Cate Kay's life is nothing like my own, but this book was entirely relatable. I usually prefer thriller/crime novels and there is a little mystery about this book in terms of the way that the narrators relate to each other, but it unfolds in perfect timing so that the reader is left interested but not frustrated. All the characters are flawed in their own way but mostly still likable. I also really appreciated that the book is set in different locations and the author was able to evoke them without becoming overly descriptive. I also really appreciated that the book is set in different locations and the author was able to evoke them without becoming overly descriptive. Kate Fagan obviously knows a lot about human nature. I think this book will stay with me for a long time.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 304 / Genre: Fiction
Release Date: January 7, 2025

Annie/Cass/Cate are one woman with three names to go with three different parts of who she is. Annie is who she originally was up through high school until tragedy struck. Cass is who she became after that defining moment in her life. And Cate is the pen name she uses for her bestselling trilogy, which was fueled by said tragedy. Her entire life along with the people closest to her are all affected by this one moment in time and how everything eventually untangles is where the magic lies in this book. I found it so engrossing and engaging I couldn’t put it down. I can see why @ReesesBookClub chose this as its first pick of 2025.

Thank you, @KateFagan3, @AtriaBooks, and @NetGalley for my gifted copy. Although I really wish I was gifted the audiobook since I heard that it’s incredible and has a full cast of narrators, including Marin Ireland, one of my favorites!

What a ride - one of the most interesting ways to tell a story. Lots of perspectives and a story within a story to keep you guessing.

Took me a bit to get in to, but it paid off! At first I was kind of annoyed by the little asterisks of Annie’s commentary or the switching of perspective to tell you exactly what you needed to know. But ultimately it worked as a really clever way to weave the story together.

I was really excited to read this book as the cover is stunning and the blurb sounds intriguing! I liked the structure of this book it is a bit different as it is a fictional memoir with several POV throughout within the memoir. The MC and creates new names for different segments of her life which I thought was creative and cool. I overall liked the concept of this book, it was very interesting and left me wondering how it would tie up and how it would end. I was hooked and devoured this book in a few days. I overall did enjoy this book and the drama, the characters, the mystery and the different subplots but the ending let me down a bit. A lot of the ending happened off page and I would have preferred to read about them firsthand instead of being left to my imagination but that is just me personally. I still would recommend this book as it had me hooked and the characters were all very interesting.

4⭐

Thank you Netgalley & Atria books for the eARC of this book.

This was so good, I was hooked from the beginning. This definitely didn't disappoint. This is a great debut novel from the author.

Loved how we would get different POVs from different timelines. The Audio book was amazing with all the different voice actors. I wasn't exactly sure where this book was going to head especially after the "tragedy" happens but I thoroughly enjoyed. I would've given it a 5 stars but the last 10ish pages for me felt a little rushed but overall I would definitely recommend it.

I did see a lot of people comparing this to the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo and I would have to disagree with that. So I wouldn't go into this expecting Evelyn Hugo.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a beautifully written story about friendship, heartache, and betrayal. It follows Cate as she navigates a world that constantly tests her resilience, exposing the ways people take advantage of those who are lost. The novel is raw and emotional, capturing the struggle of finding one’s way when everything feels broken. With lyrical prose and deeply human characters, this book is both heartbreaking and hopeful—a testament to survival, love, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world.

Loved this page-turner! Such a breezy yet compelling read that I wanted to just keep bingeing.

The multiple POVs, along with fictional excerpts of The Very Last, can get convoluted at times and none of the characters really stand out the way Taylor Jenkins Reid's do, but overall the book was very engaging and readable.

I love the relationships, the dynamics, the chemistry and the exploration of complex female friendships and all the funny feelings that come with it. The last letter made me cry! In fact it's odd how rushed and abrupt the ending was, and how glossed over a certain scene turned out to be considering how well done everything else was.

I wish marketing/publicity folks can do better though. This book being compared to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo actually made me hesitant – not tempted – to pick it up as I was afraid it would be a bad knockoff. Thankfully, I needn't have worried because this was a unique and wonderful read in its own right.

Also, this love story is far from a mystery or thriller. What gives?

Nevertheless, I enjoyed this emotional debut very much.

"The Three Lives of Caty Kate" is a beautifully written and heartwarming tale that blends history, mystery, and a touch of magic. The storytelling is immersive, with rich character development and an intriguing plot that keeps you engaged from start to finish. Caty Kate’s journey through different lives is both thought-provoking and emotional, making this a truly memorable read. Perfect for fans of historical fiction with a unique twist!

Favorite Quotes:


Sidney is not someone I want as an enemy. Or, really, as a friend. No relationship at all was my preference.

Apparently, he’d wanted to make her an honest woman (eye roll), but then a few months after I was born decided he didn’t want honesty that bad.

“You know what I love about you?” “Do tell,” said the other, solicitously. “It’s like . . . ummm . . . how do I explain this? It’s like you hold me steady, but without holding me still.”

…our relationship always felt like such a tenuous thing. Aside from storytelling, Cass’s greatest gift seemed to be absence— that she could easily vacate her physical body. She was almost always somewhere else, and I had started to take it as a personal affront.

I’ve never let myself fully relive this memory before. It’s always been front and center but cordoned off behind yellow caution tape. No doubt my brain’s way of protecting me from feeling as I do right now, which is like a bomb of regret has exploded all over me and no amount of scrubbing could ever remove the stain

She wasn’t above such tactics— no one who succeeds in politics is. We’d both gotten our hands dirty over the years, and likely would again, but also, we donated monthly to six different nonprofits and sat on the board of three others— morality is a delicate ecosystem.


My Review:

Agnst, twists, heartbreak, clever snark, and profoundly insightful musings and observations permeated every page of this keenly and perceptively penned tome.  There was a heaping helping of angst and far more than I knew what to do with, as profound insecurity and anxiety are not my jam, but were an integral part of the main character's personal journey.  This was my first experience reading Ms. Fagan's clever arrangements of words, which alternated between squeezing my heart and putting a smirk on my face.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay is my favorite read of the new year. I enjoyed the alternating viewpoints and the explanatory notes. The characters were well-drawn and believable, flaws and all. I've read many comparisons to The Seven Husbands of Eveylyn Hugo, but since that novel was a DNF for me, I enjoyed this one much more. A solid start to 2025 and I look forward to further novels from Kate Fagan.

From the moment I read the description of The Three Lives of Cate Kay, I knew I’d be hooked. The premise alone—an elusive, bestselling author with blockbuster movie adaptations who remains an enigma to the world—was enough to pull me in. Cate Kay values her privacy, but as the novel unfolds, we discover that a long-buried tragedy is at the root of her need to stay hidden.

What makes this book truly compelling is the way Cate’s story is told—not just through her own perspective but also through the voices of those around her. This narrative structure reminded me of Daisy Jones & The Six, where the different viewpoints add depth, intrigue, and emotional weight to the journey.

At its core, The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a love letter to the power of female friendships. Aside from one relationship in particular, the relationships in this book are fierce, loyal, and deeply moving, adding layers of warmth and complexity to Cate’s journey. I was completely engrossed in her three lives, each revealing more about how she became the person she is today.

This novel was a five-star read for me because it was unlike anything I’ve ever read before. It kept me engaged from start to finish, evoking a whirlwind of emotions. The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a beautifully crafted, unforgettable story that lingers long after the final page.

Thank you to the author, Atria Books and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My apologies for the delay in posting, I had several familial health challenges to contend with in the past month.

The marketing on this is all "Evelyn Hugo", and while I loved that book, this is nothing like that. Having said that, I loved this book. It's complicated, with various layers and a main character who goes by three different identities in the course of her life - this is her (fictional) memoir. Some may find it difficult to get into it, but once you do it grabs hold of you and the narrative flows beautifully in spite of multiple POVs and time jumps. Lots of yearning for identity, belonging, authenticity and love, and the characters are so well-written that I was immersed in their lives. And what an ending, with an intensely personal journey that reaches a destination which translates to self-discovery and contentment, even if it's not all tied up in a pretty bow.

I am in the minority but this didn't hold my attention at all. I didn't find any likable qualities in the main character. DNF'd at 30%

What a wonderfully written book! I loved watching the character develop and became so invested in the book. The writing was fabulous and kept me wanting to read more.

This was fantastic!

I saw lots of comparisons to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but outside of the queer romance and format, I think the similarities were mostly in the readability.

This novel had me unable to put it down. I was completely locked in to the story and found the writing to flow perfectly. There was an excellent balance between character development and plot progression. I can see why Reese picked this one for her book club!

The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a captivating and creative read with a compelling protagonist. It’s emotional, engaging, and full of heart—a truly enjoyable story!

This novel is about a young woman who has gone by many names. We see first her childhood and teenage years as Anne Marie/Annie, then when she flees her hometown after a tragedy, she takes on a new identity as Cass, and then later writes a hugely bestselling novel under the pseudonym Cate Kay while remaining anonymous to the world. The book is styled as a sort of combo memoir/oral history, with parts told by Annie/Cass/Cate, and parts from the perspective of many other people in her life along the way, with footnotes by her commenting on what they have to say. There are also a few excerpts of her fictional book within the book.

I enjoyed this one, and found it a different and original plot, even if the oral history-ish device is one that’s been used before. I feel like I didn’t quite love this one as much as everyone else though, and can’t really put my finger on why. It was still good and I’d recommend though, just not a can’t miss/can’t put it down one for me.

3.75 stars

I was confused from start to finish but very entertain. Maybe I didn’t get it or something because I still probably shocked by that ending definitely worth a read if you are curious

Thanks, as always, to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a good book. Not great, not awful, but good. The story seemed long-winded and unnecessary at points, but I kept reading.

I understand why Annie ran. What I can't understand is why she didn't go back. Yeah, she was lied to, but she could've looked into it herself. She seemed so uninterested in taking accountability, I can't get past that.

I'm not sure if I'd recommend this book.