Preston's Christmas Escape

Naughty in Pendleton #5

by Brigham Vaughn

Actor Preston Graves' Kinky Secret Exposed!

Preston Graves is a household name among the TV-watching masses. Handsome, accessible, relatable. But when his not-so-vanilla personal life goes public, he high-tails it back to his home state of Michigan for the holidays—to the man (and Dom) he once loved.

Blake Aldrich tried love, twice. When it didn’t work, he retreated to focus on his pottery. He finds success but he’s never forgotten what he lost. His lover. His submissive. His best friend. Now Preston is back, invoking a childhood pact and dragging a Hollywood-sized mess into Blake’s tidy life.

The lure of a sub in Blake’s woodland retreat tempts him and the lacy surprises under Preston’s clothes are a present he can’t resist unwrapping. The heat between them ignites and their old feelings come rushing back, but Tinstletown is still calling Preston’s name.

Blake will have to choose whether to follow the man he’s always loved, or be left out in the cold.

Preston's Christmas Escape contains predicament bondage, lingerie, paparazzi, and a second chance at love. Although set in the Pendleton Bay world, it can be read as a standalone story.

Genres: M M Romance, BDSM, Romance, Second Chance, Holiday, Contemporary, Christmas

310 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 23, 2021

About the author

Brigham Vaughn is on the adventure of a lifetime as a full-time writer. She devours books at an alarming rate and hasn’t let her short arms and long torso stop her from doing yoga. She makes a killer key lime pie, hates green peppers, and loves wine tasting tours. A collector of vintage Nancy Drew books and green glassware, she enjoys poking around in antique shops and refinishing thrift store furniture. An avid photographer, she dreams of traveling the world and she can’t wait to discover everything else life has to offer her.

Reviews

[Ed Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been working on reading books that got pushed down and forgotten on my kindle. I’m a big fan of Brigham Vaughn so I was delighted when I found this book. I wasn’t disappointed at all. I loved Preston and Blake. The setting at Blake’s cabin was perfect, and Moose was a fun addition. This is a second chance story and they’re usually not my favorites, but this was an exception. It’s so well written and the kink is hot.

[AussieMum · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars but rounded to three cos it’s Xmas but clearly in the minority here so…

I find it hard to rate Xmas books but in the end I like to hold them to the same standard of anything I read without the word “Christmas” in the title.

This book was fine, if you like a mindless romance to get lost in. Something you don’t have to think too hard with. Where everything is spelled out right from the beginning. And the plot telegraphed a mile ahead so you know exactly what’s coming, and when.

I am sad to say, I didn’t get swept away in Xmas fever here. Even with the kinky Christmas lights I found myself bored to death. Wanting to claw my way out of the secluded cabin and run in the woods with Moose, the dog. Moose may not have been kinky but he was certainly one of the best characters in this book.

I skimmed the last quarter of this just because I didn’t want to be a grinch and DNF. But I really bloody wanted to. Disappointing because I really enjoyed Tony, Jude & Logan’s book, and Jude’s cameo here. YMMV.

[Rin (indefinite hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book doesn’t fit in a box

Labeling this as a kinky holiday book almost does it a disservice. Is it kinky? Yes. And it is done SO WELL. Brigham is SO good at kink without it being over the top. Is it a holiday book? Yup. But it is so much more than all of that. There’s the perfect second chance love, some drama, some humor, some sweetness, all the feels, awesome side characters… I read it in one sitting. I’ve only read the first two in this series then skipped to this one and I’ve loved them all and can’t wait to go back and read book 3 and 4. I adore Brigham’s writing and can’t wait for what else she’ll deliver.

[ML · Rating 5 out of 5]

hot hot hot

I’m not usually a big fan of second chance romances but this one really sucks you in and never lets go.

Preston and Blake were best friends then lovers until it all blew up when they were in college. 10 years later Preston really needs Blake. Blake steps up. When they are face to face again, there are instant sparks. Chemistry was never their problem though. Circumstances were. This is their journey to finding love again. It’s kinky, hot and very romantic. Loved it!!!

[Smut Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have made no secret of the fact that I adore Brigham Vaughn’s skill at writing character-driven stories. Preston’s Christmas Escape is a festive example of this wonderful ability.

Have you ever imagined how difficult it would be for a celebrity to satisfy their kinks when they’re always under public scrutiny? Preston is a hugely popular actor, easily recognised, and when his visit to a kink club to get his submissive desires sated results in public photos – he is forced into hiding. 

With very few options, he turns to his old friend and former Dom to help him, even though their breakup was painful and they haven’t talked since. Invoking an old pact, Preston presses on Blake’s sentimental buttons to get his assistance. They end up buttonholed in Blake’s cabin in the woods as Christmas approaches.

My absolute favourite thing about this story is the passionate use of emotion in illuminating the plotline. It’s deeply felt and tangible, with a solid connection between these very genuine personalities. Their journey back to each other and to their HEA is achingly beautiful as well as really hot!

Readers who are looking for a spicy holiday read, with some longing and kink, will find exactly what they desire in Preston’s Christmas Escape. Brigham Vaughn delights the mind with her passionate words and fully developed world. 

There’s no need to have read the previous 4 books in the Naughty in Pendleton series, as they stand alone – but each book is fantastic and deserves to be read! 

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author.

Preston Graves had a secret. Now it’s out in the world and he really, really needs a place to hide. Unfortunately, hiding is rather difficult when you’re a very well known Hollywood star.

He reaches out to his childhood friend and ex-boyfriend, Blake Aldrich. Blake, the man he lived with his whole heart. The man who was his Dom, his lover, his best friend. And now, his very reluctant savior, proving him with a place in the middle of nowhere to hide.

The author provides a glimpse into a world of kink, of Doms and Subs and the dynamics between them. It is an open and honest exploration of this world as well as an open and honest story of love rekindled, the ways we can find compromise and how second chances are sometimes better than the first. I love everything about the author’s Naughty in Pendleton series and this book is no exception. Preston Graves had a secret. Now it’s out in the world and he really, really needs a place to hide. Unfortunately, hiding is rather difficult when you’re a very well known Hollywood star.

He reaches out to his childhood friend and ex-boyfriend, Blake Aldrich. Blake, the man he lived with his whole heart. The man who was his Dom, his lover, his best friend. And now, his very reluctant savior, proving him with a place in the middle of nowhere to hide.

The author provides a glimpse into a world of kink, of Doms and Subs and the dynamics between them. It is an open and honest exploration of this world as well as an open and honest story of love rekindled, the ways we can find compromise and how second chances are sometimes better than the first. I love everything about the author’s Naughty in Pendleton series and this book is no exception.

[Leelah🍁♋️ Orion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Score for the kink

I love a great kink book. I love even more when it’s a positive story. When your secret desires are found out. You run to the person who knows you the best. Through that you find love. This was a once in a life time love. One that never went away. Add in a little Christmas magic one can’t help to fall in love all over again. The writing was great. The smexy was great and the side characters seemed fun. I can’t help but wonder why B was the hurt one though. He did the pushing away so by his own doing he broke the relationship. Yet he was mad at P? That was the things I was having issues with. Other than that great story

[Fernanda Parente · Rating 5 out of 5]

Preston is an actor in Hollywood who is caught in a kinky club which shakes his entire career and life.
Seeing his career fall apart he decides to hide in the home of a childhood friend and his former lover, Blake, who after the separation between the two, becomes an established but reclusive ceramist.
Blake tries to emotionally move away from Preston's presence, not least because the actor will only be at his home while I decide which direction to take his career.
Is there a second chance between Blake and Preston?
Great book of a theme that is not even my favorite, but I loved it
I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Preston and Blake's story is a second chance, holiday romance with some creative bdsm between two guys who instantly fell back into the deep emotions for one another. They were obviously perfect for each other, and aside from the distance and press and even the past hurts, it was pretty easy. These boys were sweet, and in tune to the other's needs. There were some fun naughty scenes, and some sweet moments. It was a good Christmas read, with a beautiful happy ending.

[Helena Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this story. It's hot with just the right amount of angst and quite a few smiles along the way too. I really can't go wrong with a Brigham Vaughn book, can I?

[DeeNeez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lace manties! Even though there was a lot of sappy dialogue, there was some steaming chemistry. Did I mention lace manties? Hot! Worth the read on this second chance romance.

[Julie Underhill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preston’s Christmas Escape: A Naughty in Pendleton Holiday Story by Brigham Vaughn is the story of Preston, a Hollywood TV actor, and Blake, a somewhat reclusive potter who lives in Michigan. Preston and Blake grew up together and were college roommates. That’s when they discovered they loved each other and got into kink. However, an accident pulled them apart and they went their separate ways, still longing for each other but not knowing what to do about it. 10 years pass and Preston’s career is at a high when pictures of him at a kink club surface and send him reeling as he tries to escape Hollywood and the paparazzi. He knows his friends in Michigan will be there for him but they are tied up with their own lives so the only person he can think of to help him is Blake. He takes him in but is not happy about it because it brings back all of the memories of their lives together and he has been trying to let them go. Preston arrives at Blake’s somewhat remote cabin a week before Christmas. As they get to know each other again the fall back in love and their relationship grows over the week, both knowing that it will end because Preston’s life wouldn’t be fulfilled without acting and Blake is unwilling to become a part of the Hollywood lifestyle. They have a wonderful Christmas with both of their families but the paparazzi catch up with them that night and that sends Preston back to Hollywood. They have decisions to make about if they can give each other up after all they have been through and the road to their HEA is very romantic. I enjoyed this story because it realistically showed how two men can love each other, break up, and then find each other even though they are apart. It also showed that their families loved them and were willing to do whatever they could to help. There were characters from other books in the series that were included in this one so it brought back memories of other parts of the stories and how they were intertwined. The love scenes were also intensely hot and included the kink Preston and Blake were into. I think these words from the end of the story sum it up well: “Time. Distance. Circumstances. Stupidity.” If you enjoyed the other Naughty in Pendleton books, like stories about kink, and savor men who love each other so much nothing can keep them apart then you should read this book.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blake and Preston are the last of their friend group to fall in love.... well actually to fall in love "again". They’d been in love since high school, but it all fell apart due to unforeseen circumstances. Preston went to California to become a huge Hollywood star, and both of them thought that was it. They’d lost their one chance at finding and keeping what they both knew was their true soulmate.

Preston has found out the hard way that Hollywood is not forgiving of the lifestyle for those in certain "other lifestyles". Once Preston’s secret BDSM lifestyle is splashed all over the news channels and papers for everyone to see, his job is in jeopardy and he runs to the only man, and the only place that he knows he’ll be truly safe.... his home state of Michigan and the man he has never stopped loving, Blake.

It's the Christmas season which makes this a sweet, even if sometimes sad, Christmas romance. It’s a romance that would have worked pretty much any time of year, but the added influence of both the men’s well-meaning families, makes their reconnection all the more poignant.

Both Blake and Preston have grown and matured in the time they’ve been apart. The "kink" lifestyle and the chemistry they shared was never the problem, it was always the distance...the separation...so it wasn't too much of a surprise that they more or less easily take up where they left off. It’s what happens after Christmas that makes this sweet, spicy romance so very worth the read. It's almost like it's straight out of a Hallmark movie and there is a "happy ever after" after a mature compromise on all sides.

I really enjoyed this particular story as it is set in my adopted, but well loved, state of Michigan and the characters visited the cities of Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Battle Creek...cities that I live in, and frequent all the time. I look forward to reading many more stories, especially those set in Pembleton, by Brigham Vaughn.

[Colleen (colleenreads40) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.25/5 ⭐

Preston's Christmas Escape is the fifth and final book in Brigham Vaughn's Naughty in Pendleton series. It could be read as a complete standalone. Here's what you can expect from Preston and Blake:

💛 MM contemporary kinky romance
💛 Third person dual point of view
💛 Guaranteed happily ever after
💛 Second chances
💛 Lingerie
💛 Predicament bondage
💛 A meddling rescue dog

But whether Preston wore his collar or not, he was still Blake’s all the same. “That’s because you’re mine,” he whispered. “Always have been. Always will be.”

Second chance romances are hit and miss for me, and unfortunately they end up being misses more often than not. However, that was absolutely not the case with Preston's Christmas Escape! I absolutely loved Blake and Preston's second chance at love, and the book itself comes in as a close second to my favourite in the series, Flipping the Switch.

Blake and Preston were just so damn swoony and of course, so spicy together. When their story picks back up after a disastrous breakup in college, Preston's now a famous actor and Blake is a recluse, preferring the solitude of the forest to run his successful pottery business. Circumstances out of their control throw them back together, and I love how Brigham wrote a couple that was both familiar but still new to one another. Those are the kind of second chance romances that resonate with me. As with all of Brigham's work, she did another fantastic portrayal and exploration of kink. Coupled with the cozy Christmas vibes of the book, I rooted for Blake and Preston from the very beginning and had a great time reading their book!

[J.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book can stand completely on its own and is not officially part of the Naughty in Pendleton series as far as I can tell on Amazon and Goodreads. However, it references familiar characters from the full series and is not to be missed by readers who also enjoyed this book (and vice versa). Blake and Preston are the last of their friend group to find love, but there’s a catch. They’ve already found love together once, but it fell apart due to their relative experience and circumstances. Once Preston went off to become a Hollywood star, both men figured that was it. They’d lost their single chance at their soulmate.

However, Hollywood stardom is not a forgiving lifestyle for those in certain other lifestyles. Once Preston’s secrets are splashed for all to see, he seeks escape in the only place he knows he’ll be safe. It happens to be the holidays, which makes this a Christmas romance. It’s also a romance that would have worked pretty much any time of year, but the added influence of both men’s truly well-meaning families makes their reconnection all the more poignant.

Both men have grown and matured in the time they’ve been apart. The kink and chemistry they share were never the problems, so it’s not much of a surprise that they fall back together so easily. It’s what happens after the holidays that makes this sweetly spicy romance worth the read. We get a romantic declaration straight out of a Hallmark movie and a happily ever after made up of excellently mature compromise on all sides. I enjoyed returning to Pendleton Bay this holiday season, and I look forward to reading more by Vaughn in the new year.

[Mu · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 5th entry in the Naughty in Pendleton series which I've been reading a bit out of order. I started with Made to Order to Flipping the Switch, now this one.

One thing I really like so far about the series is that there is really a different dynamic in each of these. I haven't read any other of Brigham Vaughn's works but it's always fun to see different implements and relationships in each one. Although, I'm kind of over the Sir honorific.

I won't repeat what I've said in previous reviews, I felt like I covered most of my thoughts in my Made to Order review. It really does apply to every book in this series as I'm also writing these after reading all 5 books currently out.

Preston and Blake are exes, so there's already a lot of history there that we aren't privy to at first. It slowly gets drip fed in through the series what had happened between the two of them. Suffice to say though, they're not over each other.
Their dynamic though was great, it is exceedingly sweet. A nice change of pace compared to some of the pain sluts of the previous books I've read. Not to say there isn't a whole lotta kink in there, but there's a lot of fluffy moments.

I think it's not overtly Christmas but it does have that nice vibe of coziness. There's a lot of themes of family, love, and acceptance. It's all wrapped up in a neat little bow, pun intended.

These stories aren't gonna wine and dine you, but I still think they're great fun!

[Jocelyn F · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great second chance romance story. Preston and Blake were childhood friends and college lovers, who broke up, leaving Preston to leave for Hollywood, and Blake to rebuild a life for himself in Michigan. Years later, they are thrown back together when a scandal in LA forces Preston to lay low.

I loved how their relationship evolved and the chemistry between Blake and Preston was HOT! I love how Brigham incorporated kink into these stories, especially showing how Preston refused to sell out his community to help restore his image.

This is a great Christmas story, without being one of those over the top Hallmark Christmas, rot-your-teeth sweetness level reads. You don't need to read the Pendleton Bay series, but characters from at least Flipping the Switch make an appearance and others are referenced, and they're really good so I recommend the whole series!!

**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how I loved this kinky couple!! A great story of true love ever dies, learning to live the life that is true to yourself and what makes you happy! Blake and Preston were best friends, college roommates and dating until they weren’t. Preston went to be a Hollywood actor, Blake retreated, hid out in Michigan with his pottery. But one day Preston needed Blake’s help, and it was like those years in between didn’t change the feelings, the love they had for one another.

I love this book, love, family, friends, and most importantly Moose, that adorable dog!!! Brigham’s story telling is so complete, the background, humor, friendship, understanding, forgiveness, happiness and the relationship between Blake and Preston was hot, sexy and being tied up was so beautiful!! The author describes all the details, the genuine need to serve in Preston and the protectiveness of Blake for his sub!! Loved this entire book!! The entire series has been amazing, definitely a must read!!

[mmreads430 · Rating 5 out of 5]

When news of a BDSM scandal of career-ending proportions breaks, TV actor (and submissive) Preston needs to get out of L.A. —fast. His last hope is his ex-boyfriend (and his former Dom) Blake, who reluctantly agrees to let him hide out with him and his dog at his cabin in the remote Michigan woods outside Pendleton Bay. I love a second chance story, where two characters realize that walking away from each other might have been the biggest mistake of their lives. Alone together in the quiet cabin during the week leading up to Christmas, Preston and Blake have a chance to reconnect as friends and kinky D/s lovers, but whether they have a shot at something more is the larger question. Finding the answer will involve walks in the woods, hot chocolate and Christmas movies while curled up on the sofa, and yes, lots of spanking. This holiday-themed story with all the feels and super hot kinky fun times is just what all the naughty boys and girls deserve in their stocking this year!

[Ashley D · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Preston gets caught at a club, he needs somewhere to hide for a week or two, he calls his ex Blake to see if he will allow him to hide out at his house in the woods. Blake agrees to have Preston stay with him, but he never expects them to pick up right where they left off a decade ago. Preston and Blake agree to a time frame but both of them know that their love for each other is never going away, even if they only have a week before Preston has to go back to Hollywood and try to salvage his career.

I enjoyed watching both Preston and Blake learn how to be together again after they were both hurt when they walked away from each other. The tension and chemistry between Preston and Blake never went away and you can see they both want to pick up right where things left off, even knowing they are going to be hurt in the long run. It was also nice to see some of the other characters from the Pendleton series.

[K-Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Holiday Story had ALL the feels! It was hot, steamy, kinky all wrapped up with two sweet very lovable men! Preston and Blake had been separated for over a decade with Blake making pottery in their hometown and Preston an actor now needing a place to hide. The back story of why these two separated despite their deep love and attachment was tragic yet understandable for two young guys. This was told from both of their POV and I NEEDED them to have a HEA so bad I could not put this book down. I was totally invested! How much they love each other and belong together jumps off the pages! I loved the way the kink was seamlessly and naturally woven into a love story that was just as sweet and sappy as it was hot and steamy. I received an ARC of this book and I highly recommend as a very original Holiday Treat! and also their is a cute dog MOOSE!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fabu-tactic! I’m seriously so in love with Preston and Blake! Brigham Vaughn sure knows how to write kink and this was a second chance at getting to love each other all while dealing with some drama in Preston’s life and Blake finding his way back to being Preston’s Dom! Their chemistry is off the charts and their connection is so incredibly real and raw. Their scenes together are full of love and heat and need and I just ached for them to get their HEA!

I legitimately forced myself to stay up to finish this book even though my body was trying to fall asleep, I did not want to put it down! I highly recommend this one to any kink friendly reader who loves a good D/s relationship with service aspects! And the dog! OMG the dog is the best and I want him to be mine ❤️

[RedsBookReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the Pendleton story I never knew I needed! Amazing and I loved every minute of it. What more could you want from a kinky Christmas story?

Blake and Preston were college roommates who became more. Both were left heartbroken when they split up, with Blake burying himself in his pottery work and Preston becoming a famous Hollywood actor. When a scandal causes Preston to flee LA to work out his next steps he ends up staying with Blake as he has nowhere else to turn to.

I adored how Blake and Preston slowly worked back to rekindling their relationship and how they managed to work things out even when they were so conflicted. It was great to have cameos from some of the other Pendleton residents as well. This book was just amazing and the Cherry on the top of a fabulous series.

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a second chance romance for Person and Blake—already one of my favorite tropes, but combine it with the holiday vibes and plenty of heat and you have something really enjoyable, and memorable. I liked, so much, the premise of this story and the characters who inhabited it— Preston’s escape from LA brings him to so many good things: the love of his life, another chance to get things right, a solidly awesome supporting cast of friends and family. The chemistry between Preston and Blake works on both emotional and physical levels, and their happily-ever-after is so worth every step it takes to get them there. Well worth a read!

*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Monae Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was another one of my favorites in the Naughty In Pendleton series. Preston Graves is a household name among the TV watching masses. When his NOT so vanilla personal life goes public he has to hightail it back to his home state of Michigan for the holidays and to the DOM and man he once loved.

Blake Aldrich tried love once but it didn’t work. He decided to focus on his pottery where he finds success. He never forgot his submissive and lover Preston. Preston hides out with Blake and he hides some rather lacy secrets that gets Blake’s heart drumming hot. They end up coming back together in lots of heat and back in love with each other.

This book was perfect and steamy and I loved every moment of it. I enjoyed reading this book and the entire series.

[Tammy Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is another reason why I one-click anything by Brigham Vaughn. This emotionally charged story of Preston and Blake will have you so engrossed that you'll finish it it one sitting! Preston is out of options and cashes in a childhood pact promise from Blake. The history between these two characters is intense and passionate but ultimately wasn't meant to be. When Preston and Blake reunite, they discover that their feelings never quite ended and there is a whole lot more between them than they realized. I loved the connection these two had and how utterly perfect they were when they allowed themselves to just be.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed every bit of this sexy second chance romance. Preston and Blake were perfect for each other, but Preston was had to work hard to persuade his gun-shy former dom and boyfriend to even let Preston hide out at his remote home. I loved the way the men rekindled their relationship even as they fought through the awkwardness of having everyone know they were kinky. I appreciated the family members who didn't understand but supported them anyway, and I loved the friends who knew they belonged together. This romance was terrific, and I was very satisfied with the HEA that Preston and Blake both deserved.

[Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is beyond second chance. These guys are meant to be together from childhood on but life gets in the way. Thank goodness life gets in the way again and tries to get them to work it out. This story is much more than a holiday story. I just felt for these two who were half’s of the other. Neither lifestyle really fit together with the other but their hearts did. I loved the family interactions. I enjoyed Moose. It was fun to see how Blake’s sister brought out the oblivion in Blake. The emotional plus is so in-depth that it is apparent to all around them. This really contributes to the heart warmth of the relationship and feel to the story.

[Elaine Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Preston's and Blake's story is the best so far in this series. It gives a chance to see how the characters friends and families react after learning about their kinky lifestyle. Preston is not only caught with his pants down but his kinky side is shown also. Preston hides out with Blake after the truth comes out and they rediscover each other. Blake and Preston still love each other and the chemistry is still there after all these years. The book is sweet, romantic, kinky, funny, and their sexy times are hot. They have such amazing friends and family and you can't help but hope these two get their happily ever after.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second chance love perfection
Damn! No one does kink like Brigham Vaughn! Words can't express how much I loved this story - it honestly blew me away.
This is set in the Naughty In Pendleton universe, but can definitely be read as a standalone. I'm thrilled we finally got Preston and Blake's story - and what a story it is! Whew! Preston (the Hollywood star) and Blake (the popular potter) have to figure out how the love and steam (and kink) they share can blend with their very different lives.
I refuse to give any spoilers (it's THAT good!). But let me say emphatically say that I can't recommend this book enough. So much swoon and love and steam and kink and...