Book Review: Bye, Baby

Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction

Pages: 352

"Bye, Baby” by Carola Lovering is one of those books that left me wondering what I’ve just read. Well, I’m not gonna lie; it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. 

This book is sold as a mystery/thriller and it actually isn’t by any means though. Calling this book a mystery is like seeing a kiddie pool as an ocean. Based on the blurb, "Bye, Baby" wasn’t what I expected at all. If I have to put it under a certain genre, I’d say a ‘psychological chick-lit’ fits this book very much. 

There was too much going on in this book; Billie’s obsession with Cassie and their toxic friendship, sexual abuse, the very annoying McKay and Ava judging women in their 30s with no husbands and kids, the super cringy life of influencers on social media, etc.

There was barely a hint of mystery or suspense in this book. To me, it’s a women's fiction about a very unhealthy friendship between two women. One is an insufferable influencer who wants to forget all about her past and thinks she has it all, and the other is too obsessed with her.

The whole time I was waiting for a twist. Apparently, there was none. Yes, there’s a murder and a kidnapping tossed in the book, but nothing was giving mystery or whatsoever. They’re poorly executed, which left me with a “meh” feeling at best. Surprisingly, the book has more romance and relationship problems than thriller.

Despite me feeling so-so about this book, I really didn’t like Cassie and Billie’s obsession with her. And I really really really hated McKay and Ava. Whatever these two said made me roll my eyes so hard I could have seen the back of my skull.

And that Wade deserves an award for the most abhorrent man I’ve ever seen in a book. His portrayal was so stomach-churning, ugly inside and outside. I believe the author made him this way on purpose to make us feel uncomfortable and grossed out. Every scene with him made my skin crawl and my nose scrunch in disgust.

If I had to choose a favorite character in this book, it’d be Jane. She was the voice of reason in this entire book. I’d probably have enjoyed the book more if it was about Jane and Sasha.

So, if you’re looking for a mystery book, ‘Bye, Baby’ isn’t the answer. It’s like drive-thru burgers; not terrible enough to throw away, but still edible and you might not order again. 2 stars out of 5 from me.

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