I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for this early review copy.
The blurb of this book sounded great! I was immediately intrigued and super excited to read this. Sadly this fell flat for me. The main character was annoying and I just couldn’t vibe. I’m hoping after release there will be an audio version that may keep my interest more but for now I’ve got to shelve this one.

5 ⭐ .5 🌶

A rom-com, but make it murdery.

I couldn't get enough for this book, and to find out it's Pyae's debut novel and that she herself was born and raised in Yangon, Myanmar had me giddy as heck. I loved all of the little nods to feminism and racism that she added to this story, it had some very powerful moments that had me in my feels.

I adored Tyler and Khin so much, and all of their friends and family too. May was a-may-zing (sorry, couldn't help myself) and Nay and Thidar were incredible too. This story had some of the bestest best friends. Tyler was such a sweetheart, once I got over my initial suspicions I fell pretty hard for him. Khin broke my heart a time or two... She just had so much baggage and watching her run from it, before finally unpacking it had me all up in my feels.

The ending was perfect. I was so sad to see it end, but I'll definitely be keeping an eye on more from Pyae.

Super fun spin on a mystery + romance book. Believable? Not really but I read to escape so it was a good read! The author did a fun job of plugging in some pop cultural references that were fun to spot.

Thank you to @netgalley and @StMartinsGriffin for this ARC. Khin has been tasked with writing a cover article for Vogue on one of the hottest actors of her time. She is to follow Tyler Tun for a month on his latest project being filmed in Myanmar. On the first day of filming, a body is found on set. This leads to a lot more secrets while their professional relationship blooms. This is a really cute rom-com and it won't be the last book I read by Pyae Moe Thet War! #IDidSomethingBad #PyaeMoeThetWar #StMartinsGriffin #Oct2024

I'm pretty sure this is the first book I've ever read that was set in Myanmar, and I really enjoyed that aspect of it! Overall, this plot made me super nervous - there's a crime committed almost right away (in self-defense!) and the two main characters have to cover it up. Totally acknowledging my privilege here but I do get very stressed out when I'm reading/watching something and characters are trying to cover up a crime from the authorities. The reasoning here was totally legit but it still made me squirmy. Anyway, once I moved past that part, I really liked this. Khin, our main character, is a recently divorced Myanmar journalist who manages to get a dream assignment for Vogue Singapore - an in-depth profile on Hollywood superstar and fellow Myanmar native Tyler Tun. He's filming a movie in Yangon, and agrees to let Khin shadow him for an extended period of time. Khin is struggling to figure things out in here life post-divorce, and she throws herself into the assignment. Unfortunately, on the very first day of shooting, someone tries to attack her and she (and Tyler) end up killing him in self-defense. As they try to hide the crime, they get closer and closer, and a friendship grows into an attraction. This was kind of a romance mixed with a psychological thriller, and ultimately I really enjoyed it (despite my own weirdness about cover-up plots). I would definitely read more from Pya Moe Thet War!

This one was so much fun! I loved the murder aspect of the story. It added such a unique layer, not to mention so many hilarious moments. Tyler and Khin were so sweet together. This one also had great representation in it.

I thought the premise on the description for this book was good. Unfortunately, the story became way too political for me and I had a hard time seeing this as romance, women's fiction, mystery? I'm not sure which genre this book truly belongs in or which one it was meant for. I'm guessing women's fiction because of the topics within the story.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-copy of I DID SOMETHING BAD to review.

I rate I DID SOMETHING BAD two out of five stars.

What a fun and sweet romance between an actor and the journalist hired to write a piece on him, that also involves an accidental murder, followed by a police investigation, and lots of pining and a guilty conscience! While there was a lot going on in this story, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I requested this because of the title, and I’m glad I did. I enjoyed the Taylor Swift references and Easter Eggs (Khin being obsessed with Olivia Benson was chef’s kiss).

I highly recommend this if you’re a fan of romance with a suspense subplot and/or a Taylor Swift fan!

I Did Something Bad* by Pyae Moe Thet War is a fun and exciting read that had me hooked from the very beginning. The story follows Khin Haymar, a freelance journalist, who is determined to get an exclusive interview with Hollywood movie star Tyler Tun. Tyler is back in Myanmar to film his latest movie, and Khin’s big break depends on getting the scoop.

What starts as a professional assignment quickly takes a dangerous turn when a man threatens Khin, and Tyler steps in to protect her. Things get out of hand, and soon they find themselves covering up what happened. As they work together to keep their secret and find out who the attacker was, Khin and Tyler grow closer. Their connection feels real, and the way their relationship develops is both sweet and intense.

The story is full of suspense, romance, and a bit of humor, making it a perfect mix of everything I love in a book. Khin’s struggle between wanting to write the story that could make her career and her growing feelings for Tyler adds a lot of tension and makes the story even more interesting.

Pyae Moe Thet War does a great job of blending romance with a thrilling plot. *I Did Something Bad* is a must-read for anyone who loves a good rom-com with a twist. It’s a fun, fast-paced story that’s hard to put down, and I highly recommend it!
#IDidSomethingBad #NetGalley

I Did Something Bad feels like a combination of the two books: Funny You Should Ask and the Finlay Donovan Series in one. I enjoyed both of those books and so nonetheless this one was a hit in my eyes. In this story we follow Khin, a freelance journalist that's known for her strong writing style and ability to discuss topics that are often shied away from. One of her most known articles covers the discussion of abortion clinics in Yangon. Now she's given the opportunity to take on a different type of writing, to write a cover story on the famous Tyler Tun. Tyler is the newest and hottest actor and he has agreed to give the inside exclusive to none other than Vogue. With this new role, Khin must stay with Tyler for 2 months while he's on set to film his newest movie with his best friend, actress May Diamond.

On the first night on set, Khin finds herself in a sticky situation. She gets approached by a stranger that attempts to attack her...but who is he and why does he know who Khin is when she doesn't know him? This is where Khin self defenses a little too hard and......accidentally murders a man with the assistance of Tyler. Now with a murder on her mind and an important article to present to Vogue she needs to learn to keep her thoughts straight, her story straight, and somehow avoid the police from finding out what happened.

This book was very easy to read and I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Tyler and Khin. They were funny and relatable and they take the reader on an adventure as they try to uncover who they accidentally murdered and why he was after Khin. I would recommend this book to people who enjoyed the Finlay Donovan Series and Funny You Should Ask Book. It was my first time reading a book from this author and I look forward to hearing more from her.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

This was such a delight. I got a random email offering me this book, and I’m glad I accepted it, because wow was that a treat. Romance? Murder? Plot twists? Every single box was checked here. And this is such a cozy mystery feel as well. The plot itself reeled me in: journalist vests a feature on super private, huge actor, gets to follow him around for two months, but then…a parking lot altercation escalates and here they are covering up a murder together after just meeting. Doesn’t that sound amazing? Well, it was! The author does a really great job of bringing in a few more serious issues while also alleviating the heaviness with humor, which I thought was a fresh way to still bring light to societal issues while keeping the story and light and fun at the same time. The invisible strings that kept connecting as we went on were so much fun to keep discovering, and my predictions as we went were confirmed or denied, which was also fun to play along. This is the author’s debut book, and I honestly cannot recommend it enough! It releases in early October, and would be the perfect one to sprinkle in between some of those darker spooky season reads, and I will definitely be following the author for more!

I enjoyed the writing style and devoured this book fairly quickly! Although the need to suspend disbelief is there (no way would a celebrity fall so easily and quickly for a journalist [ie the media]), but it also wasn’t an exaggerated need for suspension of disbelief (like Finlay Donovan and Dial A for Aunties require). Khin and Tyler had great banter so I loved them as a couple, even though it didn’t fully make sense. I also adored allll the best friends and how much they supported one another when life gets real. As far as the mystery goes, this ending was the only one I could accept for a murder cover up in a rom com that isn’t serious.

Overall, I’d recommend this for rom com lovers who enjoy a dash of mystery

⚠️Content warnings below
Short on page attempt of SA, but ends before getting graphic; stalking, references to abortion, grief over divorce


I will be sharing this review to my Instagram page in October closer to release day

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review!

I sincerely enjoyed I Did Something Bad. It had elements of humor, suspense, murder mystery, and romance with a Hollywood-esque setting.

I thought Khin was a strong female lead character, but naturally my favorite character was Tyler... swoon! This was a fun rom-com to read but it was also unconventional and incorporated plenty of other elements within the plot that it stayed fresh and unpredictable.

I was hooked from only a few pages in and found it hard to put this one down. I would definitely read more by this author in the future.

"I Did Something Bad" by Pyae Moe Thet War is an intriguing blend of romance, mystery, and cultural immersion. The story follows Khin Haymar, a freelance journalist in Yangon, Myanmar, who finds herself in a precarious situation after her messy divorce. She gets an opportunity to turn her life around by teaming up with a movie star to cover up a murder. This smart and swoony adventure rom-com explores their dynamic and the lengths they go to protect their secrets.

The book delves into themes of redemption, the complexities of human relationships, and the pursuit of personal growth. It also touches on cultural aspects, providing readers with a glimpse into life in Yangon. The blend of romance and mystery adds layers to the narrative, making it a rich and multifaceted read.

I was initially drawn to this book because of the unique combination on romance, mystery, and adventure. Our female lead, Khin Hlaing, is a journalist who has been given the opportunity to write and article about the most popular man in Hollywood, Tyler Tun. Tyler is filming a movie in his native Myanmar and Khin will have access to him for the entire month. Most importantly, this article could be her springboard to a position at Vogue Singapore. But things take a strange turn when the two undertake a murder coverup. This circumstances brings them closer, but left me feeling oddly about the situation. The tone of the romance potion of the book didn't flow well with the story of the murder. I would have liked a better balance. I also think the story could have benefitted from a little more character development. The couple do have good chemistry and their banter was a highlight even if it didn't feel like it fit with the other elements of the story. This is an enjoyable read and a great debut for the author.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Griffin for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

Oh my god, I LOVED this book!!!! The perfect mix of my favorite genres- thriller and rom com. It had me laughing out loud but also brought tears to my eyes. I can’t say enough about the story.

While this book touches on some serious topics (TW abortion) I think it’s always important for authors to bring those to light when applicable. The FMC is connected to women in the story in ways she didn’t even imagine she could be; but it’s because she wasn’t afraid to speak up about things people were too afraid to talk about.

Thank you so much SMP for providing me with an eARC of this! Enjoyed it so so much. If you love a laugh out loud rom com with a side of drama, this one is for you!

I really enjoyed this great debut! It had everything I wanted in a rom com. I couldn't put the book down because I was so eager to find out what was going to happen. The murder subplot was a great addition and the plot progressed at a nice pace. It was fun to get a closer look at the Hollywood scene and the process of making a movie, as well as all the secrets that come with fame. I enjoyed the development of Khin and Tyler's relationship, from potential accomplices in a murder to becoming lovers. I also appreciated the strong support system among the friends and can envision potential for spin-off books featuring some of them.

Thank you to NetGallery and to St. Martin's Press for giving me a copy of this book.

I love that I Did Something Bad takes place and is centered around characters from Myanmar. I love the idea of an accidental murder bringing two characters together romantically. But the story itself doesn’t feel cohesive to me. Khin is a journalist that has the opportunity for an exclusive with A-list actor Tyler Tun, and there’s sparks between the two immediately. There is also, unfortunately for them, a dead man. Although Khin is supposed to be writing a story this story quickly turns to trying to cover up their involvement in a man’s death, with run-ins with the cops, and attempts to learn more about the dead man. It is also about Khin trying to figure out what she wants after her husband filed for divorce. It is also about the growing attraction between Khin and Tyler. In short, there’s too much going on, and bringing it all together in a way that feels like it flows would be tough for any author to do. It was hard to follow what was happening and who was having a meltdown about what. The Khin that wrote a thoughtful and inspiring article prior to a celebrity piece for Vogue would have been more enjoyable than the indecisive one present in the actual story. And Tyler feels too good to be true, without any real flaws that make him seem normal. The book wasn’t bad, but I was hoping for more than I got out of it. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Such a good read that I enjoyed! I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

This book was ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC and everyone should pick it up for an important, fun read that is full of heart. Pyae masterfully wove together a story that keeps you on your toes, makes you root for the main characters, and truly relate to their vulnerability. I could not put this book down!

Thank you to NetGalley + the publishing team for the ARC - hoping there are sequels!