Oh man! It took me a while to read this book because life but Jeneva really did her thing on this one. Never did I expect to get taught a few life lessons from a fictional story but here we are. You are the person that chooses your destiny and how your life happens, and regardless of who we are, we always need a little reminder.

The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jeneva Rose is the queen of twisty thrillers, so this was definitely way different than what I'm used to from her. I really enjoyed it, though. I listened to the audio of the original along with reading this new, edited e-arc, and she definitely fixed a lot of problematic points. This new version with the added chapters from Lexi's POV is definitely more fleshed out. I've already preordered a couple of different signed special editions of thus book and can't wait to have them in hand!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for allowing me to read and review this e-arc.

And thank you to Jeneva for doing what you do. You're an amazing writer and I can't wait to see what you do next!

This is a completely different style of writing that I'm used to from Jeneva but it was still really good! It’s a good palette cleanser for anyone that just needs a reset. It was had so much emotion from being light hearted, funny and times where you want to cry.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

THE GIRL I WAS by @
ARC review • pub date 07.15.25

Alexis has hit rock bottom. She loses her job & her boyfriend all in the same evening. While she is wallowing in self pity, she pulls out a box from her college days and starts to wonder how life would be now if she had done things differently. Then all of a sudden she wakes up and it’s 2002 and she’s staring at her younger self wondering how she can help her - and how she can get back to present day to save her relationship.

I love her thrillers and I loved reading a different genre from her! Her writing flows so easily and you can just fly through her books. I especially loved this one because it was FULL of nostalgia that took me back to my high school/college days when life was so much simpler. It truly made me want to go back and relive some of my teen years!! Pick this one up if you need a good palette cleanser with all the 2002 vibes you could possibly need. Definitely the most emotional of all her books - and I love the fact that this is her first novel being republished and hope many people read and love it!🩷

4.5 ⭐️

Thanks so much to @HTPbooks @htp_hive and @NetGalley for my ARC!

Surprising, hilarious, and full of heart.

In a delightful departure from her usual thrillers, Jeneva Rose delivers a nostalgic, laugh-out-loud story that’s both wildly entertaining and quietly profound. Lexi and Alexis (or the hot springs time-travel adventure, as it should be called) had me laughing one minute and reflecting the next.

With pitch-perfect early 2000s references, sharp banter, and a relatable “what if” premise, this book explores the universal desire to rewrite our past—and reminds us that while we can’t change everything, we can choose how we move forward.

Funny, meaningful, and unexpectedly moving—this might just be my favorite book of hers yet.

Jeneva does it again! I ate this book up. The story was relatable to me as a reader on a personal level. This book gave me all the feels. I laughed out loud, I cried. It’s one that will make you sit and think about the choices you have made in the past.

✨Book Review✨

📚 This book is a re-publish that has been polished up and added to. Jeneva added six new chapters to include more depth within the storyline and bring some fresh perspective. This book is the first that Jeneva crossed the finish line with, so it was fun to read something that didn’t feel like her typical bread and butter of murder and mystery. There was lots of nostalgia with early 2000’s references. This was a fun read that felt low stakes and easy to enjoy on the first days of summer.

🌟 If you love Jeneva, enjoy time travel, and are interested in how we could potentially return to our 18 year old selves and change for the better - then this is the book you’ll want to pick up.

More about: The Girl I Was - Jeneva Rose

📖 Alexis loses her job and her relationship on the same day, blaming everyone and everything around her for her shortcomings. When she awakens after drunkenly looking through her college pictures she realizes she’s back in 2002. She needs to find her 18 year old self, acclimate to the world around her, and figure out how to change their lives for the better.

Thank you to @NetGalley and Jeneva’s team for this advanced reader copy.

|| Jeneva Rose, Silly Gaggle of Geese, Book Review, The Girl I was, Reader, Time Travel, Book Babe ||

Oh boy this book was just not it. The premise was really interesting, but the writing was elementary level at best and seemed like a walk down memory lane with no true plot. I adore this author so I will not be sharing this review anywhere but here.

For the first nearly half of this book I was thinking I might DNF. I know that the point was for Alexis to go through major change and to do so she would need to start at the bottom, however, she was so incredibly insufferable both as Alexis and Lexi that I was ready to rip my hair out! But then, as she did begin to change, I fell in love with her and her growth. This book had me crying on a plane, not once but twice! There were also a good amount of giggles. If you can get past the initial petulance and immaturity of Alexis, it’s so worth it! It was a fairly quick read, only about four or five hours or so.

I have gotten to the point with Jeneva Rose that I am going to read anything she writes. This book is very different than what she’s written, but I think it has easily become one of my favorite books ever. This book made me feel a lot of things, and also made me really think about what I would do or say to an 18 year old me.
There was a moment towards the end of the book as they are leaving the family home, and I read the words written by her mother…. I immediately started balling. Those 7 words absolutely shattered me. That was such an emotional moment and it was beautifully written, and as a mother, it really touched me. This book makes you realize that you can always work and improve in order to be the best version of yourself. Although I didn’t get the complete happy ending I wanted, iykyk, I was still happy with the way it ended. It really showed you that resilience and strength go hand in hand. This is a book I will come back to and read again, and will stay with me so I can remind myself to be kind to myself and give myself grace.

⭐️Gripping, Powerful, Perfect⭐️

Per Jeneva, this new edition “𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦-𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥/𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝟨 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘓𝘦𝘹𝘪’𝘴 𝘗𝘖𝘝”.

I read this book in 2023 and was thrilled to receive an ARC of the new edition. This book is ꜱɪᴍᴘʟʏ ᴘᴇʀꜰᴇᴄᴛ. It wrecked me in the best possible way. It’s 𝗋𝖺𝗐, it’s 𝗍𝖾𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗋, it’s 𝗆𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗒, and it’s completely 𝗎𝗇𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗀𝖾𝗍𝗍𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾. I felt joy, anger, heartbreak, hope, and grief (sometimes all within a few pages). It takes incredible talent to stir that many emotions and still leave the reader feeling satisfied and deeply moved. 

Make sure to have tissues handy when you read chapters 37, 45, and 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 the acknowledgments.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC.

The premise alone is genius: Alexis, looking back on her life, gets the extraordinary chance to travel back in time and meet her 18-year-old self, Lexi. What unfolds is not just a clever paradox, but a truly emotional examination of how our past choices shape who we become.

The dynamic between Alexis and Lexi is so realistic and relatable. Their interactions are authentic, sometimes awkward, and always revealing. As Alexis tries to impart wisdom and guide Lexi away from past mistakes, Lexi stands her ground as the 18 year old we all were. It's a unique take on self-reflection, allowing readers to ponder their own "what ifs" and the lessons they've learned.

The writing is witty and relatable making you root for both Alexis and Lexi to find their way to a brighter future.

"The Girl I Was" is a fresh and hopeful perspective on second chances. It's thought-provoking, emotional, and completely unputdownable. This book is an absolute must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the advanced readers copy!

Oh, man. I don't think I have enjoyed a Jeneva Rose book like this before. It was so good and nostalgic. I have thought a lot about going back to the past and fixing the person I used to be, and how it could change my future. Would I be more successful now? Would I have gotten my act together sooner? This was reflective, funny, and I definitely cried. Alexis and Lexi learn so much from each other. Them working together to figure out how to get Alexis back and who is really at fault. The pure joy I got out of reading this book was incredible. When she got to see her mom again, I bawled my eyes out.

While this isn't like Jeneva's thrillers, I urge everyone to read it anyway. Especially if you think every once in a while, "what I would give to go talk to 18 year old me."

You can feel the self sabotage of Alexis in the first 2 chapters. It would be a total mindfuck going to sleep then waking up more than a decade prior. Cue panic. Did not expect her to run into her actual self from that time either. Love it. It's funny watching her fight herself and realizing how much she was in her own way. She's deepening her friendships in the past without even trying too hard. It broke my heart when Alexis reunited with her dog. How sad but also how lucky she got to see her dog one more time. I had an inkling Justin was going to try to put the moves on Alexis. Haha. I cried when I got to the party where her mom knew and she had to say goodbye. I feel like AJ is Andrew. Absolutely loved this book. You could feel everyone healing their issues.

I thought this was a really well done novel that struck the right balance btwn the old and new Alexis/Lexi. I would have loved to see more from Lexi's perspective and would've liked to have seen the transition back be a bit smoother but overall, really well written and a feel good summer read.

4.5:
Publication Date This revised edition is set to be released on July 15, 2025—just in time for some nostalgic summer reading.
Big thanks to NetGalley, author Jeneva Rose, and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA for the advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
My Overall Thoughts
This book was an emotional rollercoaster in the best way—heartwarming, nostalgic, funny, and surprisingly profound. Jeneva Rose had me hooked from page one with her clever storytelling and relatable characters. Alexis, our main character, was witty, smart, and full of heart, and the time travel element was handled so perfectly it felt like watching a movie I never wanted to end.
I’m so impressed by how seamlessly Jeneva shifts from thrillers to heartfelt fantasy—her range is undeniable. This story dives deep into themes like self-acceptance, regret, redemption, and the power of second chances. I laughed, I cried, and I walked away feeling totally moved.
♥ Synopsis ♥
The Girl I Was follows Alexis, who wakes up after a night of drinking to find herself transported back to the early 2000s… and face-to-face with her 18-year-old self, Lexi. As the story unfolds, Alexis is given the rare chance to reflect, reconnect, and maybe even rewrite a few things along the way.

This book was everything I needed! The heartfelt comic relief was healing in so many ways! I love Jeneva’s thrillers but now I can say I just love her writing in general. This was just like having your favorite childhood candy after not having it in years! The nostalgia was chefs kiss the little subtle nods to the early 2000s were not over done which I loved. I laughed I cried I kicked my feet and then I cried some more! This book flowed so nicely I was never bored and I couldn’t put it down! I got so invested in the FMC there were times I wanted shake them myself! Overall it was a great heartfelt story about love lost friendship and growing up. Reminder to love yourself even the younger versions!

Wow! The Girl I Was is completely different than anything I’ve ever read by Jeneva Rose, and I loved it! It was so thought-provoking and full of questions for myself! What if I had changed something in my past? Who would I be today if I’d made a different decision? I absolutely loved the way she wove together the future (older self) with the 19-year-old “I know everything” self. Throughout the book, I kept wondering how different my life would have been had I made different choices.

“Sometimes the biggest twist is looking in the mirror.”

I want to extend a HUGE thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and my forever Mother Goose, Jeneva Rose, for the opportunity to read this emotional, nostalgic, and wholly unique early read of The Girl I Was. It’s almost hard to believe this was the first book Jeneva ever wrote—and I’m so thrilled she chose to bring it back with a new look and a special edition. This story deserves the spotlight.

The Girl I Was is not the pulse-pounding thriller we've come to expect from Jeneva Rose—but make no mistake, this one still hits hard... just in a very different way. 😭❤️

The premise is both fun and full of feels: Alexis Spencer wakes up not only in her college town but in the year 2002—staring down her younger, brasher, "sexier" self, Lexi. What starts off as a light-hearted body-swap-style time-travel comedy turns into a touching, often raw journey of reflection, redemption, and growth.

Alexis’s arc is messy and real—equal parts frustrating and endearing. Watching her reckon with her past, face hard truths, and try to course-correct not only her life but her attitude was deeply moving. And Lexi? A chaotic delight with a lot more depth than she lets on. Their dynamic is where this story truly shines. 💫

While the pacing wobbled a bit in the middle and leaned into a few expected beats, the emotional payoff was so worth it. And the early 2000s references? ICONIC. Jeneva nailed the throwback vibes—hello flip phones, low-rise jeans, and AIM chats. 📟🧃💿

This book tugged on my heartstrings and has no plans to let go anytime soon. It’s a story about second chances—not just at life, but at self-compassion. And THAT is timeless.

Pub Date: July 15, 2025 — mark it down and pre-order the special edition because you’ll want this beauty on your shelf. 📚✨

Thanks to NetGalley and Jeneva Rose for the ARC of "The girl I was " in return for my honest review.
Alexis' life in 2016 is falling apart and she blames her younger self. She wakes up in 2002 and thinks she has to fix her 2002 Lexi to make her life better.
The ups and downs in this book will make you laugh out loud and cry. I couldn't put it down. I had to know how her life was going to change. This book was amazing. I highly recommend.