Reviews with content warning for Alcohol - Bye, Baby

I was so excited to get an ARC of a Carola Lovering book. I loved Can't Look Away. I buddy-read this with someone who also enjoyed that book. We schemed all the way through the first half expecting some giant twist that would make sense of the events in the book and significance of characters who played very minor roles. Given we both read thrillers regularly we expected a big reveal. And that's not what happened. There was no giant twist. I absolutely respect the messaging the book set out to share but the thriller aspect was not well enough developed.

Content Warnings

astoriareader's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

SYNOPSIS:

Billie & Cassie were childhood best friends. Through glimpses of the past, we learn about their secrets, their traumas, and their friendship.
In the present day, they aren’t as close, and we slowly learn why.
Cassie is a micro-influencer, as well as the owner of an upscale boutique. Billie works at an expensive, luxury travel consultancy.

MY THOUGHTS

I wouldn’t characterize this as thriller/suspense, but rather, a well-written drama about toxic, one-sided friendships.
Multiple POVs (Billie & Cassie) with both present & the past.
Fast-paced.
Set mostly in NYC (at least the present). I live in NYC, so I love reading books with this setting.
Lovering is an incredible writer, and she expertly creates a familiar, relatable story about old friendships. She crafted and plotted a seamless story that you’ll find yourself breezing through until the very end.
The main characters are both imperfect and flawed. I really liked Billie, and I felt sorry for her throughout the book. The book deals with Billie constantly trying to maintain a friendship with Cassie, instead of letting the friendship run its natural course.
Cassie wasn’t a likable character, and I thought she was very shallow & nauseating.
Lovering also explores motherhood AND choosing to be a childfree woman. I loved that she incorporated this, as it isn’t something that many writers acknowledge or incorporate.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fast-paced + well-written. Drama about toxic friendships.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. It will be published on March 5, 2024.

Content Warnings

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

jillwedemeier's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Cassie and Billie are two lifelong best friends who have grown apart as they have grown older. On the night of Cassie's 35th birthday, Billie hears cries coming from Cassie's birthday party, one floor above her. Billie discovers that Cassie's infant daughter is crying, and no one is caring for the child while the party is going on. Billie takes the baby back downstairs to comfort her. Before Billie realizes what she has done, she hears Cassie's terrified screams as she tries to find her missing daughter. What follows is the story of how this inseparable pair, once fiercely bonded by dark secrets, has drifted apart in adulthood. Cassie married a wealthy man, had a baby, and is building a following on social media as a lifestyle influencer. Billie, on the other hand, is single, childless, and a world traveler. While Billie desperately wants to reconnect with her former best friend, Cassie desperately wants to leave her past—and Billie—behind.

Told from alternating perspectives and timelines, Bye, Baby explores the complexities of female friendships and the aftereffects of split-second decisions. I was completely engrossed in Billie and Cassie's stories and could not put this book down, finishing the entire thing in one day. While this book has many suspenseful moments, it is much more than just a thriller or a domestic suspense novel. This book is incredibly thought-provoking. I empathized with Billie in so many unexpected ways, and I think that many women will relate to this story. Overall, a very compelling read that I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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