Unlike any other Jeneva Rose I've read, and unexpected in that way! I enjoyed the second chance at life that puts the main character face-to-face with her younger self. This story was heartwarming and exciting, offering a unique look into personal growth.

I want to start by saying I loved the original.

When comparing the two books, I prefer the new publication.

This book gave me all the feels, it made me laugh, smile, get a little tear drop rolling down my face. This book made me reflect and provided direction for growth and forgiveness. All while being fiction. This book has the perfect amount of nostalgia from the 2000’s.

I loved seeing the growth of Jeneva between the two books, and it was such a pleasure for her to share this story with us.

I think this book is perfectly paced, the length is good and it kept my attention from start to finish.

This was a fun, cute book, a perfect palate cleanser between some heavier books. And, something very different for this author. There were perfect moments of humor mixed in with some life realities. And, I'm always a sucker for a happy ending!!

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin publishing giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Girl I Was is a wholesome and complex telling of a woman's battle with younger herself over regrets and wasted years. The story navigates some tough themes, like grief and loss, while also making you chuckle and tear up.

I'll admit, when I started this book I was unsure if it was for me. I even considered a DNF about 15% in- but then I found myself forgetting that I was even reading. The story is short and sweet, but satisfactory nonetheless. I really enjoyed the conflict between Alexis and her younger self. These are arguments and experiences that are so relatable and real. The characters felt overdramatic and immature, which made it slightly less likeable in the beginning, but about 60% through there is definitely an uphill climb of character and plot development. I'd say this was a solid 3.75 star read for me. I read it in one sitting and while it wasn't life altering, it was definitely enjoyable.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing & Jeneva Rose for this ARC!

Ahhhhh sooo good! Jeneva is so talented and this was just great! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for early arc!

This book isn’t like Jenevas usual suspense filled reads but it was equal perfection. I think at some point everyone has had the “if I could go back and do it again” thoughts. Alexis has some hard lessons to learn and boy does she. After a trip to the path with her younger self, they both hit rock bottom before they can learn from each other. This book, for me, was growth, self acceptance, and the acceptance of things that, even though they suck, we cannot/should not change. This was a beautiful book.

Alexis Spencer is as bland/ basic beach as you can get- she relies on self help books, inspirational quotes, and just kinda depends on life to work out for her and do its thing with putting minimal work in. Rather than fixing things head on, Alexis decides to place the blame with her younger self. This becomes a very convenient excuse and place to discard the blame when Alexis wakes up face to face with Lexi, her much younger and "sexier" self. These tidbits of nostalgic memorabilia from the times will never ever fail to sucker me in. I experienced the best times of my life at this time period, so reading books about them really gives me that warm feeling that all is right in the world and I truly belong somewhere. I don't want to spoil too much, but this one totally brought the waterworks. I experienced attachment to the characters and the plot, glued in alongside each page as we traveled from then back to now. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll cherish Jeneva in a totally different light- honestly, you'll love this one. Thanks so much to the author and publisher for the chance to provide a review for an eARC!

I read this in one day. That’s how invested I was in the main character, Alexis. Lots of components resonated with me as I was also an 18-year-old in 2002 and understood all the references. The nostalgia was real!

I loved seeing this side of Jeneva and appreciated the moral of the story-remember who you were and who you can be. This one will speak to a lot of you!

I love any book Jeneva Rose writes. This one is no exception. Not her normal book, but this was so much fun to read.. we have all had those moments , when we think—- if only I could go back and tell my younger self——. Alexis is a 30 year old who lives her life as a “free spirt”. She feels, lifes problems can be solved with alcohol and inspirational quotes. Then, Alexis hits rock bottom. Her boyfriend breaks up with her, the same day she loses her job! She makes her way through a couple bottles of wine, and——next thing we know—- Alexis wakes up all discombobulated in a frat house. No shoes, makeup running down her face. She is totally at a lost, until she realizes she is in the year 2002, at her old college campus. On top of all of this, she runs into her 18 year old self. She needs to try and convince herself, that she is from the future and she is here to make sure she makes the right choices so her life doesn’t end up the way it is. This story turned out to be a really heartwarming and uplifting. The experiences in our lives make us who we are and Alexis was able to see those from a different perspective by visiting her past and making better decisions and/or appreciating the decisions she did make. This was a very fun read and encourages everyone who ever wondered—- "what if" to give this one a try..

#netgalley.

This book is a hilarious and unexpectedly moving journey through time, regret, and self-discovery. Alexis Spencer’s misadventures after waking up in 2002 make for a nostalgic, laugh-out-loud romp—complete with low-rise jeans, bad decisions, and plenty of pop culture references. But beyond the humor, the story shines in its emotional depth, as Alexis confronts her younger, wilder self and slowly realizes that healing doesn’t come from blaming the past, but from embracing it. Witty, clever, and full of heart, this is a perfect read for anyone who’s ever wished they could go back and do it all over—this time, with a little more grace.

When I started this, I thought it would be like Jeneva Rose's other books. (I was fresh off The Perfect Divorce). This is NOTHING like her other books, but I loved it. If any of us could go back to fix our lives, I'm sure that we would, and i'm also sure that we would be pretty frustrated with our former selves. This book also has all of the nostalgia--life before social media and news at our fingertips--what was that like again? I definitely recommend!

I was given an arc copy of the book but I’m writing my review of my own free will
First off I don’t normally read books like this I’m a crime horror thriller kinda girl so I didn’t know if I would like it
It’s honestly one of the best I’ve read this year so far
First the nostalgia of 2002 hit me right in the feels! This is a different type of book for this author it’s not a thriller it’s about a girl who gets a second chance to change the things of her past and it made me cry more than once
please give this book a chance it was amazing!

HOLY MOLY. You are so talented. I didn’t know what to expect going into this after reading your psychological thrillers, but it completely blew my mind. The nostalgia in this book brought me back to my own childhood years and I could visually see certain things in my own home. I bawled like a baby through certain parts of this book and I’m not sure why, maybe it’s the nostalgia and the idea of being a kid again sounds great? Maybe it’s the fact that life used to be so simple and I took it for granted? It’s an eye opener for sure when you really take the time to read this book. Makes you really think about how things have changed since 2002!! I hope there will eventually be a sequel to this but if there isn’t, just know that this book has opened my eyes to be a lot more appreciative of the little things in life.

So this was totally unexpected from jeneva rose. It was a time travel coming to age romance. I loved the ending and how it all came together. I never expected her to write a romance so I was pleasantly surprised. :)

Such a thought provoking book’ As she states; this is not her typical genres but it is so so good. Jeneva has a talent for writing books that suck you in from page one. Thank you for choosing me to review this ARC’

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!
Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, for the eARC of The Girl I Was! Let’s just say, this book healed me, broke me, and then healed me again. 😭

This was my first time reading a book written by Jeneva Rose, although, I do have The Perfect Marriage in my Kindle library, I just haven’t gotten to it yet (don’t yell at me, my TBR pile is taller than Mount Everest at this point). Jeneva Rose surely knows how to write! I found myself laying in bed later in the day, and thought to myself, “what was that movie I was watching earlier today? Oh wait, it definitely wasn’t a movie.. it was the book I’m reading!”. There were many parts in this book where I literally laughed out loud, and I loved it so much. This book was a refreshing palate cleanser to read between all the dark/heavy books I find myself reading lately. I would love to read more witty and heartfelt books like this, I genuinely think I would benefit from it. 😮‍💨

The majority of this story is based in 2002, and I was only 4 years old at that time. But holy schmoly, did I LOVE the 2000s references. Music, movies, even the clothes! Don’t tell anyone, but I still have two pairs of Juicy Couture sweatpants.. 🤫 I had yet to read a book that made me feel nostalgic, but The Girl I Was absolutely checks that off the list.

I was surprised at how relatable it all felt. Well, aside from time travel, I’ve never done that. Can’t relate. But self-sabotage? Been there, done that. The Girl I Was made me wish I could time travel back to the past and do things differently too. This novel actively made me reflect on my own personal female friendships, my family, and how important they were/are towards molding who I am today. I may or may not have shed a tear or two towards the end of this book.. it felt so personal even though it’s a work of fiction. This book made my eyes misty from both sincerity and laughter. 🥹

This is, by far, one of my favorite reads of 2025. I had fun reading it and felt disappointed when it ended, only because it ended and there wasn’t anymore to read!


**disclaimer: I received this eARC through NetGalley from Harlequin Trade Publishing and am leaving this review of my own accord. All thoughts are my own.**

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book. I love everything I have ever read by Jeneva Rose and this book is no exception. I absolutely loved it. This book is very different from the normal Jeneva Rose books. This book is not a suspenseful thriller. This book is a journey of self discovery of the main character via a time travel journey. The second half of this book brought all the emotions. I hope we get more books in this genre by Jeneva Rose. She is a master of story telling. I highly recommend this book.

What a beautiful way to reflect on life, and the choices we make. I loved the "time travel" aspect, and I kept picturing the author, Jeneva Rose as the main character writing this book loosely based on her own life in some aspects. It makes perfect sense after reading the acknowledgements that this was her first book. I didn't find the story repetitive, and devoured the book in a few days.
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing for a free copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl I Was is a powerful and emotionally resonant story that dives deep into the complexities of personal growth, forgiveness, and the long road to healing. From start to finish, this novel is heartfelt, authentic, and profoundly relatable.

What makes this book so special is how real it feels. The main character’s journey is raw, messy, and full of hard truths—but it’s also filled with strength, growth, and hope. Jeneva doesn’t sugarcoat anything, and that’s what makes the story hit even harder. She captures the emotional weight of regret and resilience with such grace that you can’t help but root for the main character with everything in you.

The writing is clean, direct, and deeply emotional. Jeneva knows how to craft a narrative that feels both intimate and universally relevant. Whether you’ve faced hardship, made mistakes, or simply questioned who you are and where you’re going—this book speaks to that inner voice we all have. It’s about coming to terms with the past, learning to forgive yourself, and finding the courage to embrace who you’ve become.

With themes of second chances, personal growth, and starting over, this novel is perfect for anyone who enjoys character-driven stories that feel grounded in real life. It’s not flashy or over-the-top—it’s beautifully human. And that’s what makes it unforgettable.

The Girl I Was will leave you thinking about the person you used to be, the person you are now, and the version of yourself you’re still becoming. An honest, emotional, and ultimately uplifting read that I highly recommend.

This book is so different from her other books that I loved but I loved this one too! It has that 13 going on 30 movie vibes and was so fun. The main character was funny, total chaos and yet you were rooting for her to get it together. I was shocked at how emotional I was during the Thanksgiving scenes and thought the author really shared grief in such a honest and relatable way. I recommend reading this one, you’ll love it