My goodness, y'all - This one was a ride, and that's a good thing. What I loved most about it was the way the story was built. Cate Kay is an author who is known for no one knowing who she really is. The truth is then told through a variety of humans who have interacted with Cate along the way. I loved how each person had a role in the story. I also loved how pieces of Cate's novel were included to connect her "real life" with the fictional world that brought her fame. I'm trying hard here to write just enough to tell you how much I loved the twists and storytelling of this one, but also, I want you to have the experience of going on this journey. I've read and loved Kate Fagan's sports writing, and I can now say I also love her fiction writing. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this January 2025 release.

I found this book a bit slow and tedious. Normally I quite like flawed characters, but I found almost all of them to be unlikeable as well as flawed which meant I struggled to engage with them and care about the outcome.

This was an incredibly beautiful story! I enjoyed the multiple Pov's a lot and i felt like the story was so unique and the writing style stands out in the best way possible! I also love how in each pov you can see the writing change a bit to mimic the different characters telling the story! However they do seem to kinda melt together towards the end and I had difficulties to connect with each pov towards the end.

I went through so many emotions while reading this book and i loved the drama haha. I also enjoyed the lgbt representation !

Thank you netgalley and the producer as well as the writer for this eARC- copy in exchange of an honest review.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan is perfect for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Cate’s life, full of reinvention, secrets, and fame, hooked me. The blend of multiple POVs and emotional depth made it a page-turner, though the resolution felt a bit too easy at times. 4.5 stars!

i am on the hunt for my five-star read of 2024, and i was hopeful that this book would be it. considering the synopsis compared it to the seven husbands of evelyn hugo, i had high expectations. while this book did not turn out to be a five-star read for me, 4.5 stars isn’t bad!

this was such an interesting concept with the “story within a story” arc. i loved being able to read glimpses of the book mentioned in the novel, and the multiple pov’s made the pacing quick. i do think that the ending felt a bit rushed, but i appreciated that the protagonist’s arc tied up in a nice bow, full of possibility.

i’ll be on the lookout for more from kate fagan, especially if it means that i’ll get authentic stories about queer love!

i received an advanced readers copy of this novel, courtesy of netgalley and atria books. all opinions expressed are my own.

I recieved an ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Two teenage girls navigating the ins and out of coming of age and all of the confusion and bliss that comes with it. This is a story of love, loss, grief, success and everything in between. This book knocked it out of the park for me. I want a sequel!!!

absolutely exceed all my expectations! this is a book where you're supposed to pace yourself...but didn't happen. there was no way i could have finished this in multiple, short sitting. the writing and plot points just had me hooked and it was done in two. so excited to see more of Kate's fiction work.

Kate Fagan’s The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant novel that delves into themes of identity, resilience, and self-discovery. Through the lens of Cate Kay’s multifaceted life, Fagan crafts a narrative that is both deeply personal and universally relatable.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay is the first book I've read by Kate Fagan and it did not disappoint! I was hooked from the beginning, eager to learn the mystery of Cate Kay, and appreciated how the hints unraveled throughout the story. Follow the tale of why an elusive, best-selling author felt the intense need to hide her true identity as the people and circumstances in her life led to her eventual desire to make her true self known. With strong, queer, female leads and a thrilling plot, this is a good one!

The format was a unique and successful way to blend different character POVs while switching between past and present; it was engaging without being difficult to follow. As someone who discovered Kate Fagan from her prior work with the Free Cookies podcast, I especially enjoyed nods to Fagan's personality (like the character's love of oatmeal raisin cookies).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review!

The Three Lives of Cate Kay was a real page-turner. But, I gotta be honest, it did get a little confusing at points. There are a lot of characters and details to keep track of, and sometimes I felt like I was getting whiplash trying to follow along. And the ending, while satisfying in a way, left me wanting a bit more closure on certain things.

Overall, though, I'd definitely recommend The Three Lives of Cate Kay. It's a suspenseful, thought-provoking read that'll keep you hooked. Just be prepared for a bit of a mental workout!

I could hardly put this one down. The mystery unraveled with perfect timing and clues. Well developed characters kept me invested and a the romance was a perfect addition. 5/5

If you loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, this book is an absolute must-read. It offers the same heartfelt exploration of love, fame, and identity, with a captivating narrative structure that switches between past and present, giving you different perspectives on the main character’s life.

The protagonist is a complex, flawed, yet sympathetic character who navigates the highs and lows of her personal and public life. The multiple points of view—each revealing more about her inner world and the relationships that define her—add layers to the story that make it both intimate and grand in scope.

The book’s emotional depth and raw honesty, especially in the portrayal of love, sacrifice, and ambition, hit all the same notes as Evelyn Hugo. While it doesn’t shy away from the darker, more complicated sides of fame and human nature, it also captures moments of genuine vulnerability and connection.

If you’re looking for another novel that delivers on dramatic twists, complex characters, and a heartfelt narrative arc, this book will not disappoint. It’s a beautifully written, emotional journey that’s sure to leave a lasting impression.

First of all, thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Annie and Amanda are best friends and for as long as they can remember they have had a dream of going to Hollywood together and making it big. Then an accident happens that changes everything.

I started off loving this book. I was 3/4 of the way done and I was rating it a 5 star book. Then we get to the ending and to me it seemed rushed. Sydney had kept a big secret from Cat the whole book and she just shrugged it off in the end. I wanted to see more emotion and a bigger reunion between characters that had loved each other for years. The ending fell flat for me. Overall I think it is worth reading but was just hoping for more from it than we got.

Just going to start by saying I LOVED this book and predict BIG THINGS for it!!!

You'll like it if you like: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, small town & big city, character driven & plot driven, a little romance, a lot of friendship, and so much heart.

This was the perfect amount of character driven & plot driven. You really get to know and understand all of the characters and have a deep connection with them (also, partly due to the fact of Kate Fagan's beautifully simple, straight to the point, detailed writing!) while we're also following this very intriguing, interesting, high stakes plot.

I just thought the book was so fun and unique, I really had trouble putting it down. I miss these characters already and want to reread it when it comes out!

The Three Lives of Cate Kay is one of the most original books that I've read in a long time. Sometimes I feel like every book has a similar feel and plot, but this one stands out as completely different in terms of it's format. I loved that it was written like a memoir, but one that incorporated multiple POVs, and had the use of the endnotes. I highly recommend- I feel like this is going to be one a bunch of people are talking about.

I want to like this book. It has an intriguing storyline & plot. But I'm confused the way it's written. Too much jumping all over the places w lots of different characters. When I'm enjoying a book, all I want to do is read it. But I look for excuses not to pick up this book. I like the concept of fame being lonely & not as pleasurable and positive as the public would think. I felt Sydney was a male character (even the name could be male) for a few chapters until the "she" pronoun was used. I'm jumping all over the place trying to sum up the 36% I read which is very similar to how the book felt. I'm sure it all eventually comes together but since I read for pleasure, I'm going to DNF and start 1 of the many other books on my TBR list/pile.

The author knew exactly what they were doing!!! I love a good character study and this was honestly so personable to me.

This book was a crazy train wreck from the beginning. But I thoroughly enjoyed it! It's about a lady born Annie, now Cass, but writing under the name Cate. She had a best friend in high school, they were going to go to Hollywood together and make it big, but then there was an accident and things go majorly sideways. And things continue to be all kinds of sideways from there. The story is told by many people along the way, each part is first person from someone that is a part of the story or from Annie/Cass herself. Sometimes chapters from the others have little notations from Annie/Cass too, which was neat, getting to see her reaction to how others viewed events she was a part of. I liked the different viewpoints, that's always a thing I enjoy though.

The characters weren't very likeable, they made some horrible decisions, but they were telling things from their POV so it was mostly a case of unreliable narration. Except for Janie, she was absolutely the worst and I thought she'd get her comeuppance in the end, but she didn't. Ryan talked about how great she was and I screamed at the book. Aside from the characters themselves, there were a few off points in the book. Ryan being a big time actress and being told to watch her weight. That could've just been left out completely, disordered eating doesn't have a place unless it's integral to the story, and it really wasn't here. Also, to be a little spicy here, there's other ways to say someone is excited without just throwing "wet" out there. The one or two mildly spicy scenes felt horribly out of place, and honestly felt like they were written by a teenage boy.

Overall, it was definitely a page turner, little bit romance, but mostly just general fiction. It was average with a little bit extra something.

Unfortunately not for me - but I can see a lot of people enjoying this, so I imagine we will get a copy for the collection.

Thank you for sharing this with me. As a fan of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo I was excited by the comparison. I enjoyed the book but it just was ok and maybe I'm too old but it just did not grab me.