, sharing everything as they grew up, including secrets. This story shows how people change as they get older, and how someone that is extremely important at one point in life, may not be later.

Cassie has always wanted to live the high life. She wanted stability, a handsome rich husband, and a life full of luxury items. Although she had a good childhood, her father’s gambling kept them living in a moderate income. Her rich grandmother doted on her, even paying her way into an expensive college, giving her expensive gifts.
Her new life is everything she dreamed of, a handsome husband, a large social media following, new rich friends, her own clothing store, and a new baby. She has left her past behind, and that includes her friend Billie, and their secrets.

Billie has always worked for what she wanted, studying and trying to get ahead with her hard work. She only had one true friend that she could depend on, the one person who knew the secrets she kept locked away, and that was Cassie.

Her new life includes a handsome new boyfriend, friends that support her, and job that she enjoys. What she doesn’t have anymore is her best friend Cassie.

Cassie has been pushing her away more and more, and as Cassie’s 35th birthday approaches, Billie realizes just how unimportant she is in Cassie’s life.

Billie is asked to do a favor for a friend and ends up right downstairs from her “friends” birthday bash, and out on the balcony is Cassie’s newborn daughter, alone and crying. When Billie makes the stupid decision to climb up the balcony and comfort the child, and ends up kidnapping the baby, things quickly get out of hand.

The story is a decent pace, flipping from past to present. As the story unfolds, you find just how bad Billie’s life was, and just how long Cassie wanted to be one of the elite. The story is listed as a thriller but other than a small twist, there isn’t really much mystery. The book is well written and definitely enjoyable.

I didn’t really like the characters very much, although I liked Billie more than Cassie as you feel for her and what she has endured. Cassie stays the same, only changing when her daughter is kidnapped, and then returns to an annoying snobby person.

This book had lots of triggers as it touches on a step parent molesting their stepdaughter (although over the age of 18)
Alzheimer’s/ Dementia
Kidnapping
Murder

I would read other books by this author as I enjoyed it.

"She used to be my family."

We all have that childhood friendship we thought would be forever. Then life happens. One moves away, goes to college, gets married and has children. In the intense, often startling, Bye, Baby by introspective author Carola Lovering, we experience two young girls becoming best friends, sharing adventures and secrets. But what happens when those adventures and secrets lead to the unthinkable...when being away from your BFF may be the healthier choice or when judgement and jealousy replace the love?

These moral dilemmas happen to Billie and Cassie, opposites from the start. Cassie dreams of being a social influencer with a rich husband. Her dreams come true. Billie has always struggled in life. Left with a slimy stepfather when her mother suffers from early onset Alzheimers, Billie just wants to survive. But when Cassie makes the ultimate sacrifice for Billie do they owe each other life long friendship?

The incomparable voice actresses Karissa Vacker and Helen Laser are phenomenal as these traumatized, often self-destructive women. Told in alternating perspectives, I'm worried that I felt more connected to Billie, considering she kidnaps Cassie's baby in the prologue and we look back at how we got to this point.

Melding drama, traumatic friendship, murder and mystery this writer has created the ultimate book club read loaded with heavy discussion topics such as judgement for not choosing motherhood.

I didn't agree with all the choices at the end but the journey from the opening shocker to the final resolutions will have you saying hello to this unique author.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A great read about forced female friendships, along with a mystery/thriller component. Great read/listen!

I was given advance access to the Bye, Baby audiobook in return for an honest review.
Carola Lovering is a new to me author. I loved this book, and before I was even finished with it added a few of her books to my Amazon cart.

Loved the format of the book- dual POV from Cassie and Billie, past and present. The two have been friends for 20 years. Bille is devoted to her career, while Cassie is married and has a baby. At the beginning of the story Billie kidnaps Cassie's baby. You'll read/listen how it got to this point. The book had my attention instantly.

I highly recommend this book!

Trigger warnings-
+ kidnapping
+ murder
+ Sexual abuse towards a child (I had to fast forward through these parts of the story)

Female friendship, Motherhood. Life’s changing circumstances. Billie and Cassie were supposed to be forever friends. Cassie marries a man with money, has a new upscale grouping of friends, and a child, and pulls away from Billie. Hurt, Billie does something stupid,something she regrets but doesn’t confess.

Told in alternating voices, viewpoints, we go back and forward in time to find out how this friendship became so toxic. A well done story about facing life’s challenges and finding one’s own way.

The audio book was terrific and I hardily recommend it.

Bye, Baby is a novel I was looking forward to reading and Carola Lovering did not disappoint. A solid 4.5 star read; Bye, Baby was an engaging and detailed story about a fractured friendship that I did not want to put down. The format alternating between the two characters, Billie and Cassie, worked flawlessly in building the history between them. Narrators Helen Laser and Karissa Vicker were superb at bringing these two flawed characters to life. Carola Loving is easily becoming a favorite author of mine and I highly recommended everyone read Bye, Baby.

Thank you Macmillan Audio, author Carol Lovering, and NetGalley for this Advanced Listening Copy.

Once inseparable childhood friends Billie and Cassie have grown apart. Cassie is well-off, married with a newborn, and rising to internet stardom as a fashion and lifestyle influencer. As Billie is unmarried and childless, and not part of the glamorous world Cassie has become so accustomed to, the friendship has turned one-sided, with Billie texting and calling, hopeful they can rekindle their friendship. Cassie, on the other hand, can barely be bothered to return a text.

When Cassie's 35th birthday rolls around, Billie is hurt and angry that she hasn't been invited to the bash... especially as she's in the same building and can hear the festivities one floor above her. But Billie's feelings quickly take a back seat to the terrified screams she hears from Cassie -- her baby is missing! When Billie looks down, she sees the baby in her arms. What has she done???

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This is getting some mixed reviews, but it really worked for me! That said, I did have the benefit of going into this without the expectation that it would be a fast-paced plot driven thriller. From what I'd been told, this was a slower burn character driven with subtle thriller vibes. I think it helped me to go into it with realistic expectations. I loved the exploration of friendship and the darker sides of humanity. I liked the past/present and dual-timeline format, and narrators Laser and Vacker make an exceptional team!! This audiobook performance is outstanding and definitely added to my overall enjoyment.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for my gifted ALC.

With hardly anything in common, Billie and Cassie are connected by a gripping bond from their past. The two have known each other for most of their lives but have drifted apart; each living a different lifestyle. One is fully immersed in her life as a wealthy wife and mom and the other is happy to remain single and childless. This toxic yet comforting friendship made for an entertaining read. I’ve read my fair share of thrillers and the inclusion of a kidnapping brought this to a new level!

Having read the author’s previous two books, I was expecting another devious thriller. While this storyline is captivating, it leans more towards a domestic suspense than the thrill ride I had hoped for. With that said, I loved the development of the characters and how the story unfolded.

I liked this book. In terms of the pace, I felt at times it was slow, and then other times it was rushed. I liked the development of the characters, and the alternating times as they grow together. Overall, it was an okay book.

Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering was a great read. I really enjoyed this thriller and loved all aspects of the book. I enjoyed the dual time lines to get the backstory on the main characters Billie and Cassie and loved that the author used dual POVs. I was hooked right away and could not stop listening. This was a really good thriller even though some of the events that took place were a little flat for me. Overall, this story came together and kept my attnetion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my gifted audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good listen (audiobook), but very predictable to me. The narrator was phenomenal though! Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this in exchange of an honest review.

Just okay. I found the twists to be anti climatic and predictable. I did like the audio voice actors. I found them to be entertaining despite the content of the story.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. When I tell you I screamed when I got it, I mean, I screamed. I love this author and this one is very different from her past books. This story follows two besties who have grown apart with time. But there is a big secret that keeps them from losing touch 100%. I couldn't put this one down and really enjoyed it.

4.25 ⭐️

Billie and Cassie have been best friends since they were eleven. Until they aren’t. On the night of Cassie's 35th birthday party, something awful happens: Cassie's daughter is kidnapped. By Bille. What happened to lead to this moment?

This is not a thriller but a contemporary fiction deep-dive into women who grow up as best friends. and then they grow apart. What binds them together? How do they change, or refuse to change? What kind of pain does all of this cause? I found myself feeling so sad for one character while not liking another one at all, but understanding both of them. It's a sad story, but I know I'll be thinking about it for quite a while.

Tell me Lies is one of my all time favorites so I couldn’t wait for this one to come out. Imagine my excitement when I was granted an advanced copy from the publisher!

This is another story of a toxic relationship, except this time between friends. Two teenagers that share a dark secret. Billie has a rough childhood and befriends the new girl in town. They spend all their time together and Cassie becomes Billie’s rock.

When Billie and Cassie go to College, Cassie moves on and this becomes too much for Billie to handle. Billie makes a bad decision out of desperation and her whole world crumbles for good… or does it?

This was a great read and I had a hard time putting it down. Carola Lovering you did it again!

💔 Bye, Baby - Carola Lovering

3 ⭐️ - Oh man, I wanted to love this more. Really, I did. Maybe it’s me? It was engaging. I was interested. I just didn’t love it. This is a suspense, rich people drama and not really the thriller I was hoping for.

On a fall night in NYC, Billie West hears terrifying screams. Only to find out it’s coming from her childhood bestie’s apartment. Cassie Barnwell has just found out that her infant daughter has gone missing. Here unfolds the story of Cassie and Billie’s friendship from childhood into adulthood and how changes in life, love, and circumstance can change us whether we like it or not.

This had some good aspects. Changing point of views and short chapters are always winners for me. I was definitely invested in the changes and growth of Cassie and Billie together and separately. I was engaged and wanted to know the outcome. The ending and outcome just fell so flat after such a slow burn. I wanted more and I wanted it to end differently. I did this one on audio, which I definitely recommend because if Karissa Vacker. If you’re into slow burn snd rich people drama, this one’s for you!

Thank you Netgalley, St Martin Press, and Macmillan audio for the early reader and listener copies! This one’s out now!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC version of this novel.

This story is about best friends that meet at a young age but seem to have grown apart for different reasons.

Cassie and Billie share a dark secret that they both promise to take to the grave, but this secret slowly causes Cassie to try to separate herself from Billie. Billie then decides to act out in a surprising way but is glad once Cassie starts hanging around her again.

While I was reading this story, I had to pause after part one because I was scared of where the story was going. The build up had me thinking something else bad was going to happen but I’m glad when I pushed through those initial thoughts. This story had me feeling for both characters and realizing that they both are messed up in their own kind of way.

This is a riveting exploration of the complexities within female friendships, especially those tainted by underlying toxicity and the pursuit of personal identity. Through the lens of a shocking incident where Billie kidnaps her friend Cassie's baby, the story unfolds, revealing a tangled web of past secrets and traumas. Lovering masterfully uses alternating perspectives and timelines, adding depth to the characters' motivations and the repercussions of their actions. Although some plot elements feel overemphasized for drama, the story remains compelling, offering a relatable yet intense look at the dynamics of changing friendships. This book is a must-read for anyone fascinated by stories that delve into the nuanced and often murky waters of long-term relationships.

Overall, it was a really good story. I like the characters and the kidnapping but returning the baby plot. I liked watching the slow decline of someone who thought she was above all. I even liked watching a character open themselves up to love after trauma. What I didn't like? The ending. It was pretty boring, and I was hoping for a lot more.