When I saw Evelyn Hugo meets First Lie Wins in this synopsis, I was immediately intrigued. I also thought, that's bold to comp two really popular books, so this better be good.

Cate Kay is an author. She is also Cass Ford. She is also Annie Callahan. This book is her journey. It's about friendship, choices, love, and finding home.

This may be a good fit if you enjoy:
- multiple POVs including supporting characters
- stories about identity and connection
- emotionally engaging writing

Wow. This book had me engaged from the get-go. It took me a minute to get used to the shifting POVs, but I quickly learned to enjoy seeing the story from so many lenses. It had multiple memorable five-star moments: fierce friendship, palpable descriptions, and astute observations. Some of the characters' decisions made me so mad I considered DNFing. (Not really, but kind of.) I was prepped with tissues for the ending. While it didn't hit with the punch I was expecting, it was wrapped up nicely.

Overall, I thought this book was great. I hope the comps to Evelyn and First Lie Wins don't do it a disservice because while I understand the thought, this book is beautiful in it's own way.

Rating: I really liked it! (4.5 rounded up)

Thanks for the review copy, I wanted to like this one more than I did. I’m sure others will enjoy it a lot more. The writing is good just never felt invested in the characters. I like the cover.

Cate Kay is a best-selling author of a fiction trilogy, and only one person in the world has ever met her. She has created a life of anonymity entirely on purpose after a terrible accident in high school made her run away. When an actress who is going to play her in the movie version of her book reaches out asking to meet, she’s desperate to go but worried her true identity will leak and ruin the life she built for herself. But does she really want to stay hiding forever?

I didn’t know much going into this book and I really liked it! It was a book inside a book, about personal growth and transformation after tragedy, a story of best friends, a lesbian romance, and overall had great character development. I love how every little loose end was somehow connected and tied up by the author.

Some people have compared this to Evelyn Hugo, and while the actress part is there and the reinvention, there’s no husband getting in the way of things and it’s set in modern day.

I generally like to start a book before bedtime. Read 10% or so and then let my subconscious think about it overnight. Well, don't do that with this book! I wasn't settle in the story or presentation enough yet and felt a bit lost when I went to pick it back up the next morning. But, after getting into the swing of the different points of view and presentation styles, and a book within a book, I really enjoyed the story! Some of the characters were a bit simplistic, but many of them added a lot to the story, even with smaller roles. Pretty early on I thought I knew what was going to happen. Thankfully I was wrong! I also loved how the author let us know something happened without spelling it out for us as though we couldn't figure it out ourself. I hadn't previously read anything from this author, but will be looking to read more from her now!

If you decided or had the need to live your life under three different names and identities, how would you come clean if you had to? We shall find out…… There are chapters at each stage of Cate’s life, and that is how this story is told. While I enjoyed parts of Cate’s journey, the thing she did in the beginning niggled at the back of my brain throughout the book. I just could not understand her reaction and decision, and I still did not by the end.
I am going to let some time pass and then do a reread and see if I feel differently. I will come back and update this review if it was just a me issue or just reading the wrong book at the wrong time.3.5 stars.

A book I thought would be light and breezy based on the cover actually turned out to be a complex, unique, and addicting story! This author is filled with great writing ability and cleverness. I think The Three Lives of Kate Cay will rightfully be a bestseller in 2025.

This book hooked me from the start. The title gives away that Cate Kay has lived 3 different lives under 3 different names. After so many years, this all comes crashing down. Kate Cay decides to come clean, and this book is her “autobiography”. This book alternates between time periods creating the perfect premise of always wanting to know what happens next. Unique to this book is the fact that the people in Cate’s life also contribute to her story with their own chapters sprinkled. At time’s it is more their own perspective about situations involving Kate. This weaves in different perspectives and information in a shockingly new format. I can’t wait to hopefully read more from this author in the future. Very impressive!

Thank you to Atria Books, Kate Fagan, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 54%. This is described as the answer to people who want something similar to read after reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. And while I get that comparison, they are both about the life of a famous person and the way the story is written is similar, the story in this one was just not interesting to me at all.

I felt like I was forcing myself to read it. Life is too short to read books you don’t enjoy.

Cate Kay is the author of a bestselling book trilogy that also found success in a film series adaptation. But Cate Kay doesn’t exist and no one has ever met her or known her story until now. THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY reveals Cate Kay’s life, memoir style, with excerpts from her book and POVs of those central to her life.

This book has been touted as a combo of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and First Lie Wins, both books I absolutely loved. While I understand these comparisons, this story didn’t quite live up to either. I had a hard time connecting to the characters and the pacing felt off with some side POVs. There were some absolutely maddening decisions made by almost everyone and the conclusion didn’t redeem any of the frustration I felt throughout. There was a lot of buildup for a resolution that somehow happened off page.

I did enjoy the style of writing and I loved the play on a fictional memoir with added footnotes and the clever use of POVs with Cate’s three different names. I wish I had connected to the characters more because it seems like I’m in the minority with this one so while it didn’t work for me, I’d suggest checking it out for yourself!

I thought that this was a really neat premise for the story! I enjoyed the structure of all the different characters perspectives. However I didn’t find that the execution fully landed for me. I felt like the different characters voices didn’t distinguish themselves from each other enough, and the ending wasn’t very satisfying. I still had a good time reading it and I do think that the Evelyn Hugo comp is a good one!

The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a well-written story that weaves together three versions of a woman: who she used to be, who she became in the aftermath of a tragedy, and the name she's using to hide from the public as a published author. Writer of the best-selling The Very Last series, Cate Kay always wanted to be an actor. But when her best friend gets in an accident, she takes off, leaving the scene of the crime, and her past, behind her. Catapulting through her life, she writes her novels, finds a girlfriend in New York, then falls in love with another woman. This book is all about identity, exploring what it means to be authentically yourself, especially when it comes to queer relationships, coming out, and living in the public eye. I enjoyed the narrative and was hooked by the unique plot. I found this to be a great balance of plot and character. This gets a four-star rating from me, as I enjoyed it and I would recommend it to a friend but I wouldn't read it again.

This one was plugged as Evelyn Hugo meets the First Lie Wins and I loved both of those books so I had to give it a try. Cate Kay is a pen name for an author who has written a remarkably popular trilogy, but no one knows who Cate Kay is. One person knows that Cate Kay is Cass Ford, but Cass Ford isn't a real person either. Cass Ford is a new life/identity created by Annie after fleeing her hometown in the wake of a tragedy. This book is so well crafted, switching between the three timelines seamlessly. Each timeline/identity is uniquely tied to a different love interest and each new identity is trying to block out the past. Cate/Cass is broken and has been running for a long time, she has used and been used, but she has finally realized that she needs to face up to her past. This book was so intriguing and I felt so invested in the outcome.

I will definitely be back to read her next book!

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan is a thoughtful exploration of identity, friendship, and the stories we tell to survive. The novel traces Cate's evolution across three personas, from an aspiring actress to a mysterious bestselling author, with a plot that dives into themes of reinvention and reconciliation with the past. While the multiple points of view add depth, they can occasionally feel disjointed. The pacing starts off slow but picks up, culminating in a conclusion that some readers found a bit underwhelming due to off-page resolutions.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is a poignant and reflective read for fans of women's fiction and character-driven narratives. It balances emotional depth with moments of suspense, though it might not be everyone's cup of tea due to its structure and pacing.

I think it is hard when you compare one book to another. I will say I love the queer representation and the original plot line of the story. where it feel flat was I was expecting some big twist but never really got any. the love stories were full of such great emotion that some of the reasons for Cate's choices I felt were lacking in reason. overall still a good book.

This debut novel has strong writing with a queer love story and a book within a book: What's not to like? I enjoyed the multiple POV and how each one gave further clues to the central story. The consuming love between the characters and intense friendship was palpable. Recommended for readers who like queer love stories, mysteries, and character-driven novels. Thanks to NetGalley for he ARC. Pub Date: Jan 7th, 2025.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay is marketed as a blend of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and First Lie Wins—both of which rank among my all-time favorite books. So, naturally, my expectations were high.

Cate Kay is a reclusive bestselling author whose true identity is a secret. Her past is shaped by the loss of her best friend, Amanda, on the eve of their shared dream to escape to California. As Cate builds a career under a pseudonym, she’s forced to confront her past when long-buried secrets resurface, pushing her to face unresolved guilt and reconsider her future.

The representation of LGBTQ+ relationships is undoubtedly a highlight of the book. Through Cate’s romantic connections, the story brings depth to the idea that “we accept the love we think we deserve.” The relationships are nuanced, unique, and offer an engaging exploration of identity and emotional growth. Additionally, the Hollywood glamour is adds an intriguing backdrop, even if it doesn’t evoke the same allure as Evelyn Hugo.

Sadly, that’s where the positives end for me. The protagonist, Cate, is difficult to root for. Her decision to abandon her best friend in a moment of crisis to pursue personal freedom felt deeply unsettling. While everyone makes mistakes, Cate doesn’t seem to learn or grow from hers. The forgiveness she receives for her actions also felt contrived and unrealistic.

The narrative also suffers from ineffective execution of its multiple POVs. Cate’s perspective is primarily self-centered, marked by overthinking and regret, while other characters’ perspectives seemed to exist only to glorify her, which felt forced.

In the end, this just wasn’t the book for me. Still, if you enjoy stories with flawed characters and a touch of Hollywood glam, you might find something to appreciate here.

Rating : 🌟🌟.5/5

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagen has a lot going for it, with interesting characters and a clever narrative device that uses multiple POVs to reframe the same events. It’s an engaging way to peel back the layers of Cate’s story, and I enjoyed seeing how each perspective added depth to the unfolding drama.

However, the central conflict didn’t quite land for me. In a world with the internet, the obstacles Cate faces just felt implausible, making it hard to fully buy into the story. While the writing and structure kept me reading, the plot’s believability held it back from being a standout.

If you can suspend your disbelief and enjoy the multi-POV storytelling, this one might be worth picking up!

I couldn’t get into this book. What are readers supposed to get from this story? Why was Cate, as an adult, still sounding childish? The story needed a lot of work. It’s an ambitious story that ultimately failed.

*The Three Lives of Cate Kay* is a captivating, fast-paced memoir that follows Annie, a mysterious bestselling author who has kept her identity hidden for years, as she reveals her tumultuous journey from daydreaming about fame with her best friend to a Hollywood career gone awry. Told through multiple points of view, the story delves into her complicated life and the deep secrets surrounding her, with the promise of *The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo* vibes—though the books are quite different in style. Initially, I struggled to connect with most of the characters except Ryan, but as the story unfolded and the suspense built, I became fully invested in Cate’s life and the unexpected twists. The intricate storytelling, including clever Easter eggs hidden in each chapter, made this book an addictive read, and the portrayal of queer characters added a refreshing layer to the narrative. *The Three Lives of Cate Kay* is a beautifully complex and gripping read, and it’s one I can’t wait to revisit.

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

Thank you Atria Books @atriabooks , Netgalley @netgalley , and Kate Fagan @katefagan3 for this free ebook!
“The Three Lives of Cate Kay” by Kate Fagan ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Fiction/Womens/LGBTQ. Location: Upstate New York, Charleston, South Carolina, Los Angeles, California USA. Time: 1991-2014.

Teens Anne Marie and Amanda love movies, Sarah Maclaughlin’s music, and key lime pie. They dream of escaping Bolton Landing, New York to become movie stars in California. They plan to leave in the fall of 2000, but the day before their trip, tragedy shatters their dream. Anne Marie has been running ever since, taking different names, charting a new future. Now, as Cate Kay, she’s one of the most successful authors of her generation. Her bestselling book trilogy struck box office gold as a film series. Cate has never attended author events, granted any interviews. Her real identity is a deep secret. But after a shocking revelation, Cate knows she must return home, and she writes a memoir of her journey from Anne Marie Callahan to Cass Ford to Cate Kay.

Author Fagan has written a book full of the good, neutral, and bad choices people make in their relationships and in pursuing their dreams. It reads like a 1st draft of a memoir. There are Cate’s narratives, bits from Cate’s famous book, narratives from friends, teachers, lovers, and narrative from the star of the movie adaptation. It’s not linear-it moves back and forth in time. Her unique writing style is as engaging as it is thought-provoking: (The day I caught the sickness of wanting to eat the world) (…being cool in high school was a death sentence. No pain to fuel you later.”) Reading this book made me ponder my public and private selves and how they balance. If you like multiple narrators, each with their own opinions, and a plot that grows and grows until finally all threads weave together, pick up this book! If you love Taylor Jenkins Reid , pick up this book immediately! It’s 5 stars from me🌵📚💁🏼‍♀️🎀

Absolutely loved this! The multiple povs and way the story is told keeps you hooked throughout. It was a book I was excited to pick back up and read.

Worthy of 3 stars and definitely a book I’ll recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest review!