4.25 ⭐️

this hit me like a TRAIN. the first half of the book i was like "oh it's kind of amusing kind of fun" and then we get to a PART where i started crying and didn't stop until the book was over. i've never had a portrayal of grief hit me so deeply - this just felt so personal and real to me. it could be the part of my life i'm in, but it really was an emotional experience, which i wasn't expecting from the beginning

The Girl I Was is a fast paced and emotionally charged story that grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go. Jeneva Rose meshed mystery, personal growth, and raw emotion in a way that made me reflect haaard! Being a '90s baby myself, I loved that the story was set in 2002! The book explores what happens when your past collides with your present and asks whether healing and forgiveness are ever truly possible. Alexis is real and so relatable! I found myself rooting for her even when she made messy or impulsive choices. Jeneva Rose does a great job showing how trauma lingers beneath the surface and how complex relationships can shape our identity. It’s part suspense, part self discovery, and the pacing makes it nearly impossible to put down. This was my first Jeneva Rose read, and I was very happy with it! I think a lot of people have the same wonder of what they would do differently if they could be young again. I love how this book gave me a form a closure with my own curiosities about how I would change the past if I could.

First reaction to this book: Wow, was tearing up at the end of this one. And it was healing in it's own way from regrets or wishes from my past.

Gosh, I really don't know where to start with this review. This one was just so thought provoking and brought up a mindset of reflection. Especially reflection on how my own life as played out and that it worked out the way it was supposed to work out.

Even though it's not possible to go back in time to change things we can't let the attitudes, grief, and shitty situations rule over everything else that's good in life.

I really will be telling every woman in my life to read this because it's just one of those books. And I will be buying a physical copy of this book too.

I didn’t realize this was an earlier book of hers that’s just republished. I didn’t enjoy this at all unfortunately. I found the writing to be rough and the main character was just so unlikable

Perfectly nostalgic and both heartfelt and heart-wrenching. As a girl grieving her mom, I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.

Alexis is underperforming in every area of her life when a night of binge drinking after a breakup causes her to black out and wake up in 2002. Faced with attempting to connect with and change herself at 18 to help her get back to her own time, Alexis must face some hard truths about the cause of her dissatisfaction with her life.

This is the second book this month that reminded me why I have such a challenging time not finishing a book. For the first half of this book, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue. The story felt like it was going nowhere fast and I was struggling to connect with the characters. About the 50% point of the book there is an event that changes the trajectory of the story and I was instantly engaged. The last 25% of the book brought me to tears and made the slow beginning all worthwhile.

Thank you to Jeneva Rose, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA
for an advance copy of this eBook.

I enjoyed reading a different genre by Jeneva Rose. She is definitely a very versatile author being able to write in many genres. I do love her thrillers so this was a nice change of pace.

This is not like Jeneva Rose's other books; I love her thrillers and this is not one. However, this book is AMAZING. It made me cry a bit, thinking of lost opportunities and what "could've been". It also made me appreciate the girl I was because she made me who I am today. loved, loved, loved it.

This was such a good read that made you think about choices you made when you were younger. Love Jenevas thrillers but this was one of my faves so far.

I read another version of this book in 2023 and gave it 3 stars. This version, I’m giving 4! I don’t know if it was changed enough that this version I liked more, or if I’m just in a different head space two years later, but I devoured this book! It reminds me of the country song If I Could Write A Letter To Me. Would you go in the past and try to right your wrongs? What if you could team up with your past self to do it? Do you think you’d get along? Would you like hanging out with your college self? This one gets you thinking, and is actually the very first book Jeneva ever finished. I love that she went back and tweaked it, making it even better. I was a little annoyed at first that it was a book I had already read, but I am so glad I did.

A couple Grammar errors but this book was fantastic. In the beginning, I kinda dreaded it because I disliked the main character. But holy character development! Little by little you watched Alexis change and it the end you see what a ripple effect it had on her life. Such a feel good read!

Thank you to HarperCollins Publishing and Jeneva Rose for this ARC!

First of all, I always love a Jeneva Rose book! Easy to follow, quick to read, interesting plot line.

I’m the first to admit I don’t follow time travel storylines well, but this one was laid out simply. I loved the references to Oshkosh - as that is my hometown and current city I live in! I really connected with Alexis/Lexi and cried during the Thanksgiving weekend scenes.

Thank you, Jeneva for writing this book!

This book was different than what Jeneva usually writes . It makes you reflect and think what would you tell your younger self if you could go back and what would you change.
Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you to the hive for early access to this book!

This book touched my heart. Growing up you think about all the ways you could go back and change something in your past, that maybe your future could be different if you did/didn’t do something. In reality everything that happened in the past happened for a reason and it got you to where you are today. You can always start making changes in your life where you are at today and change the ending of your story. Would definitely recommend reading ❤️

I really loved the premise of this book. I enjoyed reading it. I struggled to like the main characters and I felt the end wrapped up too quickly.

This is my second book to read by Jeneva Rose and let me tell you she is amazing!! This book made me feel all of the things. I laughed and I cried and I just think everyone should read this fun and well written book.

I went in blind and I encourage you to do the same. It is very rare that a book makes me cry but this one had me tearing up at multiple points.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose is one of those books that latches onto your chest and doesn’t let go—even when you really wish it would. It’s emotional without being weepy, sharp without losing its soul, and layered in a way that made me want to highlight entire chapters just to come back and feel the ache again.

Rose gives us a main character you root for, yell at, and ultimately want to wrap in a blanket and protect from everything. The pacing? Smooth like wine but with the punch of a double espresso. Trauma, growth, regret, redemption—it’s all here, but told with that signature Rose wit that cuts through even the darkest moments. And somehow, she makes it feel both intensely personal and universally relatable.

I docked half a star only because there were a few moments where I wanted the emotional gut-punch to go even deeper. But even then, the story never loses its grip.

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and wondered who you used to be—and who the hell you’re becoming—The Girl I Was will speak to you, challenge you, and maybe even heal a little part of you.

Snappy, smart, and soul-stirring. Jeneva Rose does it again.

Jeneva books are always an absolute thrill, this book is no exception to that. I was absolutely sat during this entire journey, and boy was it a journey. the characters are so interesting and the plot is a gripping rollercoaster of what the heck.

In The Girl I Was, Jeneva Rose departs from her usual thriller to take us on a time travel journey. What would you do if you could meet your past self? What changes would you encourage yourself to make? Quite an interesting read. Most importantly, I love the message about taking responsibility for your life and putting in the work now for the future you want.
I got the ARC from Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA via Netgalley. This is my honest review

I really enjoyed this book. My favorite Jeneva Rose book I’ve read yet and I’ve read them all. It was a feel good read. It was fun to go back to the early 2000s and I appreciated the overarching messages of self-love, care and accountability. If only we all could go back and get it right :) Thank you for the opportunity to be an advanced reader and provide feedback. I wouldn’t change a thing. Loved the entire Lexi/Alexis journey.