Caffeinated Reviewer

Sophia Rose is here with a review of the RomCom Mystery, I Did Something Bad by Pyae Moe Thet War. Come find out why this story left her well satisfied.

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.

When freelance journalist Khin Haymar is assigned by Vogue to get a scoop on Tyler Tun, Hollywood’s hottest movie, she's determined to succeed. Tyler has returned home to Myanmar to shoot his latest film, and if Khin’s able to get an exclusive, there may well be a permanent position waiting for her at Vogue Singapore.

Tyler has a very private life and doesn’t show any sign of letting down his walls for Khin. But then one night on set, a man follows Khin into the park. When he threatens her, Tyler steps in and things escalate fast. Khin knows they can’t go to the police, even if this was self defense, and even if this stranger seems to have targeted her specifically.

As Khin and Tyler work together to hide their secret and find out more about her attacker, they grow closer and Tyler finally starts opening up. But now the idea of writing the article gives Khin an uncomfortable morality-related guilt. Before long, everything hangs in the balance. Will they get away with murder? Can Khin get the exposé she needs for her dream job? And is she willing to risk Tyler’s trust in the process?

Sophia Rose’s Review

A chance at a big career dream job and the surreal task of shadowing a Hollywood A-List star for a story is nearly derailed by murder.  How could I pass up a romcom mystery set in Myanmar with such an entertaining premise?  New to me author, Pyae Moe Thet War tells a rollicking good story that crosses several genres.

Recently divorced and up and coming journalist, Khin Haymar gets the surprise of her life when her boss, the editor of Vogue Singapore hands her an assignment that everyone in the office covets- a chance for an exclusive with sizzling hot star actor, Tyler Tun.  All expenses paid and two months to dig into his daily and private life while he’s local to be around family and working on his next film.  She’ll nail that Singapore job if she can get some sort of a scoop and Clare, her editor, is pushing for it.

But, her plans derail from the first day of shooting.  Tyler is her surprising ‘ride or die’ partner when she murders her stalker in a totally unplanned and inadvertent way.  From star power actor to a wonderful man who helps because he can, their time together is magical, but in the back of her mind looms her dream career and gathering up what she learns while Tyler is offering her his trust.  The burden of Tyler or her career choice grows and what will he say when he learns of her duplicity?

I Did Something Bad was something of a gamble for me.  I avoid stories that feature a journalist or reporter main character.   I hate when the big conflict in a romance is a secret one or both are keeping particularly if the secret is a plan to exploit the other character’s private life for personal gain.  And, this one did go there and I was not happy with that part of it.

However, I didn’t toss the book aside.  I saw that there was much more going on with Khin.  She’s lost her way and an expose on a celebrity is not her usual work.  She thinks she needs to prove herself because of all the hits she’s taken on a personal level.  I ended up wanting her to figure it out and do the right thing so I stayed in the story and cheered her on.  Plus Tyler was fabulous guy and the pair of them were in a hilarious situation after the guy dies and they were trying to figure out what to do on the fly, so to speak.  It was a celebrity romance at heart, too, so yes, there was great times on the set and seeing Tyler in his career as actor and what celebrity life was like for him.

And, let’s not forget that this is a gem if for no other reason than it’s a romcom set in Myanmar with Burmese culture and people as all the principle backdrop and cast of characters.  I loved that the romance pair were Myanma and this is all written from a home town gal perspective so it was authentic and smooth all around.

After the fateful reveal of secrets and the end of their mad dash over murder and romance, this read like women’s fiction.  Khin gets a good kick in the butt from her friends to help get things back on track.  She had to fix herself before she could ever fix what she broke with Tyler. 

In the end, I was well-satisfied.  I hope Pyae Moe Thet War writes more of this fun romcom style.  I gave the journalist after her scoop a try and I can recommend this part romcom romp, part celebrity romance, and part ‘finding herself’ women’s fic a try.

Amazon | Audible

About Pyae Moe Thet War

Pyae Moe Thet War was born and raised in Yangon. She holds a BA from Bard College at Simon's Rock, and MA's from University College London and the University of East Anglia. She currently shares a home (and her food) with her dogs, Gus and Missy.

Website

About Sophia Rose

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

Twitter | Goodreads

About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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