Christmas with the Band

Sex, Love, and Rock & Roll #3.5

by Michelle Hazen

Tattoos, house fires, and house arrest: It’s Christmas with the Band!

All Jax wants for Christmas is for his favorite people to get along. So when he takes Ava home for the holidays, she vows to finally make peace with his drummer. What she gets instead is a house fire, house arrest, and the kind of dinner none of them will ever forget.

This comic romp of a holiday story wraps up the world of the Sex, Love and Rock and Roll series in a red lacy bow. Click now to have Christmas with the Band!

Genres: Novella

49 pages, ebook

Published September 3, 2018

About the author

Michelle Hazen is a nomad with a writing problem.

Years ago, she and her husband ducked out of the 9 to 5 world and moved into a life as digital nomads. She found her voice with the support of the online fanfiction community, and once she started typing, she never looked back.

As a result, she's written most of her books in odd places, including a bus in Thailand, an off-the-grid cabin in the Sawtooth Mountains, a golf cart in a sandstorm, a rental car during a heat wave in the Mohave Desert, a century-old Creole cottage in New Orleans, and a beach in Honduras. These days, she's writing all the romance and friendship scenes her heart can hold, while working as a freelance editor and writing coach with Sanctuary Editorial.

She's currently addicted to Shadow & Bone, rock climbing, and Tillamook cheese.

Michelle is the award-winning author of Breathe the Sky, Unbreak Me, So You Think You're a Match, and the Sex, Love, and Rock and Roll series. Find her at http://michellehazenbooks.com/ on Facebook or Instagram at @MichelleHazenAuthor, or follow her on Twitter @michellehazen.

Reviews

[Marie Vasquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adore Jera, Jax and Danny. I loved them the instant I read the first book in the series and have fallen harder for them since...but I don’t think this Christmas installment was necessary. After Jax and Ava’s story, I was happy for my Red Letters friends and all was well in the world. They found their loves, their music continues to climb the charts and their fame is consistently growing.

But this Christmas novella, though it ended on a happy note, only burst my bubble with discourse amongst Jera and Ava that I wasn’t aware was still there. It wasn’t all happy, happy joy, joy as they sang Christmas carols as one big happy family.

The story was good and it eventually ended with a peace between all the characters, but I did. It think it was needed...at all.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, so this was WAY TOO SHORT!

Fair warning, you need to read the previous books to understand what happens here, and while this is a sort of closure for Jax and Ava story, this shows so much of their dinamic as a band that if you don't read the previous ones, you won't really understand.

When Jax and Ava got their happy ending, Jera and Ava were nowhere near that point. JEra can't forvige Ava for turning her back on Jax and Ava has no cluie as to how help that and Jax is a ball of stress because how can two of his 3 women not get along?

So I'm a huge The Red Letters fan and this book was everything I wanted and more (except long)

We get to see the guys off tour in a more relax enviroment but as crazy as ever. Christmas is always hectic and they aren't the exception. What I really loved is that the author manages to make you understand both sides. Jera is trying to protect her friend and Ava was going through her own troubles back then so...

This one is more on the fun side than emotional but still we get to see them so well and focus on everyone!

I loved a bit about friendship that Ava says at the end, about how crazy the band and the reasons they liked her. And that was probably my favourite part, because at the end, isn't that how the best friends are? They like us for our flaws and our real versions and Ava has been a characterfor the media for so long that I guess they just needed to see the real Ava before letting her in. She needed to know that it was ok to be herslef in front of them too.

I'm going to miss the band so much! There's still so many things I'd love to see but I'm really excited about Michelle's next proyect but I don't think I'll forget The Red Letters in a long time.

[Keyrsten Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The one thing I had wanted with Insatiable (Sex, Love, and Rock & Roll #3) was to be able to see things through Ava's perspective. Michelle granted that wish in Christmas with the Band. This novella takes place a few months after Insatiable ends. It's Christmas Eve and Ava yearns to give Jax the one Christmas present he wants but will never ask for, for Ava and Jera to make amends. She vows to do everything she can to finally make peace with Jera, even at the expense of her own pride.

The witty banter that I have come to love in this series was back with a vengeance with this novella. It was refreshing to see a more vulnerable side of Ava. There was a peak of it at the end of Insatiable, but it was nice to see it through Ava's eyes. She's still struggling to relax and be herself after using costumes and a persona to hide herself for so many years. Ava is still trying to find her place in her new world, and in her relationship with Jax. The friction between Ava and Jera is white hot from the get go, and it was interesting to watch them interact with each other throughout. Not only did they have to face their problems with each other, but also the fears they both had of the future. I really enjoyed this glimpse into Ava's head and seeing the love that both women had for our precious Jax.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella is the continuation of Michelle Hazen’s previous installment to her Sex, Love, and Rock & Roll series featuring our lead singer Jackson Sterling. Jax for short. So if you plan on picking up this final chapter, be sure to read that one first because, like with Danny and Kate, Jax and Ava’s story is just a smidgen too big to fit into just one book that it needed two.

I’ll be honest: I obviously had my issues with Insatiable, but not enough to keep me from enjoying the story as a whole. Jax is probably my favorite character whose story I was excited about the most, partly because I felt like he could’ve been the most “relatable,” not in his drug addiction but in his insecurities, but he was also a favorite because I have always had an affinity for lead singers in bands. Like, if I were a professional groupie, lead singers would be my bread and butter.

Christmas with the Band is a really short novella clocking in at just 46 pages. It picks up about five months after Insatiable, I believe, at Christmastime — Christmas Eve, to be exact — and Jera is still pissed at Ava for how she reacted to Jax’s big secret reveal. Ava’s trying to make nice the best she can because she knows how much Jax would love it if everyone he loves could get along; it’d be the perfect Christmas gift she could possibly give him. Or so she thinks.

There were a lot of humorous moments in this one, particularly between Jera and her husband Jacob, that made me laugh even though I wanted to keep being stubbornly mad at her for her treatment of Ava. Jacob is just too charming for his own good. I do wish that this novella was just a tiny bit longer, maybe ten chapters like Danny and Kate got in Tie Me Down, if only because I kind of wanted to see the interaction between Ava and Jera after their presumed truce.

I love the conclusion with just Jax and Ava, I’ll always love that, but I just kind of wanted a tiny bit more. As it is, this is still a good conclusion to the series. If you’re an emotional reader like I am, this may pull hard at your heartstrings, so keep a box of Kleenex by your side as you fly through this.

[Esther Haddie's Haven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I RECEIVED AN ARC OF THIS BOOK FOR HONEST REVIEW, AND IN PARTICIPATION OF A BLOG TOUR.

Christmas with the Band was a very QUICK read. I literally started and finished within a single hour. I have not read any of the books in the original series, so I am not familiar with any of the characters, but the little bit given in this book was enough to give me a love for them. Though I am at a bit of a crossroads with Jera. Its a hate/love feeling. Because she cares about Jax, but it feels like she doesn't have any faith in him that he will stay clean. I could relate to Ava, the lead voice/perspective in this short story. She is Jax's girlfriend. She's had some tough times, and Jera just hates her guts. I adored Jax with Maya, Jacob's daughter. So adorable. Warmed and melted my heart.
This book has it's funny moments. But also brings to light the seriousness of family and selflessness. Because Ava is definitely giving up what she wants to let Jax spend Christmas Eve with his band.

4.5 of 5 Stars

[Reads & Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm crying over food. It happens, though never fictional food, but that's what Michelle Hazen brings to the table (pun intended). This series has been an absolute joy to read and even though Christmas with the Band was only 46 pages long, it packed a punch and, what I believe, was an important one.

Told from Ava's POV, CwtB catches up with The Red Letters' band members and their significant others month after the end of Insatiable. We get little glimpses of all the characters, but they're perfect glimpses and I cherished every moment.

But the powerful part of CwtB, at least for me, is that readers get to see Jera come full circle. She started the series unsure of herself and grew in each installment as both a musician and a woman. In CwtB, she's confident, happy, and showing her Mama Bear claws. I loved this so much!

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for honest feedback.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved this whole series - read in order. Michelle Hazen has a great way of writing that brings her characters to life with quirky personalities, funny repartes, emotional depth (even if they are just trying to wrap their minds and hearts around it), and of course their own personal demons. There are plenty of sexy times along the way, heartache, betrayal, determination, hope, forgiveness. The interplay between the characters makes them really feel like a family and I for one am sorry to see this series come to an end. Will definitely look to read more by Michelle Hazen. She's one of those authors that I know I will love whatever she writes... Read this series and I challenge you not to fall for Jera, Jax and Danny (and their significant others, Jacob, Kate and Ava), despite all their flaws.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is best read following Insatiable

Finally.
Someone gets a backbone and calls Jera out of her awfulness.
Jera spent most of this series not surprised when Jax uses and fully expects him to relapse that in her mind it's only a matter of time, a when not an if. And Ava sees this and calls her out.
All Jera's quirky adorableness from other books isn't present in this or in Insatiable and it makes her incredibly unlikable.
It would have been nice to read Jera apologise to Ava rather than give her a dish of candied yams, which we are meant to interpret as all is good between them.
It was great revisiting with previous characters.
Seeing the birth of Jera's baby would have been a great end to the series.

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michelle Hazen gave a bonus round with the boys of The Red Letters & their significant others. And it's told from Ava's, Jax's girlfriend, POV. It's short novella as they all gather around for a Christmas dinner, and the drama is thick since Jera can't let go of her hatred of Ava, so yeah, that was chaotic because seriously?! How much can a person apologize before she finally has enough? It was also great to get another chance to see the boys again since the series ended, even if it was a short & super fast paced read with tons of feelings flying around. It's definitely a dinner that you will never forget! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooh, I won't pass up a chance to see what's going on with The Red Letters! This was a very fast read for me. We, the readers, saw a new side to Ava. Her guard is down and she's intimidated by Jax's framily. She knows how much his friends mean to him and the fact that Jera doesn't like her, puts her on edge. This is the story of how Ava takes one for the team and supports Jax, even though it's difficult. Emotions were high and the love was palpable through the pages. Take another peek into life with the band!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good short read. It was great seeing Ava and Jax again, the story is mostly told with Ava’s POV, and they meet up with all the characters, Danny and Jera. A little unexpected excitement is in the horizon though which gives them all a dinner they’ll never forget.
A happy Christmas reunion and a great novella, just right for a quick read.
I enjoyed the series and this novella was a nice little HEA for everyone!

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great finale to a great series

I loved each and every book in the series!!! It is fresh and new and the writing is woven into a believable world. No pansy ass do gooder types but real people struggling with Real problems! Sometimes they concur the problems but sometimes they have to reach deep inside of themselves to keep on going! All with the unconditional love of the people around them!!! Great going Michelle!!

[Isha Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hazen gives one last glimpse of the chaos as we say goodbye to the band. Will Ava and Jax finally get it right? Christmas with the Band is a heartwarming chance to feel the burn before the fire fades away. Family is never easy, but opening yourself to love is even harder. Witness what it means to be a family, one frustrating, aggravating step at a time.

[Tara Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow okay....

I finally finished the whole series. And I have some thoughts on this novella. I liked the whole series. In this installment I almost hated Jera who I ALWAYS LOVED. She was so hateful towards Ava. It almost ruined it for me. Glad it all worked out. Jax has always been my favorite.

[Jules Lennon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wasn't ready

I did not want this to end! Hoping for another book. This was so sweet, loved the ending. I've grown to love what each crazy musician brings to the table. Absolutely beautiful.

[Aleta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wrapped with a bow

I didn’t realize the Sex, Love, and Rock & Roll series had any unfinished business, but it did. And once again, Michelle wrapped it up nicely with a pretty bow for Christmas! A perfect ending to the series!

[Anna Theurer (Anna's Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This quick enjoyable read is book 3.5 in the Sex, Love, and Rock and Roll series. It is not a standalone so I do recommend starting with book 1. Christmas With the Band is told from Ava’s POV. She is still with Jax (one of my favorite couples!) and they are off to spend Christmas with his band, The Red Letters. This novella is not a standalone - the previous books from this series should be read first.

One thing that I like about Michelle’s Hazen’s books is the character development. They are all strong and have traits that make them unique and flaws that sometimes want to shake some sense into them. She makes them human. In this case, there were times that I wanted to snap at Jera. We met Ava in Jax’s book “Insatiable” and the author painted her as a type A, in control character who bonded with Jax. Yes, she had faults and one of her actions hurt those in the band, but she also owned up to them in a very public way. Yet even though she has apologized and the rest of the band, including Jax, have forgiven her, Jada still cannot let go. Jada slings cruel words towards Ava.

I really enjoyed having this novella told from Ava’s POV. She was a character that I had a little more difficulty identifying with previously and it was good to really see her thoughts and feelings. I also loved “meeting up” with all my favorite characters. I do wish the novella was a little longer because I would have like to have seen further into the future i.e. Jada having her baby and how things go with Danny’s cancer, with those told from their POV. It is a bittersweet end to this rockstar series. I fell in love all the characters and I am sad that the series is over but, I am happy that they all got their HEAs.

I received this book as an ARC and I voluntarily leave this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.