This book was such a fun read! Everything Jeneva writes I will eat up! I can’t wait for the special prayer edition to come out

The early 2000s nostalgia that I relived while reading this book was heartwarming! Low rise jeans, boys with frosted tips, Nelly, dial up internet, and a world without social media. Take me back!
Newly fired and dumped, thirty something Alexis downs some homemade voodoo vodka and finds herself back in 2002 and face to face with her collage freshman self. Determined to shake some sense into the teenager and alter the course of her life, she does everything she can to change her young self. But young Alexis, or Lexi as her friends call her, is fiery and stubborn and just wants to party. Alexis is hit in the feels when she comes face to face with long lost friends and family and issues of her past.
I loved this book. It was very touching. We can all learn a little about ourselves when we face our past and own up to our mistakes. Grab this book and some tissues to go with it.
Jeneva has become one of my favorite authors. I cannot wait to see what she puts out next for her gaggle of geese.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins for the ARC. I received this book for free in exchange for a review, but all opinions are my own.

I love Jeneva. She writes the BEST books and always has a fun twist. I would say it was not my favorite by her, but it was still good and enjoyable.

I received this as an ARC as it has added chapters and was edited and re-published. Coming from the authors usually twisty books I read, the time traveling element of going back and seeing how you lived. I did have a hard time enjoying the main character, I just couldn’t connect with her and I found her rather annoying 🫣. I couldn’t get fully invested in the story because of this which was disappointing but it was an overall good read and I’ll still recommend it.

This book had me in my feelings in the best way. I absolutely loved it. The time travel element was so well done l, it never felt confusing or over the top, just magical in all the right ways.

The characters felt so real, especially Alexis. I saw so much of myself in her, and watching her grow throughout the book was honestly really emotional. She made mistakes, learned from them, and became someone stronger and that journey hit hard.

And the 90s/2000s nostalgia? YES. The references, the vibes, the music… it gave me so much joy. I laughed out loud more than once, and yes, I definitely cried too. The ending was perfect, not too neat, but just right. And then the author’s note at the end? That sealed the deal for me. It made everything feel even more personal and powerful.

This and It's a Date - Again were my first reads from this author. Which is ironic since I love thrillers and I know that's what she's known for. But I love Jeneva's writing style!

This book was relatable and It made me reflect on my own life. Cried a little but overall it was a fun read! As soon as I finished it the first time, I ordered a physical copy so I can come back to it when I'm feeling a little defeated in life.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc copy! I already preordered and I can’t wait!
Now, time to read the other books from this amazing author!

I really wanted to like this one, the premise really intrigued me but unfortunately, I ended up DNFing it.

I just couldn't connect with the character, she was very hypocritical and unlikeable. Maybe that was the point and I just need to work on my tolerance when it comes to characters with similar traits.

I've heard great things about Jeneva Rose, this was my first book of hers but it didn't turn me off. I have a few on my TBR and I will gladly read those.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC!

4.25 stars ⭐️ I love that we get 6 brand new chapters this publication! I’ve loved everything Jeneva Rose has written so far and this is no exception. I loved the magical realism in this book and the ending was unexpected!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own 🫶🏼

I had such a good time with this book! I think we all at some point have wanted to go back and have a conversation with our younger selves at least once! This book lets you do that! Super fun, a lot of pop culture references and had me laughing throughout! Highly recommend, especially if you are entering your 30s!

This book was not at all what I expected…but in the absolute best way. No, it’s not a thriller BUT I would consider it to be speculative fiction which is still a preferred genre of mine.

This book is for any one who has struggled to come to terms with their last and be honest with themselves and accepting accountability for their actions. What would you do if you could go back and change the past? What would you do differently? How would you be a better person for yourself and those around you?

I thoroughly enjoyed this one—it was easy to read, thought provoking, and the dash of time traveling was a nice touch.


Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher Harlequin/MIRA for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in for my honest review.

I will read anything Jeneva writes. I enjoyed this book and actually had read the indie version. I was surprised to enjoy it just as much this time.

This is not at all what I was expecting. This author is an automatic for me, so I didn’t even bother to read the synopsis. She even tried to warn me in the beginning and I still didn’t listen. lol I absolutely loved this thought provoking novel. Geneva can do no wrong, even if it’s not a thriller.

This is the first book by Jeneva I've read that wasn't one of her thrillers. I loved the story and she did such a great job of telling it. The book follows Alexis who has been working a bunch of dead end temp jobs since graduating college. She gets drunk after her most recent firing and time travels back to 2002 to her former college, party girl self Lexi. While Alexis and Lexi are trying to figure out how to send Alexis back to her time they both end up learning new things about theirseves and their friendships. Alexis helps Lexi connect with her friends and family members in new ways that she missed the first time around. I will say that Lexi really annoyed the crap out of me several times, but by the end I loved both sides of her and their growth together. I would definitely recommend this book to friends. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC for a review.

Pushing this book to the top of my TBR was the best decision I could have made for myself. I feel as though it has begun to reshape me into a better person with a different outlook on life. Alexis’s transformation throughout the story is one everyone should be able to experience if they are unhappy with themselves or their current path of life . Jeneva Rose has done it again.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about this book for the first half of it. I really wanted to find out how it ended though, so I pushed through and I am so glad I did!

I was crying my way through the last 1/4 of the book. Alexis and I have a similar backstory that I won’t spoil here, but it made my heart ache. I wish I could experience what she did, by going back in time, but I know magical realism doesn’t work in real life. 🙃

Jeneva Rose wrote this book years before her thrillers, and originally self-published it in 2021. It’s now being republished by Mira, and has been expanded. I’m so glad she revisited this story because I have loved her thrillers, and really respect her as a writer and an individual!

The Girl I Was is a poignant story about what it might be like if you could change your past self for the better. I think it’s worth the read!

Thank you to Mira for the ARC via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

If you could go back in time and change anything, would you? Alexis, after having a bad day with being fired and a break-up, goes drinking, blacks out and wakes up as her younger self (Lexi) in the early 2000's while still being her older self as two separate people!

This book tugged at my heart strings and I really enjoyed the read! I think a lot of readers can empathize with Alexis!

This book was a bit different than her typical thriller and I'm so glad I got the opportunity to read this as an ARC thanks to Jeneva Rose, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing!

I have always loved Jeneva Rose so when I heard she took a step into writing something other then thrillers I knew I had to get my hands on this book. Boy am I glad I did! This has to be one of my top favorite books. The idea of being able to go back and talk to my younger self and tell her everything will be okay would be life changing. Take things day by day and not rush them. LOVE YOURSELF. Be kind to yourself. I love one of the quotes in the book:

“I cry for the girl I was, the girl I am, and the girl I might never become.”

I love the balance of seriousness and quirk in this book. It makes you think but also enjoy. I love this book so much! It’s one I will HIGHLY recommend!

If you've ever wanted to grab your younger self by the shoulders and scream, "Make better choices!" then The Girl I Was is the time-travel therapy session you didn’t know you needed. Jeneva Rose spins a witty, heart-tugging tale that perfectly blends second chances, self-discovery, and the ultimate enemies-to-allies dynamic—with yourself. Alexis, a snarky, struggling millennial, wakes up in 2002 face-to-face with her chaotic, crop-top-wearing college self, Lexi, and chaos ensues. Early 2000s nostalgia? Check. Awkward self-reflection? Check. A hilarious, emotional journey of growth and redemption? Absolutely.

This book hits all the right notes for fans of coming-of-age with a twist, found-again friendships, and the kind of life do-over we all fantasize about. Lexi and Alexis may start out at odds, but watching them fumble their way toward understanding and healing is funny, frustrating, and ultimately uplifting. The Girl I Was is charming, relatable, and refreshingly real—even when time travel is involved. If you’ve ever wondered what you’d say to the girl you used to be, grab a copy and find out.

I wasn’t sure how this book was going to go but it really did come together at the end. I read this in record time and have to say I ended up loving it ❤️

I am a new fan of Jeneva Rose and have read only one of her thrillers so far. When I picked up this reprint of her first book, I had no expectations. While some parts of the story were better than others, I really enjoyed the book overall. It had a completely different vibe compared to her thrillers. A wave of nostalgia hit me as I felt transported backto 2022, where the main character, Alexis, must figure out why she is stuck in time with her younger self. My favorite part of the book was when Alexis returned home for Thanksgiving and experienced all the emotions that came with it. I also enjoyed the debate about Blockbuster versus Netflix at the dinner table. The book serves as a love letter to our younger selves, encouraging us to be less hard on ourselves and more aware of the feelings of others. If you need a break from thrillers but still want Jeneva Rose's humor and some deeper reflections, this is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA for my copy.