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.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored this! From the incredible characters, to the plot, to falling in love with everything so quickly- I couldn’t put this down. I highly recommend this! It really just sucks you in and makes you never want to leave. In my opinion, those are the best books and I couldn't get enough.

While the premise seemed promising, the actual execution left much to be desired. The characters felt a little two-dimensional and underdeveloped, leaving their relationship underdeveloped as well (which, for a slow burn, is especially exhausting). The story relies too much on miscommunication. Ideal for fans of the Finlay Donovan series.

Suspense Thriller
Slow Burn Romance
Journalist/Movie Star
Miscommunication
Debut

It was okay. I did not like the dialogue between characters and everything felt choppy. I was intrigued at the beginning but lost interest as the book went on.

Khin Haymar had been commissioned by Vogue Singapore to write an exclusive on international movie star, and fellow Myanmar, Tyler Tun. She gets two months to shadow him while he films on location in Yangon. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime that could lead to a permanent position with the prestigious publication!

Khin juggles post-divorce self-doubt, professional pressure, and celebrity jitters as she navigates her new assignment. Surprisingly, Tyler is incredibly down to earth and easy to get along with. Things seem to be going quite well until they hit a bump in the road. One night, during a break in filming, Khin is attacked by a stranger and she and Tyler end up doing “something bad.” But it was all in self-defense!! Deciding to keep the night’s event a secret leads to a whole bookload of drama and suspense. It also leads to a love story, but arguably Khin and Tyler were headed there anyway.

It took me longer than usual to finish this book. I found it slow in the first half and wasn’t connecting with the characters due to some differences in personality and reasoning. Yet some of those points were key to the plot of the book. It’s ironic that while it took me awhile to empathize with Khin’s insistence on secrecy, I was frustrated that her ultimate decision to sacrifice her future to protect Tyler and his best friend May was never openly addressed. Her dilemma was resolved with what seemed like a miracle, but then relief evaporated into sadness. It was discordant that after being profoundly certain that Khin was worthy of his trust regarding the “something bad”, Tyler turned on her for being the journalist she expected herself to be 𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺, while overlooking the fact that she had just made a grand gesture that should have cancelled out any prior selfish intentions.

Nevertheless, this is a story that highlights the preciousness of friendships and the value of learning what you truly want in this life. It definitely has its fun and clever moments. I’m grateful to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this via the NetGalley community.

Myanmar journalist Kinh is given an assignment that could catapult her into a senior position at Vogue Singapore. She doesn't usually do celeb profiles, but the subject is the hottest actor going now—Myanmar native Tyler Tun. Kinh has two months to shadow him and get some kind of scoop that will set this cover story on fire. Before she can start digging, she's involved in something she can't control alone. Can she trust Tyler with this huge secret?

I liked this novel—it was entertaining, the characters were likable but fallible, and the dialogue was witty and moving. However, the reader will have to suspend some belief to really enjoy this one. There are some interactions that would be unlikely to play out in real life, but they're needed to keep the plot moving. That being said, this was a twisty, entertaining story that offers some forbidden romance vibes.

I Did Something Bad is a gripping and intense thriller that delves into the darker side of fame, morality, and the true cost of ambition.
The story follows Khin Hlaing, a determined freelance journalist, as she's assigned to get a scoop on Hollywood's hottest movie star, Tyler Tun, who's filming in Myanmar. Khin's drive for success is intense, and her desire to escape her past and secure a permanent position at Vogue Singapore is relatable. However, her life drastically turns when she's attacked on set, and Tyler steps in to save her.
As Khin and Tyler work together to uncover the truth behind the attack, they grow closer, and the lines between their professional and personal relationships become blurred. Tension builds as they navigate the complex web of secrets, lies, and murder. The author masterfully crafts a sense of unease, keeping the reader on edge and wondering what will happen next.
The characters are well-developed and complex, with Khin's determination and vulnerability making her a compelling protagonist. Tyler's enigmatic nature and gradual opening up to Khin add depth to the story.
The writing is engaging, with a fast-paced narrative that propels the reader through the twists and turns. The author's use of language is evocative, painting a vivid picture of the settings and characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a free advanced copy of this ebook to review. All opinions are my own.

After you've presumably killed a man, with another man as a witness, what else is there left to do except fall in love with that man?

Obviously, there's so much more than that to the story here, but I feel like anything I'd say would be a spoiler. This was an entertaining book that kept me wondering when the other shoe was going to drop for Khin.

Quickly paced, and easy to love characters really help push the story along.

1.5 stars rounded up

Well, I finally finished it. I’m waffling between one and two stars because some of it I liked, but not very much of it, and the things I did like almost always had a caveat to it. Frankly, much of the book felt very…strange, I guess. As it started out, it was okay. The character development was okay, though flat at times. It felt more like telling instead of showing, which never makes the characters feel real to me. Because of that, I didn’t care about the characters overly much, making this more of a chore to get through than an enjoyable read.

The marketing of this book made this out to be sort of a romantic comedy mystery vibe. The concept of the main character covering up a murder with her romantic love interest is something I had not seen before, and I was interested to see it play out. However, the combination of romance, comedy, and mystery felt out of balance and frequently landed distastefully.

The romance aspect was sweet, but I found it to be as poorly developed as the character development. It’s a lot of shy glances and double meetings that ask the question does he/doesn’t he like me? That's all well and good, but it was once again developed insufficiently. I also found the way the romantic conflict was resolved to be very immature (her article and also I think the gentleman doth protest too much) and underwhelming.

There were two redeeming qualities I found about this book. The first was how the author showed the inherent bias and systemic racism by sharing a little about Asian actors in the age of representation and in the justice system as we see through Khin’s experience. The second was the friendship between Khin and her two girlfriends. Once again, however, I would’ve liked to have seen more development with their friendship for it to really hit home that theme.

Ultimately, this one missed the mark for me.

This was fun mix between romance and mystery genres and is quite enjoyable. I'd suggest it mainly to romance lovers though, as I personally felt it focuses on it a bit more. The characters share incredible chemistry and their dynamic was a joy to read. It was mostly fast-paced and very quick read. Devoured it within two sittings. (Rating - 4.5 out of 5 stars).

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.

I loved this romance with mystery and intrigue. The characters were well written, and the romance was fantastic.

An intriguing romantic mystery that I really enjoyed!

Sorry, but this one for me was a DNF, i don't know, i didn't like Khin, and i couldn't stand Tyler.
Thanks To Netgalley and the author for a chance of reading this book in adv, in exchenga of an honest review.

First I want to thank St Martins, NetGalley and the author for this advance copy, in exchange for an honest review.
The main protagonists are: Khin Hlaing and Tyler Tun.
Khin is a journalist looking for a scoop for Vogue, and Tyler is a famous actor. Little step back, this is indeed a rom-com, but there is also an aura of mystery that involves the whole story, I was hoping that this would make it a little spicy, but instead the main trope is the slow burn. Anyway, due to an "unfortunate" (so to speak) event, the two find themselves having to face a threat and "hiding" the facts of what really happened.
This will bring them closer and closer, to a point of no return.
I give only three stars, because in some points i found it too slow burn, and the communication problems, really bothered me.
This book will be available starting October 8, 2024. This is a novel debut, so please support this new author!

I absolutely picked this one because of the name (Swiftie over here) but stayed for the absolute wild ride it was. This was SO much fun, the dynamic between our MC’s was *chefs kiss* so good that I couldn’t put it down. I’ll be keeping an eye on this author.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this title. This was a really fun book and I wish I could read it again for the first time.

The synopsis to this book is a bit misleading. This is labeled a Rom Com, and while there is a small romantic element, it is a slow burn one. On top of that, I didn't really see comedy in this story. That is not to say I didn't like it, I just think expectations should be set at a different level to enjoy this one.

The plot centers on an up and coming journalist, Khin Hlaing, getting her big break, with a feature story on acting superstar, Tyler Tun. With the two connecting from day one, a great meet cute, I thought that was the beginning of a sweet romantic tale. But things take an interesting turn when Khin is attacked on his film set and in defending herself, a tragic accident occurs. For various reasons, all ridiculous, the two decide to cover it up. I didn't really get why Tyler took such risks for someone he barely knew, but when you think of the implications for his movie career, I sort of get it.

From this point forward, the two go to elaborate lengths to cover up the "crime" and find out why this man targeted Khin. I had my suspicions, which were later confirmed. What is interesting is the more I learned about the mystery man, the more I disliked him. Maybe he had what was coming to him?

There are a couple twists that change the direction of the story, including some poor communication between the couple to cause unnecessary drama. Are these two rising stars on different paths, or can they ultimately change their path and enjoy a future together? You'll have to read for yourself to find out.