*I want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced release copy of this book. I think it’s a good beach read!

Oh my gosh! This book had me hooked from the beginning. The witty banter between Zwe and Poe was fantastic and literally sets the stage for a great friends to lovers AND vacation gone wrong story. It was exactly what I was needing to escape reality and get sucked into a fun story. While it was slow in parts, ultimately it delivered a funny story with a little more depth than expected. I do get annoyed with too much push/pull in rom-coms because really, we all know the main characters are likely to hook up so let's hop to that a little faster so we can enjoy the romance a little more! I also appreciated the diverse representation of the characters and the tropical setting. This would be a good choice for fans of White Lotus and rom-coms with a little action/drama.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this book since I loved Pyae's first book... but I couldn't get into it. There were some fun aspects that I did enjoy, but overall, it just didn't tick my boxes. The writing was well written but the chemistry between the main characters just wasn't there..

unfortunately this book wasn't very good. I liked the author's previous book quite a bit but this one fell super flat.

The premise was fun! And I liked the main character and her job as a writer.

Unfortunately, while the premise had a lot of potential, it felt a bit silly, and the plot twists were predictable. Unfortunately I also didn't buy the romance between the main characters which is the biggest reason it didn't work for me. I didn't feel like they were more than friends, and when they decided they were, the chemistry just wasnt there.

I still look forward to reading more of this authors work, but this one didn't do it for me. Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy!

Here for a Good Time was exactly that - a good time!!

At times I wanted to shake Poe and Zwe and tell them to open their eyes!! But this adventure did that for them. I loved their character development on this wild and unbelievable ride of a vacation. Their big heart to heart in the third act was perfection and made me look past the whole "hostage" thing! So happy with the ending, and loved the cameo from Tyler Tun.

This is a great summer read - romance and action in one. Thanks, St. Martin's for the ARC in exchange for a review!

I enjoyed Pyae Moe Thet War's first book (I Did Something Bad) even though the crime element of that one stressed me out a little bit. Since this was billed as mostly a rom com, I thought it was a safer bet in terms of not having to worry about secret crimes. It definitely starts as a pretty standard rom com - Poe is an author, who found herself suddenly in the spotlight after writing a surprise hit of a novel and is now struggling with severe writers' block as she tries to write her next book. She decides to book a luxurious tropical resort vacation (she's in good financial shape thanks to her book advance and the fact that her first one was optioned by Netflix) for herself and her best friend/roommate Zwe, who she thinks needs a break as well. Things are going well at the resort until, suddenly and out of nowhere, a group of armed, masked gunwomen takes over the whole place. Poe and Zwe flee from the assailants and then things get really real. I had mixed feelings about this element - it was definitely an exciting swerve in the plot but again, added an element of stress that I wasn't necessarily looking for. I still liked it - the portrayal of Poe's writer's block was really well done, and while I was rolling my eyes a bit at Poe for not seeing that Zwe is clearly into her, it did make sense in the context of the story and I thought it was clever to have such a serious incident that forced these two to confront their feelings. Overall fun and I did really like the setting as well as the representation of characters from Myanmar, I think I was just in the mood for something maybe a little bit less adventurous.

This was a fun idea with some action but the romance aspect felt under developed and lacked chemistry. Overall the ending fell a little flat but a low stakes light summer read.

I had a good time with this one. I didn't really know to expect but I really liked both of the characters. They just needed to come out of their shell a bit and proclaim their love.

I received an arc through netgalley.

3.75⭐️

Poe and Zwe have been best friends since they were young children, and they have always been together. They've always had chemistry and a great relationship. When Poe finds herself in the middle of a writer's block, she decides to book an all-inclusive island vacation for both of them because she feels it will help her get back into writing her second novel.

Their arrival to the island is picturesque. They have big plans of relaxation, exploration, and adventure. They quickly find themselves in the middle of a hostage situation and have to work together to survive. Poe and Zwe's relationship and friendship are put through the ringer. As a reader, you really see the ugly parts of friendship. They say hurtful things to each other while also trying to survive on an island that they are not familiar with.

I really liked Poe and Zwe together. I enjoyed their push and pull between friendship and possible relationship development. I appreciated the realness of their relationship as well. Neither of them want to ruin their friendship, but they are so cute!

The middle of this book wasn't my favorite. There wasn't much going on besides Poe and Zwe arguing and Poe being jealous. It was fun at first, but after a while, it grew redundant and got old. I also thought the twist at the end was pretty apparent. There was a lot of commentary about rich people not caring about other people's spaces for their own enjoyment. I appreciated that topic as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

Here for a Good Time by Pyae Moe Thet War is a romcom with a surprise twist—a little suspense thriller thrown into the mix! I went in expecting a classic “I have a crush on my best friend” setup, maybe a “uh-oh, there’s only one bed” moment, and a healthy dose of the friends-to-lovers trope. What I didn’t expect was a plot involving gunmen—or rather, a gunwomen—and it totally caught me off guard.

Poe Myat Sabei and her best friend/roommate Zwe are the kind of sassy, ride-or-die duo you root for from page one. Their banter is hilarious, and their denial of their mutual attraction is both frustrating and adorable.

The story is sweet, clever, with moments that keep you turning the pages. The suspense element adds depth and gives the whole book a “wake-up call” vibe about love and life—like realizing something incredible has been right in front of you all along. Also for you spice lovers...keep reading because it is in there. You just have to wait a little bit for it.

Absolutely loved it!

Thank you to Pyae Moe Thet War, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the ARC.

𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙈𝙮 𝙃𝙤𝙩 𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙚


𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙏𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙚: Here for a Good Time
𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧: Pyae Moe Thet War
𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ★★★★☆
𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙇𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡: Mild
𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜: Check before reading!


𝙈𝙮 𝙃𝙤𝙩 𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙚:
This book totally caught me off guard… in the best possible way! You all know I’m guilty of judging books purely by their covers, so I fully thought I was walking into a cute little rom-com. Safe to say—I was very wrong.

The suspense kicked in out of nowhere and I was hooked! Twists, tension, and moments that had me flipping pages way past bedtime. I absolutely loved it!

If you’re like me and love a surprise twist in your romance, this one needs to be on your TBR ASAP.
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𝙃𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙨: #PlotTwistRomance #SuspenseMeetsRomCom #CoverDeceivedMe #BookSurprise #ReadThisNow #netgalley

This was a fun book that blends thriller with a sweet, slow burn romance. The story follows Poe and her best friend Zwe, where spontaneously they decide to go on a vacation. But the whole trip is takes a twist and they are forced into the jungle.

I loved the characters and the mix of a cozy story with a wild adventure. It was like taking a trip to a new country without leaving my couch, and it even made me think about the impact of travel in a new way. If you're into rom-coms, mysteries, or travel stories, I'd definitely tell you to pick this one up!

2 star ⭐️⭐️

I wanted to love Here for a Good Time—it has all the ingredients for a fun, feel-good read: a lighthearted rom-com vibe, an easygoing writing style, and a summery energy perfect for lounging by the pool or reading at the beach.

Ultimately, this one just wasn’t the right fit for me. I found it hard to connect with the characters and storyline, but I fully recognize that this was a “me” issue, not a reflection of the book itself. Sometimes it’s just about timing or taste.

That said, I can absolutely see this being a great pick for readers looking for something breezy, upbeat, and fun to toss into their beach bag this summer!

Thank you to Pyae Moe Thet War, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

3.75 🌟

Will someone please send me on a tropical vacation, please?!

This book started off pretty good but by the end felt okay. I didn't connect with Poe and the mystery wasn't as mysterious as I was hoping it to be. Also, I wasn't fully bought into the relationship.

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

This is my second read from Pyae Moe Thet War. As a burmese american woman, I love how she brings our culture and experiences to life through her romances! This was a beautifully written book and I can’t wait to share this with my audience when it releases.

solid, fun, rom-com-thril with some excellent and frankly impeccable vibes and with some quite unique setting and interest choices. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

This was a super fun read! I loved the friends-to-lovers romance between Poe and Zwe-- I was rooting for them from the beginning and thought they were really sweet together. The conflicts keeping them apart felt realistic and not contrived. The action was fun and light-hearted. An exciting, fast-paced, sexy read!

I was really excited for this one, as I loved I Did Something Bad. Unfortunately, this one ultimately fell flat for me.

Poe and Zwe did not seem like a great fit. They spent a large majority of the book being awful to one another. We didn’t get enough glimpses of their good moments, so when they finally got together, it didn’t feel right or make me feel happy.

Also, the hostage story resolution was so far-fetched that it irritated me quite a bit. I guess I just wanted a more realistic resolution.

A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a free eARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This one releases on 26 August 2025.

Here for a Good Time by Pyae Moe Thet War is a sweet friends-to-lovers romantic comedy set on a gorgeous and remote island in the Philippines.

I was drawn in by Poe and Zwe’s best friend relationship and their witty and sometimes over the top banter. (Poe and Zwe even had a “meet cure” as kids!) I stayed for the “when will they finally get their sh*t together and do it already” vibes. And then they are forced into telling each other what they really want when their island vacation gets infiltrated by masked, armed attackers who take over the resort in the middle of the night.

It was the perfect blend of comedy, romance and suspense, but cozy and sexy. Definitely recommend!

Fresh, funny, and surprisingly twisty.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Here for a Good Time is exactly what the title promises—but with way more heart (and chaos) than I expected. The setup is gold: a writer with major creative block escapes to a luxury island resort... only to end up in the middle of a mystery, some very unexpected danger, and a friends-to-lovers arc that absolutely delivers.

Poe and Zwe had such great chemistry—equal parts witty, vulnerable, and quietly romantic. I really enjoyed how the story balanced sharp humor with real emotional stakes, and the island setting added just the right amount of escapist fun.

The writing is clever, the pacing moves, and the twists kept me on my toes without ever feeling too over the top. This felt like a perfect blend of rom-com and mystery with a lot of heart behind it.

A fun, smart read that’s great for anyone who wants something romantic and a little offbeat.