I got really excited about this book when it was compared to Evelyn Hugo and that a few reviewers were saying it was unputdownable. I didn’t feel the same.

It is told in many many povs which was an interesting way to tell this story from different time periods of Cates life to piece together her and her different love stories.
Overall I felt disconnected and just wasn’t vibing. I wonder if I would have done better with an audiobook?

Thanks to netgalley and Atria for an eARC

Thank you Netgalley & publisher for this e-arc of The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan.

This is a fiction novel. 4.5*.

Synopsis: "The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan is a gripping debut novel about secrets, reinvention, and the journey to self-acceptance. Cate Kay, the enigmatic author of a blockbuster book trilogy turned film sensation, has never revealed her identity—because Cate Kay doesn’t truly exist. Behind the pseudonym is a woman haunted by her past. Years ago, a tragic event derailed her plans to escape her troubled upbringing with her best friend Amanda. Fleeing her old life, she adopted new names and crafted a new path. But now, after a stunning revelation, she must confront the ghosts of her past and return home to reclaim the life she left behind. With emotional depth and unexpected twists, Fagan’s novel explores the power of truth and the resilience it takes to rewrite your own story."

Things I liked:
• The Novel/Story
• Characters
• Pace
• The deception surprised me from S.
• The forgiveness from A. surprised me.

Things I disliked (if you can call it that):
• The Character R. for me had not closure, I felt a grab in that story, but it did not take away from the main story.
• The jumping around was hard for me as I wanted to stick to the core story.
• Took so long to circle back to A., hard for me the departure and waiting.

I highly recommend to fiction lovers and thriller/mystery lovers, this is kind of a hybrid.
Tags: Fiction, LGBTQ, flf, Contemporary, Mystery, thriller, etc.

Huge thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the ARC.

Plot: The identity of best-selling author Cate Kay has been a mystery - until now. The book is styled as a memoir from Cate Kay, walking us through the life events that caused Cate Kay to choose to remain anonymous. We learn about her former lives, relationships, friendships, and personal tragedies and the events that have motivated her to finally step into the limelight.

Review: This was a surprising favorite read of all time for me. First of all, Kate Fagan’s writing grips you from page 1. The characters all felt so real. The timelines and shifting POVs were so easy to follow. The story was compelling. I smiled and teared up throughout. I just loved every single second of this book. If I didn’t have young kids, I probably would have read it in one sitting. She’s a new autobuy author for me. I can’t recommend this book enough.

5🌟

Cate Kay has written a best selling trilogy and she is in hiding from her past. Amanda and her met as children and grew up inseparable. Cate was anxious and Amanda was free spirited. They dreamed of one day escaping to Los Angeles and becoming actors.

I absolutely loved the beginning of the book and how the author displayed this best friendship. The writing style was clever and I was so invested in these characters.

I will say that the ending was anticlimactic but overall I enjoyed this book.

Cate Kay is the author of a best selling series, but the identity of Cate Kay is a tightly guarded secret. This is Caye Kay's memoir. She is finally telling her story and revealing her identity. Using a great structure, the story is told from her perspective as well as the perspective of different people who have known her from her three lives. We hear from some people mutliple times and others only once. Add to that, footnotes from Cate Kay interjecting her thoughts in some chapters is a very inventive and intersting addition which I thoroughly enjoyed. This is a coming of age story, a story of coming to terms with your past and finding yourself to finally embracing the future that you didn't think you deserved. It is also a love story, a love of friends and found family. A story that you don't want to miss.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

I am so sad this book is over! I could keep reading for days, but since I couldn’t stop reading this I didn’t get anything else done, so it is a bittersweet time. The back and forth pov of the chapters is a delight and even thought you are reading from all viewpoints you will still be surprised at the ending. I will even consider reading this again before the publish date and will definitely tell all my friends about this —would give it more stars if I could.

Thanks to the publisher, Atria Books for this ARC ebook to read. All opinions are my own.

#netgalley #atriabooks

Cate Kay is the pen name of the author of a trilogy that took the world by storm, was made into movies, etc, and made even more popular because nobody knows who she is. No picture on the book jacket, no interviews, no book tours. The novel is the fictional memoir of Cate, originally Annie, and then Cass. Why Cate feels the need for all these personas and how she got there is the story told in an unusual way in this interesting novel.

Many books are told by multiple points of view but this one truly has MULTIPLE points of view. They are all told in first person, and some are main characters and some are just minor people in Cates life. She even includes footnotes at the end of someone's chapter if she chooses to clarify something. The early part of the book focuses on Cates childhood with her best friend Amanda which is a great exploration of coming of age, discovering of sexual orientation and friendship. Once the defining moment of their relationship happens however the book takes a turn and the story turns into more of an adult relationship story with sapphic love, backstabbing and a bit of Hollywood as well.

I did enjoy the story and thought it was originally told. I did not enjoy all the characters and questioned many of their choices, but thats just me and what I like in my books. Thank you to the publisher and net galley for the e galley in return for an honest review.

If 'The Bolter' by Taylor Swift was a person, they'd be the main character of this book.

Despite her own warning at the start, that she made bad choices based in selfishness and cruelty, I couldn't hate her. Not even a little bit. Even when I didn't fully agree said choices. She was too real and flawed, yes, but that only endeared me even more to her. I knew I'd love this book and the characters inside of it from the first few chapters. It had me hooked instantly and I would have devoured it all in a single sitting if I could have. The love between Annie and Amanda made this for me, and I was so charmed by the early chapters of getting to know them and their friendship. As wonderful as the entire book was, that was the standout section to me.

I really wasn't sure what to expect from this, and went in totally blind - which I can only recommend, because when That moment happens towards the start, the one that launches all of the following events into action, I audibly gasped. I had not seen it coming.

At first, I did think that so many POVs would be messy and hard to keep up with, but I was proved wrong very quickly. Even the characters I disliked (and by 'characters', I mean 'character,' and I mean Sidney), I loved their POV, because as much as her actions bothered me, she was still fascinating in a way, and an enjoyable point of view.

I want to keep this totally spoiler-free so I won't say too much more about the plot itself, but oh, it made me cry. I think I cried throughout the entire last ten percent of this book. Some lines were such gut punches and I mean that as a compliment. The amount of lines I highlighted as I read is probably ridiculous, I don't even want to go count. So, so beautifully written, and so moving.

I do think that the ending could have been extended a bit, if only by a couple chapters. The reunions, including the one I was looking forward to most, felt very rushed over - and on one hand, I see the reasoning for it, but selfishly, I really wanted to read it.

A bookseller friend of mine enthusiastically recommended THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY after reading it - and I am so glad that I bumped it to the top of my list. This is the kind of book that makes your heart ache in all of the best ways. You know the moment when Darcy finally professes his (most ardent) love for Elizabeth Bennet? This book is full of moments like that. As a reader, it feels like you're quietly urging these characters towards all of those moments. We celebrate with them and then groan when they make flawed, utterly human decisions.

Cate Kay is an alter ego. She is a brilliant author with a bestselling dystopian series (think Hunger Games) but she has kept her real identity a secret to protect a messy, complicated past. She is a woman who reinvents herself with an almost startling ease but never quite leaves that past of hers behind. We follow her as she falls in (and out) of love, as she reckons with the decisions she has made, and she finds her way back home both literally and metaphorically. This book is a layered exploration of identity, about what defines who we are, and about the evolution of a young woman who is lost in all the ways that matter.

I tend to be skeptical of novels with multiple narrators - there is such a thing as *too* many POVs, after all. And yet, it works beautifully here. I could have done without the footnotes though I understood their intention. Beautifully developed characters and an endless supply of warmth. Highly recommend if you were a theater kid.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the advance copy. All opinions are entirely my own.

Cate Kay is a successful author of a book trilogy resulting in fame and fortune. But that name is a
nom de plume and the author's real identity is a well-kept secret.

The real Cate grew up in a small town and dreamed of moving to Hollywood to become a star with her best friend. But a cruel tragedy set both their lives on different trajectories trying to make new lives for themselves. Will they be able to find their way back to each other after years apart or are they destined to live parallel lives?

I LOVE this story and the format it was told in, almost like a "Behind the Music"/"True Hollywood Story" documentary but for an author. I loved how there were different perspectives shared from the different characters. while still keeping Cate's voice as a through-line.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️ rounded up.

Loved the unique premise and watching the growth of the characters. The second half slowed down a bit, but it was still entertaining.

So first off, I got this as an arc from the publisher in return to an honest review. So starting out, to be Frank I almost put this book down at around chapter 5. The format is a little Odd I thought. It has many characters that you meet but some stick around for like 1 chapter and then reappear later in maybe 1 more. The chapters are written from their point of view and sometimes you get footnotes at the end of them from the main character? It's never really explained why this is, or at least I didn't get it. Again, I almost shelved the book. I decided not to because from what I understand the author is pretty well known so I decided to power through.I got to say that it took a really long time to get fully vested into this book, it's not that it was bad it was pretty good in fact. It was just odd I thought. By about the somewhere over the halfway mark it did get a lot more interesting and I found myself getting a feel for it and looking forward to what was going to happen next. I enjoyed the book overall and I'm glad that I did power through and if I had to rate this book it would probably be somewhere close to a 3.5 stars out of five. So overall I can recommend this book. The main character, especially at the beginning, fair warning, you're not going to like her. As the book goes on you do actually end up liking her and several of the other characters. Fair warning this is not like the seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in my opinion. Still worth a read though if you can get past the start.

Cate Kay is the anonymous author of the insanely popular book series turned movies. What’s strange though, is that not only does nobody know who she is, Cate Kay doesn’t really exist. It is possibly time to come clean about who she is? I guess we will find out as Cate tells us her
story.

Ok first of all this book is compared to Evelyn Hugo, and I can tell you it def has some Evelyn vibes going on! I started this book before going to bed and may or may not have finished 50% in one go. I was just fascinated by everything Cate had been through and how she ended up where she was. Kate Fagan is definitely an author I will pick up again, this book was just so dang good! I don’t want to say much else because this is one where spoilers would be easy to accidentally give!

Thank you to @atriabooks for my gifted copy of this book!

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan tells the story of the infamous, anonymous Cate Kay - bestselling author of a trilogy, then film series, and total world wide phenomenon - memoir style. Cate Kay is finally ready to come clean, and she’s got a lot to say!

Wow - this book had it all! Pulling at my heart strings and encapsulating me in moments, I was glued to this book like the people were real. Hell, I was nostalgic for memories that weren’t even mine, that weren’t even anyone’s! Truly, Fagan knows what she is doing. She has crafted a masterpiece.

Cate was instantly likeable, not only that, she was tragic and relatable and so wildly different that you wished your life was as damaged and dramatic and beautiful as hers. Her character development was monumental and this is possibly one of the best handlings of queer relationships I have come across thus far. The aspect of love in this novel was gorgeous. Dreamlike and complicated, with many miscommunications that were totally life alternating and painful to read, but gorgeous.

I will be honest, the first few chapters felt felt cliche and almost amateurish (can’t quite put my finger on it) but I’m thrilled I kept reading because the quality of the writing just sky rocketed from there. I think the stylistic choice came across like this to begin with, but soon vanished as I was transported to the world of Cate Kay.

The storyline felt meticulously and wonderfully planned and characters felt like they had beating hearts and would jump off the page. So vivid. So dazzling. I could imagine scenes with such clarity and hope to one day see them in a film adaptation.

It was just dramatic enough to maintain believability whilst also being incredibly captivating. I truly did not want this book to end!

Currently running to get mg hands on anything else Kate Fagan has touched, as I’m sure it also, has turned to gold! Thank you NetGalley and Atria for providing me this ARC.

When I saw this compared to the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I was instantly intrigued. This book is similar, but definitely not as gravitating or fast paced. This is more of a traditional literary fiction pick about the meaning of life. I did like Cate Kay, but I found the multipole POVs distracting and hard to digest. I wasn't a huge fan of the slow pacing and drawn out plot twists that were half told to the reader. I did like the premise of this book a lot, and at the end, I think the author did deliver on what was promised.

Unfortunately, this book was a disappointment for me because of its writing style and structure. While the premise is interesting, the writing just didn’t resonate with me. The multiple points of view were confusing and made it difficult to follow at the beginning, which left me feeling uninterested. Although the story picked up towards the end and became easier to read, I believe the transition could have been executed more effectively.

Thank you Atria books and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book had me hooked from the very start. I loved the rotating point of views and how they overlapped at times. The formatting also fascinated me and only took me even deeper into the story. Every detail: Cate’s footnotes, the book fragments, the magazine excerpts, etc.

And these characters… It’s been a while since I’ve seen a cast of characters where each and every single one of them was so well fleshed out.

It genuinely felt like it had everything, from witty and funny one-liners to deep need-to-close-the-book-and-stare-blankly-into-space moments.

I’ve felt probably every single emotion in the human spectrum while reading this, and I will definitely be recommending it to everyone that is willing to hear me talk about this book for hours.

I can’t wait to get my hands on the physical copy when it officially comes out and annotate the life out of it, but for now: thank you for this ARC that was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Written in the style of "Evelyn Hugo" and "Daisy & the Six" - journalistic, nostalgic, and from different points of view. "The Very End" is a smash hit - a book everyone is dying to get their hands on. It spurns a book trilogy, movie series, amusement park and more - but no one knows who wrote it. The author uses the pseudonym "Cate Kay", and is fiercely protective of their privacy and identity. But all that changes when events from the author's past resurface and they are forced to think about revealing their identity to the public.

This book being comped to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was enough to get me to pick it up - and I'm glad I did! I have to say, I had a hard time getting into the book. Since each chapter was told from a different person's point of view (main character Annie aka Cate, her best friend Amanda, Hollywood starlet Ry, lawyer Sidney, and more), PLUS there were jumps back and forward in time, I had a hard time getting into the groove and remembering who was speaking. Once I got to the midpoint of the book it started to click together for me and it only picked up speed from there, and then by the end I couldn't put it down.

The story is complex and very female-focused -- there's relationships between mother and daughter, best friends, romantic relationships, controlling relationships, and even the relationship between a Hollywood star and her following. I had trouble seeing how it all fit together at the start, but it gels nicely by the end. I would say the plot is also not about one single thing. It touches on issues of coming-of-age, redefining oneself, living ones truth, substance abuse, forgiveness, and hopes and dreams both dashes and fulfilled. There's a lot to unpack! I could see this being good for a book club discussion.

I would recommend to fans of LGBTQ+ lit, female-forward novels, and yes, to anyone who loved Evelyn Hugo as well.

Cate Kay, the internationally best selling author, doesn’t exist. Or rather she does, but not with that name. And her true identity is a closely guarded secret. Cate, or Cassie, or Annie, is running from her past, but she’s not sure she wants to keep running in the shadows.
This domestic thriller in the form of a fictional memoir manages twists and reveals. Cate’s story is told from various points of view, which can get a little confusing, with footnotes added by Cate. Some of the characters were simply unlikeable, including, at times, Cate. I liked Ryan, but I wasn’t sure how her storyline was resolved at the end, which was disappointing.