“Prologue. October 13, 2023. The baby stops fussing, settling into my arms like a sleepy puppy. The soft weight of her. She is back to sleep, her face peaceful as a porcelain doll’s. That wasn’t hard. The living room window is open; fevered voices carry in from the terrace of the apartment above. Commotion. Mania. I shouldn’t be surprised. I recognize the sound of Cassie’s screaming, obviously - I’ve heard her scream dozens of times.”
That’s from the opening of Carola Lovering’s novel Bye, Baby. Billie and Cassie became best friends in high school. They did everything together and Cassie helped Billie out of an abusive home situation in a very dramatic way. Though they went to different Boston colleges, they spent many weekends together and after graduation they lived together for a few years in a tiny apartment in New York City. However once Cassie became a social media influencer and finally fulfilled her dream of marrying into an upper class circle, she ditched Billie.
In the prologue, Billie has just kidnapped Cassie’s baby. The story alternates voices between Billie and Cassie and from present day to past events since high school. As the book cover says “this breakout novel explores the complicated dynamics of female friendship and the toxic secret history between two unforgettable women.” Neither one of these self centered characters are particularly likable but this story may cause you to examine your own friendships.
If you’re looking for a story that gives you a glimpse into the changing nature of female friendships, then you must read Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering.
