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.

4.25 stars and maybe I’m being too picky. Because I found myself wanting more in the end but someone pointed out something and I could see where it makes sense and goes with the the theme of the book and I’d love to her the author’s reasoning behind the ending.

While this may be to simple, or just me being picky/petty/no imaginative but a simple internet search could’ve saved one of the MCs 6 years of heartache (even if that didn’t show her the truth, a simple phone call to anyone at home could’ve solved it).

Overall this book left you always guessing. While it seems pretty obvious, The Three Lives of Cate Kay demonstrates the impact decisions we make have on us, others and the future. The storytelling keeps you on your toes and made me feel accomplished when I would spot clues or figure things out. I love the different POVs but it took me a minute to pay more attention to who’s it was (this is a personal thing, not like the author didn’t do a good job or anything, I just suck at reading chapter titles). I made myself out down the book so I could savor it longer. Otherwise, I could’ve probably read it in a day.

There is amazing queer representation and female empowerment.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC

I enjoyed this book. The plot was engaging and the characters were complex. My main critique is that there were too many narrators.

I could not get enough of this book!! It was so well rounded and it left me wanting so much more in the best way! I think this is one of those books that you think about for ages until you just have to read it again. It's pacing was excellent and the characters were just so good. Their personalities had dimension and they seem so real.

I binged this book in less than 4 hours. I absolutely loved all the connected threads throughout both timelines, as well as how the various points of view told different sides of the story. I will definitely be recommending!

This book was incredible, I started reading it at 11pm, it’s now 3:43am and I couldn’t put it down. I went through all the emotions, although the author adding in Carl’s chapter was so heartbreaking I feel like that didn’t need to happen for my hearts sake 😭 although it was beautiful and gave an insight on what people thought cate kay was like.

‘What many people don't understand about serious injury or illness is that what you're really coming to grips with isn't the physical limitations (although there is that), it's how the physical limitations alter your interactions with the world. At first, you can only take. You take people's time, their physical energy, their emotional reserves. You're in a state of need and you take, take, take without giving. And taking without giving, that messes with your head. You start asking yourself what the point of your existence is.’

As someone with a chronic illness this was so well written of the feelings of helplessness and feeling like a burden not many authors can truly capture that feeling.

The only thing that would have made this book better was if there was a chapter at the end of how Sidney is miserable in life 😂

Crazy-uniqueness! Entertaining intrigues! …..and women rock!
I liked it!…..
…..not only for the storytelling itself but for the creative crafting — narrative— and imagination.
As for what genre it is? …..well it’s fiction, contemporary, Queer, LGBT, Adult fiction, and Lesbian fiction ….. but even that doesn’t explain things fully.
While we are unraveling a string of puzzling questions about ‘who is Cate Kay ….we are also peeling off onion skins on each of the multi-faceted characters….(their inner voices…fears, insecurities, hidden communications, secret loves, desires, hopes, and dreams)…..

From beginning to end — author Kate Fagan, (new to me) had me in the palm of her hands; it was marvelously engaging.
Some books really do need to be experience. This is one of them. I’d recommend going along for the ride and just let the story percolate and metastasize naturally …..
Much to ‘feel’, laugh, think, contemplate without any force. The author knows what she is doing. The mystery puzzle is alluring….but it’s the deeper messages, themes, and emotions that will be long lasting….
…. love, friendship, loyalty, faith, indecisiveness, worthiness,
sexual identity, beauty and the affects from being beautiful….and even a deeper appreciation for how all encompassing making movies can be.

A couple of teaser tidbits (out of context):
“How do you tell your best friend that your brain imagines outgrowing them—that it’s not even a choice; It’s a necessity”.

“What would you say is our thing? Other than theater, obviously”.
“We have many things, I said. We have, for example, Sarah McLaughlan”.
“Ah, yes, good one, she said. We are definitely Sarah experts. Oh, and we also have clothes—though that’s more my thing, I guess”.
“Still counts, I said, feeling generous”.

“One thing Hollywood teaches you is how to micromanage everything. Another is how to collect power through small gestures. Such as who makes the call and who receives it. Entire movies have lived and died on such frivolousness”.

“I am going to write a personal letter to Cate Kay. And you’re going to give it to the one person who knows who she is”.

5 very fun stars!!!

The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a brilliantly written novel that is easy to read while simultaneously requiring your full attention. Told from multiple points of views across multiple timelines, the story pulls together the circumstances of the main character’s life altering decision to run from her life and its consequent ramifications. The book refreshingly battles the “unreliable narrator” trope by fleshing out the story from all angles. While it seems far-fetched for most of us to consider running away and creating a new identity for ourselves, the circumstances are in actuality shockingly relatable. This is largely due to how well-fleshed out Ms. Fagan’s characters are. Each character is multifaceted and completely avoids becoming a caricature. They are deeply relatable, so much to the point that I feel like some of the undercurrent themes would be incredibly impactful for someone growing into their identity as a young adult to read (how many of us can relate with grappling with burgeoning feelings for your best friend? Or with being queer? Answer: so many of us). I loved the complexity of the novel - it’s deeply ambitious structurally and absolutely nails the landing. Kate with a K will be one to watch, because I’m certain this won’t be her last novel. Please tell me that the next one will be “The Very Last.” Please! I’m officially a fan. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book had me going in so many directions. I started and quickly realized u had to read at a time when I had no distractions so I could follow the story and all the twists but it was worth it.

It created an amazing world and with the focus on the story I was able to follow along but also be surprised with the details used to get to the end point.

Will definitely be reading again so I can see it all play out now that I’ve read it all once and see if I can see any hints that were given throughout the book.

Thanks to NetGallery and the Publisher for this eArc in exchange for my honest review.

I know when a book isn’t grabbing me, and this isn’t grabbing me. Banal prose, an unfocused narrative, cliche characters—pass. Thanks, Netgalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC! *The Three Lives of Cate Kay* by Kate Fagan is an emotionally resonant story that explores the complexities of identity and personal growth. Through the character of Cate Kay, Fagan weaves a narrative that is both introspective and inspiring, capturing the struggles and triumphs of a woman navigating different stages of her life. The writing is heartfelt and engaging, with a deep sense of empathy for the protagonist’s journey. Fagan skillfully blends humor, heartache, and hope, making Cate’s story relatable and compelling. Overall, the novel is a beautifully crafted tale of self-discovery that will resonate with readers long after they turn the last page.

*"The Three Lives of Cate Kay" by Kate Fagan is an extraordinary novel that blends heart, wisdom, and an exploration of life's "what ifs" in a way that is deeply resonant. Fagan's portrayal of Cate, a woman faced with pivotal moments that define who she is and who she could become, is utterly captivating. The way Fagan crafts the narrative, allowing us to explore the different paths Cate's life could take, is both thought-provoking and emotionally impactful.

The novel beautifully delves into the complexities of choices, identity, and the ripple effects of decisions we make. Fagan’s writing is sharp, evocative, and filled with emotional depth, pulling readers into Cate's world and making them reflect on their own life choices. The characters are richly developed, and the plot is intricately woven, creating a story that is both inspiring and poignant. "The Three Lives of Cate Kay" is a brilliant, life-affirming read that will stay with you long after the last page. A must-read and an easy five-star recommendation for anyone who loves stories about self-discovery and the roads not taken!

3.5, rounded up.

After writing this review, I needed to come back to the beginning to make it clear that while imperfect, this book is one I’d recommend. If you’re interested in knowing what I’d nitpick, read on. If not, just go read for yourself.

The first third of this book felt like something you’d read in a creative writing workshop: interesting characters, a promising plot, ambitious in structure and scope, but unpolished, likely too close to the own author’s story to be fully developed and lacking the seemingly effortless panache of professional authors. The alternating POV’s, presented as first-person diary entries from the various characters involved with “Cate” chiming in to provide commentary in the footnotes, was and interesting device, but all of the characters spoke exactly alike, all with novelistic eloquence and detail rather than with idiosyncratic colloquialisms. Thus the clever device, which could’ve lent a real authenticity to the narrative, a la Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novels, instead felt false. Ironically, as the details of Sidney’s discovery of “Cate’s” manuscript in a slush pile are recounted, it feels very much like a mirror of how The Three Lives could conceivably been found— an unrepresented manuscript in a slush pile, in need of a real editor and a few more drafts.
That being said, by the halfway point, the author had clearly hit her stride. It no longer read like thinly veiled memoir, and the characters had taken shape on the page. I think this is due in large part to sticking primarily to Ryan and Cass’s POV’s— characters who would likely share similar ways of speaking in real life, and who you can tell the author thoroughly understands.
All of this analysis could be construed as negative, but this is one of those books that frustrates me because it could’ve been truly top notch had it been revised just a bit further. I feel like it wasn’t given the attention it deserved in the developmental phases and will likely not get the attention it deserves upon its publication. Like the author is being thrown to the wind and expected to fly without having been nourished in the nest.

DNF
I couldn't, I couldn't finish it and the truth is I'm not willing to force myself to read a book that l'm not able to read. The truth is I feel sorry but l'm being 100% honest with everyone and with myself. Thank you very much for the opportunity Netgalley.
That's also why I don't give it a score because I feel like I can't rate this book. Obviously I don't feel like it's bad, rather I feel like it wasn't for me.
Again, I thank Netgalley for the opportunity to let me try to read this book, thank you very much.
Kisses