Death to Christmas Sweaters by LE Franks – Warmest Wishes

Chess and Benjamin are casual lovers, each hiding his devotion to the other and his wish for more. But Chess is a wealthy playboy who—Benjamin believes—will never settle down. And Chess is sure, with the way Benjamin keeps him at arm’s length, that he can’t be interested in getting serious.

They’re destined for a head-on collision as Chess plans for a holiday escape designed to send Benjamin’s ardor spiking like the temperatures in Los Angeles, while Benjamin desperately drags his feet, wanting to cool things down to protect his vulnerable heart. But when the ghosts of Chess’s Christmas past and Benjamin’s unwelcome present converge at LAX, it’s obvious there are other forces at play and about to take over.

Drawn into their respective family dramas at a joint gathering, will Chess and Benjamin finally take a stand for each other and the relationship they both want, or will the holiday finally take its toll?

Advent Calendar Day 13

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Dreamspinner Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆
3.5 stars

This short story packs in a lot of issues – and maybe could have had a few less side threads going on, and still been a well-rounded story.

I enjoyed the humour, particularly when the British contingent arrived at an unexpected joint celebration. It also ensured that private thoughts had to be revealed, and the two men finally did some straight talking.

It was a good Christmassy read, reminding me of the many ways in which people choose to spend the season – whether constrained by family or eschewing tradition.


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆
M/M Romance, friends-to-lovers

Chess and Benjamin have been friends forever. They have a great group of friends and they normally have a fun holiday trip with them each year. The main issue is that neither Chess nor Benjamin believe that they can have anything other than what they have.

Chess knows that he wants more, but with Benjamin's flirty nature, Chess believes that Benjamin will never see him as more than just a casual hookup. But when push comes to shove, Benjamin and Chess will need to have a serious talk... family and holiday plans go awry and Chess and Benjamin have to lean on each other in order to survive this crazy year.

It's a sweet friends-to-lovers story, but almost too short to truly get a feel for their relationship and proper development of the craziness that was their holiday. However, it was enjoyable.


Sarah – ☆☆☆
This is a cute short story. Both Chess and Benjamin are likeable, if somewhat bland and predictable. The story takes Chess and Benjamin from skittish ‘friends with benefits’ to a committed happily ever after. I found it hard to trust the happily ever after when Benjamin kept going hot and cold on Chess – who was still partying hard at the start of the book. It’s Chess’ Aunt Beatrice who steals the story. She’s a little bit Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey and she did make me smile.

I’m not sure this works as a short story. I feel like the blurb tells most of the story but at the same time, I feel like key moments were rushed and I struggled to connect to characters who weren’t fully developed and a painfully predictable storyline.

LE FRANKS writes M/M romance and is known for her wicked sense of humor and appreciation of the fine art of irony, and the absurd. She writes fast-paced stories filled with emotion and passion and just a little snark. Her characters are quirky and complicated, people living in the margins—men in the middle of their journey, doing the best they can, while searching for a connection to something bigger than themselves.

LE Franks lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, surrounded by inspiration everywhere. She regularly indulges in a passion for travel every chance she gets, and can be found writing about sexy men who desperately need a happily ever after, shoving her cats off her laptop, and plotting her next escape out of the country. And one of these days she’s going to finish that serial killer love story that keeps bubbling around in her head.

LE Franks is a finalist for 2013 & 2014 Rainbow Awards. Her books are available through her publishers at MLR Press, Dreamspinner Press, and Pride Publishing and online bookstores.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Warmest Wishes: Death to Christmas Sweaters by LE Franks to read and review.

My Marine by LE Franks & Sara York

For a man who made his career in intelligence, falling for an Afghani national in the middle of a war zone wasn’t the smartest thing a Marine could do.

Marine Captain Sean Kelley loves his country and the men he serves with, but when he meets Akim, he’s tempted to throw it all away for the mysterious man. He knows better than to chase after a local, but repeat encounters culminating in a moment of passion leave him reeling—he’ll do almost anything to figure out how they can be together.

Akim Bijan has a secret of his own—one large enough to get more than just himself killed if it’s revealed. But from the moment he first lays eyes on the handsome Marine, he’s tempted to do just that rather than hide his growing attraction to the man. Being a translator allows him access to the base and he finds Sean alone one night. They take things farther than he ever intended. If only he could tell Sean everything, but his lips are sealed.

When tragedy strikes, Akim is afraid he’s lost Sean for good and he’s forced to make a decision that will change both their lives. Will love win—or will Sean and Akim be separated forever?

Publisher's Note: This story has been previously released as part of the Semper Fidelis anthology by Totally Bound Publishing.

Buy Links

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Totally Bound

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
For a very short read this packs in a lot of story. It starts in the charged atmosphere of a military base in Afghanistan and the unexpected attraction between an intelligence officer and a local translator. Through some pretty amazing coincidences it ends up in San Diego. I allowed myself to suspend my disbelief and accept that actually in reality such coincidences do happen – and it makes for a very hot, charming and enjoyable story.

LE Franks

At seventeen, LE Franks walked away from writing for love. Jumping head first into real life and travelling the world seemed to be fair compensation until the characters in her head demanded their turn. Now, living in the San Francisco Bay Area, surrounded by inspiration everywhere, LE is finally taking off the filters and giving the stories free rein. These days, LE can be found frequently writing about sexy men who desperately need a happily ever.

LE writes M/M Romance in a unique mix of humor and drama with enough suspense to produce fast-paced stories filled with emotion and passion and featuring characters that are quirky and complicated. Don’t expect the typical, rugged hero or sophisticated businessman with the world at their feet; LE’s men are living in the margins—they’re in the middle of their journey, doing the best they can while searching for a connection to something bigger than themselves. With a little effort, and a lot of luck, they may actually find their happily-ever-afters.

When not writing, LE wrangles an odd assortment of jobs (six—both paid and volunteer), houseguests (including pro baseball players), family, and friends. Manifesting an odd combination of contradictory talents and traits, LE is tragically honest and personally deceptive and makes the best piecrust—ever.

Connect with LE

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Google+  ~  tsū


Sara York

Sara York lives in the southern United States with her family and dogs. Sara loves romance that takes you to distant worlds where you could be a princess or a warrior. She enjoys reading about far away places, but writing is her passion. Her favourite vacation would be to spend the day at the beach while reading or writing a good book.

Connect with Sara

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Google+  ~  tsū

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of My Marine by LE Franks & Sara York to read and review.