Framed

by Cari Z., L.A. Witt

Art thief Cole Dalton is not a team player. Aside from a handful of trusted associates, he doesn’t work with anyone, and he definitely doesn’t help out other thieves.

Especially not the thief who stole his boyfriend.

But when a high-dollar job goes south, his conscience won’t let him leave that very thief to the wolves.

Will Yarmouth came for the legendary Iberian Puffin. He almost had it, too… until the most unexpected ally helps him escape before it all goes to hell. He isn’t stupid enough to think Cole has forgiven him for that incident with their ex, but he is feisty enough to tag along with him just to be a troll.

Cole’s frustration with Will is funny… but their situation is very suddenly not.

Now the Puffin is missing, an angry billionaire thinks Will and Cole have it, and they’re on the run.

Worst of all, they’re on the run together.

And the billionaire, their ex-boyfriend, and the cops may not have time to catch them before they kill each other.

Framed is a 75,000 word M/M romantic suspense featuring two art thieves who are great at what they do and even better at trolling each other.

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Mystery, Action, Crime, Enemies To Lovers, Romance

286 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 11, 2026

About the author

Cari Z. is a Colorado girl who loves snow and sunshine. She has a wonderful relationship with her husband, a complex relationship with the characters in her head and a sadomasochistic relationship with her exercise routine. She feels like Halloween should happen every month, which is why you get this picture of her, and hopes that you enjoy reading what she's put out there as much as she enjoyed writing it in the first place.

Reviews

[Caz]

An entertaining caper-type story featuring Cole and Will, two rival art thieves who - with great reluctance - team up after a heist-gone-wrong to track down the piece they had intended to steal.

Things get much more complicated when they realise they were set up by a mutual ex - a dirtbag named Marcus, who had had an 'affair' with Will while he was in a relationship with Cole (but who was doing the dirty on Will, too) - and that he isn't the only one out for blood.

It's fast-paced, with lots of quick-fire banter and an antagonists-to-lovers vibe as Will and Cole realise they've got more in common than they'd thought, come to respect each other, and start falling for one another. The romance element in this is fairly low key (but it works) and there's a cliffhanger ending, which I didn't realise going in; Cole and Will make it through all the explosions, fires and shoot-outs, but a terrible betrayal leads to a trap of a kind and they're blackmailed into working for one of the bad guys to get the priceless Iberian Puffin back.

I assume (I hope), therefore, that the authors have a second book planned, because I definitely want to find out what happens next.

[Ami]

HUGE SPOILERS NOT BEHIND SPOILER TAG - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
.
.
.

What the heck is that ending?! I need another book to know that Cole and Will are going to be okay, that Alders really will not chase them anymore, that Lilith (who steal the real Iberian Puffin) is caught, and Marcus the ass-hat of an ex is thrown to jail!

Because it's not fair - after being forced to work together (well, Will forced his way, to be honest, Cole is resigned) to find out about what happened with the Iberian Puffin, I want Cole and Will to enjoy their life "more" peacefully.

I liked these two - yes, sure Cole was angry with Will in the beginning, you know since Marcus cheated on Cole with Will and all, but I loved reading how that changed slowly. How Will charmed Cole. How Will surprised Cole. It was FUN to read.

So I want firmer HEA, darn it! Yeah, I wish there's another follow-up book *pout*

[Crisana]

I know the writing style from these two authors together and this book did not surprise on that front. But I still wanted more romance, even though it's not where the focus is meant to be. I think I just got fed up with all the the time spent on other characters and dialogue. I needed more between the MCs (no, not sex scenes, but some sort of intimacy perhaps), but I think this is probably a me problem. I will still read any following books, as it's still a very interesting premise and I want to see where it goes.

[Nadya]

Dnf
Надеялась, что будет похоже на Джакарту, но юмор не вывез

[Steven Marshall]

What a treat to be back in a story-world adjacent to the Hitmen series. Cole and Will are great together and I can see more stories of their adventures coming soon I hope. I love the way these authors have committed so fully to the premise of this story by populating it with a rag-tag group of art thieves and petty criminals. Add in some important minor characters on the other end of a phone and you have the makings of a great series. Plenty of action spread throughout this one as well as a betrayal or two. Looking forward to more.

[Lisa]

Will and Cole are amongst a group of art thieves we are attending a party with the intention of stealing the Iberian Puffin. The heist doesn't go as planned and Will and Cole have to work together.
This was a good story. It kept me guessing until the end but I have to say when I finished I eagerly looked for when the next book would be out as it ended as if there would be another book. However, nothing. So I am not sure if there will be a follow up. I can only hope.

[DeeNeez]

I had a grand time reading this book. It was a wild puffin chase! An enemies to lovers, close proximity, opposites attraction between two thieves being framed. They have teamed up to find the real culprit and the real puffin. Overall, I figured out the puffin very early in the game, but I had a lot of fun watching them do the chase. The ending was very open for this to be a series… I really hope so!

[Tessi4M]

I do love the suspense stories from these two authors. They are usually fast-paced and highly entertaining. This one was no different. I was a fan until the very end. When the book ended but the story didn't. It would be ok for first in a series but there is no hint that anything more is planned. It is (currently) positioned as a standalone and for that, I need a proper ending.

[Kendra T]

Great story. I really enjoyed seeing Will get under Cole's skin (in a fun way), and I liked these two finally work together. The mystery was good, and Will and Cole together were awesome. I would really love more of them together, and don't want their story to end here.

[Donna]

Well, I figured out the "who done it" way to quickly and frankly didn't care for the ending... but, it was a good read overall, so there is that!

[Tom]

Amusing banter between the MCs but the boringly predictable plot overshadows the “romance”

[Sarah☀️ Somerville]

This was a lot of fun. However, I never really understood why they all wanted the puffin and I never got a good picture of Marcus’s character, so it was hard to just enjoy the ride.

[Mary]

Thought it was a standalone but left with major plot questions.

[Amy]

Suspect there’s more to come.

[Betsy]

Once the story got going, it was diverting, as always. The story didn't seem entirely concluded. It made me realize I never read Hitman vs Hitman, so I've got that to look forward to.

[R A]

3.5 rounded up

[Angeli]

An art heist gone bad leaves Cole and Will on the run. A fun read.