So the reason I wanted to read this book is because as with most of the books I read these days it was under the LGBTQIA+ tag on Netgalley and looked really interesting. Friends I am so glad that I got to read this ARC. As a queer person this book made me so happy to read, as a disabled person the disability rep within this book made me ecstatic. The way this book was written so that it was a "memoir" in a fictional setting was so interesting and fun to me and it made it so that we got to see so many different perspectives of the story as well as fun little "footnotes" at time which I ran straight to the moment I saw the little asterisk next to a word. Most of the chapters in this book were so short too which meant when I picked it up it was so hard to put down. Every inch of this book made me want a resolution for the main character (heck even for some of the side characters) and just left me wanting more. This book was dramatic in the best ways and made me feel like I was truly there with the characters and listening to them tell me the stories of their lives. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who wants a cute/fun sapphic contemporary to read!

I really liked the beginning and the premise of the book – discovering who really is Cate Kay, a mysterious writer behind the bestselling trilogy The Very Last. In this story, told by multiple narrators, we get introduced to a young woman called Annie and her best friend Amanda as they grow up in a small time, sharing dreams about their futures. But when the tragic event occurs it changes their lives forever in ways none of them imagined before. The book is engrossing and very readable, with heart breaks and life changing decisions, but somehow the ending just diluted the story for me. Annie/Cass/Cate is an interesting character but we only see her real growth in the very last part of the book, only to be cut by the book ending.

This is a queer coming of age and self discovery which once I was into the story I was hooked but it did take me a bit of time to work out what was going on.

It follows one woman who changes her name a key points in her life and we see her story told through her memoir with multiple povs to enhance the experience.

The characters were well developed, it’s well written and there is a bit of everything in here , romance , suspense , family , friendships and I thought it was a very good read.

I went through a number of emotions reading this which is a sign of a great book.

First of all I would like to say thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story did take a while for me to get my teeth into but then it just clicked and I enjoyed the story. It takes a bit to sort out what is going on as is a memoir of a woman known by three different names she had during different aspects of her life and stories are told by herself of those closest to her.

It's a uniquely written story, and once I got into the rhythm, I was invested and engaged throughout. I thought the narrative flowed well and the characters were well developed and three dimensional. I appreciated the journeys that each of the characters took, and was filled with so many emotions while reading--sadness, anger, frustration, and joy. When a book takes me through a cascade of feelings it endears me to the story.

Highly recommended if you like character driven stories.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay blends emotional drama with a fast-paced plot dripping in intrigue, has a smattering of showbiz glamour and characters you care about. A winning combination.

Who is Cate Kay is the central theme in this book. We, the reader, know Cate Kay is also Cass Ford, who was once called Annie, who was born Anne Marie. But only a few characters in the novel know this too, for a few reasons.

Let’s call our lead character Annie for simplicity here – Annie and her best friend Amanda grew up just outside New York and longed to be Hollywood actresses, they had dreams once they left school to try and make it there.

However, a tragic incident means this is not how things transpire and a lot of crossed wires and secrets mean it is years before the truth of what actually happened comes to light.

Annie’s actions at a pivotal moment are questionable – and that’s what makes her so interesting. She sheds the skin of Annie to become ‘Cass’ and then again when she writes her highly biographical dystopian fiction as Cate Kay, that becomes a worldwide bestseller. Her life is transformed, the elevated life she has always dreamed of is now hers. But, due to her shifting identity, she makes sure no-one knows who Cate Kay is. The anonymity of the author adding to the intrigue of the book.

As we follow Annie through her life, she navigates a relationships with both a film star, Ryan and with Sidney, a less glam lawyer, but she never forgets her first love, Amanda.

I really enjoyed how how each version of Annie is explored, through her relationships and growth. She is always striving for more and makes some huge mistakes due to her determination. But, as it always seems to do, the truth will eventually come bubbling to the surface…

Selected as the January 2025 pick for Reese’s Book Club – expect to see The Three Lives of Cate Kay everywhere, for good reason.

Super compelling, a warm page turner. I loved the journey Kate takes us on and how 'Cate's' life unfolds. Great use of multiple narrators.

A page turning read that will have you hooked from page 1. A brilliant atmosphere, intriguing protagonists and a plot that will keep you captivated right till the final page.

Initial review (August 2024)- What I've read is really good and reminded me of Genuine Fraud, but the formatting of the ebook didn't work for me as it was all over the place on kindle and too small print on Netgalley. I might try it again because it is very good so far.

Edit 15.1.24 - the publishers have very kindly sent an epub version which is much easier to read. I would recommend this fantastic book to fans of E. Lockhart and Taylor Jenkins Reid. Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the ARC.

Well this one really got me. We start with two true soulmate best friends as teenagers. When a tragedy happens, they both struggle to deal with the fallout in their own ways. Meanwhile we follow the story of Cate Kay, esteemed author and mysterious figure in the literary world. Everyone wants to know who Cate Kay is but almost nobody knows her whole story. Amongst the mystery, we explore a host of relationship dynamics. Romance between women, controlling relationships, chosen family, instant connection and lost love. A special read that kept me hooked.

I enjoyed this book, but it’s not one that particularly stands out for me. I liked the queer romance, or romances I should say. The longing and the different types of relationship that the main character had with each of the characters. I liked the journey she went on and the level of meaning in the novel she wrote, though I kept wondering whether this book would have equal meaning to someone out there in the world.

I have to mention the disability rep in this book, because it’s something I care about a lot. This could easily have been a character becoming disabled in order to change the main character’s life. And in many ways, the accident did change her life. But I felt that Amanda was well fleshed out and the author put effort into showing her life beyond the disability. I loved how it didn’t fall into the trap of saying her life was over because she was disabled. It may be a low bar, but showing that a disabled person’s life isn’t lesser because they’re disabled is important.

I also really liked Ry a lot. I liked how fame was shown in this book, especially queer fame. How Ryan wasn’t able to be out at first because it was the 90s and a lesbian film star would have been a bigger deal than it would be today.

Overall, it was a good book. I enjoyed it a lot and I might read things from the author in the future.

A simply wonderful book! I have to say, one of my top 20 best-ever reads.

A life within a life within a life as Annie segues into the life as Cass, who makes a huge splash as Cate. And yet, as Cass struggles to find herself in the pages that Cate Cay writes, she finds herself always called back by the echoes of Annie and her small-town home life… and what happened to drive her away.

I’ll say no more about the story itself so as not to spoil a single word.

Kate Fagan has created a compelling narrative and neatly used multiple POVs to flesh out the life of one woman suffused in three identities. (I defy you not to cry at Carl’s brief section, seemingly unrelated at first but with a lovely payoff.)

This is a magnificent story of living your life in the present, in the moments… and how easy that is to say but how very hard it can be when your past never ceases its whispers of blame, guilt, and regret. And what might have been.

Yet, who is to say which paths, ultimately, are better? Those we would choose or those we endure? Will Annie/Cass/Cate (“with a motherfucking C!”) understand the tapestry of her life as fate, or can she grasp and hold onto what she wants? Although, does she deserve to?

I fully expect this amazing book to make a real splash this year. If there is any justice, it will.

Thank you to the author and publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to laugh and cry as I folded myself into the pages of this masterpiece.

Demolished this book in record time. The author cleverly ensured an unrelenting pace, switching between points of view, past and present, and adding a third medium, chapters from the lead characters book. Lots of clever ideas and mystery that kept the reader completely engrossed and desperate to understand the journey and outcome of Cate Kay.

Thank you #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and rate Kate Fagan’s debut novel. I loved this book and the way it provided a multi-layered fictionalised memoir of three lives of one character over a long period. It was interesting the way it was a book placed inside a book as was interlaced with chapters from Cate Kay’s famous novels.

It explores longing and love. Desire and fear. How taking the wrong path can make us vulnerable and afraid to turn back to out things right. How we can be taken advantage of and never question things that can be untrue.

You just want the lead character to be happy and find what makes her complete. Friendship can be so powerful when we are young and it shapes who we are.

I found the narrative engaging and didn’t mind the shifting timelines.

When I come to the end I was truly satisfied and found it all came together in a rounded why that felt perfect.

I really enjoyed this book. Reminded me of a little of a taylor Jenkins reid novel. If you like glamour and just good stories. Pick up you won't be disappointed.

The novel is an interesting multi-perspective, multi-timeline journey. Fagan expertly interlaces Cate’s real-life struggles with excerpts from her fictional work, creating a novel-within-a-novel effect that’s utterly captivating. The chapters from Cate’s books are so vivid and compelling, they made me wish I could read that book too.

Cate’s journey is both relatable and frustrating. She’s a character you root for, even as she makes questionable choices that make you want to reach into the pages and steer her in another direction.

The shifting timelines and perspectives keep the narrative engaging, the emotional payoff is satisfying, and the resolution ties together the threads of Cate’s three lives in a way that feels just right.

I loved this book, it reminded me in pace and energy of Daisy Jones & The Six and I couldn't put it down in much the same way. Whilst the story in itself felt simple and believable the depth of writing and the unfussy way in which the author developed the story and characters was wonderful. It's a book I want to re-read and have already recommended to others. I'm sure it will be a huge hit

I was completely absorbed by this book, which unravels the story of the secretive bestselling author Cate Kay: why did they come to be such an enigma? It's told as a biography-in-progress from the perspective of multiple characters, with excerpts from the author's bestselling book woven in too.

While some elements of the storyline/outcome could feel a little predictable, the way we got there wasn't. I was also totally absorbed in it and rooting for the characters and the eventual outcome. I sped through it, addicted to the book in a way I haven't been for a long time. And the way the LGBTQIA+ storylines feel packaged in a bestseller-ready novel is refreshing too.

If you love stories about people, intertwining narratives, a bit of Hollywood and stories about love in its many forms, give this book a go.

If you like Evelyn Hugo, you will adore Cate Kay!

It's not so glamorous. It's not old Hollywood vibes, golden era or blink so you can see in Evelyn.
Here, we have a real life, with true problems, serious danger and being in the middle of someone life who is known at least under 3 different names. Why? That's a good question and I'll let you find out while reading.

Complex story about finding yourself. About dreams bigger than life. About fear, shyness and desire to be more at the same time.
Full of emotions, you can fill it on every page, chapter, part.

I woudn't say I understand every decision made by Cate, but I'm absolutely impressed how she managed even though her life is far from perfect.
Great atmosphere, awesome story.

Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing + NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Three Lives of Cate Kay. This took a hot minute to get into because of all the names mentioned but once you get into the changing POVs and timeline it’s an engaging read. It reads like a real memoir and I constantly had to remind myself it was fiction. I was half expecting to be able to find a Wikipedia page for Anne Marie Callaghan, Cate Kay or even Cass Ford by the time I finished it, they felt like a real life person.

It took me a beat to get into this as I kept getting muddled with the names, but once I did I couldn’t read it quickly enough. Kate Fagan has created three enchanting characters that I just wanted to know everything about and a story with so many layers that you can’t help but get pulled into it.
One of the things that really appealed to me was the exploration of how one action/decision drives so much of what comes after, the tendrils snaking out across the years and wrapping around seemingly unconnected situations, shaping them to their will.
The comparisons to Taylor Jenkins Reid make perfect sense to me, it has the same vibe as Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones, and the writing evokes that familiarisation and recognition of the emotions and reactions the characters experience - it’s very relatable even though the lives are extraordinary.