This book is so much fun to read. It’s a debut novel that blends genres in a well-written, solid and engaging story. In short – it is a murder mystery rom-com with strong characters, entertaining scenes, witty dialog, and a culturally rich setting.

Khin is real and relatable – ambitious, stubborn, and an emotional mess. Tyler is sweet and loveable. Their interactions with each other – and with their friends and family (particularly Khin + her 2 besties) – are filled with humor and heart. There is great banter and chemistry. And their interactions are often challenged by trust issues and secrecy, which keeps their relationship from feeling a little too sweet and perfect. The plot is just the right amount of over-the-top balanced by reality and tension. And Yangon, Myanmar, with it’s rich cultural tapestry, provides a beautiful backdrop and adds much welcomed dimension to the story.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley, for an advanced reader copy of this book [pub date is October 8, 2024]. It’s a quick read; a great choice if you love romance, are looking for a little escapist fun, or in need of a palate cleanser.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this preview of a dreamy rom com that I highly recommend. A new to me culture I found fascinating, a very dreamy love interest and an incredible female support system are just some of the highlights of this delightful story.
I do enjoy the celebrity falling for a normal person troupe and this is no exception. Coming out this fall, I highly suggest pre ordering this. Also, I did something bad is one of my favorite songs and I think it’s related to the title.

I loved the SVU references, the fast pace, and the banter in this one! I liked that there was a slow burn that wasn't painful, because there was another plot element keeping it moving the whole time. Overall it was a really fun read!

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Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC. These are my honest thoughts.

A truly FUN novel. When Khin is in the throes of healing from her failed marriage, the last thing she's expecting is getting the biggest offer of her career as a journalist: an opportunity to write a cover piece on the most successful movie star, Tyler Tun. The most nerve-wracking part? A full-time job offer at Vogue Singapore is on the line if she fails to impress. Tyler Tun is an incredibly private person, and Khin's job is to uncover the secret he's so obviously harboring. While Khin has her doubts, she's willing to try. After all, what more could a thirty-something divorcee want than a fresh start in a new country? However, on Khin's first day on the job, she and Tyler find themselves in a situation (read: accidental murder on set) where all they can do is give each other full trust. There's no way either of them could get caught up in an accidental murder without ruining their lives, so they must both promise each other complete confidence that they won't confess.

"I Did Something Bad" is an incredibly hilarious venture into what it means to trust and love someone fully. It had me full-on belly laughing and was equally as heartfelt and emotional as it was funny. Pyae Moe Thet War has given us one of the best debuts I have read in a long time, and I will be thinking about this for weeks. I mean, a journalist and a movie star accidentally murdering a man and covering it up together, only to begin to catch feelings for one another? I genuinely can't think of anything better.

This was such a fun read! A little murder, action, SVU references, movie stars, journalists and fun banter. Tyler and Khin both prove themselves to be wonderful friends with others and to eachother and I love the whole kind of slow burn we got while we waited to see what would go down. The author made it so easy to picture the setting with her imagery which I always truly appreciate so I can really escape into a book!

A captivating novel, "I Did Something Bad" by Pyae Moe Thet War treats readers to a delightful blend of romance, mystery, and cultural immersion. Whatever genre you're a fan of, this novel is a must-read that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

Set against the backdrop of Myanmar, this smart and swoony adventure rom-com introduces us to two unlikely allies: Khin Hlaing, a determined journalist, and Tyler Tun, Hollywood's hottest movie star.

When Khin is assigned to get an explosive scoop on Tyler, she sees it as her ticket out of the city that has felt too small since her recent divorce. But Tyler guards his private life fiercely, and their initial interactions are anything but smooth. Yet fate intervenes when a strange man threatens Khin, and Tyler steps in to protect her. As they work together to hide their secret and unravel the mystery, their chemistry grows, and Tyler's walls begin to crumble.

The heart of the story lies not only in the will-they-won't-they tension between Khin and Tyler, but also in the ride-or-die friendships they share with others. Khin's bond with her two best friends and Tyler's connection with his costar add both depth and warmth to the narrative.

Pyae Moe Thet War’s prose is both evocative and accessible. She weaves vivid descriptions of landscapes, culture, and people, immersing readers in the setting. Her dialogue is natural and engaging, capturing the nuances of relationships and emotions. Additionally, she balances suspense with moments of humour and tenderness, creating a well-rounded reading experience.

Myanmar, with its rich cultural tapestry and hidden corners, becomes a character in itself. The bustling streets of Yangon, the serene temples of Bagan, and the lush landscapes along the Irrawaddy River provide an atmospheric backdrop for the intrigue. As Khin Hlaing delves deeper into the murder investigation, the juxtaposition of ancient traditions and modern celebrity culture adds layers of complexity, making the mystery even more compelling.

Pyae Moe Thet War masterfully combines high-stakes drama with banter, chemistry, and social commentary. Readers will find themselves immersed in Myanmar's celebrity, family, and food culture, making “I Did Something Bad” a truly unique and enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and St. Martin's Griffin for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This debut novel is freaking amazing! The writing, the characters, the plot - I loved it all. An adventure rom-com with non-stop action, hilarious scenes, deep and lovable characters (who have amazing, top-notch friends) and some deeper social issues. Khin, a journalist from Myanmar gets the opportunity to do a Vogue profile on Tyler, a very famous movie star. She trails him for two months and nothing you’d expect to happen in a typical rom-com does and it’s so refreshing and well executed. 4.5 stars ✨ - rounding to 5.

Freelance journalist Khin is assigned to cover movie star Tyler Thun who is shooting a movie In Myanmar.
If the story she writes is successful, it may lead to a job at Vogue Singapore. Her job for the next month is to
shadow Tyler and show the man behind the movie star persona. When Khin is attacked by a man, the attacker
is fought off by Khin with help form Tyler,. Khin convinces Tyler not to report it to the authorities as there is no
evidence of the attack. They will have to trust and depend on one another along with help from friends.
#IDidSomethingBad #StMartinsPress #NetGalley

It took me awhile to give this one a go. But I’m so glad I did. It was suspenseful, cute, funny and stressful (in a good way). The banter and friendships were top tier.

A rom-com with a murder mixed in — sounds like my kind of book! Being a SVU fan, I loved the references throughout the book. I was definitely on my toes waiting for everything to play out and loved the chemistry between Tyler and Khin.

Thank you St Martins Press for the ARC via NetGalley!

Khin es periodista independiente, la revista vogue le da ma oportunidad de hacer una reportaje sobre uno de los actores más famosos del momento, Tyler, al cual tiene que seguirlo por 2 meses y si el reportaje es bueno será contratada para formar parte de la revista.

Ella lo seguía a todos lados incluyendo al set en donde estaba grabando su película. Estaba paseándose cuando de repente un tipo la atacó y al defenderse terminó matándolo, Tyler vio todo, él quería llamar a la policía, pero ella lo convence de que no lo hagan y que se lleven ese secreto a a la tumba.

Las razones por las que no quizo denunciar se me hicieron tontas, pero luego tuvieron sentido. Lo que no entendí fue la desconfianza a Tyler, o sea él no hizo nada y fácilmente pudo decirle a la policía la verdad, pero se quedó callado volviéndose cómplice.


Ojalá Tyler tuviera povs porque todo está narrado por Khin y no es un personaje muy agradable.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It was a bit over the top but I still had a good time reading this. I loved the journalist aspect of this story and I really enjoyed the mmc and him being an actor. His friends and family were fun too! The ongoing mystery that came with the guy who attacked Khin kept me interested and that everything had to do with the article she wrote about abortion was a nice conclusion!

Pub Date: Oct 08 2024

Khin Haymar, a freelance writer, accompanies Hollywood actor Tyler Tun on the filming location of his upcoming movie to create a human interest article for Vogue magazine. As an unexpected turn of events leads to a fatal incident, will Khin and Tyler be able to depend on one another to safeguard their hidden truth?

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! At first, I thought it was a bit wordy and wasn't sure if the writing style would appeal to me. However, as I got to know Khin's character better, I realized that it really suited her personality. I loved having a strong and determined female protagonist who was motivated to achieve her goals. Despite the obstacles she faced in her personal and professional life, she had a wonderful support system that added depth to the story. The other characters also played important roles, but Tyler stood out in particular. The connection he had with Khin was captivating and provided an intriguing contrast to her previous marriage.

In the end, this turned out to be a great story. I would recommend it for those who enjoy true crime and romantic comedies.

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

This was a romance / wanted to be mystery book. Khin is a journalist doing a cover story on Tyler, a movie star. A murder happens and the story is about the cover up. It was ok. I didn’t feel the love building, the murder situation was a bit ridiculously played, and when Tyler gets mad at one point, it’s so blown out of any realistic proportion.

Overall, this book was a decent debut novel. The story had its ups and downs, and while I found Khin's character annoying at times, I couldn't understand her persistent distrust of Tyler. Despite him being an actor, he didn't seem to give her any reason to mistrust him. Her flip-flopping between trusting only her two friends and then not trusting anyone else felt inconsistent and detracted from the story's believability .

Despite these issues, I found myself staying up late trying to unravel the ending. Although I rolled my eyes at parts of it, the book held my interest overall."

I Did Something Bad is a very well written book. For the most part the storyline is cohesive and the characters feel fully formed. The conversation flows really well and there’s actually some really fun banter in there as well. My main problem with the book, is that it feels like two different books kinda of frankestein-ed together. You have the big plot point at the beginning, then you have this romance between actor and journalist. And I get that there has to be some issue for this romance to work through, but this one just felt a little too far-fetched and disjointed.

For the most part, Khin and Tyler work through their joined issues separately, which makes the romance feel forced even if the chemistry doesn’t. I’d be more interested in just a book about Khin and Tyler trying to struggle with the journalist/actor dynamic. And Tyler’s family and Khin’s friends are all really fun additions to the cast! That alone is a book I’d have enjoyed reading. But this weird mess of two books was….it just didn’t feel satisfying when I got to the end. I felt like I didn’t finish two separate books.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

I think we can all agree that the moment that made this story happen could have been avoided but it‘s fiction so who am I to judge? Definitely fight back!!! but throwing him over the bridge?

It was a bit over the top but I still had a good time reading this. I loved the journalist aspect of this story and I really enjoyed the mmc and him being an actor. His friends and family were fun too! The ongoing mystery that came with the guy who attacked Khin kept me interested and that everything had to do with the article she wrote about abortion was a nice conclusion! I loved the friendships in this but I didn’t feel the romance at all. I feel like it came out of nowhere and they should’ve stayed friends in my opinion.

Thank you St. Martin's Griffin and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. I found this novel to be awkward and unbelievable. Tyler's character was very timid and not confident, which I usually don't like in a hero. The "action" of this novel was very minimal as well.

I enjoyed the story. I liked how it incorporates the murder mystery element into the romance story.

✨ARC Review✨

I am over the moon IN LOVE with I Did Something Bad by Pyae Moe Thet War. LETS TALK ABOUT IT.

This book was everything I didn’t know I needed. The chemistry and character development was so spot on and well written that I was actively sad to have the story end because I’d gotten so attached to these characters! I laughed when they did, freaked out when they did, cried when they did… I am extremely grateful for the chance to be an ARC reader for this book because it was simply phenomenal. If you enjoy slow-burn (🌶️), rom com/mystery/thriller type books, with a golden retriever MMC, this is the book for you.

I Did Something Bad releases on October 8th, 2024 so mark your calendars because THIS book will knock your socks off!