I love following Jeneva Rose on TikTok and have read a few of her thrillers; they’re not always my favorites but I do love her writing. When I saw The Girl I Was was being released this summer, I was so excited to read it to see how Jeneva does in a different genre. She touts this as her 13 Going on 30 storyline and I think she did a nice job on telling the story of traveling back to herself. I’m glad she reworked this title and am excited to recommend it to my friends who wouldn’t normally read Jeneva Rose titles!

This book is not like Jeneva's thrillers - and she says that in her opening letter to readers. This book was her first self-published book. A new, re-release is coming out on July 15, 2025. I got a copy of th new edition from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Alexis is having a rough day when she loses her job and her boyfriend in one afternoon. She drinks & cries herself to sleep only to wake up in the year 2002. She finds her college self and goes through a journey to get her adolescent self to make some better choices in life so that she doesn't end up sad, lonely, and depressed with her life.

I wasn't a huge fan of the FMC - in the year 2016 or the year 2002. I hated the way they spoke to each other and the body-shaming. What I loved, though, was all the nostalgia of 2002 (the year I graduated high school).

I liked the book more at the end, especially after reading the acknowledgment section. Jeneva wrote this book as a way to deal with her own mother's passing. I, too, have lost a parent, so I felt that connection and love that Jeneva wrote a book just like her mom knew she would.

Probably one of the best books I’ve ever read! This book came to me exactly when I needed it! Every woman should read this one!

Alexis/Lexi was a very unlikeable—though undeniably entertaining—character throughout the first half of the book. However, that felt essential to the character development that unfolded later. The story was emotional, funny, and definitely delivered a deeply satisfying ending.

I received an ARC of this ebook from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review!

This was a compelling story. I really enjoyed it. We all sit and wonder what it would be like to go back and time to fix some mistakes we made. She could have made lots of changes for the future but chose to just let her younger self be happy. I love all books Jeneva Rose writes. Definitely different from her normal books but it’s still a great book!

This book was different from the author’s other work I've read- it was not a mystery/thriller! This read was focused on the main character’s personal growth and an emotional journey back in time to change the future. I didn't love the main character and found her very difficult to connect with, but understand that was also the main point of the story. Overall, it was an interesting concept to think about and there were some touching moments that made me reflect on my own life. Thanks to Jeneva Rose, Harper Collins and NetGalley for the ARC!

I absolutely love this entire book, had my attention from the first page. Love the 13 going on 30s vibes. Love the character development in both Lexi and Alexis, I also had some moments where I teared up. Not many books get me to tear up. I Can not wait to get the physical copy of this book.

4.5 ⭐️ I read the original published The Girl I Was and loved it so I was super excited when I got approved for the ARC of the updated version. I enjoyed the updates and extra chapters in the book. Alexis Spencer has an excuse for everything that goes wrong in her life and one day things get really bad and next thing you know she ends up in the past...with her past self. Now she needs to fix her past life to make her current life better...and figure out how to get back to current times.

Read if you like:
⭐ Women's Fiction
⭐ Time Travel
⭐ Character Development
⭐ Coming of Age

Thank you to the publishers and NetGally for this Advanced Release copy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Ok…. WOW! This book was so good! I am already a big fan of Jeneva Rose so I was excited to read a book outside of her normal genre. I could not put this book down! It was so well written. I laughed, I cried. This book was perfect.

Y’all, she did it again! 🥹✨ I’m convinced she could write anything and it would still be a bestseller! This was such an amazing read—so full of heart and wisdom. It really makes you pause and think about what’s truly important… what really matters in life. And honestly? It makes you wonder: if you had the chance, what would you go back and change?

I am a huge fan of Jeneva Rose and I felt that this was the perfect lean into summer and a comic relief of the others of Jeneva! It’s witty, heartfelt, and reflective. It gives the perfect ambiance to those millennials that are in their adulthood and thinking about the blast to the 2000’s with technology advancement, fashion, slang, parties, and what was to now what is… and who we have become. Each of us changed and become the person we are through the choices we made, the divisions daily, and well here we are! I enjoyed the idea of meeting and encountering my younger self, Alexis/Lexi took me on a journey of the positives and the truth of facing the pain and the challenges from what has made us in a playful way! I loved this! Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Jeneva for this wonderful book that unpacks loss and nostalgia all in one place.

-If you were in high school or college in 2002 I think you will find a lot of nostalgia in this story

This was a cute but cheesy read about a woman who time travels back to 2002 when nothing in her adult life is going right. The catch- 2002 her is still there and they work together to send her back to reality.

This is a rerelease of Jeneva Rose’s first novel before she started writing thrillers. Thanks NetGalley for the copy!

I love all her books and this was no exception. This book gave you all the feels and made you wish you could talk to your younger self. This story was unique and .so much fun to read.

Book Review 📖🖤
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Girl I Was Once by Jeneva Rose

This book? Instant obsession. From page one, Jeneva Rose delivers a gritty and emotionally charged thriller that had me hooked like a secret I wasn’t supposed to know. You think it’s about healing, about identity—but it’s really about the lies we bury so deep we forget they were ever real. Until they claw their way back.

The plot —twisted, raw, and real. It peels back the layers of trauma, family secrets, and revenge like old wallpaper in a haunted house. Every chapter left me chasing the next breadcrumb, and just when I thought I had a grip on the truth, it slipped right through my fingers.

And let’s talk about the characters… complicated, broken, and beautifully human. I didn’t know whether to root for them or run from them—and I loved that.

If you want a story that punches you in the gut and makes you feel everything, this one belongs at the very top of your TBR.

💀ARC gifted - thank you Jeneva, Harlequin Trade & Netgalley
🩶Out July 15th from @jenevaroseauthor
📚Twists, trauma, and truth bombs

#BookReview #TheGirlIWasOnce #JenevaRose #Bookstagram #ARCreview #GrittyReads #MessyBookMagic #TheGirlIWasOnceReview #ReadWithMe

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

I feel like this story would be great as a Freeform Original Movie. It just fell a little flat for me as a good novel.

The author is very upfront that this is not anything like her thriller books. Plot: Alexis is in her 30s and never takes responsibility for why her life is in shambles, instead blaming the universe. Some magic vodka sends her back in time to college when she thinks her troubles started from too much partying..

In a different telling of time travel, she actually interacts with her younger self and they bicker and fight through the whole book on who is the reason for their problems.

This book has lots of millennial nostalgia woven throughout, but sometimes felt like things were thrown in there just to be like “remember that?!”

Overall I didn’t hate it, but also felt like “Alexis” didn’t really learn anything and got lucky that she convinced her younger self to try harder. Would have enjoyed it more as a mindless movie watch.

This was much different than what I expected. I think it is safe to say that in the beginning of this book, I didn't like either version of Lexi. The younger version was a party girl with no ambition, and the older version was melodramatic. For me personally, the story moved slowly and, at times, didn't keep my attention. After finishing it, I can appreciate the sentiment. When Alexis hits rock bottom, she somehow travels back to her college days. Now Lexi and Alexis go on a journey to help her get back to her era. During this time, they go from hating each other to reluctantly working together to growing and maturing. All the while, Alexis knows what the future holds. Some of which she shares and some she keeps to herself. I kept wondering how she was going to make it back. I truly couldn't figure it out. By the end of the book, I was rooting her on and the ending didn't disappoint.

Millennials, you ready to get in your feels with this one?!

THE GIRL I WAS 👩🏼 by JENEVA ROSE

Genre: contemporary fiction
Rating: 4.5 ⭐️

This one is totally for us millennials that would love to go back to the good old college days and give yourself a wake up call! I had a fun time reading this one and while I wasn’t expecting that from a Jeneva book, I was very pleasantly surprised. It’s not the typical thriller you’d usually pick up from her.

You’ll probably chuckle, might cry a little, and maybe even rage at times. This story brings out lots of emotions as it brings you back to the early 2000s and encourages you to self reflect.

Our characters are messy, a little annoying, yet totally relatable. There’s a lot of hard truths to face but in the end we get the closure needed. It’s a satisfying read!

So if you ever wondered what you would do if you had a chance to go back in time ⏱️ then this one might be a good pick for you!

Thank you kindly to the author, publisher, and @netgalley for this advanced readers copy! It was a pleasure reading as always 😊

“The Girl I Was” by Jeneva Rose. Was definitely the easiest 5 star rating for me.

If you like 13 going on 30 and freaky Friday vibes then you will love this book. The main character of this book goes through a series of unfortunate circumstances and real life struggles, then a opportunity comes up in a unexpected twist that helps fix things and closure! This book had me laughing, shocked, and crying. This was the first book I read of Jeneva Rose and definitely will not be my last!! I am excited to get her special edition copy for target and Barnes!!

NetGalley thank you for the opportunity!!

I was not expecting this book to make me cry. It was funny and thought provoking. I loved the writing and the storytelling. It definitely made me reflect on my life and what would happen if I could go back and learn from my current life. Highly recommend this read.

Jeneva did it again. This one was so good. It made you think about the would could have happened. It was easy to fall in love with the characters and see them all grow.

It was so fun knowing the places she was talking about. Having spent many years at UW Oshkosh, it brought back memories when she would mention places.

Thanks to Jeneva and NetGalley for the advanced copy of it.