3.5 stars!

This was entertaining and fast paced, especially when Alexis ended up going back in time. I felt like I was watching a chick flick from the 2000s!! It was so silly and fun. The adult version of the main character wasn’t my favorite, but really enjoyed her college self!

This was definitely different from Jeneva’s other books and it was fun!

Thank you NetGalley!

Alexis, a young woman, is struggling. Her career is not going well. And then she argues with her boyfriend. She blames a lot of her present problems on her past. After an argument with her boyfriend, she finds an old bottle 9f, alcohol wrapped in a snoldvollehe t-shirt. She takes a sip. The Next thing she knows, she wakes up in a strange bed—not a strange one, but at a different time.

She discovers that it is 2022, and she is back at college. It's her chance to find her younger self and fix things. As Alexis and her younger self, Lexi, spend time together, Alexis learns about herself. This story follows Alexis and Lexias as they discover things about each other. This is a delightful story that will make you cry and laugh out loud. It's a good story that will Stay with me for a long time

***Small Spoiler*** This is not a thriller like her other books but still amazing!

Have you ever wanted to go back and tell your younger self to get it together? Alexis gets the chance to do so!

When Alexis’ life completely falls apart(losing her job and her boyfriend) she drinks herself into her old life…literally. As she wakes up as herself in the year 2002, she find her younger self (Lexi) and tries to convince her to completely change. Will Alexis convince her younger self, Lexi, to change to better the outcome of her life? Or will Alexis be stuck as herself back in time regretting the life she left behind?

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc!

I rwad The Girl I Was last year. Actually, I listened to it and it was an easy listen, perfect for during marathon training runs. I love time travel books and I like Jeneva Rose.

She self published that version, and this new version comes out in July 2025. There are six new chapters (I believe they’re all the Lexi chapters) which made it just new enough to be able to enjoy again. I also tend to miss small things when listening and I was glad to catch some fun early 00’s references I missed last time.

This is an easy, quick read but for a bunch of things (not counting the time travel) you really have to suspend your disbelief. For example, Lexi’s friends, roommate, tutor assigned to her not knowing her real name? How about their voices? And Lexi doesn’t have questions about the future and also is a jerk for no reason? A few issues like that I just kept getting stuck on. But I still enjoyed the story, especially in the second half when they’re home for Thanksgiving.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this story. The writing and research for this book, (even though I am sure that she didn’t have to research much) was 100% perfect. While I think Lexi and Alexis were insufferable, once I finished I realized it actually made sense.
I also lost my mom unexpectedly, so I related to her to much, it made me wish I could see my mom one last time.

Thank you for this story and allowing me to read it. It was beautiful, touching and I am glad you were convinced to let the world read it.

What a lovely and heartwarming time travel novel. I was in a reading slump and this got me out of it. It's funny, cute, sad it has all the feels.
I love to see that Jeneva Rose can deliver both thrillers and contemporary fiction.

Thanks you NetGalley and Publisher for this e-arc in return of my honest review.

Thank you Mira Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. Jeneva Rose is one of my favorite authors. This is not her typical book that she usually writes. However, I think this is one of my favorite Jeneva books ever. The book centers around Alexis, a woman who is struggling to maintain a job, a relationship, basically a stable adult life. One night Alexis blacks out and wakes up in 2002. She goes on an adventure of healing and `self-discovery with her younger self. I think this is a reflective book that really makes you ask yourself, if you could go back in time and talk to your younger self what would you do/say? I laughed and cried. I had so many emotions. I LOVED this book.

Jeneva Rose has quickly become one of my comfort authors. Coming from Wisconsin myself I really enjoy all of the references that she has throughout her novels. The feature the state I love so much. Well, I know her as a thriller author I found this book to have so much heart in a simple but healing story. What a beautiful way to honor our former selves and all that we have been through. If you are a fan of the quirks, angst, and overbearing lessons of freaky Friday, then this book will feel like a comforting hug you’ve been needing.

*This was my not my usual genre, but I love Jeneva Rose so I made an exception*

This was a really heartfelt, relatable story. Who wouldn’t love a chance to go back in time and talk to your younger self? I love the journey of personal growth that Alexis experienced, and the ending felt well earned.

I would have rated this higher but I really hated how many times she called herself fat. That’s a personal ick of mine. 3.25 stars.

The Girl I Was
By Jeneva Rose

Publishing July 15,2025

First, I LOVE Jeneva as an author, and human she is the sweetest and funniest and while reading this I could hear it in her voice. This is one of my top 10 books of this year. Be prepared to cry if you are an emotional person because I can’t tell you how many times I cried while reading this. I really connected with this book, I related to so much of the timing of when it took place. As a 34 year old this really hit home. It was so eye opening to how the decisions you make it your life really impact your future and I feel like we all with we could go back in time, especially to be able to see someone who was gone just one more time and get just one more hug or smell of them. Here I am crying again writing this because it just really hit home. I finished this book SO fast and when I read physical books or digital it takes me a week or so I finished this in two days. It’s a can’t put down book and I absolutely LOVED IT.
Do go into this as this is NOT one of her thrillers but it’s truly eye opening more of who Jeneva is as a person.

Thank you Jeneva Rose and NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I’m so used to reading thrillers/mystery’s by Jeneva. This book was not a thriller/mystery! It was interesting reading something different by her. It did take me a while to finish it.

Alexis ends up losing her relationship and job the same day.. rough! She ends up finding a bottle of vodka from her college days and blacks out. When she wakes up, she’s back in her college town and the year is 2002. She comes face to face with her 18 year old self.

I usually don’t enjoy time traveling but this time traveling romance was good. I did end up enjoying the book. It’s definitely very relatable. I absolutely love Jeneva’s writing. Her books are always the best.

Thank you so much Jeneva, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!

Rating: ✨✨✨
Publication Date: July 15 2025

#TheGirlIWasStandardEdition #NetGalley

4⭐️s - Well this was fun! Totally different vibe than this author’s prior thriller books but I knew that going in. And I loved the author’s note at the end and how this book came about. This reminded me of that movie 13 going on 30 a bit but in reverse. I can see how this book will resonate with many women and their reflections on their own life. I wasn’t a huge fan of the main character but the story was good and drew me right in. It’s coming out next month and will be a great summer read!

Expected release: 7/15/25

✨Special thanks to NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for this complimentary digital advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Another fantastic read from Jeneva! (Contains spoilers)
This story made me laugh, cry, mad (not like mad mad.. you’ll see) The FMC Alexis is a very relatable character, I think everyone has had an Alexis moment in their life a time or two!

Little Summary: Alexis gets fired from her job, her boyfriend Andrew tries to surprise her, everything go haywire and boom she’s back in 2002 as her older self! She finds her younger self, Lexi, they plot out how to get Alexis back to 2016… after many failed attempts and a funny but sad Thanksgiving.. Alexis and Lexi are at their wits ends and are giving up! Lexi ends up in the hospital and Alexis finally realizes how she can get back to her time!
If you wanna know more you’re gonna have to read it for yourself, trust me you won’t be disappointed!

This was a cute story about discovering yourself and how the past shapes your future. While I liked the theme of the story, I struggled with the main character(s). There wasn’t much that was likable them and I get that some of that was the point of the story, it was still frustrating. I also wish the ending would have been longer as it felt rushed. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this re-release.

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.