I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering Narrator: Helen Laser, Karissa Vacker
Published by Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press on March 5, 2024
Genres: Fiction / Psychological
Length: 11 hours 24 minutes
Pages: 352
Format: ARC, Audiobook
Source: Publisher
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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 which 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 LifeEvery 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.
I had a great time with this book! I have wanted to read Carola Lovering’s work for some time but this is the first time that I have picked up one of her books and it was a winner for me. The reader knows from the start who is responsible for kidnapping baby Ella, which is a fun way to let the story unfold. Billie and Cassie have known each other since they were children even though they aren’t as close anymore. After the kidnapping, Cassie only wants Billie around, not knowing that she is the one who took her daughter in the first place.
I was on the edge of my seat waiting for everyone to figure out what really happened and there were some pretty intense situations from Cassie and Billie’s past that we learn about as we work our way through the story. I didn’t dislike either of these 2 women but I did feel myself more drawn to Billie and hoped that she would figure a way out of the mess that she had put herself in. Billie has a lot of positive things going on in her personal life and I wanted to see her keep that momentum going.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrators did a great job with this novel. Helen Laser’s and Karissa Vacker’s voices were distinctive enough so that I always knew which character’s perspective was being portrayed. I thought that both narrators did an excellent job of bringing the right amount of emotion into their reading which helped to bring the story and characters to life. I am certain that their performances added to my overall enjoyment of this story.
I would recommend this book to others. I was hooked by this story early on and couldn’t wait to see how things would work out. These two women share a long history and a whole lot of secrets and I enjoyed learning their background one layer at a time. I hope to read more of this author’s work very soon.
I received a review copy of this book from Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press.
I’m happy to hear it was such a hit with you.