Synopsis
Buried within the pages—and between every line—is the past Anne Marie Callahan has been running from.
Before she was a successful author, Anne was “Annie-Baby” to her childhood best friend, Amanda. They were joined at the hip, and wherever one went, the other was right there. Both with a deep love for the arts, they knew there was nothing left for them in Bolton Landing after high school. So, they made a plan to drive cross-country and become movie stars in Hollywood. But when a freak accident leaves one of them stranded on a deserted island in the middle of Lake George, the other makes a quick decision that changes everything—and the rest, well, life just has to fall into place.
We all live somewhere in the space between our best and worst moments. But what happens when the worst moments shape the people we love? And if life eventually gives you the upper hand, in your best moments, does that cancel out all the harm done in the worst ones?
Character Summary
Anne Marie Callahan has lived three lives, and even after all of them, it’s unclear which one—if any—was the best. That’s for Anne to figure out. Maybe she does. Maybe she doesn’t. But they’re hers to live. Her journey to self-acceptance takes years, and it carries her across different versions of herself. Through it all, she learns more about the world—and herself—than she ever could’ve if she’d stayed Anne Marie in Bolton Landing.
Amanda Kent is Anne’s childhood best friend and the yin to her yang. Every once in a while, we meet someone who brings out our full potential—reason, season, lifetime, you know the saying. Amanda gives the reader a window into Anne’s past, and as the story unfolds, she becomes a mirror for everything Anne tried to outrun.
Ryan Channing, a beautiful actress quietly living in Los Feliz, stumbles upon the words of Cate Kay—and it helps launch her to stardom. Already coming off a hit film, Ryan is handed Cate’s debut novel as it preps for a movie adaptation, and something in it speaks to her. She knows she has to be in it. Though Ryan is self-assured in her status as a Hollywood star, she’s shaky when it comes to love and unsure how to fully show up as a gay woman in the industry. Her journey to confidence takes time—but she gets there.
Sidney Collins: self-centered, manipulative, lying piece of work. That’s it. That’s the character bio.
My Final Thoughts
I was shocked at how quickly I flew through this one—it was definitely a page-turner!
I can see why people are comparing it to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but for me, that comparison doesn’t go beyond the surface. Evelyn Hugo had more emotional depth and character development. The Three Lives of Cate Kay felt just a touch shy of that level of intensity and feeling.
It’s tough to talk about what didn’t work for me without spoiling the story—but I’ll try.
There were way too many ancillary characters with their own chapters. If the focus had stayed on the main voices, I think the book would’ve had more emotional weight. I didn’t need a full backstory on the Vanity Fair writer’s honeymoon or the setup—we already knew this was a scheme, set up by Todd. (Word to Aunt Bertha.)
Also, yes—people change their names. But Anne was still Anne for a while, and the fact that Patricia never went looking for her—even after getting sober—made me mad. No one cared enough to look for Anne, and I hated that for her.
I wanted more from Amanda’s budding friendship with her physical therapist, Janet. That storyline tugged at me emotionally and then—boom—we never heard from Janet again! Instead, we get Amanda’s relationship with Mr. Riley. Personally, it should’ve been one or the other. This is what I meant when I said the book lacked depth; fleshing out either of those relationships a little more would’ve made Amanda’s story really hit emotionally.
Also (without giving too much away), Cass’s lack of follow-up after Sidney’s visit to Bolton Landing—ugh. Obituaries are usually public record. The fact that she just blindly believed this random stranger? Lazy.
Lastly, I’ve always heard that the lesbian gowrls move fast, and if this book is any indication—whew. Y’all really don’t mess around. Moving in with someone you’ve known for all of forty-five business days? That’s wild.
All in all, a cute read. And it’s Pride Month, so if for no other reason—read it for that.
whitneydaniell 
Leave a comment