I really enjoyed this book! The plot twists were a lot of fun. Sometimes it felt a little far-fetched how much Annie didn't question Sidney, but otherwise I really liked how the plot all came together at the end. Thanks for the opportunity to review this ARC!

In The Three Lives Of Cate Kay, author Kate Fagan weaves an interesting story that follows the journey of an elusive author who after years of living in anonymity, decides to come out of her reclusive life and confess her true identity.

The reader follows along as author Cate Kay reveals her true identity that she's held as a closely guarded secret in a memoir style way, with other characters who provide their connection to the author and their perspective / memories throughout the years.

Set in Charleston, South Carolina with past settings in Upstate New York and Los Angeles, California, the story is told in alternating first person narratives by Cate Kay and other characters who have been a part of her life. The reader follows along as Cate confronts her past by revealing three identities that she used in different parts of her life. Her story begins as a child/teen named Anne Marie (Annie) Callahan, who lived in Bolton Landing, NY with her mom Patricia. When a tragic accident happened to Annie and best friend Amanda Kent on a lake in the summer of 2000 after their high school graduation, Annie is in survival mode and drives out of town, settling in Plattsburgh, NY, working as a waitress in a cafe under her new name as Cass Ford. Cass meets pre-law student Sidney Collins in a creative writing course, and they start a relationship, and Sidney tries to help Cass release herself from her past that continues to haunt her. Fast forward to 2005, Cass and Sidney moved to New York City, Sidney graduates from law school and begins her law career, while Cass writes her novel, The Very Last, under the pseudonym of author Cate Kay. Cate continues to guard her true identity, there are no author photos or biography on the book cover. As the years go by, Cate becomes a successful author, and her fans are all curious to find out the identity of their mysterious favorite author. When the third book in her trilogy is set to be published, and she meets Ryan Channing, a young actress who is featured in a movie from the adaptation of her novel, Cate decides that she needs to confront her past through revealing her true identity in order to move forward and find happiness.

The Three Lives Of Cate Kay is a complex and multi-layered tale that is rich in detail. Cate's life has intriguing twists and turns, and the author takes the reader along for the ride as Cate reveals her life story with alternating memories from people who had been in her life. With a complex and realistic cast of characters, the author does a phenomenal job of delving into the tangled web of Cate's life filled with secrets, lies, betrayals, and a history of emotional past trauma. Cate's story is one filled with longing, misunderstandings, and angsty unrequited love. So, follow along as Cate's journey of self-discovery leads her to confronting her past and looking towards her future!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I also purchased a hardcover copy from my monthly subscription to Book Of The Month.

https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-three-lives-of-cate-kay-by-kate.html

Who is the mysterious unseen bestselling author, Cate Kay? We find out through the fictional memoir with multiple POVs. Cate has, indeed, lived multiple lives, but with one heartbreaking secret throughout.
Kate Fagan writes with direct access to the emotional vulnerabilities of her readers - fear, regret, panic, love, heartbreak as well as joy. Her style is not one contrived with overwritten prose or hyperbole. That would not be in keeping with the characters she has given us. What we have been gifted is a story of a soul lost who is trying to see herself as worthy of being found.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had a lot of fun reading “The Three Lives of Cate Kay”, by Kate Fagan. It was an interesting format, told as much as a biography as it was a story all its own. Oftentimes I find myself wanting to read the fictional works created for and within the story, this one is no different. Thankfully there are excerpts here and there from the book written by Cate Kay, which was an excellent touch.

Overall, I enjoyed every aspect of the story. Each section was just as important as the last, and even told in a broken-up way like this, it flowed super well. It’s really a coming-of-age story which lasts over a long stretch of Annie’s life, and goes to show that just because you’re not necessarily a child anymore it doesn’t mean you’ve no more growing up to do. Your entire life can be spent changing and growing as a person. It also explores the idea of missed connections, improper assumptions, and the dangers of not fully communicating your thoughts and feelings to another.

This is where I found my frustrations while reading. Not at the book, but the characters themselves. I found myself figuratively screaming at Annie to speak her mind rather than just assume how the things were. So much heartbreak and stress could have been avoided—but then we wouldn’t have the book so there we are. Anytime a book can illicit true emotions from me, I take notice, as it’s a clear sign of a strong writer who knows what they’re doing. Kate Fagan definitely knows what she’s doing when it comes to a story.

The characters were also incredibly well developed and with a lot of depth. No one character was too much of this or too much of that, and all were portrayed as complex people more than just words on a page. No one was wholly good nor wholly bad; each had their own drives and intentions for better or worse. I also loved the story about the couple towards the end of the book; no spoilers, but it was such a nice touch, really great.

I did feel a little more time could be spent with Amanda, the best friend. Her resilience and strength as a person was intense to say the least. I also wanted to see more of the relationship with Ryan and its resolution. Honestly, I could’ve done with a few more chapters—I think I just enjoyed the book that much I’d like to have more of it. Often I’ve actually said the opposite about other books as they went on too long.

“The Three Lives of Cate Kay” is an easy 5-star book for me, I thoroughly enjoyed it and will absolutely read it again. It really became a favorite of mine and I look forward to reading more of Kate Fagan’s work; this one was incredibly well done.

What a fantastic book! The first one I have read by this author but definitely can't wait to read more! The characters stay with you long after you finish the book. Highly recommend!

This book was an absolute delight. I had no idea where it was going to take me. I usually hate the miscommunication trope in books, but this one really helped the story. This was a lot of fun to figure out who did what and WHY. Some of the "who" questions are easy to solve, but it's the motivation of the characters that are the mystery.

The pacing was good. I wish there was more to the sapphic love stories. But a fresh, new, unique take on a thriller!
3.5 stars

Thank you for allowing me an ARC of this book from #netgalley! Thank you!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an eARC of The Three Lives of Cate Kay in exchange for my honest review!

This Reese's Book Club pick has some struggles that it needs to overcome, but unfortunately, it doesn't quite accomplish that. It already gets off to a rough start with the marketing comparing it to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which is just not appropriate. You can't set our expectations that high unless you're going to be able to follow through with the results. And the results that we have here? Well, they don't get me all that invested in the characters and their story, simply enough, with the sluggish pacing standing out as its own prominent issue. So much of this tale strikes me in a one-note fashion that leaves me unable to dig very deeply into the meat beneath the surface. By the time I've reached the ending, I have to shrug and wonder what we went through that whole path for.

Overall, I'm officially rating The Three Lives of Cate Kay 2.25 out of 5 stars, which I'm rounding down to 2 stars. Oh well, I'm still glad I tried to take a crack at this one, even if it isn't something that I can speak positively about.

Reading this was an interesting experience. While reading the first chapter I thought I might DNF and give up on it, I really did not like the voice in the beginning. Two or three chapters later I was hooked. I could not get enough and really enjoyed the primary narrator (Cate) and also really liked the changing POV throughout. I'm not sure how much I bought that Cate's guilt lead her to a life of hiding, but the best part of the changing POVs is that it allows the reader to question the reliability of all the narrators and draw their own conclusion about the way her life plays out. At it's heart, this is a romance more than a mystery, but the structure is slightly more interesting than a traditional romance and it kept me really engaged. Should make for a fun movie.

Thanks to Atria & NetGalley for providing a digital ARC.

Overall, THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY was enjoyable, but not a big standout. It didn't go far enough in any particular direction for it to be distinguishable--except for some of its language. One example that stuck with me is from the very first pages when the narrator says, "..the day I caught the sickness of wanting to eat the world." This phrase, and others like it in the novel, revealed character so well with so few words. This particular line also offered up the story in a bit of a nutshell. I'm curious to see what Kate Fagan does next in the world of fiction.

This was very Young Adult and the character development was lacking. A lot of instant love and some plots made me roll my eyes. Ultimately it was FINE but nothing I'd recommend.

I really loved this! I requested this purely out of curiosity as I’d read some of Kate Fagan’s non-fiction. I had no idea what to expect but it was so good! Some of it gave me Rainbow Rowell vibes but with a bit more suspense. I really could not wait to see how the story played out!!

This book left me conflicted. I enjoyed reading it and there are sections of the book that got me really hooked. But after finishing the book I feel very little for it.

I liked the writing style; the different character viewpoints were unique, and the little footnotes were an extra bonus. However, I wanted more from Amanda.

I did receive an advanced readers copy from NetGalley however I also purchased my own copy from Book of the month as well. All reviews are my own.

This was a very different book from what I normally read, but I’m happy I did. This is one of those rare books in which the plot sort of takes a backseat to the characters, but in the best way.

Long Story Short
Annie and Amanda are best friends, and both plan to move to Hollywood to become actors after graduating high school. When Amanda has a terrible accident, Annie runs away and reinvents herself as Cass, eventually deciding to become a writer instead of an actor. Because she’s afraid of the repercussions of her involvement in Amanda’s accident, she publishes under another name, Cate Kay. Despite her success, Annie/Cass/Cate still isn’t happy and struggles to find herself.

The Good
I love it when you read a book and feel like you actually know the characters as real people, and this book definitely delivered on that.

The Bad
Cate Kay’s identity was a mystery to her readers throughout the story, so I think it was intentional that Fagan didn’t let us in on some of the key moments in Annie’s life. I feel that worked for much of the book. However, some of the final scenes really left me wanting to know more, and the fact that the ending seemed a bit ambiguous was a little disappointing.

Overall Takeaway
Normally, I go for more plot-driven books, but this was such a well-written, compelling read that I was glad I got out of my comfort zone. I give it an A-

Thanks @atriabooks and @netgalley for my advanced copy!

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan caught my eye with its cover. I went in totally blind but had seen quite a bit of buzz around it. Then, when I saw that it was compared to Evelyn Hugo and First Lie Wins I bumped it up my tbr. THEN, it was selected as the January Reese’s Book Club Pick and it was now a must read asap.

Fagan crafted the character of Annie/Cass/Cate with such care and nuance. I was fully engaged in her story, which is told through the lens of each “life” she lived. They were vastly different but so similar and tied together with a common thread. The changes Cate goes through during her life were authentic and emotional. I don’t usually like coming of age stories but this one really worked for me.

Fagan tells this story in such a unique way. We get the story of Annie/Cass/Cate from the POV of those she interacts with throughout her life. Each person played a pivotal role in her arc and I loved the addition of footnotes, which were used to inject Cate’s thoughts or memory to what these other characters said.

Truly an incredible read and the only reason it didn’t hit five stars from me is because I wanted just a bit more from the ending.

This novel is reminiscent of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and, just like Taylor Jenkins Reid, Kate Fagan manages to absorb the reader completely and deposit them in worlds within the rich characters of the story. This particular book is a bit of an exercise in frustration because the plot relies heavily on the misunderstandings and miscommunication tropes but that still doesn’t deter from the amazing writing and the incredible story.

Gripping and Innovative. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would recommend it. The start is amazing, it does get a bit confusing initially but you get over that soon enough and it gets intriguing again. Full review and teaser reel on my Instagram. @theheartreader

A beautifully written book that had me rooting for the characters and hoping for a great ending. I loved the twists and turns and the fun dialogue. The book got me thinking again about the mystery behind the identity of Elena Ferrante and what may have driven her decision to be anonymous. Was delighted to hear from the author herself, who spoke at our bookstore, that she was indeed inspired by Ferrante. Recommend to our readers all the time!

Thanks to Atria & NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I started off enjoying this story a lot: the female friendship in the teens is very well done, very relatable; either you were these girls in HS or you knew a pair just like them. That part is great, but things went off the rails for me after the Tragic Incident.

The story that covers Cate Kay/Cass and her weird, guilt-ridden (and non-googling) life is quite odd. While law student Sidney is the reason, really, why Cass has any kind of life at all, her behavior is ... not great. Likewise, Cass's treatment of Sidney is ... not great. This is one of those stories where Love Triumphs Over All, but does it, really? I doubt Sidney would see it that way.

Still, an enjoyable, if not exactly realistic treatment of the bindings of early relationships and how they affect our adulthood, and a not-crazy depiction of lesbian relationships (Sidney aside, ofc).

Solid 3 stars, but kind of was a miss for me overall

it was ok

Finished Reading

Pre-Read notes

I had no expectations of this one going in, so I think I was not prepared for how clever the opening is. If you can go into this one with only the title, you will have fun with the story turns!

Final Review

Am I the most successful literary agent in the world, or am I one everyday decision from becoming a librarian in Cook County? I am both, always. p132

Review summary and recommendations

An absolutely brilliant commentary on identity and success, CATE KAY is an experimental novel with narrative punch from meta master, Kate Fagan – *edit This is what I wrote while still reading the first half, which was excellent and erudite, with many beautiful moments of meta.

But I did not like the second half, which somewhat sheds the cleverness of the first half and reads like a more traditional novel. One chapter I found particularly distasteful. (More about that in my notes.)

I don't know who I would recommend this to, honestly. Fans of experimental form and women's fiction will probably like it. And anyway, I seem to be an outlier, as this book is very popular.

"Truth is a mirage out there."

Reading Notes

Five things I loved:

1. With the forward, the author goes to great lengths to convince the reader that Cate Kay is an actual writer. You know, nonfiction. It's damn good netafiction!

2. She looked at me for a moment and said, “Well, okay, I’ll buy it.” She knew every layer of what had just happened, of why I’d said no. She knew, in that split second, that if she said “Is it about money?” that my next two thoughts would be “I wish my mom remembered my allowance,” followed closely by “Why doesn’t she love me more?” And that was not a healthy thought train. p20 I love first person narrating characters who are complex! It's challenging to keep a handle on a narrative like that sometimes. I can't wait to see what Fagan does with it.

3. Some really great metafiction in this, but boy does it sneak up and push you right over!

4. I love that this book sort of demystifies the publishing industry, especially being an agent.

5. One prevailing theme in this one is the idea of embracing the present. But even though the book advocates for this concept, the fmc Cass really struggles with it. Fagan expresses this dichotomy with nuance and humor, like here: "This is Cass Ford," I said. I was marching on a direct path through this moment. p185 The irony is in that preposition, "through". She's striving to be in the moment but she's *aiming* for the other side of it. So, not in the moment after all.

Three things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. Experimental fiction is hard to write for sure. Here, I can often sense the artifice in the book's structure. It has to be pretty tricky to uphold all the carefully waltzing pieces.

2. In chapter 51, the Author character of this story (I'm having trouble keeping the names straight) joins a book club by first imposing herself on polite strangers, and then lying to them. And not just one lie, but she put herself in a dishonest situation with the women in the bookclub because she'll have to continue lying to keep it up. When the inevitable plot point arises that the group reads her book, it becomes clear that this scene is meant to "instruct" readers that their reviews, when critical, aren't welcome, and their thoughts, when analytical of books, are injurious to authors. As though being critical of a book is morally inferior to, say, lying your ass off. I'm just, I'm just...wow. I tend not to read books by authors that do this, once I discover it. It's a shame too, because I thought Fagan had style.

3. I really don't like alternating first-person POVs, especially if the writing isn't able to make the voices distinctive.

Rating: 📚📚.5 /5 bits of metafiction
Recommend? maybe, for some readers
Finished: Feb 26 '25
Format: accessible digital arc, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
🪢 experimental form
🪞 metafiction
💄 women's fiction
❤️‍🔥 friends to enemies to lovers

Thank you to the author Kate Fagan, publishers Atria Books, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY. All views are mine.
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The Three Lives of Cate Kay is the kind of living in Hollywood book that I enjoy. I didn't want to put it down. The story follows a woman who has gone by three different names. We find out why she changed her name by her own account and perspectives of those integral to her life. With a story within the story, I really wanted to see the fictional novelization of Cate's story in real life. Maybe an idea for a future companion novel. The audiobook also has multi-narrators and is an enjoyable experience for those that prefer to listen via audiobook. I personally did a little bit of physical reading and audiobooking for this one. This was Kate Fagan's debut fiction novel and I really hope she writes more fiction in the future.