“Suddenly, every Law & Order: SVU episode I’ve ever watched (and I’ve watched all of them) starts replaying on fast-forward in my brain”.

As someone who LIVES & BREATHES by SVU 🤭, it was the perfect book to read alongside my usual background noise. I was obsessed with the numerous references and love for the show.

IDSB follows an up and coming journalist, Khin Hlaing, who is given a once in a lifetime opportunity to do a cover story on the one of the world’s leading actors on the set of his newest movie: Tyler Tun. after an adorable meet cute, the pair hit it off immediately and promise to give each other complete trust. however, things take a turn on the first day of set when Khin is attacked by a stranger and while trying to defend herself, the man dies. Tyler happens to witness everything and together they decide to cover up the “crime”.

I don’t know that this should necessarily be categorized as a rom-com because though it does have a slow-burn romantic element, for me personally, there wasn’t much comedy. I felt like a lot of the moments and topics mentioned here were high stakes. An interesting choice to market it as a rom-com.

Overall, it was a good read that I mostly enjoyed. There is a little bit of “thrill” that I would have preferred more of as the story progressed. Towards the end, there is some miscommunication that creates unnecessary drama, but with both careers of the characters on the “line”, I get why it was included.

A little suspense and lots of romance. A fun read with a journalist and an actor trying and failing to not fall in love while also covering up a murder.

Loved the original premise of this one. just wish there was more banter and we got to see Tyler's personality a bit more. Overall it was too clean the way it came together and I wish there was more suspense or build up.

(Actual: 2.75⭐, rounded up) While the premise certainly sounds intriguing enough, I unfortunately had a hard time really getting into this book. It's definitely more of a mystery/suspense novel than it is a romance, so I feel like the marketing could have reflected better too. Overall not a bad book by any means, just not what I was expecting.

What a fun read! This premise was so intriguing to me (can you really root for a murderer to fall in love? And can they do it with someone who is followed 24/7 by cameras?) and I wasn't sure how it was going to pay off in the end, but it really did work!
I absolutely loved Khin and following along in her journey to achieving the ultimate goal (landing a full time role at Vogue) while also falling in love with the man she probably never would've expected to.

Tyler was such a sweet male lead, and is everything you would want out of someone that you're preparing to be in a relationship with. He was loyal, protective, funny, and caring.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Give me an unhinged female character, funny AF, and hilarious friends ANY TIME!!!! Khin is newly divorced, a freelancer journalist, got offered the opportunity of a lifetime to shadow a well-known actor and write his first ever publishes interview, this is personal. Tyler is a literal dream, but of course while on set to his new movie, someone tries to attack her, she kills the man, Tyler is there to witness everything and now the whole book is about trying to find out who this man was and why he was targeting her. There are other things that happen in this book, which is so cutesy, but I will say this the book was a slow burn in every way possible way, I wanted certain parts to be over with the romance between the 2 made little sense at times. I loved the supportive characters though.

This was such a fun book! The premise was so enticing and the book totally lived up to the hype! There are so many romcoms and will they wont they's, and this one was SO different and SO fun! Highly recommend!! Thank you, NetGalley!

This book is good for people who are looking for a romantic suspense. I haven't read many but thought the balance here was done well.

The characters are likeable! Plus having the romantic tension and the suspense of the thriller aspects it keeps you turning the pages.

I wasn't sure how I was gonna feel about a romcom with murder tbh. The premise felt a little silly to me, but this book actually worked really well and I tore through it way faster than I've typically been reading lately!

I should've known I'd like this book because I love rom-coms about celebrities. They're so much fun and you can get away with a lot that wouldn't be believable otherwise. So this book is about a journalist who gets assigned to do a profile on a huge actor and shadow him for two months but the two of them get wrapped up in a murder. There are some dark themes in this book, especially around themes of feeling unsafe as a woman, as well as access to abortion. This book takes place in Myanmar where abortion is illegal and the main character wrote an article about underground abortions so that's talked about quite a bit.

The only thing that kinda annoyed me with this book was that the conflict near the end didn't really make sense. Like he knew the whole time she was a journalist writing a story about him, that's literally why they met, but then all of a sudden he was angry and betrayed because she wrote notes on a whiteboard? I don't get it. But other than that I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it!

The tension in the novel is palpable as Khin and Tyler navigate the dangerous situation they find themselves in. The dynamic between Khin and Tyler evolves naturally, adding a layer of complexity to their relationship. Khin's internal conflict between professional ambition and personal ethics is portrayed with nuance, making her a compelling and multi-dimensional character. Overall, this novel is a captivating read that combines elements of mystery, romance, and drama. The characters were well-developed and the plot was engaging. Loved the vivid setting of Myanmar
as well. It was a solid read - rating a 3 because it was pretty predictable but overall a fun one!

This is a great romantic comedy. It would make a heartwarming movie. The exotic setting makes a great backdrop for the events that unfold. Khin is a reporter who is at a crossroads in her life. Tyler is a famous actor who is looking to make changes in his life. The story looks at cultural perceptions in Hollywood and how natives can be minimized even in their home country. It is a sweet love story between an unlikely couple that share a secret. Readers will be glued to the pages as they watch their story unfold.

I received a free ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!)

This is the story of Khin, an already accomplished journalist who is selected for an exclusive profile of a very popular actor, Tyler. Khin will have access to Tyler for 2 months while filming in his home of Myanmar and is expected to uncover a scoop for her editor - with the promise of front page and a regular position with Vogue Singapore versus the freelance work she’s been doing. Khin is great at her job, so she knows she’s going to crush this opportunity! Except….

Pretty much anything that could go wrong does! Khin accidentally murders a stalker when her safety is in danger and the investigation takes over filming and Khin’s interview time with Tyler. And then… with all the extra time together trying to get away with the accidental murder: feelings between Khin & Tyler start to go. Tyler is protective of Khin. But surely a journalist can separate business and personal relationships and stick to the code of ethics, right? And gosh Tyler is just so hot and such a quality human being. How is Khin going to get the scoop of a lifetime without hurting Tyler or his career?

I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars! I really enjoyed the story - and it was truly unlike any romance book I’ve read before. The mystery and running from the law was thrilling and a unique take on a romcom, but almost felt like it didn’t make sense with the romance part of the plot. The characters were very lovable and almost too good to be true, but in an “I’m rooting for them!” way. I was a journalism concentration in college so this book was right up my alley! The barriers of the murder investigation and the interviewer/interviewee dynamic made for chaos in the storyline that was interesting to work through.

Ultimately, I enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to friends!

Khin has not been living her best life lately. She is recently divorced after less than a year of marriage. When she is offered the job of doing a cover story for Tyler Tun, an actor who will be in his hometown of Myanmar shooting part of his next movie, she is ready to turn her life around. They will spend two months together and there's a job at Vogue in Singapore being dangled in front of her if she can get the scoop on Tyler. Tyler is known for keeping his private life private and it's odd that he's even agreed to this in depth cover story. He's definitely hiding something and Khin is ready to figure it out. Their first night on set, Khin goes for a walk during a shooting break and is followed by a white man. When he becomes violent, Tyler steps in to help her. With the man dead, Khin knows they can't go to the police - even with it being self-defense, there's no proof. During police questioning, she finds out that the man had been following her and taking photos so she and Tyler make an effort to find out more about him while trying to keep the police in the dark. As they get to know each other better, Tyler starts being more honest about what's going on with him as they are obviously falling for each other.

First, let me say that I was SHOCKED when I read the acknowledgements and discovered this is the author's debut novel. It is so well written and interesting that I would recommend clearing your calendar before starting it so you can just devour it with no interruptions. As it was, I sacrificed sleep but it was worth it. This book gave me all the feels. The author's masterful blend of mystery, comedy, and romance was perfection. The characters were incredibly well written. Not only did you have the romance brewing between Khin and Tyler, they each had their best friends in the story and they were keeping some pretty big secrets from them. I am really looking forward to what this author has in store for us next (did I immediately sign up for her mailing list - of course)!

From the start I just had a hard time connecting to the characters which is my top criteria for liking books. I really wanted to like the story more, but I just didn't. I had such high hopes due to the synopsis but unfortunately I just couldn't get into it.

My first mistake was not realizing that this book was a romance - because that part threw me when I picked it up wanting a fast-paced thriller. Once I got past that though, I never really got invested in these characters. Right away I had an impression of Khin as a hard working, rule following and determined writer who is in a quite tumultuous point in her life. However, the first thing she does was something that felt so against this character that was described. And really, I couldn’t get past that. Add in my least favorite trope of insta love and I’m out. Tyler as the love interest was also contradictory in how private he was yet so willing to open up to Khin, the JOURNALIST, and the 3rd act drama was just ridiculous. Sorry to say this one did not work for me, though I have seen others that enjoyed- so if you are looking for a romance with a side of mystery, then you may want to pick this one up.

2.75 ⭐️

Hmm, I’ve got some mixed feelings on this one. The blurb about the book drew me in and made me WANT to read this but…. it just wasn’t it for me. I didn’t connect with Khin or Tyler and the story moved too fast or too slow. Also I just feel like the miscommunication trope was too strong and it left me frustrated when reading.

Thanks NetGalley and SMP for an ARC!

Full Disclosure: I received a copy of I Did Something Bad by Pyae Moe Thet War from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.

Those who know me know I don't read much in the romance genre. Nothing against romance (I used to read it voraciously). I'm just in a different Era of my life now, and it hits different now. But, I Did Something Bad by Pyae Moe Thet War grabbed my attention for two reasons: 1) The book title is also a Taylor Swift song, and 2) it was billed as a mystery thriller with romance. I was ...ready for it! The title could have been a coincidence. After reading the book, I don't think it was. I have reasons. It definitely was a mystery thriller with romance. That's the kind of romance I can read. I also seem to have a thing for books about a journalist writing a piece on a celebrity, so there's that. I almost forgot I was reading a romance, and that is some of the highest praise I can give.

Now here is the other reason you should read this book. It takes place in Myanmar! Pyae Moe Thet War is from Myanmar. This is not someone pretending they know what Myanmar is like. For me, it was fun to be taken somewhere new and given insight into a different culture.

This book is so much fun!! And so, so good!! The plot was original and different. I enjoyed the premise, the surprises, the characters and their relationships too! I can’t wait to read Pyae’s next book “Here for a Good Time” out in August 2025!

Khin is a freelance journalist whose next big assignment is following movie star Tyler Tun. When a man unexpectedly attacks Khin, Tyler is there to save the day. Now they must trust each other, or use their new found friendship to further themselves .

I found I Did Something Bad an absolutely hilarious and adorable rom-com. I love a little dark humor, and this delivered on that. Was it far fetched? Absolutely! But I think that is part of the charm. This isn’t a super spicy book if you are looking for that, but the tension between Khin and Tyler was perfection. I loved their friendship and their growth throughout. Khin learning to trust again was so relatable. I definitely recommend this one and it’s out October 8th, 2024

Thank you @netgalley and St Martins Press for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC of this story, what follows is wholly my objective opinion. Our main couple is Khin, a freelance journalist who has a chance to work for Vogue Singapore provided she gets an insider story on Tyler, a movie star. The story follows what happens after Khin and Tyler accidentally contribute to an on-set killing, and as they grow closer together and learn to trust one another. Going in we know already there's a major incident, thankfully it happens early in the story but there's still quite a bit of tension before and after it happens. There are multiple layers of tension in this story: the self-defense death (and how they deal with its aftermath) is the main one, but also the pressure on Khin to write Tyler's story and secure a stellar job, the mystery of what the enigmatic Tyler might be hiding, as well as the romantic tension that develops between Khin and Tyler. Also there's considerable political and cultural tension from a past story Khin wrote, which we see impact many facets of her life as the book unfolds. It's all well-written and it's easy to become invested in all the story lines, but this is not the kind of story that you can relax into. Single POV from Khin's perspective, I typically would have preferred to also have Tyler's POV but it works here just to have Khin's as it helps us follow the gradual building of trust in Tyler (and helps the reader to identify with her as we also wonder just how much we should trust him). I definitely enjoyed their developing relationship, both as friends and as romantic partners.

This story is described as a rom-com, both in the book description and by the author in her acknowledgements. I respectfully disagree, with no offense meant to the author who certainly knows what she wrote. It's possible that I don't have a strong understanding of what a rom-com is, but I always picture a rom-com as a lighter and fun story that's written with a lot of literal laugh-out-loud moments with the romance as the primary focus of the book. This was not that. While there's certainly romance and some humor in this well-written story, the main focus is more on the murder that happens early on and its fallout rather than the romance. And this is not a humorous story overall, as it touches on deeper subjects of assault and racism. I feel that calling it a rom-com does a disservice to the deeper themes present in this book, and sets the reader up with false expectations. This is a well-written book by a new-to-me author that I enjoyed, and I would read her again, but do not expect a humorous caper when you pick up this book. Publishes October 8, 2024.