Book Review: Bye, Baby: A Novel by Carola Lovering-Mystery/Thriller

Hello dear Readers,

My book review of Bye, Baby: A Novel by Carola Lovering.

Title: Bye, Baby: A Novel

Rating:  4/5 Stars

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Author: Carola Lovering

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: March 05, 2024

Language: English

Hardcover: 352 pages
Meet the Author: Carola Lovering
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

A March 2024 Indie Next and LibraryReads Pick

"Powerful, relatable, and crazily addictive, Bye, Baby takes an unflinching look at the battling forces of toxicity and love that define so many female friendships. I couldn't put it down." ––Rosie Walsh, New York Times bestselling author of Ghosted and The Love of My Life

Every friendship has its shadow...

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.

Once fiercely bonded by their secrets, Cassie and Billie have drifted apart in adulthood, no longer the inseparable pair they used to be in their small Hudson Valley hometown. Cassie is married to a wealthy man, has recently become a mother, and is building a following as a lifestyle influencer. She is desperate to leave her past behind―including Billie, who is single and childless, and no longer fits into her world. But Billie knows the worst thing Cassie has ever done, and she will do whatever it takes to restore their friendship…

Told in alternating perspectives in Lovering’s signature suspenseful style, Bye, Baby confronts the myriad ways friendships change and evolve over time, the lingering echoes of childhood trauma, and the impact of women’s choices on their lifelong relationships.

My Thoughts

I previously read Too Good To Be True by the same author and really liked it. I was very curious to read her new work, and it turned out to be pretty good.

Trigger warning on sexual abuse, childhood trauma, toxic friendships, loss, and motherhood.

Loved the multiple POV, and how relatable the characters are. I definitely was not expecting the responsible for the main event involving the baby, however, I felt like it could have been developed a little bit more, making it more suspenseful, and at the end, I felt like I wanted a more deep ending but overall, I really liked the story, and couldn't put it down. 

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley, for the Advanced Free Copy, in exchange for an honest review.

Wendy