Thank you for this ARC! I kept seeing this book everywhere and was excited to read it. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The story was engaging and I wanted to keep reading, but the characters were poorly developed. I couldn't decide who to root for and if the main character was bad or good. I guess they were both, making the redemptive arc feel unearned. This book is part thriller, part romance. It was a quick read and could be good on an airplane or to de-stress. But overall, the story didn't land for me, and it is pretty forgettable.

I just finished The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan, and I have to say, it was an enjoyable ride! The story centers on Cate Kay, a bestselling author whose identity is a mystery to the world. As the book unfolds, we get a deep dive into Cate’s past as Anne Marie Callahan (aka Annie) and her incredibly close connection with Amanda, her childhood best friend. These two dream of running off to California to become movie stars, but life throws them a curveball, and tragedy pushes Annie to reinvent herself over and over.

One thing I loved was the structure—Fagan uses a multi-perspective memoir format, so we get to hear from multiple characters, which makes the story feel layered and real. Plus, Annie/Cass/Cate occasionally drops in her own notes to clarify (or disagree with) someone else’s version of events, which I found super clever and fun. It’s such a great way to show how people can experience the same situation so differently (something I always enjoy in novels).

That said, I really felt like a lot of the chapters lacked a distinctive voice. There were moments I had to flip back and remind myself who was narrating because Ryan, Cass, and Amanda all started to blur together.

But this flaw was greatly improved by the audiobook. I decided to alternate between listening to the audiobook and reading on my kindle. While I usually enjoy audiobooks, this one was a real standout because it features different actors for the characters. (Think Daisy Jones and the Six). It really brought the story to life and helped me keep track of who was who. Honestly, if you’re going to read this one, I’d highly recommend listening to it too.

While the audiobook is similar to Daisy Jones in featuring a cast of voice actors, that is the only similarity. And I think that reflects an issue with the novel - it’s been mis-marketed. This book was pitched as being like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and… yeah, it’s not. Yes, there’s a lesbian starlet, but that’s where the similarities end. If you’re going in expecting another glamorous, Old Hollywood-style drama, you might be a little let down. And that is a bummer, because I think Fagan has created an interesting, thought provoking story that touches on self-discovery, female friendships, and the price of fame - but hearing compared to two of my favorites had my expectations sky high.

So, while it wasn’t perfect, The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a thought-provoking and emotional read. I’d give it a solid 4 stars—definitely worth checking out!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy of The Three Lives of Cate Kay in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much for the advanced copy! For being a debut, I really enjoyed this book. Comparing it to Taylor Jenkins Reid is a big stretch in my opinion, but I know a lot of readers will enjoy this story. I liked learning about the POVs of Cate through the course of her lifetime and through her friends and lovers. I was satisfied with how the story ended.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay was a very character driven novel about one woman’s search for her true identity. While going through different phases of live, she realizes that sometimes you just have to go back home.

I found this book very misleading and frustrating. I don't think this book is well written. The storyline was confusing and pointless. I hated the ending. I felt deceived and duped. This book is so overhyped. Everyone loves this book, but it's so dumb and not marketed in the right way. A total disappointment.

The story is a little all over the place with the multiple perspectives, and I wish the the annie & cass sections were longer and more developed, but god damn if this book isn't gripping and entertaining. The way annie/cass/cate draws people in is a little unbelievable, but I've known people like that. Even when I find critiques about it, I can't stop reading it.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay, by Kate Fagan, is a wonderful quick read that offers both a protagonist's introspection and bits of perspective from other characters.

Most novels contain events and relationships most of us haven't experienced. What sets some of these apart is the ability to make situations we aren't familiar with relatable for us, to present the specifics of the fictional event in a way that allows a reader to think it is similar to something they do know or have experienced. Fagan accomplishes that very well in this book and is probably what drew me in.

I thought it was a nice decision to let there be periodic perspectives from other characters without turning this into an entire novel told from different perspectives.

I also want to briefly address some comments I've seen. Some make a point of saying that this isn't a thriller and I wondered how they came to it thinking it was. A word of warning, the tags we are able to put on books on some public reading/review sites are okay as general guidelines but go check the publisher's or author's pages before taking Goodread's word for a book's genre. All it takes is a few people with a different definition of a genre than you to cause confusion. With the exception of such sites, this was widely and accurately labeled general fiction, women's fiction, and LGBTQIAP+ fiction. Many of us have been mislead, unintentionally, by what readers might label a book.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

This was a great time. Cate wasn't my favorite character, but I was super interested to see how her story would unfold. I loved the structure, and there was one reveal that genuinely shocked me. This will make for a great book club read! I'll definitely read this debut author again. (Shared on Book Talk etc podcast 1/21)

I truly enjoyed this book. The storytelling was refreshing, and the characters were flawed but likable. If this were real life, I think Cate Kay's true identity would have been uncovered, but it's not and that's okay by me.

I was excited to read this because it was being marketed for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and First Lie Wins. I loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but I don't think that's a fair comparison to make considering it wasn't similar at all and I do think it's closer to being for fans of First Lie Wins. I will say this was a quick read and I managed to read it all in one day. I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would, and I thought it was an okay read. Personally, I don't think it was for me, but I did see that other reads loved it though!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the e-arc.

3.5. of course I love a book about lesbians and people discovering that. but I just didn’t like the jumping around between so many characters. if the chapters were longer I think it could have worked better. also sidney can get bent

I recommended The Three Lives of Cate Kay to everyone I know; it was such a great read! I couldn't put it down - probably one of my favorite books of the year.

I can not explain how much I loved this book. It's such a realistic journey with flawed characters who do things that will seriously annoy the reader, but not enough to make you dislike them. Annie/Cass/Cate Kay is an artwork of a character, and the execution of the "memoir" is flawless. Honestly one of my favorites in recent memory.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.

I was contacted about this book a few months ago, and I’ll admit I was skeptical because this didn’t sound like my usual type of book. I waited a bit to read it, but then saw the good reviews start coming in and bumped it up my tbr. I am so glad I did, because I loved it. The format of the different people in Annie’s life telling her story, interspersed with Annie’s account, made the story so interesting.

Annie goes through a traumatic event which spurs her to leave her hometown, disappear, and change her identity. This “memoir” goes through her life as Annie, as Cass, and as the pseudonym Cate Kay. Cate Kay is a mystery and nobody knows who the real person is, as Annie wrote her book based on the events of her life fictionalized into a sci-fi/dystopian novel. Annie wants to keep her identity a secret and only lets a couple of people in on her true identity.

There was so much I loved about this book - the LGBT characters, the friendship between Annie and Amanda, the anticipation to Annie finding out what happened to Amanda, the grief Annie felt after the accident. I did get kind of annoyed at her though, because she took Sidney’s word for the outcome without looking into it herself.

I really enjoyed the chapters included from Cate’s book. I think they really added to the story overall and helped us understand more about the mindset and character of Annie/Cass/Cate. Plus, who doesn’t love a book in a book??

Anyway, this was well done and a really fun and emotional read. 4.5 stars

The Three Lives of Kate Cay by Kate Fagan had a lot of potential, but it didn’t quite land for me. The idea of exploring three different versions of Kate’s life was fascinating, but the story felt disjointed, and the transitions between lives were hard to follow.

Kate had some relatable moments, but her emotions and choices often felt inconsistent, making it hard to stay invested in her journey. The pacing didn’t help either—some parts dragged, while others felt rushed and underdeveloped.

There were glimpses of strong writing and emotional depth, but overall, it lacked the focus needed to really shine. A great concept that just didn’t deliver.

Rating: 2.5 stars

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan is a bookstagram darling/book club selection and for good reason. The quasi-memoir but fictional formal is really refreshing, and I was swept away by Annie/Cass/Cate's story.

It's best to go into this book without too much context, but it's a wild ride.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

Snapshot📸
-sapphic relationships + will they won’t they friendship 🏳️‍🌈
-literary world / Hollywood / NDAs
-ambition, secrets, female friendship
-a book within a book, within a book 📚
-multi perspectives, follow characters for 10+ years
.
Thoughts 💭
The reason for her to create this mysterious new identity was really ridiculous and left me annoyed and confused at the MC motives and made it difficult for me to connect with her. The reunions that do happen at the end were super rushed and didn’t hold much weight—how was there is zero follow up with Amanda and Ryan. ESPECIALLY AMANDA!!!!

On the positives—I do think this was a solid debut and think the author will find their footing in fiction. The writing was unique and liked the use of footnotes and the many perspectives offered. I really enjoyed Ryan and Amanda’s characters and thought they were compelling and well written—I wanted more of them!

4⭐️ thank you to NetGalley + the publisher for the ARC❤️

I LOVED this book! I really enjoyed how it is set up like a memoir of a once reclusive and secretive, yet famous author.
4.5 stars!
The only caveat I have is that the end was a bit too perfect - but why not celebrate Queer Joy instead of Queer Trauma. I was a bit frustrated that the one sort of sticking point could have easily been remedied much sooner if Cate/Cass/Annie just made one phone call or did a quick google search.
I will press this into as many hands as I can. The comp to Seven Husbands by TJR is spot on. Definitely got those vibes.

3 ⭐️

If you were a fan of Evelyn Hugo, you’ll enjoy Cate Kay! This story was interesting and while I was hooked in the beginning, there was something off by the end. Maybe it was the excessive amount of characters involved that made it hard for me to keep track? Not sure but it was a like, not a love.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC!

Super unique take on a fictional read that feels like a memoir or explanation of someone’s life. It’s gripping and an emotional exploration of identity, trauma, and self-discovery. Cate's journey through the past with her present is captivating and heartfelt. The female friendship! Unraveling that. Great debut!