After the emotional whirlwind of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I was eager to find a novel that could evoke a similar sense of connection and depth. The Three Lives of Cate Kay did just that, pulling me into its world and holding me captive until the last page.

The story follows Cate Kay, a complex protagonist whose life unfolds across three distinct chapters. Each "life" reveals different facets of her personality, struggles, and triumphs, making her a deeply relatable and multifaceted character. The author masterfully weaves themes of identity, love, and resilience throughout Cate's journey, making her experiences resonate on a profound level.

What I appreciated most about the book was its pacing; it kept me on my toes with unexpected twists and turns. The writing is both lyrical and engaging, drawing me in with vivid descriptions and emotionally charged dialogue. I found myself completely absorbed, often losing track of time as I navigated through Cate's joys and heartbreaks.

The supporting characters are equally well-developed, each adding richness to Cate's story. Their interactions illuminate different aspects of her life and choices, making her journey feel all the more poignant. The exploration of relationships—both romantic and platonic—adds depth to the narrative, showcasing the complexities of human connection.

Overall, The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a beautifully crafted tale that captivates and moves in ways I hadn’t anticipated. It’s a perfect read for anyone who enjoyed the emotional heft of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I couldn’t put it down, and I’m still reflecting on Cate’s journey long after finishing. Highly recommended!

I whole heartedly implore you to read this book.

A friendship romance! My favourite genre. Especially when it's gay.

I whipped through this in a day - it's a proper page turner, and satisfyingly complex emotionally as well. I enjoyed the multiple perspectives, especially the odd little chunk from characters ranging from 'relatively minor' to 'blink and you'll miss them'.

My heart was genuinely beating faster as I reached the end, waiting to find out what would happen ...

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A book led by 4 powerful females - you don’t see that often! Barely a male in sight. Anyway, The Three Lives of Cate Kay is hauntingly beautiful. A tale of lost love and second chances. I’ve seen it compared to Evelyn Hugo and I have to say that I think I prefer Cate Kay. I appreciated her more as a character and really felt her emotions and challenges. The story rounds off perfectly! A hit for 2025 I’m sure.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a masterfully crafted narrative by Kate Fagan that delves into the complexities of identity, dreams, and the power of storytelling. The protagonist, Cate Kay, is a bestselling author whose acclaimed trilogy has made her a household name—but intriguingly, Cate Kay is a fictional creation, never seen at author events or in interviews. Her true identity has remained a well-guarded secret, until now.

The story begins with a glimpse into Cate's youth, where she and her best friend, Amanda, aspired to leave their troubled homes behind and chase their dreams of stardom in California. However, a tragic event the day before their planned departure shatters those dreams, forcing Cate into a life on the run, adopting various identities and evading her past. A shocking revelation prompts her to confront her history, leading her to realise that returning home is essential for her to regain her sense of self.

Fagan expertly avoids the potential monotony of a slice-of-life narrative, infusing the story with vibrant queer love stories that feel genuine and relatable. The pacing is expertly handled; each moment feels plausible without dragging, striking a perfect balance that keeps the reader engaged.

The use of multiple perspectives enriches the story, offering deeper insights into the characters' mindsets, all while being framed as a “memoir” narrated by Cate herself. This unique storytelling twist adds an intriguing layer to the narrative without becoming overly self-referential. A standout feature of the book is Fagan's clever use of footnotes, which I found myself eagerly skipping ahead to read every time they appeared, adding depth and humour to the experience.

Overall, The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a compelling exploration of resilience, identity, and the impact of choices, told with a refreshing and engaging style. Fagan has crafted a poignant and thought-provoking read that resonates long after the final page is turned.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.

thank you to the publishers for the arc.

I saw that three lives of cate kay has been compared to the seven husbands of evelyn hugo, personally I do think cate kay is a better novel and it certainly comes across as more authentically queer to me than the former. there were times when I thought I knew where this novel was going and was pleasantly surprised when it didn't turn out that way, I wasn't into the idea of annie/amanda reuniting romantically and was pleased it didn't turn out that way. it was an enjoyable read that started slow was great once I managed to get into it and I'll be keeping an eye out on what kate fagan writes next.

This book is super entertaining, I sped through it after being in a bit of a reading slump, it kept me engaged and wanting to know more. It follows ‘Cate Kay’, a mysterious bestselling author whose identity is kept completely secret. We see her childhood framed by her neglectful mother and deep relationship with her best friend Amanda, and try to figure out what exactly sent her running from upstate New York headlong into the rest of her life, desperate to keep her identity a secret.

I loved the depiction of female friendship in this book, especially the ways in which it can blur between the boundaries of romantic love, and I enjoyed the queer representation as well. I liked that the chapters featured the perspectives of different characters, especially where they prove to be unreliable. The story within a story was also an interesting element-seeing segments of Cate’s book scattered throughout, though I’m not sure if I believe it as a bestseller!

Some things didn’t work as well for me, there was one character who acted so villainously but whose motivations weren’t crystal clear and I feel like we never got to reckon with the consequences of their actions. I also wanted a bit more out of the ending, there were some things that were just not touched on at all and others I would have liked to see explored in more depth. Overall though it was a super enjoyable story and I definitely recommend it!

This book is the story really of one woman and the people in her life. Chapters are written from one of the character's POV and they often cover the same time period from the different perspectives. The Main character herself changes her name and identity several times in the book - but this is fairly fluid and easy to follow.
It starts from childhood and follows her in high school into adulthood, and she has many experiences in life to talk about. As it is written as her memoir (or at least the memoir of the identity of hers that found fame), it is interesting, keeps the reader involved and makes you want to know more.
It is a clever book too tying everything together by the end and bringing people together again.
There is as usual the painful childhood, being in love with the best friend, an abusive relationship, lies, miscommunication, second chance romance, and heartache.
It might be billed as an LGBTQ+ book, but rest assured you can buy it for your parents as there are no explicit sex scenes. That can be seen as both a plus and a minus I guess.

I really enjoyed this and would recommend it. It's a little like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo but also not like it at all.

I really enjoyed this book. It was original, creative with a great story and is very well written. I loved the characters and I admit I was very happy with the ending as I do like a resolved conclusion to a story.

"The three lives of Cate Kay" by Kate Fagan is a masterfully written women's fiction that will hit the shelves with the bang in January 2025

Beautiful and captivating story about looking for your true self and trying to erase your previous life while creating a new persona. It's also a testament that some things are impossible to run away from and it's only a fear that keeps us from making our dreams come true.

Massive thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishers for the opportunity to read an early copy of this fabulous book

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

The way that this book has been written is pure genius. I am still not sure if it is a true story or not because it is so realistic. I could not put this book down and read it in one day!
The story is based on love, loss and misunderstandings. A good few lies and deceit are also thrown in the equation to make it a really enthralling read.

Cate Kay .Anne Marie Callahan and Cass Ford. are the same person but with different persona each one running from a nightmare or running toward a dream..

I loved this book.. Cate and I are very similar in personality so I was instantly drawn to her.

The plot is terrific and and the story well developed, I would love to see this as a six part TV drama and I hope there is another book in the making...

This was a very insane thought provoking character narrative. I highly enjoyed it and recommend it if your. Looking for a book that is intriguing and keeps you turning the pages well into the night

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..