The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)

Absolutely loved this book! As a fan of Jeneva Rose's previous works, I was intrigued to see her take on a different genre, and she did not disappoint. "The Girl I Was" is a beautiful blend of second chances, found family, and magical realism, wrapped up in a heartfelt story that tugs at your emotions.

The story follows Alexis Spencer, a 30-year-old woman whose life is falling apart—she loses her job and boyfriend on the same day. After drowning her sorrows, she wakes up in the year 2002 and meets her 18-year-old self. Together, they embark on a journey to figure out why present-day Alexis was sent back in time. The dynamic between the two versions of Alexis is both humorous and heartbreaking, and I couldn’t help but root for them both.

The emotional rollercoaster hit hard, from laugh-out-loud moments to scenes that brought me to tears. I especially appreciated how relatable the characters felt, as well as the nostalgia evoked by the early 2000s references. The dedication at the beginning made such a strong impression—it beautifully ties into the themes of personal growth, self-acceptance, and learning from our past mistakes.

This book left a lasting mark on me. It's one of those stories I know I’ll think about long after finishing. Whether you're new to Jeneva Rose or a longtime fan, "The Girl I Was" is an unforgettable read that will pull at your heartstrings and make you reflect on your own journey.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

read if you like:
🤷🏻‍♀️ what-ifs
🎥 the movie MY OLD ASS
🥺 coming of age

summary:
I love Jeneva Rose so decided to check this book out! It follows Alexis Spencer, a woman trying to deal with a breakup as a part of her less than satisfying life. After a night of heavy drinking, she wakes up to realize she’s woken up back in college, in 2002. She is forced to confront her former self — college student Lexi — as an innocent woman who still has her whole life ahead of her. Alexis views this as an opportunity to change her destiny, and to put herself on the right path before it’s too late. As she gets to know her former self, she realizes so much about her current self — and why she is where she is today.

The story is told from both Alexis and Lexi’s perspective, revealing the secrets she’s buried and the trauma she endured. It focuses around themes of forgiveness, self acceptance and regret, and how the actions we take seemingly unnoticed can ripple through the rest of our lives. Alexis is a heartbreakingly honest protagonist, and I think any woman can relate to her struggles, her honesty and the regret she faces encountering her former self. It makes us think about our choices, what we could do differently and what we would do with second chances.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA and NetGalley for the advanced copy. Check this updated book when it releases on July 14!

Absolutely loved this book. I have enjoyed all of Jeneva's books in the past and I was definitely curious to see what a different genre would be like. This was humorous, lighthearted, but also a little sad. Another great novel!

Alexis Spencer is a 30-year-old woman who doesn’t have her life together. She ends up losing her job and also her boyfriend all on the same day, she gets drunk and wakes up in the year 2002. She finds her 18-year-old self and she/they work together to try to figure out why 30-year-old Alexis was sent back to the year 2002.

Tropes: Second chances, Found family, magical realism, college/new adult

Emotional damage is all I can really say about reading this book. I did not read the original version and went into reading this blind and I’m glad I did. I related to the book a lot, to the characters, to the year 2002, and all the 2000s references that were mentioned. I laughed out loud and cried my eyes out and it will definitely be one of those books that I will always think about.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA and Jeneva Rose for providing me this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

3.5 stars — I read this as an ARC and was really intrigued by the time travel element. It had a unique twist that set it apart from the author’s other books, which I appreciated. I also really loved how it all came together at the end — the final chapters were definitely my favorite part.

That said, I struggled to connect with the main character for most of the story, which made it harder to stay fully invested. The middle section also dragged a bit for me — it felt repetitive and like not much was happening. Still, the concept and the ending made it worth the read overall.

First I want to thank NetGalley and Jeneva Rose for the ARC of this book!

I do not want to go too much into detail, because I do not want to spoil anything for the readers looking at reviews. However, this is probably one of my favorite reads of 2025. I know this isn’t 100% a brand new release, but Jeneva added to the story and is rereleasing this book. The re-edited version of this book releases on July 15th 2025, and I cannot wait to be first in line to add it to my shelf!

This book will make you mad, happy, laugh but most of all BAWL! I bawled my eyes out! I was NOT expecting to cry to this book because of how frustrated I was in the beginning. This story turned out exactly how I wanted it to end!

I think this book covers some very important topics and issues and is such a great learning experience, in my opinion. I am so thankful to have been awarded the arc version of this rerelease! Thank you again!

I am posting my review on NetGalley, Fable, Goodreads and plan to post a video on my TikTok and Instagram accounts!

What a trip back in time! I had all the feelings of nostalgia and thought back to my early 2000's. Every single character stood out and was done so well. This was such a quick read for and I didnt want it to end.

If you could go back and time and change everything.. would you?

This is a great story about healing and getting to know yourself.. and of course a time traveling twist.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and MIRA for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Girl I Was is one of Jeneva Rose’s non thriller books, in which she proves she is one of those lucky authors who can effectively engage her readers across genres (which is to say, she can write anything and I’ll enjoy it).

I’m sure we have all wondered or wanted to go back to our younger selves and revel in the simpler times, and the premise of this book hits on that with a twist. Alexis is a mess, leaving the same trail of destruction as she did while in school, though she blames her college self for setting her up for disaster. After a terrible day she gets into her college things and drinks some suspicious old alcohol only to wake up…. In college (in the same time as her 18 year old self, Lexi). Alexis tries everything to set up a different path for Lexi to follow, without much success, and while her dynamic with Lexi and her college friends were funny and sweet, it’s the moments with her family that really resonate.

This book was incredibly entertaining and took me back in time. The lesson learned will hopefully ripple out for anyone who has reflected on going back and changing a few things growing up. While there are parts that plod and some of the plot points leap to significant moments, The Girl I Was is both funny and endearing.

I had been seeing this book a lot on IG and the premise peaked my interest. I immediately loved the bratty Alexis Spencer, as bratty as she was she was also relatable. She loses her job and her boyfriend all in one day. Her life is in shambles, she doesn't really have any friends or family that she can call to vent about her current and very unfortunate circumstances. Her life is a mess and it's all her own doing.

The book is about Alexis getting a 2nd chance, a chance to turn it all around but going back in time (accidentally) and meeting up with her younger self to change the course of her future, to try and most importantly save her relationship with her boyfriend, Andrew. While she's hanging out with her younger self, she realizes the relationship with her boyfriend isn't the only relationship she botched.

The book was funny at times (Justin *facepalm*, insightful, nearly made me cry (you'll see when you get to "the note"), nostalgic (references to old Sean Paul & LMFAO songs, Blockbuster, etc.) and just good all around.

The ending wrapped up so quickly that I as I was listening to the book, I truly thought it was going to ruin the whole thing but it didn't, while the ending came fast....it was heartwarming and tied everything up nicely.

The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC! Set to be published July 15, 2025 be sure to check it out!

“Everything is okay in the end. If it’s not okay, then it’s not the end”

I didn’t read the original version, so I won’t be able to compare it to that version. Overall, I really enjoyed this version! I am typically a thriller/mystery reader but I love Jeneva Rose and knew I had to check this book out.

Alexis is a 30 something year old girl, who lost her job and her boyfriend, while struggling with her friendships, and in debt. When on a bender blaming the world and her younger self for where she ended up Alexis discovers she can time travel. She’s back in her college town and comes across he 18 year old self. Trying to prove Lexi that she’s her from the future and getting her to make things right is something that proves rough. Together they could make Alexis’s life in the future be what she dreamed of.

This book was so fun to read, it was fast paced, and a nice feel good book. I felt like I was back in my early 20’s with how Lexi used to live her life by quotes. We’ve all done it where we share quotes to be passive aggressive or towards somewhen when angry but we don’t specifically say it. I remember high school where everything was “Live Love Laugh”. I enjoyed the aspects of time travel in this book and throughly enjoyed the personal growth that came along with it. It got me to start thinking about my past and the choices I’ve made, my own personal growth, and how far I’ve come in life. This book was a fun read and had me thinking of 13 going on 30, where she is able to change what she did in the past and make sure her life turns out differently. It’s definitely a fun read and would be fun book to read with friends. Let’s be real if we could all go back in time to change something we know we would. I suggest getting cozy with your girlfriends, reading this, and reminiscing on the past. By the end of the book, you’re rooting for Lexi and Alexis.

I went into this book completely blind. I thought it would be another thriller. Definitely not a thriller but wow it was amazing. It made me think about how a lot of people wish they had done something differently in the past. Maybe how you treat others, treat yourself, or a big decision you made. If this is you, then you should read this book. It made me laugh and it made me cry, but most of all it made me remember to be thankful, show kindness, and chase my dreams. Thank you NetGalley and Jeneva Rose for this ARC!

This was such a sweet book! Definitely much different than all her other books, but I really loved this one! The magical realism in the plot is so fun and really captures your attention from the beginning. This was a quick read and I was so invested in the characters! Make sure to have Kleenex for the ending, what a heartwarming ending!!

After fighting with her boyfriend and losing her job, Alexis finds herself back in 2002 at her college. Why is she back and more importantly… how does fix her life and get home?

This was an amazing read… definitely one of my favorites this year. It was so much fun going back to college in 2002 with the characters. I was a junior in college then and this really brought back the memories: Juicy Couture, trucker hats, low rise jeans, even my old go-to favorite drink Sparks was featured! Even if these aren’t memories of yours, you’ll still enjoy the story. It was meaningful and sentimental, but still so fun. Grief within the story felt so authentic, and reading the author’s note at the end made it even more meaningful. I highly recommend this read!

**1/7/22: Edited to add that this was my favorite read of 2021 out of 367 books. I highly recommend it!

“It’s odd that when we look back, the big moments are the little ones and the little moments are actually the big ones.”

Jeneva Rose departs from her typical thriller genre with The Girl I Was, delivering a surprisingly warm and nostalgic narrative centered on second chances. Alexis finds herself waking up in 2002, confronted by her 18-year-old self. Witnessing both versions of Alexis tackle college life in the early 2000s while attempting to amend their future is both funny and insightful! It feels like having a conversation with your younger self and recognizing the chaos you once lived in. If you've ever yearned for a fresh start or felt trapped in your own story, this book serves as a therapeutic escape in fiction form!

"The Girl I Was" by Jeneva Rose is a captivating masterpiece that kept me hooked from start to finish. The intricate plot twists and deeply developed characters made every page an exhilarating experience. A flawless blend of suspense and emotion, it's a must-read that absolutely deserves five stars! Thanks NetGalley!!!

The Girl I Was is a standalone title written by Jeneva Rose.

What to expect:
*Time travel
*Body shaming
*2002 pop references

This book starts with Alexis losing her job and boyfriend all in one day, drinking herself into 2002. She wakes up at a strange frat house on her college campus but cannot remember how she got there and what year it is.

From there the book is full of Alexis finding her younger self and them working together to get Alexis back to the correct timeline so that she can fix her life.

I love this author, just not this book! The idea was cute I just couldn’t get past the body shaming that the main characters went through with each other. They were very mean “sisters” to each other, and their brother was just gross!

This isn’t a romance book so there is not any OW/OM drama, no spicy scenes at all. Does end with a HFN for Alexis.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Format: NetGalley ebook
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level:🌶️
Characters: Alexis (FMC) & Lexi (FMC)

Jeneva Rose takes a turn from her usual thriller territory with The Girl I Was, and gives us a surprisingly heartfelt and nostalgic story about second chances. Alexis wakes up in 2002 and comes face to face with her 18 year old self. Watching the two versions of Alexis navigate early 2000’s college life and try to fix the future is hilarious! It’s like talking to your younger self and realizing you were kind of a mess. If you’ve ever wished for a do over or felt stuck in your own story, this book is basically therapy in fiction form!

Thank you, #Partner @htpbooks @htp_hive @netgalley and #mirabooks, for my #gifted (free) copy. New revised standard edition coming 7/15/25.

This is my first time reading this book, so I can't compare it to the old version, but this version was amazing! It reminded me of the movie "13 Going on 30". Boy, the nostalgia came back when we went back into the early 2000s with all the music and gadgets. This was such a unique book, and my goodness near the end completely broke me! I think I kept putting this book off because it's categorized under sci-fi and fantasy, but let me tell you it is 100% worth the read, and I promise you, you haven't read anything like this.

Alexis just lost her job and boyfriend on the same day. She goes on a bender with a special bottle of vodka she saved from her college days, and when she wakes up, she is not in her bed, but in a bed she doesn't recognize. She comes to find out she is back in her college town and in the year 2002....This book really makes you think about all your past choices that have made you into the person you are today. 4.5 stars!

5 stars

Things I loved:

The time-travel-meets-self-confrontation premise (so fun, so messy)

Early 2000s nostalgia with just the right amount of cringe

The unexpected emotional gut punch that totally snuck up on me

I read the original release and loved it, but this extended version hit even harder. Alexis waking up in her college town in 2002 and coming face-to-face with her chaotic 18-year-old self is exactly as entertaining—and painfully relatable—as it sounds.

There’s real heart here, especially in the way it explores self-sabotage, regret, and what it means to actually grow up. Watching Alexis reckon with her past, her choices, and herself had me way more invested than I expected. I laughed, I cringed, and I felt seen in a way I didn’t know I needed.

This one surprised me in the best way. I highly recommend it, especially if you’ve ever looked back and wanted to shake your younger self while giving them a hug.