Book Review
The Three Lives Of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: January 7, 2025
Format: Hardcover - 304 pages
Paperback - 304 pages
Audiobook - 9 Hours 52 Minutes
Kindle - 3.2 MB / 301 pages
Nook - 5 MB / 304 pages
ISBN (Hardcover): 978-1668076217
ISBN (Paperback): 978-1526682611
ASIN (Audiobook): B0D684V8NT
ASIN (Kindle): B0D4Z3TXHG
Genre: Contemporary Fiction / LGBTQ
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Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I also purchased a hardcover copy from my monthly subscription to Book Of The Month.
Book Description:
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets First Lie Wins in this electric, voice-driven debut novel about an elusive bestselling author who decides to finally confess her true identity after years of hiding from her past.
Cate Kay knows how to craft a story. As the creator of a bestselling book trilogy that struck box office gold as a film series, she’s one of the most successful authors of her generation. The thing is, Cate Kay doesn’t really exist. She’s never attended author events or granted any interviews. Her real identity had been a closely guarded secret, until now.
As a young adult, she and her best friend Amanda dreamed of escaping their difficult homes and moving to California to become movie stars. But the day before their grand adventure, a tragedy shattered their dreams and Cate has been on the run ever since, taking on different names and charting a new future. But after a shocking revelation, Cate understands that returning home is the only way she’ll be a whole person again.
My Book Review:
In The Three Lives Of Cate Kay, author Kate Fagan weaves an interesting story that follows the journey of an elusive author who after years of living in anonymity, decides to come out of her reclusive life and confess her true identity.
The reader follows along as author Cate Kay reveals her true identity that she's held as a closely guarded secret in a memoir style way, with other characters who provide their connection to the author and their perspective / memories throughout the years.
Set in Charleston, South Carolina with past settings in Upstate New York and Los Angeles, California, the story is told in alternating first person narratives by Cate Kay and other characters who have been a part of her life. The reader follows along as Cate confronts her past by revealing three identities that she used in different parts of her life. Her story begins as a child/teen named Anne Marie (Annie) Callahan, who lived in Bolton Landing, NY with her mom Patricia. When a tragic accident happened to Annie and best friend Amanda Kent on a lake in the summer of 2000 after their high school graduation, Annie is in survival mode and drives out of town, settling in Plattsburgh, NY, working as a waitress in a cafe under her new name as Cass Ford. Cass meets pre-law student Sidney Collins in a creative writing course, and they start a relationship, and Sidney tries to help Cass release herself from her past that continues to haunt her. Fast forward to 2005, Cass and Sidney moved to New York City, Sidney graduates from law school and begins her law career, while Cass writes her novel, The Very Last, under the pseudonym of author Cate Kay. Cate continues to guard her true identity, there are no author photos or biography on the book cover. As the years go by, Cate becomes a successful author, and her fans are all curious to find out the identity of their mysterious favorite author. When the third book in her trilogy is set to be published, and she meets Ryan Channing, a young actress who is featured in a movie from the adaptation of her novel, Cate decides that she needs to confront her past through revealing her true identity in order to move forward and find happiness.
The Three Lives Of Cate Kay is a complex and multi-layered tale that is rich in detail. Cate's life has intriguing twists and turns, and the author takes the reader along for the ride as Cate reveals her life story with alternating memories from people who had been in her life. With a complex and realistic cast of characters, the author does a phenomenal job of delving into the tangled web of Cate's life filled with secrets, lies, betrayals, and a history of emotional past trauma. Cate's story is one filled with longing, misunderstandings, and angsty unrequited love. So, follow along as Cate's journey of self-discovery leads her to confronting her past and looking towards her future!
RATING: 4 STARS
About The Author
