This was an interesting book and not what I was expecting to happen. The whole book is the two main characters falling in love as they cover up a murder.
3.5 stars

Have you ever been browsing at a bookstore, and a book that is face out calls to you? That's what happened with I DID SOMETHING BAD by Pyae Moe The War. I was just looking on the shelves at Barnes and Noble, and the cover caught my eye. Read the synopsis, and immediately knew I had to take it home. I also wondered why the title sounded vaguely familiar - it's because I had requested the audiobook a few days earlier.

This novel is very niche me. I absolutely enjoyed it. It's if Dial A For Aunties was actually a romance, rather than a cozy crime/mystery that keeps being shelved in romance. The criminal element keeps you on your toes, because every time you think our protagonists are safe, the bumbling detectives come back, because they've uncovered something new. So you keep holding your breath waiting for the shoe to drop, and it's great when you can let go with a sigh of relief.

It's also very much a book about Khin's personal growth - being stuck, and going with the flow. Given an opportunity she takes because she thinks she should want it (IT'S VOGUE), but finding out what she really wants along the way.

I enjoyed how this novel brings to light how women's health is effected around the world, and how our Khin tried to connect people to resources, even though it put her livelihood at risk. Tyler was cool too, you could tell he was smitten from the beginning even if he was being awful to her.

I read this in print and audio, and really enjoyed the audio. I can't wait to read more from the author.

3.5 stars! Thank you netgalley and st martins press for this eARC for an honest review. Enjoyed this rom-com involving a movie set and covering up a murder. Such an interesting plot for a rom-com! Easy to read and felt for the two main characters managing their unexpected romance!

Khin is a journalist hired by Vogue to get an exclusive on the famous but very private Hollywood actor Tyler Tun. For her article, she follows him to Myanmar, where he is on location for his next film. But one night on set, a strange man starts following Khin and things escalate quickly when Tyler tries to help. Now the mystery man is dead and Khin and Tyler don’t want to go to the police. Together, Tyler and Khin try to keep their secret while trying to uncover why this man was targeting Khim.
A little bit of mystery paired with a celebrity romance? Yes please. This book was filled with tension and made for a fun read. The romance definitely took a backseat to the mystery in this story, but I didn’t mind because the mystery was so wild. This was a unique story that I really enjoyed.
Thank you to SMP Romance, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copies.

I Did Something Bad is an entertaining romcom combined with a thriller / mystery. I say this because it's much more of a rom com.

I enjoyed the author's writing style and found myself immersed in the story as the thriller parts were introduced early on. Those parts were exciting and kept the book moving along at a decent pace.

I really liked the MCs as individual characters however, together I'm still unsure of. I feel like the romance wasn't very believable and found the lack of chemistry and sparks contributed to that.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read. Thank you netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for a review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for the e-ARC to read and review. I'm a bit late in my reviewing here, as the book's already out, but I'm glad I got to experience this book. I really enjoyed that this book was a combination of a lot of my favorite interests: like mystery novels, celebrity magazine journalism (my early career!) and behind-the-scenes of movie shoots, with a dash of a romance story. I found "I Did Something Bad" to be a quick read and a good balance of all of those elements, so it wasn't TOO much of a murder mystery, or too flimsy a rom-com. I will say that even though those themes were balanced, I didn't feel super satisfied by any specific element: like I wasn't gripped by the police investigations, or hanging on for a very big celebrity drama moment; nor was I swept away by the romance by any means. They all came together well and then just kind of ... left?

I also, as a journalist who's written across genres, struggled with our main character Khin as a journalist. To be clear, the actual writing in this novel is very good - but Khin's interviewing and writing just, isn't? Like she's called in for a massive opportunity of a story and is super awkward about celebrity interviewing as if it's her first time talking to a star. She asks basic questions but also gets too involved. And we learn that she's responsible for some very controversial, high-profile serious reporting, yet she has little knowledge about safety or consequences. A real journalist would also not cross ethical boundaries as much as Khin did, with her romance, crime coverup, and overall carelessness - no matter what! We didn't even really see her on page wrestling with that much either, which could have added serious tension. Trust and integrity are pretty big themes throughout - even in interpersonal relationships, beyond reporting. It was just kind of... mentioned. I would also love to see which magazine in 2024 would have the budget to have a reporter on a pretty much 24/7 celebrity assignment for months with seemingly no other assignments. Maybe I'm just jealous that Khin wasn't writing clickbait web articles in between her profile research just to pay the bills, because I promise that's what the rest of us would have to be doing!

In the span of time that I requested this book to when I actually started it, I'd forgotten what it was about. I remembered the description saying something about a murder, but other than that, I had no clue. I decided to forgo rereading the synopsis because I wanted to go in blind.

Man oh man I knew from the first page that this was going to be a good one. The writing is so sharp and clear and moves the story forward at lightening speed.

And okay, I knew this book was about a murder but I was delighted by the love story that unfolds, mostly because I wasn't expecting it (y'know, because the murder). Khin and Tyler have amazing chemistry from their first meeting and it unfolds in such a natural and delicious way. And they are both super interesting characters outside of their relationship. I love them both. I was kicking my feet up and twirling my hair over them.

It's dark and funny and sweet and the writing is so good, I can't wait to see what this author puts out next!!

You’re reading a winner when before you’ve even finished the first chapter you’re thinking, When’s the movie coming out? This is like Crazy Rich Asians with a murderous spin. Clarissa Song, freelance journalist’s Khin Haymar’s demanding boss, dangles the assignment of a lifetime to Khin, an opportunity to profile Tyler Tun, Hollywood’s hottest male lead. Tyler’s making a movie in Myanmar. He’s being touted as the next James Bond. Clarissa wants scoops galore, like what is Tyler’s true relationship with May Diamond, his best friend for years? They’ve never made a movie together before: why now? Clarissa wants it all.

“Learn”—she leans forward to emphasize—“everything. By the time this profile comes out, I want you to know Tyler Tun better than his own parents. I want you to know if America’s favorite golden boy flosses every night, and if he does, I want you to know his favorite brand of floss.”

If Khin can deliver the goods, “there may well be a permanent position waiting for her at Vogue Singapore.” Clarissa couldn’t dangle anything that would appeal more. It would be Khin’s first celebrity profile. She’s recently divorced and would love a fresh start in Asia’s most exciting city.

Tyler is super private; when he and Khin eat dinner in a hideaway restaurant and she tries to break down his barriers, he doesn’t give anything away. Something they have in common is that they’re both Myanma people, i.e., citizens of the country formerly known as Burma. Tyler turns the tables on Khin, asking her, “Why did you write a piece about the city’s only underground abortion clinic in a country where abortion is illegal?” Khin mulls over why Tyler’s interested in her daring exposé, but quickly circles back to him.

“Why did you agree to this?” I ask.



There’s that stray puppeteer half smile again. “What do you mean?”



“This.” I move my head around in a circle. “Me trailing you for two months. You’re notoriously private—”



“Oh, am I?”

Khin asks if Bolu, Tyler’s publicist, “bullied” him into agreeing to an in-depth profile and Tyler demurs, just saying that Bolu can be quite persuasive. The ping-pong banter continues until Tyler says, “This one is important to me.”

“It’s . . . different. Special.”



“Special how?”



“Come on, Khin, we’re both Myanmar. Don’t make me go through the representation spiel. You’re too astute of a writer to need me to explicitly lay out what’s riding on this movie.”

Tyler demands Khin tell him a secret. “Tell me something that you would rather sell your soul to the devil than have someone find out.” Is Tyler looking for reciprocity, to protect himself from a no-holds-barred profile?

Filming is underway so there’s not a lot of time to puzzle over Tyler’s motives. They’re on location at Kandawgyi Park in Yangon. Khin’s “not thrilled at the idea of hanging out with the mosquitoes and bugs in the park until midnight,” but she doesn’t want to miss a minute of watching a big movie unfold. Ever the journalist, Khin wants to know why not recreate the scene in Central Park? Tyler says everything’s different “across continents”—the flora, fauna, trees, animals. Khin wonders if anyone will notice if they’re not “a professional botanist and/or ornithologist.” But Tyler says it does matter to him and to everyone making the movie. More than authenticity, he has a deep respect for the nuances of the Myanmar culture.

“We’re actually going to do all of the scenes that require Myanmar extras here, mainly because, unsurprisingly, it’s much easier to find the correct attire and props here than in LA. Turns out American costume departments, as lavish as they can be, don’t exactly stock an array of hta meins and htaik pones.”

It’s a long evening. When Khin has a thirty-minute break, she heads towards the lake. Writing is a solitary occupation and all the hubbub of movie making is getting to her. She reflects, “I already miss being able to hear myself think.” Engulfed in catching up with group chats, Khin is surprised to find that she’s all alone and has no signal. A man walks towards her: he’s “taller and stronger” than her. Khin hopes it’s nothing, but scarily he says he loves rom coms because “they always cast such . . . pretty gals.” He attacks her and she bites and scratches, sick with fear, until she discovers her pen in her pocket. She twists the top and plunges “the newly protruded tip into his ear.”

“You crazy Asian bitch! I’m going to—”



When he lunges for me, I kneel. And when I see him wobble forward, hands trying to grasp at air before clutching his chest, I summon the strength of every single barre class I’ve ever gotten up to attend, wrap my arms around his calves, and lift him up and over the rail and toward the lake below like one of those mothers lifting a tractor off of their child.

But he’s stuck, he doesn’t drop over the rail. If he goes overboard, he’s taking her with him. Suddenly Tyler appears. He hits the guy’s fingers with a rock: “There is a thud before there is a splash.” Khin’s attacker is dead in the lake.

Tyler wants to go to the police because it’s self-defense, but Khin is adamant that they can’t.

“Tyler, we killed a man. A white man. We both know what happens to Brown people who kill white people. Anywhere in the world. Even in this country.”



“It was self-defense,” he repeats, although his tone is more strained. I can’t believe what he’s suggesting, just like he can’t believe what I’m suggesting.

How will they protect the others on set from being charged? Was Khin deliberately targeted? Will the cover-up hold, or will the cover-up be worse than the crime? How can Khin keep writing “the exposé she needs for her dream job,” and how will the situation impact the trust that’s developing between her and Tyler.

What a title—because Khin really did do “something bad,” even if it wasn’t her fault. Set aside some time to finish writer Pyae Moe Thet War’s first novel—you won’t be able to put it down. If I Did Something Bad appears on the silver screen, who should play Tyler and Khin? Terrific debut!

*spoilers*

Sometimes you just need a cute romance with a hair of drama.

This one checked so many boxes. Romance with a famous figure? Unexpected drama where they’re the only ones that know the secret?

It started slow for me, but when it picked up it was tough to put down. Between watching them fall of each other and bond over a common goal, I just couldn’t wait to see them finally recognize their feelings.

There were just a few gray areas for me. How certain situations were handled were not my cup of tea. Though I wanted to see where the story went, they left me feeling unsure and uncomfortable.

But really, it was overall just cute fun to follow. I really didn’t know what to expect going in, but it did not disappoint with the overarching story. Definitely a unique romance!

🌟🌟🌟/5

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, received from St. Martin’s Griffin through NetGalley. However, all thoughts and views reflected are strictly my own opinions.

This one is a slow burn romance mixed into the cozy mystery genre. I struggled to get into the story but once I did it was cute. I felt the blurb was a little misleading though about the genre mixture and it was a little slower than I’d prefer.

Just not my cup of tea but excited to see what later novels hold!!

I Did Something Bad is the debut novel by Pyae Moe Thet War. I knew nothing about this story going into it, including its genre. The book begins at a rather fast pace and leaves the reader wondering: is this a romantic comedy, a murder mystery, or a thriller? Ultimately, as the author notes in her acknowledgements, it is a romantic comedy…with murder.

Khan is a freelance author who's been given a high profile opportunity to shadow one of the hottest movie stars for a cover story in Vogue. Tyler is a Myanmar star in Hollywood who has returned home to film a new movie with his best friend, an important project for them to highlight their home country and diversify Hollywood rom-coms. Early on in the filming process, Khin and Tyler find themselves in the middle of a police investigation and are forced to test the limits of their professional relationship and learn to trust each other. In the end, Khin must decide what is most important, her feelings for Tyler, or capturing the scoop and cover story she needs to secure a coveted position at Vogue.

This was a really cute rom-com. The timeline was very short, I believe everything took place in the span of 1.5 months, which did make it a bit challenging to really convince me that these perfect strangers fell in love so fast and hard. That being said, their character development was great and I loved the subtle nods at culture and representation, especially given how few Asian love stories that take place in Asia exist in the American publishing industry today.

For fans of:
Romantic comedies with no spice
Amazing banter
Asian representation

Thank you to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book; all opinions are my own. I Did Something Bad is out now!

Part romantic comedy, part cozy mystery, I loved all of I Did Something Bad. When a journalist writing a cover piece on an up and coming young action star accidentally kills her would be stalker, he witnesses it and they collude to cover up the crime, falling for each other along the way. I loved Khin and Tyler’s immediate chemistry, even though they don’t recognize it right away. And the extremes they go to hide the crime are hilarious and entertaining.

This book is definitely more romance than mystery, which would have been fine, but the romance fell flat for me.

Khin’s emotions felt surface level. My explanation is a minor spoiler, so I’ll hide it. (Most women who are victims of sexual assault, nearly raped, then kill their attacker, would be at least somewhat traumatized. They wouldn’t feel comfortable out alone. And I can’t imagine that they’d be joking about it. Khin seemed more upset about her past divorce than her recent assault.)

I didn’t dislike Khin or Tyler, but I also didn’t feel any sizzle. I didn’t feel the intensity. I just didn’t feel… period. I can’t really explain my disconnect beyond the fact that the romcom vibes didn’t work for the heavy content.

I enjoyed the aspect of Khin struggling to find her footing in the world, deciding what she wanted in her life going forward. This story has a lot to say, and will no doubt be a great fit for other readers.

*Thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin for the free eARC, provided via NetGalley.*

This is a cozy mystery romance starring a celebrity and a journalist that end up covering for each other when a potential murder occurs. It takes place in Myanmar and I enjoyed discovering the amenities in a new setting. The story itself may be a little far-fetched, but executed in a fun way that held my attention. I listened to the audiobook and the narration makes it a great way to enjoy this unique love story.

This was a cute romance read mixed with a little bit of mystery, which is what originally attracted me to this book because I love romantic suspense.

Even though there were some serious subject matter in the book I felt it was more of a lighthearted read. I would have liked a little bit more mystery but with this book being more romancey I can understand why the author was light on the mystery.

Overall I enjoyed this book.

I Did Something Bad is silly fun at the midpoint of romance and crime caper and I had to pretty much completely detach my logic brain in order to enjoy it.

The romance was problematic (see note) and the murder plot was unbelievable (Khin left a trail of whole loaves of bread for cops to figure it out). But I actually had a good time with this?

NOTE TO AUTHORS: If you want to write a journalist character, please, I am BEGGING you, get some advice from actual journalists. Having a reporter fall for and cross ethical boundaries with their subject isn’t harmless - and the fact that it happens so often in fiction shows just how embedded this false and insidious premise is embedded into the popular conception of how journalists behave. It is ***vanishingly*** rare for it to happen (see the reaction to the whole Nuzzi/RFKJr dustup to see how infrequently journalists violate ethical codes this way in real life).

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed “I Did Something Bad” by Pyae Moe Thet War. This book is a genre bending mashup between a romance and a murder mystery centering on Khin Hlaing, an independent journalist, who has been asked by Vogue to conduct a month long interview of movie star Tyler Tun while he is in Myanmar shooting his latest film. Except on the first night of shooting Khin is attacked by an unknown man. Khin and Tyler agree to cover up what happened while simultaneously investigating the incident themselves.

I loved a lot of this book - the relationship between Khin and Tyler was well done and believable, huge kudos for such an interesting genre bending premise, and the writing was witty while also delicate enough to handle some of the heavier themes. Two such moments really stand out to me: first, scene between Khin and her ex-husband in the middle of the book. The emotional catharsis was palpable and this confrontation sets Khin up for a really good emotional growth arc through out the rest of the novel. Second, I also loved the fact that Tyler bought Khin mugs at the end - just a really nice romantic and symbolic touch that showed just how much he paid attention to her and cared for her. Finally, I greatly enjoyed the setting. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book set in Myanmar and I enjoyed learning a bit about the culture.

However, I found the balance between the murder mystery and the romance to be a bit off. It felt like the narrative bounced between being a thriller and a rom-com but never found the right mix of both. I also found this book challenged my willing suspension of disbelief too much to be a five star read. It took longer than I wanted for the author to explain just why Khin was so eager to cover up a possible murder. She was clearly attacked and the whole episode seemed pretty cut and dry. So why not go to the police? I did think Khin’s reasoning was understandable once we finally saw how the police were treating women, especially Khin - it just took too long to get this clarification. I also found the solution to the mystery to be too easily solved and thus anticlimactic.

Despite these quibbles I found “I Did Something Bad” to be a very solid four star read and one I would highly recommend. I’m really looking forward to reading Pyae Moe Thet War’s next work - she’s become an auto-buy author for me after this book.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A smart and swooney rom com that will captivate you from the start. Khin and Tyler have chemistry and their interactions are both heartwarming and entertaining. You will have a smile on your face.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Khin Haymar is ecstatic to learn that she's being offered a story about Tyler Tun. She's excited for the job opportunity. The fact that Tyler is Hollywood's current Hottest movie star doesn't hurt. Soon she's getting to know this thoughtful, sexy many outside of his shiny star-ness but there's one night at a party when she's approached by a strange man. He attacks her and... well, she does something bad. And Tyler sees her and accidentally helps. They decide to cover it up for... reasons (?) I get that Khin is probably under some stress but her decisions don't really make sense.
From there, the two are stressed but falling in love. Then there's the (I think unnecessary) late misunderstanding. And the ending felt a bit rushed.
The marketing on this one is a bit off. The blurb I read said this made it feel like it would be a funny romance and, because of that, it took me a while to get into this book.

I was really excited to find a mystery set in Myanmar--a country I've visited and a country that isn't written much about...but, to be honest, I think this book could have been set anywhere as the setting did not play much into the story aside from a few quick references and emphasis on identifying Asian characters.

And the story itself was a bit odd--just an odd combo of far-fetched and realistic--like the book couldn't decide what genre it wanted to be.

Book: I Did Something Bad
Author: Pyae Moe Thet War
Genre: Romance/Comedy/Mystery
Places Featured: Myanmar
Review Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (It was fine)