I loved this story of a mysterious famous author telling her story. It was a beautiful book!

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This is an interesting concept for a story, the main character keeps changing her name and even she doesn’t really know who she is. After a tragedy strikes, Annie disappears and recreates herself. She eventually becomes a very successful author, but nobody knows who she really is. Full of secrets and twists, love and pain, it’s a compelling read. It’s not my typical read, but I’m glad I read it.

I read The Three Lives of Cate Kay on our flight home from Utah and really enjoyed it. It is the story of a woman who ran from her life after an accident with her best friend, started a new life under a new name and then became a best selling author under her another name. Essentially living 3 separate lives. The magic of this book is that that it is written as a memoir about this woman and her life and the chapters are told not only through the perspective of her life under the 3 different names but also those closest to her - her lawyer, the star of the movies based on her books, the reporter at Rolling Stone, etc. it had a Daisy Jones kind of vibe with each of these people sharing their views on her and their takes on what happened. It was so unique, clever and thought out. I loved how it all unfolded and tied together with so many emotions - grief, guilt, resolve, determination and resilience and so much love. A perfect way to kick off another year of reading.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay turned out to be nothing like I expected but it was a joy to read.

Our MC, Cate, is a reclusive author using a pen name. Her true identity and backstory are a much guarded secret. When a famous actress reaches out in the hopes of meeting Cate, she begins to consider the implications of the life she has chosen.

Fagan doesn't lay the story out clearly in a traditional narrative sense. It takes the reader a while to immerse themselves in the perspectives. Ultimately, I think she's successful at drawing you in despite the fact that you're not always sure of what is going on. I really enjoyed this and I think readers willing to stick with it through some confusion will be as well. An original story with great writing and a willingness to offer up a complicated MC.

DNF at 44%.

I tried to get through this. I tried with an eARC, a physical copy, and the audiobook. I could not do it.

I'm somebody who needs to care about and like main characters. I did not care about or like Annie/Cass/Cate. I could not understand Annie's motive for leaving Amanda and relying on a stranger for news of her fate. I absolutely hated Sidney. I hoped she would, at the very least, get told off for what she did, but apparently that never happens.

People would be calling this book out so hard if Sidney were a man. She met the MC and fell into instant obsession with her and it was super fucking creepy.

The Evelyn Hugo comp is somewhat accurate, but Cate Kay is far inferior.

I just wasn't a fan of the writing. I found it boring. That might be why the book felt so much longer than it was.

I will say that I do like the format of a memoir told from the POVs of people involved with the MC's life. That's unique and a good idea.

This was such a surprising five-star read for me!

It was an interesting peek inside the publishing industry and a writer's life. It juxtaposes the difficulties of fame and of remaining anonymous.

I can absolutely see the comparison to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It has similar themes and tone. If you liked that book, I think you’d also like this one.

I loved the unique way that it was written, like a fictional memoir, with multiple POVs and timelines. I really connected with the characters and was totally invested in the outcome of their stories.

The cover grabbed my attention, the synopsis really intrigued me, and the execution kept me turning the pages.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Definitely recommend!

💬 Some favorite quotes:

❤️ "People say power is intoxicating; you say you'll be the first to stay sober. But let me tell you, everyone gets drunk. So, when you wonder about our sanity, way out here in the Hollywood Hills, remember that we've all pretty much lost it."

💛 "It's like you hold me steady, but without holding me still."

❤️ "A fake mundane life is what I was living, the kind I would have dreaded as a kid when I caught the sickness of wanting to eat the world."

💛 "The trick of life, as I see it now, is to make what's around you beautiful. It'll grow from there."

❤️ "I did believe that if two good people found each other, they could cling to one another and stay afloat. But all I'd experienced was people grabbing my hand and plunging us deeper into the abyss."

I am torn trying to decide what I think of this book, so I'm going to land on a middle of the road 3 stars. Parts of it I really liked and then other parts seemed to drag on. I'm just not sure there was enough complexity in the plot to carry the story through to the end.

Cass is not the most likeable of characters, but I did start to care about her as the story progressed. I think her character development was good. I thought the relationship between her and Amanda was also interesting, but it took too long for it to be resolved. A big plot point hinges on something that seems would have been easy to figure out with a simple google search, so I just had a hard time going along with the story for years and years. This all could have been figured out so much earlier, and I found myself frustrated and a little bored towards the end.

In summary, this was an interesting story that started good but fizzled out for me at the end.

"The Three Lives of Cate Kay" by Kate Fagan is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that explores themes of identity, ambition, love, and the complexities of human relationships.

The story follows Cate Kay, a reclusive and successful author who has carefully constructed a life shrouded in secrecy. As the narrative unfolds, we learn about Cate's past, her real name, and the events that led her to adopt different identities. Fagan masterfully weaves together a tale of friendship, loss, and the search for self, keeping the reader guessing until the very end.

This book wasn't what I expected at all. Based on the reviews I saw comparing it to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I expected a mystery with a big twist at the end and that wasn't what this book was at all.

For the first 60% of this book I found all the characters unlikeable. I only ones I liked were the stories and viewpoints of the minor side characters, Once the story got going I was very into it and couldn't put it down. I didn't like that the big twist at the end was that Amanda was still alive. I feel like that could have all been resolved years ago by a simple Google search.

Although I went into this book expecting something different I really did enjoy it. There is nothing I like more than a happy ending in a book.

Kate Fagan, award winning journalist, and author of several non-fiction books has just released her debut novel, The Three Lives of Cate Kay, and I was spellbound from the moment I read the first few pages.

Written in the form of an autobiography, the story centres around Annie (aka Cate Kay, aka Cass Ford) and her attempt to navigate through heart ache, betrayal, love and fame. Each chapter is written by either Annie, Cate, or Cass, (but for ease of understanding in this review, I will use the name Annie) herself, or another person who played a vital role in her life up until the point the book being written. Her best friend Amanda is in there, as is Amanda’s little sister, also Ryan, the actor who plays a role not just in the film adaptation of Cate’s novels, but in her life itself. And Cate’s cute little notes commenting on others' recollection was something I looked forward to throughout each chapter.

Annie is constantly reliving her trauma, even as she is searching for herself and where she deserves to be in the world. The characters intertwined are similar in that they, too, are basically living day by day, mistake by mistake, looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. Thankfully, by the end of the book, most of them have found happiness.

Fagan’s writing is impeccable and nuanced, and as a reader, this is the type of story I will always seek out. I can’t get enough of those lines that compel me to go back to read them again just to feel the emotions that the words elicited the first time. There is so much to unpack within this one novel, but there will never be enough words to do it justice. Make sure you check it out.

This was unique and an entertaining audiobook, but the next Evelyn Hugo, it was not. Whoever made that comparison needs to ice their muscles after such a stretch.

As others have said, this one didn’t exactly hook me from the jump and it does take some time to get into the story. I was initially a bit confused by the fictional memoir aspect and all the bopping around of characters and timelines and changing identities. It totally didn’t take a rocket scientist to understand the plot but it was a bit of a brain workout at first!

I have two really biggest issues with this story. First of all, a simple Google search could have saved everyone a whole lotta trouble. Second, and most annoyingly, I despise plots that rely on absolutely everyone falling madly in love with the main character (this mayyyy be a bit of a stretch to say but it the synopsis guy can do it, so can I!).

Overall, I thought the book was fun and fast paced and I personally loved how the name Cate Kay originated. I’m glad I read this but it definitely won’t go down as a favorite.

Cate Kay has written the next great dystopian novel, no less interesting because her true identity is known to less than a handful of people… until now. Cate Kay is a pen name for Cass Ford, which was a legal change from her birth name, Annie Callahan. The novel is framed as a memoir, coming from the perspectives of these three women, living a life of love and success, loss and loneliness, alongside the stories of people who shaped the author’s life. From upstate New York to Manhattan to Los Angeles to South Carolina, the story winds across multiple decades and ultimately asks the reader, who do you become when your dreams are forced to change?

Annie/Cass/Cate is a fascinating protagonist. Wracked with guilt from a soul-shaking event in her late teens, Annie runs, creating Cass Ford as a new identity for herself, in which she both thrives and implodes. Through footnotes from Cate, the reader gets flashes of wisdom from the person Annie/Cass will become. The people that come into her life over the following years show her kindness, selfishness, support, destruction. I loved the passages from The Very Last (Cate’s fictional novel) included within the chapters. Every element of this novel feels deliberate, curated to tell this fantastic story. It’s hard to believe this is Kate Fagan’s fiction debut.

Since The Three Lives of Cate Kay’s release, I’ve seen it featured in storefront windows and picked for local book clubs. It’s absolutely worth the hype. I devoured it in less than 2 days and finished the final chapter with a satisfied sigh. The book’s blurb likens it to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which is an apt comparison. Multiple timelines and narratives, stories-within-stories, highlighting the inner workings of an industry the reader usually sees through tabloids and pop culture social media accounts. I also got flashes of Lessons in Chemistry and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow while reading.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay will undoubtedly make it onto several “Best of 2025” lists. I know it will be on mine.

**Thank you to Simon & Schuster (Atria Books Imprint) and Kate Fagan for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.**

Really enjoyed the way the author told this story through multiple points of view. The only part I could have done without was the "excerpts" of the main characters novel that were interspersed throughout the story. This is a plot device I've been seeing a lot lately and I do not particularly enjoy it. Many of the characters are not exactly likeable but are intriguing and you will want to follow through to find out how their stories end.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan is a beautifully written and deeply resonant story that explores identity, choices, and the paths not taken. Fagan’s ability to weave a narrative that feels both intimate and universal is truly remarkable. Cate Kay’s journey through three alternate versions of her life is heartfelt and thought-provoking, touching on themes of ambition, love, and self-discovery.

Fagan’s prose is elegant yet approachable, and she captures Cate’s inner struggles and triumphs with a raw honesty that’s impossible to put down. The transitions between Cate’s “lives” are seamless, each one offering unique insights into her character and the complex nature of the decisions we all face.

What truly stands out is how relatable Cate feels—whether you’re wrestling with career goals, personal relationships, or the search for purpose, this book will resonate deeply. It’s a story that reminds us to embrace the messy, imperfect beauty of life.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! This book was an absolute joy to read, and I’ll be recommending it to everyone who loves stories that stay with you long after the last page.

I was hooked by the end of page 1. By the halfway point, I was ready call this the best book of 2025. The ending was exactly what it needed to be.

Things I loved:
The central friendship and how it grew, shifted, dominated, and evolved. It felt completely authentic and I couldn’t stop thinking of my own best friend.
The dialogue between basically every character.
The growth shown by all of the characters from beginning to end.

I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Rounded up from 3.5. I liked the story telling of this author. It got a little confusing at first with all of the different viewpoints, but once I got into it, I really enjoyed it. It was a little slow in parts, which is why it wasn’t a 4 star read.

While not the murder mystery that I was initially expecting, 😉 Three Lives of Cate Kay was nevertheless fresh and different, at least for this reader.

Bestselling author Cate Kay is writing her memoir after years of anonymity. Atypically, she has others who know or have known her add to the story, thus providing a more expansive tale than if it had been told in first person. The story begins with best friends, Annie (Cate Kay) and Amanda who are the stars in all of their high school dramas. It’s the dream of both girls to take off to California after high school to become famous. But a tragic accident derails their plans, sending Annie off on her own. From there, the story is one of true love, false manipulative love, and a best friend love that transcends.

The characters were multi-dimensional, even the minor characters. While the manipulative character could have seemed like a caricature, even she was well-rounded, showing that control, while not a sought-after trait, is particularly human.

Kate Fagan’s storytelling style is fresh as is her plot. Miscommunications were not belabored. Everything felt very . . . adult, which is a nice change of pace.

I was engaged by the story and liked the way it concluded, although the ending felt a bit hasty.

Many thanks to Atria Books for sending me a copy.

“This story swept me away with its big dreams, love, and unexpected twists.” —Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club January ’25 Pick).

Life is too short to pick up a book and put it down over and over again. I found the story to be plodding, and boring. From the PR book blurb I expected more of a thriller and not a diary. The characters didn't resonate with me and I couldn't become involved in their journey. All the POV's of so many characters were too much, too many.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books.

This was a good story with dual timeline that was nt in the least confusing! I enjoyed the ladies stories and their friendship. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

For Anne Marie, a girl from the part of upstate New York that is “a complicated mix of blue-collar locals and vacationing urban elite,” taking on new names means inventing new identities.

In “The Three Lives of Cate Kay,” Anne Marie’s life changes when she meets Amanda, who is the one who starts calling Anne Marie Annie and brings her out of her shell. They are inseparable best friends with dreams of moving to Los Angeles together after high school to pursue acting and escape their difficult home lives. Amanda is a star, and Annie lives largely in her shadow until a tragedy strikes, sending them on different life paths. Annie reinvents herself, first as Cass and then as Cate Kay, the pen name she uses to write a dystopian trilogy, “The Very Last” that ends up taking the country by storm. Amanda stays in their hometown.

The book is set up as a memoir of sorts for Cate, who is famous in the world of the book and worked anonymously for many years. It’s told from different perspectives, ostensibly edited and commentated on via footnotes by the titular character. This is Annie’s story/tell-all but other people get to chime in.

Full review at the link below.