This was probably my least fav book by this author unfortunately. I really wanted to like this but I had to force my way through when I should have decided to DNF. FMC is not my cup of tea.

This was such a nostalgic and fun read - for the most part. More on that later. Jeneva Rose's The Girl I Was reminded me a bit of the movie 13 going on 30, but in reverse. Alexis Spencer loses her job and her relationship in the same day. She comforts herself with an old bottle of vodka she found in a box from her college days, and the next thing she knows she is back in 2002 with what she believes is an opportunity to right her perceived mis-steps.

There is a lot of early 2000's nostalgia, which I loved. I love a great time travel story as well. I found both Alexis Spencer and her 18 year old self, Lexi, to be insufferable at times. However, both grew as characters in a really satisfying way as the story progressed.

Now for my prior comment about this being fun, for the most part. Alexis having the opportunity as an adult to return to her childhood home circa 2002 Thanksgiving and see her parents and her older brother was heartbreaking. Reading that section with the knowledge that Jeneva Rose wrote this novel originally as a way to process and grieve the loss of her own mother was tough. As someone blessed to have both of her parents, I was keenly aware while reading this that I am grateful for what I have and need to be more cognizant of ensuring those I love in my life KNOW that I'm grateful for and love them. I cried a lot, needless to say.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and MIRA for this eARC. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own.

Wow! I really enjoyed this novel by Jeneva Rose. I read a thriller of hers, and sometimes the genre change up within an author doesn’t work, but this was a fun change up! It felt like Freaky Friday, but within Alice’s own body from present to younger self. It had a ton of early 2000s nostalgia that really worked for this 90s kid. Definitely recommend for a little change up if you’d like a time traveling self-growth read! :)

Thanks Harelquin for my e-arc!

Nostalgia at its best.
The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose is unlike her other thrillers—and honestly, that’s what makes it stand out. This one had me feeling all the emotions. It’s heartfelt, raw, and deeply nostalgic in a way that completely surprised me. While it’s not your typical Rose twist-fest, it quickly became one of my favorites. Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for something a little different but just as powerful.

Thank you to Jeneva Rose, Mira, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5 Stars

Dual Timelines

If you like 13 Going on 30, then you will enjoy this book. I loved all the early 2000s references. But unfortunately, I did not like younger Alexis at all. She was rude. Older Alexis wasn't all that much better.

I want to begin by thanking NetGalley and Mira for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. As a diehard Jeneva Rose fan, I jumped at the chance to read her very first work, after it had been revised and additional content added, and I was not disappointed.

The Girl I was is entirely different from any other Jeneva Rose book you've ever read. This was her first novel, and as she mentions in the acknowledgments, she wrote it partly to prove to herself that she could finish a novel and partly to help her work through her grief after her mother's death.

The story follows Alexis Spencer, who, in one day, manages to get fired from her job and ruin her long-term relationship, and then blames the world, including her younger self, for all of her problems. During her epic pity party, she finds a bottle of vodka and photos from her college days and drowns her sorrows, only to wake up back in 2002 in a college frat house! She comes face-to-face with her college-age self and dislikes her immensely, but must work with her to figure out why she has traveled back in time and to return to her present-day life.

This book was a nice departure from my usual genres of horror and thrillers, and it helped me relive some memories of my own mother and deal with some of the lingering grief from her death five years ago. You never fully get over that kind of grief, but I can see how writing this book was cathartic for Rose, and likely for many of us who have read it. I highly recommend this one for anyone who is a Jeneva Rose fan, or who enjoys a fun, quirky, and heartwarming story.

#NetGalley #TheGirlIWasStandardEdition

From the reviews I read about this book, I knew it was going to be a good read, but I didn't know it was going to be THAT good. I laughed, I cried, I felt annoyed with characters at times, I cried again. What an amazing book Jeneva has wrote. I will recommend this to everyone from this day forward.

This re-release of The Girl I Was includes an additional chapter and a fresh new polish—and I’m so glad I got the chance to experience it. Jeneva Rose steps away from her signature thrillers and gives us something heartfelt, nostalgic, and quietly profound.

The story follows a woman having the kind of day where everything seems to go wrong. After drowning her sorrows in a questionable drink, she wakes up back in her freshman year of college—but not just mentally. Her entire older self is transported into that world alongside her younger self, creating a unique dual timeline twist. What follows is part self-discovery, part healing journey, and part "how the heck do we get back to the future?" with a heavy emotional punch.

One of the things I found most striking was how cruel the two versions of herself were to one another. It made me stop and think: if I met my younger self, would I treat her with kindness and grace? And would she understand the weight of who I’ve become? Their strained dynamic felt so real—sometimes painful—but necessary for the emotional growth that unfolds.

There’s a deep current of grief running through the story, and one particular scene completely broke me: when she returns home and sees her dog, who no longer exists in her present timeline. That moment hit hard—I was in tears and immediately hugged my own dogs extra tight.

Aside from the emotional journey, this book is also filled with 2000s nostalgia that adds a lighthearted, comforting layer to the experience. It’s a very different vibe from Jeneva Rose’s thrillers, but it shows her range as a writer in a beautiful way. Heartfelt, sad, but ultimately hopeful—The Girl I Was is a touching and memorable read that lingers after you close the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the early release ebook. All opinions are my own.

This book was so much fun to read! Who among us hasn't wished that we could go back to our younger self's and change the decisions that we made. It was told in Alexis POV. This was a quick read with a steady pace. I didn’t feel bored at all while reading this book. It had me laughing but also feeling nostalgic.

Anyone my age with love this book for its nostalgic qualities alone but overall it is a great book that makes you happy.

Such a good book! I related so hard with the main character and I thought the storyline was so fun. I would definitely say this is a very original and entertaining read. I really wasn’t expecting to like this book this much. I would highly recommend reading it!

I wanna start off by saying this was the most fun book. I’ve read the timeline being placed in 2002 was so nostalgic. I just left every detail put into this book. It was so fun to read. Definitely not like her other books, but I really loved this side of her. I laughed in some pride and I’ve definitely cried.

This book truly made my heart full. I didn’t expect to fall so hard for this new adult fantasy, especially as the last book I read of Jeneva Rose I loved but it was more thriller and mystery (the perfect marriage) but it swept me away with all the nostalgic vibes and emotional depth.

The story was moving, the characters were incredibly well done and even the side characters left an impression. The FMC was so relatable!

The time travel element was beautifully handled, something I usually struggle with, we were able to take with a grain of salt the science and just be along for the ride. I could see it being a movie, it had that cinematic, almost magical feel that made it hard to put down.

This one explores big themes like choice, self-acceptance, regret, second chances and it will be a powerful read!

I really liked The Girl I Was! It’s a fast-paced, twisty read with plenty of drama and emotion. This is definitely unlike any of Jeneva Rose's other novels. But I really enjoyed it. The story pulled me in right away, and I found myself rooting for the main character as she faced her past and tried to move forward. There were a few moments that felt a little over-the-top, but overall it was a fun, engaging book that kept me turning the pages. Jeneva Rose knows how to keep you guessing, and this one definitely delivered. Solid 4 stars!

This was a nice story by Jeneva Rose, but it really took me a while to care about the main character. The second half of the book was much stronger for me and I found myself more invested. I even cried at the end! Overall, this was just another reason why I enjoy Jeneva Rose and I'm glad that it was rereleased!

👯‍♀️ The Girl I Was - Jeneva Rose

3.5 ⭐️ - I was surprised by this one! I liked it! I wasn’t sure what to expect going into it, especially since I love Jeneva’s thrillers/mysteries, but this was a nice refreshing switch!

This book was like Back to the Future with a sprinkle of 13 going on 30, with a touch of Freaky Friday. I loved the magical realism time travel in this story. If you could go back and help your younger self or tell them something, would you? I want to think yes but I think it’s a hard question to answer. There was lots of growth for Alexis and Lexi in different ways. They both had their own journeys to experience together and separately. It was a fun way to express growth, grief, and how to love yourself. This is a good one to add to your beach bag before summer ends!

Thanks Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and the Hive for an early ARC!

Thank you so much NetGalley! I was also fortunate enough to listen to the audio through Hoopla and that made the experience that much better. This book made me want to be a better person. The circumstances had me really reevaluate so many decisions I have made and how I could have done it better. I loved the dynamic of Alexi and Lexi. It showed just how much someone grows and changes over the years. The situation or time travel was done so well. This was basically a redo of where things may have gone wrong and they just had to figure everything out. I loved this journey for them. I loved being a part of it and the reflection it brought out in my own mind.

The mother daughter relationship and how it was so beautifully written in this had me an absolute sobbing mess. I swear the note written in this book pulled at every string my heart has ever acquired. While Andrew was not in this story a lot his role was so impactful and I appreciated it so much. It really played such a meaningful part for her adventure.

꧁𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼꧂

𝙍𝙪𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙨.

𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝘼𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙬 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣, 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙬𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙄’𝙙 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙄’𝙫𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙. 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨.

“𝙁𝙪𝙣𝙣𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙨. 𝙉𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨.”

The FMC was too whiny to deal with most of the time. I appreciated when she went back home and seeing the relationship with her mom, but both ages of the girl were big personalities and just a lot to deal with. I had thought about DNF’ing this book, but ended up pushing through.

Very nice book. I had read the original copy. The additional chapter was fun. I recommend this book to everyone

The Girl I Was wasn’t at all what I was expecting but I was so very pleasantly surprised. I was hooked from the mention of frosted tips then couldn’t put it down after. Major early 2000s nostalgia alert! The details were so on point! I cannot tell you how many times I smiled at little things that took me back to so many fond memories from that time period. 💗 Or maybe, lack of memories in some cases. (Dont worry, even if I didn’t remember it, there was photographic proof on my pink digital camera I took everywhere ) I related to Alexis in so many ways and honestly was in my feels majority of the book. First from the nostalgia then from the seriousness and reflection that came later. The last quarter of the book was so emotional for me personally.
This was way different than the other books I’ve read by Jeneva Rose. That’s not at all a complaint, more of an appreciation of Jeneva being able to write a totally different genres so well. I truly loved this one so much. Overall, an absolutley beautiful book!

Huge THANK YOU to Jeneva Rose and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had a hard time with this book because of how slow it was. Alexis had everything falling apart (job, love life) until one night she blacked out and woke up to her old dorm and younger self. Now Alexis and Lexi must navigate how to get Alexis back to her time.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!