I Did Something Bad is a personal, honest, and often funny collection of essays by Burmese writer Pyae Moe Thet War. It feels like a conversation with a friend or someone smart, self-aware, and not afraid to explore the messy parts of life. The book covers topics such as mental health, identity, relationships, growing up in Myanmar, and living abroad. Pyae talks openly about anxiety, cultural expectations, and even her struggles with productivity and perfectionism.

One of the best parts of this book is how authentic it feels. The author doesn’t try to sound wise or polished all the time. Instead, she shares her stories with humor and vulnerability. You get the sense she’s not trying to impress anyone, just trying to tell the truth as she sees it. That honesty is what makes the book stand out.

The writing is straightforward and relatable, making it easy to read. However, at times, the essays can feel a bit uneven. Some chapters delve deep and seem meaningful, while others come across more like journal entries. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it can make the book feel somewhat scattered in spots. Still, that loose style might actually add to its charm—it mirrors the ups and downs of real life.

Readers who have ever felt caught between two cultures, faced anxiety, or questioned their place in the world will likely see parts of themselves in these pages. It’s especially refreshing to hear from a Burmese voice, which remains rare in mainstream publishing.

On the whole, I Did Something Bad is a thoughtful and witty read that doesn’t overreach for perfection, which is exactly why it succeeds. If you’re a fan of personal essays that mix humor with depth, this book is definitely worth your time. I’d highly recommend it.

This one is smart and swoony. There are elements of high-stakes thriller with romance, slow-burning chemistry, and the addition of women’s rights. The main characters are a movie star and a journalist, and you’ve got me interested.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the early copy. The above review is my own.

Romance with a hint of suspense, sign me up. Super cute and just what I needed. A journalist whose assignment is to follow a movie star, good partner in crime trope.

This is the first time I’ve read a novel set in Myanmar that didn’t center politics or colonial history. Pyae Moe Thet War slides a few mentions of each in I Did Something Bad, but this romance-suspense novel lives more in the worlds of Crazy Rich Asians or Jesse Q. Sutanto’s Aunties books. It’s really interesting to see an author depict the lives of upper-class Yangon residents and make relatively few references to the stories that usually dominate headlines about Myanmar. This serves to normalize the country and show that while there are huge events going on there regularly, they don’t necessarily affect everyone residing there.

In terms of its plot, I Did Something Bad starts out with a fairly typical setup for a romance between freelance journalist Khin and movie star Tyler. On Khin’s first day shadowing Tyler, however, the story takes a sharp turn when a man tries to assault her and she fights back. In the pages that follow, the pair try to figure out why the stranger targeted Khin and what he wanted from her. She and Tyler grow closer in the process, bringing the story full-circle to its romance roots.

I Did Something Bad is a satisfying story that introduced me to a new writer, and now I’m going on to read Pyae Moe Thet War’s second book!

I Did Something Bad is a gripping psychological drama with a dark, intense premise that keeps readers engaged. Pyae Moe Thet War explores complex emotions and moral ambiguity, creating tension and intrigue that hold the reader’s attention. The story has moments of suspense and unpredictability that make it compelling at times.

However, the plot can feel uneven, and certain characters lack depth, making it difficult to fully connect with their choices and motivations. Some twists are predictable, and while the story is entertaining, it doesn’t fully realize its potential or leave a strong lasting impression.

Overall, I Did Something Bad is an engaging, moderately suspenseful read—worth exploring for fans of psychological drama, but it doesn’t quite stand out in the genre.

From the publisher:
A WASHINGTON POST BEST ROMANCE NOVEL OF THE YEAR

In this smart and swoony adventure rom-com, a journalist and a movie star find themselves teaming up to cover up a murder...and falling for each other in the process.

When freelance journalist Khin Haymar is assigned by Vogue to get a scoop on Tyler Tun, Hollywood’s hottest movie, she's determined to succeed. Tyler has returned home to Myanmar to shoot his latest film, and if Khin’s able to get an exclusive, there may well be a permanent position waiting for her at Vogue Singapore.

Tyler has a very private life and doesn’t show any sign of letting down his walls for Khin. But then one night on set, a man follows Khin into the park. When he threatens her, Tyler steps in and things escalate fast. Khin knows they can’t go to the police, even if this was self defense, and even if this stranger seems to have targeted her specifically.

As Khin and Tyler work together to hide their secret and find out more about her attacker, they grow closer and Tyler finally starts opening up. But now the idea of writing the article gives Khin an uncomfortable morality-related guilt. Before long, everything hangs in the balance. Will they get away with murder? Can Khin get the exposé she needs for her dream job? And is she willing to risk Tyler’s trust in the process?

My thoughts: Romance? check. Khin and Tyler definitely have a romance going on. Circumstances draw them ever closer together. He's nicer and a little more down-to-earth than you would expect from some big movie star. Maybe that can be attributed to the fact that he is still very close to his family and best friend. Khin, is a journalist, but not as hard nosed as she thought. The romance is slow burn, but makes sense considering what's going on.

Comedy? Some yes, but not as much as I expected from a rom-com. Still, there are some very humorous moments.

Adventure? Definitely. As they investigate the murder victim themselves to see why he may have targeted Khin, there are adventurous scenes. As much as Khin tries to do things all on her own, Tyler usually becomes involved. That the scenes involve both of them as much as possible makes them better.

Plot wise, it's interesting. This was my first specifically rom-com/mystery book. I would definitely read another by the same author. Pacing is well done. And it is pretty much a clean romance. Kissing yes, but that's about it. Anything else is either only suggested or fade to black.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's pretty good. I would recommend it to people who like their romance with a touch of mystery and the occasional humorous scene. I'm getting ready to read another book by the same author that just came out, Here for a Good Time. It features a writer as the main female character instead of a journalist. Should be interesting. Review to come on that one.

I Did Something Bad by Pyae Moe Thet War came out October 8th, 2024 from St. Martin's Press. I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my review.

This isn’t for me, it lacked depth and was overall dnfed at 15%. It felt lackluster. I didn’t care about the characters it all seemed like a very slow documentary.

Khin is a recently divorced journalist that has just gotten the chance of her lifetime. Write a celebrity profile on Tyler Tun, a Hollywood heartthrob that seems to be on the brink of something big. When her first day on set ends in murder, the two quickly must become a team to avoid detectives who think she's responsible.

I think this book was a cozy mystery romance, a genre I didn't know fully existed before today, but that I am greatly appreciative of. I went into this book blind, I think I received a Read Now copy on NetGalley and I'm a sucker for those. I assumed it was strictly a romance, but the title should have given me pause to know that it wouldn't quite be that straightforward.

If you are a fan of the Finlay Donovan series, I think you'll really enjoy that one. While those books lean more heavily into the mystery/suspense side of things, this one has a healthier dose of romance. The characters are all likable and the pacing, especially in the second half of the book, is really great (it does take a little bit to get rolling).

* Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! *

This was a fun rom-com, that had a little more action and adventure than I normally am drawn to in romance!

It always feels a little odd calling a book centered around a murder a delight, but this book truly is a delight. It's a slow burn romance centered around a career-minded journalist and the focus of her career altering article, the hottest and most currently in-demand actor. Even though the two main characters have instant chemistry together, professionalism and a pesky little murder cover-up keep the characters dancing around their feelings for each other in a fast-paced and emotionally charged thriller. I really enjoyed how complex the characters and how their flaws were treated with such gentleness and care and how important their individual friendships were so important to them. I Did Something Bad is a wonderfully written novel and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

I absolutely loved this! While the beginning was fairly slow for me. Once it hit the 30%, or mayeba slightly higher, this book really did it for me. I found all the characters to be so lovable. The relationship between khin and her two best friends was somwthing i long for lol i really thought this was going to be more thriller/mystery (which may be my bad) but there was also a lot of romance. Which. By the way, i was LIVING for. I just recently got accepted for another of this authors books and i cannot wait to read it.

I will definitely be purchasing this ine for my shelves.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I just don’t understand the choices that the characters made and it was just annoying me.

The characters were also annoying to me and I didn’t like anyone.

I hope others love this one.

3 star review - it was a decent read. Read well and it kept me engaged. Thank you for the author and tea, for the chance of an arc.

I hate to do this but this is a DNF for me. The basic premise of this was good - a journalist becomes close with the Hollywood star that she’s writing a profile on. So why does she randomly need to be attacked and then end up killing her attacker? And then refusing to call the cops? It made no sense to me and I didn’t have time to get to know either of the leads enough to warrant caring what happened to them. When I realized I was just hate reading this I had to stop. Life’s too short for that. No official star rating since I didn’t finish.

Oh, this book. Had an interesting start, until it didn’t, I guess. The FMC was the most one-dimensional character I’ve ever read— why is the reader on a need-to-know basis? I understand authors do that to be mysterious but in this case it was unnecessary.

As the reader, you think the story is about one thing, when in fact it’s about something entirely different. This ‘thing’ is mentioned (casually, I might add) near the beginning of the book, and then we come to find out it’s the most important fact we’ve learned and plays a huge role in the development of the plot. It was frustrating because it kept being brought up when it should’ve been addressed better at the first mention of it.

And then, there’s the romance. Which doesn’t even start to happen until about 60% in, and then it feels so rushed. Every chapter jumps ahead days, and sometimes weeks, and I hated it. The characters were getting closer but we weren’t reading about it. And then they fall in love and live happily ever after.

This book feels like two different stories— the first half was a mystery and the second half was a romance. But they didn’t come together in a way that made sense to me, which made for an extremely frustrating read.

A belated thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy of I DID SOMETHING BAD.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. - Freya, arc & monthly book box pick reviewer

MORE BOOKS LIKE THIS ONE!!!
10/10 mystery
10/10 romance
10/10 humor
10/10 poc rep

I loved this book so much!!! I loved the premise and how the author portrayed famous people and how they also grapple with their fame and how it changes their lives, not always for the better. And I love when mystery solving brings two people together!

LOVED everything about this book!!

Eh. I started this and put it down... picked it back up and put it down... tried listening to the audiobook and I still just couldn't get through it. I just wasn't vibing with this kind of story at the time. I really tried though!

I really wanted to like this one, but it just didn’t work for me. There was zero chemistry between Khin and Tyler, which made it hard to get into their dynamic. Tyler, in particular, felt super flat—like the only real depth he had was through his sister, and that wasn’t enough to make him feel like a fully developed character. We were just supposed to believe he was so amazing and perfect from the start? No....

The murder and investigation were also pretty flimsy. It was ridiculous from the very stat, and never developed into anything compelling. And Tyler’s motivation to help Khin? It just didn’t feel believable. Overall, it had potential, but the story didn’t come together in a satisfying way.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a DRC in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately, this one just didn't work for me. The description had me really excited, but it just felt increasingly less realistic and less well thought out as the story went on. Not a bad concept, but not super well executed. Thank you for the ARC. I did not leave a public review, as I did not want to bring a rating down for a new author.

I don't know how to feel about this book. LOVED Tyler and want to be friends with May. The plot seems too messy -- it felt like two different stories (the accidental murder and the journalist writing a profile on a star). The third act break up feels forced but I kinda get it I guess. The writing feels too..millennial? Gen Z? Don't know, but it's not going to age well I think (the references already feel dated). Overall, a fast-paced, engaging vacation read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC