If you haven’t read this one yet (it’s getting a re-release after originally being self-published), want to see Jeneva Rose branch out into a different genre, like time traveling, and like stories about characters who are hot messes, consider this your sign to read The Girl I Was!

I was not a big fan of this one myself, but the story is there. It’s familiar, it has the makings of a good book, but it just wasn’t for me. I found the main character Alexis annoying to no end, blaming her crappy life on the college version of herself instead of doing something proactive. I found Lexi, the college version of Alexis, just as bad. At least Alexis went through some character growth, Lexi just complained. I also felt like that the ending undermined the point of the story. Overall, the story felt a bit juvenile in terms of writing style (although seeing as the main characters act like that it does seem quite fitting).

Alexis is known for blaming everyone and everything for the shortcomings and struggles in life, and she lives off inspirational quotes to help her move forward with whatever she is facing in the moment. One day, when she believes she truly reaches rock bottom and blames her past self for where she has landed in 2016, she goes off on a bender only to realize.... the next day she wakes up back in 2002. If you could go back to visit your college freshman year self, what would you say to them? Would you try to re-live your past? Would you try to change anything? Well 2002 Lexi and 2016 Alexis will need to figure that out together.

The lesson at the end of this book was beautiful! Jeneva, thank you soooo much for sharing this story with us. A few months ago, I had the opportunity to meet Jeneva and she spoke about how this is the first book she ever wrote and that it was her way of coping with grief. Sometimes when you are living life, you don't realize that your actions really do culminate into your future self, and how everything when you did when you were younger, just landed you where you are today. The character development seen between Lexi and Alexis was beautiful. I highly suggest really focusing on Chapter 37 (my favorite chapter) Oh and DEFINITELY read the "Acknowledgment" pages.

I really enjoyed The Girl I Was!

What’s in store for you:

⏳ Time travel/redoing life over again
🔁 Dual POV
💿 Set in 2002
💔 Navigating grief and past choices

This was a quick read! Jeneva’s writing is fast-paced, and the story never seems to drag or linger in one place for too long. I loved all the early 2000s pop culture references, and I may or may not have teared up during the Thanksgiving scenes (iykyk).

Alexis and Lexi could both be funny and frustrating at times, and the time travel is less science-y and more “we’re in 2002 now,” but the life lessons and conversations about life, grief, and our choices — both past and present — make The Girl I Was an emotional and heartfelt read.

Overall, this was a 3.5 ⭐️ read for me! It made for a great beach read, and I’m looking forward to checking out Jeneva’s thrillers 📚

Thank you to Harlequin, NetGalley, and Jeneva Rose for the ARC!

4/5 stars

Listen happens when you wake up after one of the worst days, only to realize that you have woken to the year you felt was the turning point that led to one of the worst days. Well, that's happened to Alexis when she reunites with the 18 y/o self. I mean I think we have all said "If I could turn back time" or "if I could talk to my younger self". Alexis has that chance.

I love Jeneva Rose and I'm so happy I got the chance to read this for the re-release. Everything about this book felt like a blast from the past. Reading it would mention something from back then and a pain in my chest hit because it brought back the memories of where I was during all this. We get the comedy relief, we get the tense moments, we get the moments that will shed a few tears. Talk about exposure therapy in the worst way, but one hell of a story.

I would recommend this wholeheartedly because A. Jeneva Rose. B. just a trip down memory lane.

What if you were able to go back and speak to the younger version of yourself? Alexis is a mess and travels back to the college version of herself Lexi in 2002 to help straighten out her life. This sweet story was Jeneva Rose’s self published debut novel now republished and full of early 2000’s nostalgia. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an advanced copy for an honest review.

at the beginning of THE GIRL I WAS, alexis isn’t doing so hot. she’s just lost her job, she’s spiraling, and she ends up canceling what was supposed to be her engagement dinner. feeling like she’s ruined both her work life and her love life, she turns to a bottle of wine to cope. but when she wakes up the next morning, confused and hungover, she’s somehow back in 2002... and face-to-face with her college-aged self. alexis decides this is her shot to get things back on track early by helping her younger self figure it all out.

first of all, this was such a quick read! i flew through the pages without even realizing it. the banter between alexis and lexi (her younger self) had me hooked immediately. lexi is trying to figure out how to get future-alexis back to her 2016 timeline, and alexis is trying to convince lexi to get her act together. very chaotic, but in the best way.

this book had me thinking about what i’d do if i had the chance to sit down with college-me. spoiler: i’d have a lot to say to the girl i was (heh, see what i did there) back then.

what i really appreciated about this story was the way it explored motivation and the choices we make to build the life we want. i loved how alexis encouraged lexi to be more present, especially with friends and family. those little moments of connection can turn into lifelong relationships, and i always love when a book reminds me of that.

something to note: this book is very millennial-coded. if you were a teen in the early 2000s, there’s a lot here to appreciate: nostalgic music references, questionable fashion choices, etc. but it also touches on the not-so-fun stuff, like the diet culture and toxic media messages that were so normalized back then. while i’m sure jeneva rose was trying to highlight how harmful those things were, it started to feel like a lot to consume all at once.

overall, this isn’t something i’d usually pick up, but i’m glad i gave it a shot. it had solid character growth (which i always love), a fun twisty premise, and enough heart to keep me emotionally invested. if you’re intoquick reads with a little time travel, a lot of self-reflection, and a heavy dose of y2k energy, this one might be for you.

3.5/5

Jeneva Rose can do no wrong for me. All of her books are a fun ride, and this updated version was another adventure. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advanced copy!

Wow! Absolutely loved this! So fun! So brilliant! So different!! I Laughed, I cried, I enjoyed this very much! And the cover!!! Love love love it!!

I, for one, am a huge fan of publishers rereleasing backlist of authors who have taken off in the years since its publication. I have found so many loved books that way. The Girl I Was is not at all what I have come to know from Jeneva Rose, so it's definitely not one I would have sought out, but it is a gem of a book. For fans of Emma Straub and Oona Out of Order comes a time-travel story with all the aughts vibes you could desire. I loved this book and I think it is the perfect vacation read.

Alexis is struggling. After losing her boyfriend, her job, and finding herself in a cycle of burnout, grief, and self-loathing, she decides that getting blackout drunk is the only sensible thing to do. When she wakes up, she finds herself and not only a different house but an entirely different decade! She soon meets her younger self Lexi and tries to explain who she is and where she's from. Forming an uneasy alliance and a convincing backstory, Alexis must now figure out why she was sent back to the past.

Oh Mother Goose (AKA Jeneva Rose) you really made me feel all the things with this one! I absolutely love Jeneva's thrillers, but for some reason I never picked this one up when it was first published. Now revised and with six bonus chapters, I am so glad I found it! Usually I'm not too big into magical realism, but with The Girl I Was, it focuses more on the way why did Alexis get sent back instead of the how. I love how Rose explores the choices we make and how they shape us into who we are now. With Jeneva's signature wit, the dialogue between Alexis and Lexi is both hilarious but also painfully real. Watching Alexis in her late 30s arguing with Lexi in her impulsive 20 something phase is gold! The only thing that I would potentially critique is the end felt a bit rushed, but honestly not a big thing at all. If you are looking for a book that will make you laugh, ugly cry, and think about your own journey, definitely check out The Girl I Was!

Thank you to NetGalley, Jeneva Rose, and Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA for this ARC! Publication date is July 15th 2025.

Absolutely adored this beautiful, chaotic journey of self-love and acceptance. If you've ever wished you could go back in time and stop your younger self from making the choices you're still paying for—this book is for you.

A full-on hot mess express with heart, humor, and healing, this story hit in all the right ways. And let’s be clear—Jeneva isn’t just for thrillers anymore. She nailed this.

"If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again."

Alexis Spencer lives by motivational quotes—even if they’re just a cover for the chaos she’s barely holding together. Her friendships? Gone. College debt? Crushing. Life? Falling apart. But when she loses both her job and her boyfriend in one spectacular day, even her favorite quotes can't save her.

Cue one regret-fueled vodka bender—and a blackout that sends her back in time. Not just to another day, but to another decade. And now she’s face-to-face with the one person she blames for everything: her past self.

The master of contemporary thrillers writes a light hearted time travel book?! YES PLEASE.
The Girl I Was is a fun little ride that is remanicant to the movies '13 going on 30' and 'Back to the Future"
You have our main character, Alexis, who is at a cross roads in her live at just 28 years old. After a particularly sad night with some questionable vodka she is transported back to her life at 18. The kicker is she isn't reliving her life as an 18 year old, she is living as a 28 year old WITH her 18 year old self. She teeters on the line of giving away too much in the future and changing herself for the better to create a more balanaced future.

Really fun book with some serious early 2000s nostalgia and just the right about of serious emotional damage mixed in,

Thank you Jeneva for the wild ride.

When Alexis thinks her life is at an all time high, that is until her meeting with HR doesn’t go as planned, then she gets drunk and her boyfriend breaks up with her. She finds an old bottle of vodka in her closet..drinking that takes her back to the year 2002. There she meets her 18 year old self and decides to try to better her life. All she has to do is convince her 18 year old self that she is her from the future.

I so enjoyed going back to 2002 !!! This book was such a beautiful journey to self-love and acceptance. It was so heartwarming that Alexis got to go back, not only to learn the lessons that she did, but also to get more time with her mom. I could tell Jeneva poured so much of herself into that moment. You always hear about people asking for “one more minute” with someone who had passed and this book felt like it made that happen!

If you’ve ever wanted to grab your younger self by the shoulders and say, “Please, for the love of god, don’t do that,” this book is for you.

Alexis wakes up in 2002 face-to-face with college-age Lexi, and let’s just say… it’s complicated. Watching them clash, connect, and slowly understand each other is equal parts hilarious, emotional, and weirdly healing. The early 2000s nostalgia is strong, but what really got me was the deeper stuff—what it means to forgive yourself, let go of shame, and grow the hell up without losing who you were.

It’s heartfelt, a little messy, and totally worth the read. Honestly, I love that this is her first novel getting a second life. It fits the story perfectly.

“Everything is okay in the end, and if it’s not okay, then it’s not the end.”

Thank you @jenevaroseauthor, @youhadmeathea and @harlequinbooks for the #gifted ebook arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

We all know Jeneva Rose is known for her thrillers, but be aware this isn’t one of them. Alexis is on the hot mess express when she decides to drown her sorrows with an OLD bottle of vodka. After this, she finds herself transported back in time and face to face with her younger self, Lexi.

#TheGirlIWas is a reflection on life and figuring out what is truly important. You’ll smile, chuckle and feel all the feels! Thanks so much @htpbooks and @htp_hive for granting me access via @netgalley.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the advance reader copy of The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose.

This story had me hooked from the first page. I loved all the early 2000s nostalgia—music, fashion, pop culture—it made the story so fun to read. But what stood out most to me was the emotional impact of the story. It really makes you think about how your words or actions, whether big or small can affect someone in ways you may never realize. The story highlights how we all carry things from our past, and how even brief interactions can leave lasting marks. It was honest, and left me reflecting long after I finished.

Jeneva Rose did such a great job balancing humor, heart, and some powerful truths. Highly recommend this one!

“You can’t help someone who won’t help themselves”

I truly disliked The Girl I Was...no not the book but the girl "I" was back in my early adulthood. Lexi in college could have been completely modeled in me. Party girl, self-destructive, never really considerate or concerned with others. 40 years later, I've learned to give myself grace. If only I had been able to go back in time and make even the smallest changes, would my life be better? I wouldn't change who I've become even a little bit now, but in my 30's when things felt so hard, I might have. I really didn't like either versions of Alexis at first, probably because I saw so much of my early self in her but by the end of the story, I loved both versions of her

We have all, i certainly have, hit moments in time where we were the fmc. We wanted to go back in time and shake our former self. We thought if we could just redo it all. This is that journey, Realizing who we were then and now are different and the journey to get there. While I love Jeneva for her thrillers this was a healing experience. The nostalgia made it extra addictive!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

If you are looking for Jeneva Rose, a thriller writer, you will have gone in with the incorrect expectations. For this book, it is, as the author described, one written from the heart. Keep that tissue box close at hand, if you dare.

The Girl I Was is the author's first-ever novel. My edition, the standard edition, included six more chapters than the original that the author had published.

What would you do to be able to go back and stop your younger self from making certain decisions? Decisions that you know have led you to the path you're on now.

That's exactly what happens to our main protagonist, Alexis. She finds herself back in 2002, meeting her 18-year-old self at college. How nice it is to be back at college, running into her three best friends as well as older sistering her younger self. But along the way, Alexis realizes that maybe, just maybe, it's not her younger self that needs the intervention.

I loved this one. It got me right in the feels. 😂 I love characters and their flaws, and both Alexis and her younger self, Lexi, had many of them.

If you were a fan of the Freaky Friday films( Hayley Mills or Lindsay Lohan), you're going to eat this one up.




Expected Publication Date 15/07/25
Goodreads Review Date 14/07/25
#TheGirlIWasStandardEdition #NetGalley.