The Three Lives of Cate Kay is the first book I have read by Kate Fagan, and it has made me want to go back and read her others. I wasn't sure what to expect going into this book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book was predictable but not in a bad way. The story flowed well and made this a super-fast paced read. It is a multiple viewpoint story but is easy to follow and really aided in the overall story itself. I would highly recommend this book. Thanks so much NetGalley for the ARC.

"The Three Lives of Cate Kay" is an absolute pleasure to read. With its uniquely intriguing premise and deeply complex characters, this novel is sure to resonate with a wide range of readers. Kate Fagan masterfully blends elements of mystery and romance, crafting a narrative that delves into the intricacies of identity and the art of storytelling.

Fans of character-driven tales will find themselves captivated by Cate's journey. The book is crafted to deliver a measured dose of emotion throughout the saga, and by the end, it’s definitely a story you’ve immersed yourself in—one that you'll likely want to revisit as soon as you put it down. This debut is a must-read for anyone seeking a fresh and engaging literary experience.

What a delightful, fictional memoir! I loved the multiple points of view leading to each discovery, character development, and beautiful storyline. I also enjoyed the snippets of the fictional book included, which gave further depth into the story and were simply fun to read. I really enjoyed the ride and don’t want to give too much away, but very grateful to NetGalley for arc.

Whenever I see a book claim to be like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I'm sceptical because it's a tall order and few books measure up. Honestly, I think it's safe to say this claim is right on the money in this instance.

This is a memoir-style book that skillfully rounds out the story of one woman who has had multiple names over her life and lives in complete anonymity due to a traumatic event in her past. Cate Kay is the pen name of a woman who grew up in love with her best friend Amanda dreaming of being actors in Hollywood and chasing their dreams together. Through chapters from the points of view of various people in the story, some with larger roles and others with minor appearances, we fill in the details of Cate Kay's elusive and mysterious past and current loner lifestyle and it's a story worth hearing.

I especially appreciate the little touches in this book that lend authenticity to it being a memoir within a book, such as the little "Note from Cate Kay" at the end of many chapters where Cate wants to correct something said by another POV character, muse on the nature of memory, or just add some commentary of her own to the subject. This gives the whole "memoir" an authentic touch that's difficult to achieve through just the first-person narration of events we get in each chapter.

If I had anything negative to say about this book, it would be the very minor niggle that the ending wraps up very quickly, to the point of seeming abrupt, rather than fleshing out the payoff we have been slowly building towards for the rest of the book. Aside from this, I was deeply engaged in this book and loved the characters and their interactions, as well as how fallible they all are.

Honestly, this is going to be one of the best books I've read this year and is well worth waiting for in 2025.

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and Kate Fagan for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I think I have an unpopular opinion on this book compared with other reviews I’ve seen because while I enjoyed it, it wasn’t my favorite. Something about it wasn’t for me and I think it was a mixture of the writing and my not caring about some of the characters. I felt like a lot of the characters acted strangely at times too, which brought me out of the story. I think others will probably enjoy it more though! I’m glad that I had the chance to read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book! 4.25⭐️

Oh my, I just put this down and had to write my review immediately (while I still had tears in my eyes😭). This was truly such a beautiful story. The author seamlessly weaved together so many timelines and POVS that I couldn’t get myself to put it down!

I haven’t felt this way about a main character in a long time. She was both relatable and also so human that when she made certain questionable decisions I was like “off I might have done that at that point in life.” I loved that I didn’t get just one main character - but technically 3 as she moves through different points in her life. It was honestly brilliant.

Kate Fagan definitely has a gift when it comes to pulling out human emotions in her characters. The good, bad and the ugly!

“we’re all so much more, and less, than our best, or worst, moment”

cate kay
cate with a kay
cate with a k

annie callahan, cass ford, and cate kay—three names, each carrying the weight of its own story.

it delves into the intricacies of girlhood, friendship, love, and female relations—how one person’s influence can profoundly shape another’s life. and how one decision can alter your life; in many ways.

there’s something profoundly interesting about reading complex characters, making me feel morally captivated to understand their decisions. like they were made coherently to reflect our own struggles and desires in their intricate, imperfect lives.

the story is written with such perceptiveness that every detail feels deliberate—poignant. however, the frequent shifts in perspective occasionally felt disorienting and distracting from the main narrative at times.

to sum it up, this story stands for those who have always felt second and are always seeking for more. for those who feel tethered to others but want change, and for those who crave validation and importance. if you’re interested in slightly more intricate workings with interesting plots then this one’s for you!

a big thank you to netgalley and atria books for allowing me to receive an early copy of this book!

4.25 Stars.

This book was so good and I don't think i have ever read a book like it. I loved the story line and how we were able to see the perspective of so many characters. However because of that it did take me a bit longer to remember what role each character had in the story as the pov was changing frequently. Overall I definitely enjoyed this book and will be recommending this to friends.

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for this ARC!

Cate Kay will inevitably be compared to Evelyn Hugo, which I'm already going to say is unfair because I have never read a book like this before. Every relationship is so palpable and real, and the story is so gripping without needing a gimmicky twist to keep you hooked. I just fell in love with these characters (except for the ones I viscerally hated) in a way I almost never do. Gorgeous book top to bottom, cannot recommend enough

The Three Lives of Cate Kay has been continuously marketed for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and it’s safe to say THEYRE RIGHT!!

The Three Lives of Cate Kay is the first book I’ve ever read by Kate Fagan and I am thrilled to find a new authour that I will consume from here on out. Her expertise is apparent throughout the entire book from her intricate weaving of a beautiful story to the nuances of the smallest details that will make you weep when revealed.

A slice of life story can become monotonous easily and Fagan is able to avoid this at every turn. I was enamored by her queer love stories while not being heavy handed in any way. Everything was plausible without being boring or even slow burning.

There are multiple POVs that allow for a deeper view into the mind set of our characters while still being told in a “memoir” by Cate Kay herself. It was an interesting twist to the storytelling while not being too meta and my favourite part was her use of footnotes that I would be skipping ahead to read every time they popped up.

It’s been quite some time since I’ve read a story in this genre that was as moving as The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and I’m so excited for everyone to finally get to experience this.

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it will come out in January. Pretty solid. It took me a bit to get into it but the way the story lines were woven together was interesting. The queer panic was extremely relatable.

I binged this book in less than 24hrs. I thought it was very well done with character development and pacing! I was left wanting more.

3.25 stars!

Here are some great things about this book:
- the way the narratives were structured was cool! I enjoyed the premise
- The book within a book was actually good and I would like to read it!
- I did think the friendship between Annie and Amanda was nice, and I think there are Big Friendships like this in my past that made this feel relatable!

Here are some things that didn’t quite work for me:
- the stakes did not feel high enough at all to warrant the characters’ actions. For SURE the inciting incident was serious but the main character had no real rationale for hiding away that was clear
- The different narration style drew out tiny parts of the plot into huge long scenarios and skipped through more interesting plot points - it made it hard to keep track of what happened because it was referencing a minor plot point you’d heard about 5 chapters back.
- All first person written chapters made it so the only way we were observing these characters was through their (more detailed than expected) memories. It would have been cool to add in some articles/media and see how the public reacted to some of these things.

I can see the comp to Evelyn Hugo, but ultimately it suffered for that comparison since I felt Evelyn had a much tighter hold on the plot, and it was largely told by 1-2 people with clips/media in between. This was honestly more similar to Biography of X, but like a very light version of that more serious novel. And ultimately it felt too uneven in its stakes vs. its premise, which made me feel unmoored as a reader.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received a free copy of the book from Netgalley and I write this review voluntarily. This is a novel that feels like cold water in a desert. The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a beautiful story of friendship, love and human nature. Every character has their flaws and none of them were given more or less credit than they deserve. They struggle, they get lucky and they just behave as people in real life. It feels like a real biography. This is a multiple point of view novel, which could be challenging at times but all of the story comes together. I advise this novel to anyone to read something extraordinary.

This is quite literally the best book I have ever read this year. The memoir style was so fun and I wish I could re-read all over again!!

*The Three Lives of Cate Kay* is an engaging read, earning a solid 3.5 stars. While the story and characters are compelling, there are some elements that could be improved. The relationship between Amanda and Annie feels unrealistic at times, with Amanda's mixed signals needing more subtlety early on. The excerpts from *The Very Last* that mirror their relationship are introduced too soon, making the parallels overly obvious. Lastly, the notes from Cass throughout other narrators' chapters detract from the reader's ability to draw their own conclusions. Despite these issues, the book remains a page-turner and fun read!

Cate Kay is a pseudonym of a hugely popular author of a trilogy that is made into movies, Broadway productions, and rides at theme parks. For a time, only one other person knows who Cate Kay really is.

As a kid, the author and her best friend Amanda were the leads in all the school plays, so their plan was to drive out to Hollywood after graduation and take the world of acting by storm. Right before they’re going to leave, Amanda has a horrible accident, and the author runs, unable to face what happened. Though Cate is concealing her identity, other very important things are being concealed from her, too from a person she trusts. (I was furious about the lies!)

This is original and compelling.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELEASES JANUARY 7, 2024.

This book was so unique and gripped me from the beginning. I loved the shorter chapters, intertwining stories and fleshed out characters (even the seemingly ancillary ones), excerpts from The Very Last, the realness of the characters and their complex emotions, the memoir format that felt more interview style….everything!! I cannot wait for the public to get their chance to read this and am excited to watch its success. I am also very excited to delve deeper into Kate Fagan’s catalog. A new favorite author for sure.

I thought this sounded right up my alley, and I loved the cover so requested it as soon as I saw it. Unfortunately, I struggled with it almost as soon as I started reading. The writing did not draw me in at all and I found the multiple narrators and voices distracting rather than engaging. I just couldn't generate any connection to the characters and when I realized that I was literally skimming simply to turn pages, realized this one wasn't for me and stopped reading...

The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a thrilling, gripping and original story. It is character-driven and weaves themes of identity, resilience and the power or storytelling throughout.

Cate Kay is the author of a world-famous trilogy. To the public, she is unknown - it is a pseudonym. Throughout her life, she has been known as three different people - Anne, Cass and Cate. Each are a different part of her life. Anne, the teenager wishing to escape her small town. Cass, the young adult wanting a fresh start. Cate, the famous author.

The day before she and her best friend, Amanda, are supposed to run away to their future, a tragedy occurs and Anne runs away, never wanting to look back but also unable to stop thinking about it. Everything she does is underpinned by her past as she tries to move towards her future. Is that attainable or does she need to return home in order to be whole again?

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.