Woowie this was a good one! I genuinely couldn’t believe the ending I didn’t see that coming. It was so dark and twisted in all the best ways!

Alexis loses her job and boyfriend on the same day and blames her past self for setting her up for the disaster her life has become. Since she’s leaning into her bad decision making, she drinks a bottle of vodka that was tucked into her college memory box and wakes up in 2002.
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Oh boy. The cringe. So many cringeworthy moments. I was also a ton of fun in college and would be HORRIFIED if I woke up back then too so I felt it all in my soul.
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But this also ran the other way and I had an actual headache from not crying at my desk during a scene when she went home for the holidays.
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Get the book. Read it. Forgive your college aged self for being a mess.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

It was very interesting to read Jeneva Rose in a different genre. I’ve loved all the books by her that I’ve read so far so this was an instant yes. I was initially drawn to the story with the time travel and found the plot and character development to be very interesting. I enjoyed the realizations Alexis had with her friends and herself. Whatever I did dislike a lot which affected my rating was the bickering between Alexis and Lexi. I know she is supposed to be immature, but Lexi was more of a teenager than in college. I definitely flipped forward through a lot of those scenes.

Wow! I LOVE Jeneva Rose. I’ve only known Jeneva Rose the author of thriller stories though. Let me tell you, she’s has proven herself as an author that can write anything. This was the opposite of a thriller and still so well written you can’t put it down. She is so talented and you won’t be disappointed when you take a chance on this one!

I loved this book! 5/5 ⭐️! This is not the typical Jeneva book but I still loved it. I didn’t want to finish it because I didn’t want it to end. This book made me smile, made me laugh, made me think and made me cry. Jeneva is so talented how she can write anything and I absolutely love it.

Ahhh absolutely loved it!! I got the opportunity to meet Jeneva recently and it was great to read this after

Phenomenal work! Jeneva Rose has proven she can write any genre! This book is out of her usual genre but ther is still some suspense and you can’t put it down because you have to know what happens.

Love Jeneva Rose, just wasn’t a huge fan of this one! The concept was interesting but ultimately fell flat for me because I didn’t care for the FMC. It was interesting to read Jeneva writing a different genre than I’m used to but ultimately wasn’t for me.

I loved this book so much! What a sweet rollercoaster ride of emotions as we navigate life with Lexi & Alexis!

This honestly makes me want Jeneva Rose to write more books that aren’t thrillers because yall she can do it all! I’ve always been a fan of her thrillers and was shocked when I went to her event in Kenosha, WI and she spoke about this book and how it was a thriller and how she also has a zombie book she was writing. And man I can’t wait to see what she has in store with the zombie read now because our girl Jeneva Rose can write ANYTHING. Jeneva Roses #1 WI fan right here.

What a lovely and heartwarming time travel novel! This is a departure from Jeneva Rose’s other books, not exactly a romance but reads a lot like a romance, this is a very well done time travel book. I was completely surprised and touched by this book. It’s less about finding love and more learning to love yourself.

Usually when I rate a book 5 full stars it’s because I get a little choked up at the end. If you eye roll at schmaltz, maybe skip this one. But I ate it up.

Alexis is at a rock bottom in her life, it’s 2017, she hasn’t really accomplished anything, her boyfriend dumped her, and she has been let go from her job. That’s when she wakes up in 2002. Unlike other time travel stories, she interacts with her 2002 self and they work together to find out what it’s going to take to get her back to 2017.

The ending is really satisfying. The characters are great! The pop culture references are outstanding. It also is amazing that the 2002 characters have never heard of things that feel like they have been around forever- like Taylor Swift, the kardashians, and iPhones. They’ve never heard of an iPhone! Wow! 2002 doesn’t seem like that long ago but it really was.

If you are in the mood for something heartwarming and lighthearted, you should pick this one up.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mira for the ARC. Book to be published July 15, 2025.

I picked up "The Girl I Was" not knowing what to expect other than I love the author so I had to read it. At first, I was frustrated with the main character, laughing with memories (especially when they pulled out the sparks). But then Thanksgiving hit, and I found myself sobbing. What started as a fun read became something so much more - about facing your past, healing, accepting it, and realizing it doesn’t hold you back. It hit close to home in so many ways, bringing a wave of nostalgia and leaving me with a feeling I didn’t expect. Such a great read!

Thank you so much to Jeneva Rose, NetGalley, and HTP Books for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book, which is being re-released in July!

Well, Jeneva Rose did it again! Even though I had read an earlier version of this book, I still found myself invested. There is something to say about good writing when a book is able to make you feel along with the characters. I’m surprised I liked it as much as I did since I knew the basic story. However the character's changes and the twists she added made it feel more substantial this time. As someone who lost her mother way too soon, this is a moving story helping me continue to grieve and then celebrate all that is my mom!

This was such an unexpected five star read for me. In a word, this book was FUN. I don’t necessarily love the time loop trope but this one was different in the sense that the main character Alexis met her younger self when she went back in time, and they had to work together to get her back to the original timeline. This book was more emotional than I had predicted, but in a good way! It was the perfect mix of entertaining and heartfelt.

Alexis has mastered the art of rationalizing disappointment. Armed with an avoidance streak, she's coasted through her adult life without ever truly facing herself. When she loses her job and her boyfriend on the same day, even "this too shall pass" can't soften the blow to her ego. She self-medicates in an alcohol spiral and wakes up in her college town in 2002. She runs into her eighteen-year-old self. This version of herself, Lexi, is an opinionated, foolish, and impulsive version of her. What begins as a second chance at doing life becomes an emotional tug-of-war between past and present. Alexis realizes that changing her life isn't easy without accepting the challenge of emotional growth.

The brilliance of this novel lies in its emotional rawness. The main character is honest, hilarious, and determined to right what she got wrong. Her journey isn't just about fixing old mistakes; it's about confronting the most uncomfortable truth of yourself, and that we are all profoundly human. If you've ever wondered, "What was I thinking?" at your past self and wished for a redo, this book will hit you hard in the gut. It's a beautiful letter for self-forgiveness and understanding that we are the complicated mess of becoming who we are. Absolute perfection.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing / MIRA for the opportunity to review and provide my honest feedback.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a fast read with short chapters. The book is reminiscent of Freaky Friday and stories like that. I can tell that it’s an earlier work by Jeneva Rose, but it still has her flair. The writing style is fun and easy to read. The plot moves along at a quick pace. At times the main character is not so likable but that’s true gives time to seethe characters grow during the story.

I love Jeneva's twirling videos and I love her books! This was so good and the over is top notch! Excellent job!

The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)

Absolutely loved this book! As a fan of Jeneva Rose's previous works, I was intrigued to see her take on a different genre, and she did not disappoint. "The Girl I Was" is a beautiful blend of second chances, found family, and magical realism, wrapped up in a heartfelt story that tugs at your emotions.

The story follows Alexis Spencer, a 30-year-old woman whose life is falling apart—she loses her job and boyfriend on the same day. After drowning her sorrows, she wakes up in the year 2002 and meets her 18-year-old self. Together, they embark on a journey to figure out why present-day Alexis was sent back in time. The dynamic between the two versions of Alexis is both humorous and heartbreaking, and I couldn’t help but root for them both.

The emotional rollercoaster hit hard, from laugh-out-loud moments to scenes that brought me to tears. I especially appreciated how relatable the characters felt, as well as the nostalgia evoked by the early 2000s references. The dedication at the beginning made such a strong impression—it beautifully ties into the themes of personal growth, self-acceptance, and learning from our past mistakes.

This book left a lasting mark on me. It's one of those stories I know I’ll think about long after finishing. Whether you're new to Jeneva Rose or a longtime fan, "The Girl I Was" is an unforgettable read that will pull at your heartstrings and make you reflect on your own journey.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

read if you like:
🤷🏻‍♀️ what-ifs
🎥 the movie MY OLD ASS
🥺 coming of age

summary:
I love Jeneva Rose so decided to check this book out! It follows Alexis Spencer, a woman trying to deal with a breakup as a part of her less than satisfying life. After a night of heavy drinking, she wakes up to realize she’s woken up back in college, in 2002. She is forced to confront her former self — college student Lexi — as an innocent woman who still has her whole life ahead of her. Alexis views this as an opportunity to change her destiny, and to put herself on the right path before it’s too late. As she gets to know her former self, she realizes so much about her current self — and why she is where she is today.

The story is told from both Alexis and Lexi’s perspective, revealing the secrets she’s buried and the trauma she endured. It focuses around themes of forgiveness, self acceptance and regret, and how the actions we take seemingly unnoticed can ripple through the rest of our lives. Alexis is a heartbreakingly honest protagonist, and I think any woman can relate to her struggles, her honesty and the regret she faces encountering her former self. It makes us think about our choices, what we could do differently and what we would do with second chances.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA and NetGalley for the advanced copy. Check this updated book when it releases on July 14!

Absolutely loved this book. I have enjoyed all of Jeneva's books in the past and I was definitely curious to see what a different genre would be like. This was humorous, lighthearted, but also a little sad. Another great novel!