I have loved every Jeneva Rose novel I have read so far and this book didn’t disappoint! I enjoyed reading a different genre from her and I won’t lie I was a little skeptical since it was my first non-thriller of hers. I enjoyed the character development and how comedic the novel was at times. I was rooting for Alexis and Lexi to get along the whole book and Alexis getting the ending she needed made me so happy.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing via Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I have a love for Jeneva Rose’s books and this one is not like her others, but it’s a heartwarming story that deserves to be read by all especially anyone feeling lost in their lives and grieving. It’s semi-based on her own experiences and very well written. It has humor and inspiration. I loved every minute and could not put it down.

This story was really different from Jeneva’s thrillers, but I liked it just as much. I loved the concept of being able to go back in time to help your 18-year-old self. Alexis sure has her hands full with herself lol, and her character evolution is emotional and entertaining.

I loved Jeneva Rose books before this but this moved her writing to her whole new level for me. I really enjoyed this book. It was what I needed. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

The Girl I Was was Jeneva Rose's first book. Self published in 2021, we are now getting an updated, stunning version featuring 6 new chapters.

Alexis is....kind of a hot mess. She gets fired, kind of destroys an innocent succulent, and then closes it all out by being dumped. Nobody is to blame for her misfortune more than her younger self, so she believes. Soon Alexis finds herself at the bottom of the bottle but instead of finding herself in bed with a massive hangover the next morning, she finds herself back in 2002.

This could be her big chance to set herself up for success in the future but there's one major road block: Sexy Lexi aka her literal 18 year old self. The two of them may be the same person but they couldn't be any more different. Could they really work together to change their life?

Touching and nostalgic, The Girl I Was is a story of healing and self discovery that really captures the heart and writing style of Jeneva Rose.

I’ve read so many of Jeneva’s thrillers and have really enjoyed them, so when I saw she was re-releasing her first, self-published book (with edits and additional chapters), I jumped at the chance to read.

At first I was very irritated with Alexis (which is kind of the point), then even more so with Lexi. However, their character arc is beautiful and wholesome. The book perfectly balanced humor and heart. It felt like a love letter to oneself, an introspective view of life and meaningful relationships, the importance of those who mean most to us, and the perfect amount of magical realism.

I also LOVED the early 2000s nostalgia.

Thank you HTP The Hive, HTP Books, and MIRA for the ARC (a re-published version) in exchange for an honest review.

You wake up and it’s 2002. The love of your life did not just leave you, you did not just get let from another dead end job. Is this the answer Alexis has been asking for? A do-over of her life? Re-do where everything went wrong?
“The girl I was” chronicles, or goes back re-telling what Alexis originally did with her life and how she changes to makes sure she doesn’t end up where she did.

I picked this up after being a fan of Jeneva's trillers. I didn’t expect to enjoy a fantasy read this much but I was so surprised by how much I loved it. Alexis is messy, funny, and super relatable. After a total meltdown, she wakes up in a completely different year, and from there, the story just takes off. The characters felt real, I loved the friendship between the girlies, and the message hit me harder than I expected.

Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. It was a quick, bingeable read with just the right mix of chaos, love, and a little bit of time travel.


Thank you netgalley for my ebook arc!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced reader's copy of The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose.

I loved the original independently published version of The Girl I Was, but this new edition with six brand new chapters completely blew me away. This was a story I already admired and now it's been elevated it to a whole new level.

The added chapters bring deeper emotional resonance and more complexity to the characters. It feels like watching a favorite movie with an extended director’s cut. The pacing is sharp and the tension well balanced,

There are so many times that I’ve wanted to go back in time to talk to my teenage self. I think we all have a few pointers we could give our past selves. This story was unique in how it executed this concept. I’m sure writing a time travel story was quite difficult, especially since it was her first time writing.

However the writing in this one just didn’t land with me the way I wanted it to. The conversations and scenes felt shallow and it was hard to get fully invested into the characters.

I didn’t like this story as much as her others, but it was an enjoyable read and her notes at the end warmed my heart. Jeneva Rose is a treasure and I’m still in awe of her talents.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and #Netgalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose

Alexis has had a horrible day. She just lost her temporary job at the one year mark when it should've turned into a full-time position. She goes home and begins wallowing, even though she's supposed to be going out with her longtime boyfriend, Andrew. When he arrives home, things go completely off the rails. Alexis might possibly be at rock bottom now. She ends up drinking some alcohol given to her by her friends back in college with a somewhat cryptic note attached to it. Apparently, it has some sort of time traveling magic, and she wakes up at a frat house in 2002. After figuring out where she is, she locates her younger college-aged self, Lexi. It takes a little bit of convincing, but finally, they agree to work together to correct their life's mistakes, commit to following through on things, and get Alexis back to the future.

Will they succeed, or will Alexis be trapped in 2002 forever? Will she learn from past mistakes? Can she move past her grief and find her HEA? I highly recommend finding out!

This is a super fast-paced, sometimes hilarious, and heartbreaking novel that I'll be thinking about for a while. I was full-on ugly crying at the 80-85% mark. I pre-ordered a signed 🏆 copy before being approved for the ARC, and I'm super glad I did. This is only the second book I have read by this author. While they are completely different genres, I loved them both! She has become one of the authors on my auto-buy list.

I received an ARC of this book, but these opinions are my own. I would like to thank the author, Jeneva Rose, HTP Books, and Net Galley for allowing me the privilege of reading her work. ❤️

Jeneva Rose has done something amazing with this book! The Girl I Was is a beautifully written novel about second chances and learning to appreciate the little things. Many of us go day to day, not appreciating the smaller details, and often taking them for granted. But what happens when it's all suddenly taken from us? That's what happened to Alexis Spencer.
Alexis has been coasting through life, and whenever something doesn't go right, the universe is always to blame. She does not take accountability for any of her actions or choices, nor does she try to make her life any better. She lives like this until one day the love of her life calls her out on her ish and decides he does not want to marry her. She is remorseful, begging for him back, and eventually passes out after a little too much wine. When she wakes up, she finds herself transported back to 2002. She is a college student, one who just drinks and parties her nights away. Alexis comes to the conclusion that this is the issue, and she needs to solve it if she wants a shot at a happy life. Both Alexis and Lexi (2002 Alexis) need to change.
This book is incredible! It's funny and lighthearted, but it's also so deep. Alexis knows that change begins with her. And that's why she's so determined to change her younger self so that she (they) could live a happy life 10 years later. A life of no regrets.
I love that this book focuses heavily on not only taking responsibility for our own actions but also on the importance of friends and family and being present for and supporting them. It was beautifully written, and there are many tear-jerking moments. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and of course, you'll be brought back to 2002 with the more nostalgic moments (payphones, Blockbusters, Black Friday shopping, haha!)
I really enjoyed this book, and it's easily a 4 star for me. This book reminds us that it's not one big moment, but instead, a million little moments that make and shape us.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Jeneva Rose for such a beautiful ARC!

I’ve read almost all of Jeneva’s books and I think this one way by my favorite! I knew she wrote good thrillers, but with this one she also proves she can write spec fiction just as well!

The nostalgia was one of my favorite parts. The pacing was fast enough to keep you interested but slowed down enough so you could really connect with Alexis. (Both versions of her!)

It’s 2016 and Alexis’s life isn’t turning out as planned. After a particularly horrible day, she spends the evening wallowing in self-pity and alcohol. The next thing she knows she wakes up in 2002 and meets her former self. Did the universe just give her the opportunity to change her future or was she sent back to learn life lessons?

This is not my usual genre, but I love all the thrillers Jeneva Rosa has written so I thought I’d give it a try. The Girl I Was had me on an emotional roller coaster. I laughed. I cried (make sure to have the tissues handy). At times I was ready to toss my Kindle in frustration. I was emotionally invested from start to finish. I also enjoyed all of the nostalgia mentioned (Brittany Spears, life before smart phones and social media). I will be recommending to everyone looking for a fun, uncomplicated read!

Let me start off by saying this is my first Jeneva Rose book, and I requested the ARC because I saw all of Jeneva’s fun TikToks signing and twirling her way through stores. I’m not a huge mystery reader, but the description of this book intrigued me.

The rest of this might be a little spoiler-y.

In the beginning, I did not like the characters of this book at all. Both Alexis and Lexi were insufferable. I don’t care if you are 18 or 30, they were both so immature and unlikable, like who acts like that? It took until about 50% of the way through to really understand them and begin to see any path to redemption for the way they acted in the beginning.

If you’ve ever dealt with grief over the sudden loss of a parent, this book will hit home for you, and I liked the premise of getting to look at your life from the outside in and get a chance to reevaluate. I just wish there was more gradual growth with the characters, and it wasn’t just a grand epiphany at the end of the book.

I know Jeneva has said that this was her first novel she wrote, and it felt like it was from the heart which makes me hesitant to heavily critique it, but the writing felt like a “first novel” and that it could have been edited more.

BUT…It saved itself at the end, so that’s why I’m giving it 3 stars, and it also convinced me to try out another one of Jeneva’s books.

I want to express my gratitude to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and MIRA for providing this book for review consideration through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

As an early Jeneva Rose work, it offers a lighter, introspective counterpoint to her thriller reputation. Alexis Spencer, mired in midlife regret, wakes up transported back to 2002—face to face with her 18‑year‑old self, Lexi. Together, they must collaborate across time to heal past wounds and reshape Alexis's life. The story carefully balances humor, self-reflection, and nostalgic reminiscent of early 2000s pop culture.
Witty & Nostalgic Tone: Rose’s writing sparkles with humor and spot-on early 2000s references—flip phones, low-rise jeans, AIM chats—which reviewers found delightfully immersive.
PROS:
Emotional Growth: Raw exploration of grief, regret, and self-compassion
Engaging Duality: The dynamic and distinct voices of present‑day Alexis and teen Lexi adds humor and tension—creating sharp, believable character interplay

CONS:
Mixed Character Reception: I find Alexis and Lexi irritating or self‑absorbed, resulting in an uneven connection with them.
Time‑Travel Logic: The mechanics are loosely handled (“hand‑waved”) rather than deeply explored.
Pacing Fluctuations: The middle section lagged, but the emotional arc redeems it

If you're in the mood for a poignant, comedic time‑travel tale that explores redemption and self-love—with a generous side of early-2000s nostalgia—this is a delightful pick. Don’t expect hard‑science or rigorous character likability, but do expect warmth, charm, and emotional resonance.
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“It’s odd that when we look back, the big moments are the little ones and the little moments are actually the big ones.” It’s so true—and it’s exactly what this book is about.

If you’ve ever looked back at your younger self and felt anything, this one will speak to you. Beautifully written, unforgettable, and full of heart.

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!