Played by the Rockstar

Mile High Rocked #1

by Christina Hovland

A rock star walks into a bar…

Certified behavioral counselor (and former band groupie) Becca Forrester needs a break. Taking a leave of absence from her job, she moves into the apartment over her parents’ garage, and clinches a gig waitressing at a dive bar known for bringing in big name musicians.

Cedric “Linx” Lincoln is a certified rock star. Bassist for the hugely popular rock band, Dimefront, he’s in Denver while the band is on hiatus a-freaking-gain. He's looking for something—anything—to keep him occupied until they can all get back to making music. When he saunters into his friend’s bar, he finds the perfect diversion.

Becca’s presence is a breath of fresh air. The sizzle she ignites in him is precisely what he needs. Bonus: no-stress, no-strings hookups are his specialty. But when things between them tip toward serious, his band implodes, and Becca's leave of absence ends, they’re forced to decide what their “real” lives should look like. Maybe there’s room for an encore…

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Music, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Fiction

282 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 8, 2021

About the author

Christina Hovland lives her own version of a fairy tale: an artisan chocolatier by day and romance writer by night. Born in Colorado, Christina received a degree in journalism from Colorado State University. Before opening her chocolate company, Christina’s career spanned from the television newsroom to managing an award-winning public relations firm. She’s a recovering overachiever and perfectionist with a love of cupcakes and dinner she doesn’t have to cook herself. A 2017 Golden Heart® finalist, she lives in Colorado with her first-boyfriend-turned-husband, four children, the sweetest dog around, and now Chloe, the wonder pup.

Reviews

[Wendy'sThoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

❤️💕❤️💕❤️Groupie Time!!! QUICK, FREE!!!
November 23, 2020
Not Everyone Is Able To Run Away...
When Feeling Like Life Has Become Too Much...
Becca Forrester, Certified Behavioral Counselor...
Is One Of The Lucky Ones...

The Stress Levels of Her Life...
Has Caused Her To Prescribe...
A Serious Course Of Action...

Drop Her Career For Now...
Sell All Things Without Meaning...
Relocate to Parent's Garage Apartment...
Get Hired At Brek’s Bar in Denver...

So Far So Good...
Because Bands And Music...
Are Becca's Jam...

The Dive Bar Is A Win-Win...
A Well Known Secret...
Big Time Bands, Musicians...
All Come To Play Without Notice...

Cedric “Linx” Lincoln Knows Brek'Bar Well...
He Should, As Bassist of Dimefront...
The Rockstar Thing Has Been Great...
Until His Bandmates Have...
Blown Off Working Again...

Frustrated, Tired, And Looking...
For Something To Keep Him Occupied...
Till Those Dummies Get Focused...

Cedric is Open To Whatever...
Or Maybe Whoever Crosses His Path...

Becca And Cedric Are On The Same Page...
A No-Stress, No-Strings "Thing" Is Perfect For Both...

Becca Just Needs To Be Careful...
Feelings Set Aside...
Otherwise, She May End Up...

Played by the Rockstar (Mile High Rocked Book 1)-March 2, 2021

Played by the Rockstar (Mile High Rocked Book 1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Knocked Up by the Rockstar: A laugh-out-loud wild ride!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Do you want to see where Mile High Started, here is the Mile High Matched series that can be read in any order and each as a Stand-Alone:

Going Down on One Knee (Mile High Matched #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Rock Hard Cowboy (A Mile High Matched, #1.5)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Blow Me Away (Mile High Matched, #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Take It Off the Menu (Mile High Matched, #3)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Do Me a Favor (Mile High Matched, #4)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Balled Sacked (Mile High Matched, #4.5)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written, entertaining, fast paced, steamy, funny, contemporary romantic comedy novel. It has likable, engaging characters, a heart-warming romance, many laugh out loud moments, and a happily ever after ending. This is the first entry in the Mile High Rocked series, which is a spin off of the Mile High Matched Series. It contains several characters from that series, including the fabulous, hilarious Babushka! I am looking forward to reading the bonus scene that will generously be made available by Ms. Hovland to her newsletter subscribers, as well as the next entry in this wonderful new series with great anticipation.

[Nadine Bookaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I posted a last week about this book being on sale for only .99 and I really hope you grabbed it because OMG it was great! I haven't laughed this hard in soooo long, and I'm not talking about one scene I'd say a good 75% of the book had me in hysterics. Between the inner monologue Becca or Linx were having to the 80 year old grandma's doing stripteases classes this was a fun steamy read.
Full review to follow



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[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the fun and hilarious Mile High Matched series, I was not ready to say good bye to the world and the people so I was tickled for the spinoff series with the Dimefront rockers getting their stories.

Played by the Rockstar begins with one of the gal posse, Bekkah, a behavior counselor, back in Denver on a break from her life decides waitressing at Brek's, catching some of the bands he brings into his bar, and maybe a fling with the hottie bass player, Linx from Dimefront while the band is on a break will help her decide what to do next. But, no matter how much of a good time the rockgod is, this is only temporary and she has to wave away the bothersome feels.

Cedric Lincoln is fed up with his fellow band members for all the unnecessary breaks they seem to need which leaves him kicking his heels too often. He just wants to write and make music. After a slight contretemps, he ends up with Brek, his old band manager as a babysitter and Breks puts him to work in his bar to keep Linx out of trouble. He tells him to get a hobby. Hanging out for fun with Bekkah and playing with a sweet sounding new band who are making their start at the bar's stage turns out to be better than a hobby. Slowly he starts to realize that he may just want more and he may have to step away from the old band to have a fresh start and become a steady guy to hold onto a beautiful woman like Bekkah.

Like the Matched series, Played by the Rockstar is a slightly spicy and light romcom. The characters are engaging, have some sizzle to go their flirty banter and just need a little extra push from their friends and Babushka to fall in love. Yes, Babushka is back and as hilarious as ever.

I love the new world of the rock band, their work as musicians, and the antics they get up to. Bekkah fits right in as she used to be a groupy when she was younger. She's pretty great at reading other people and handling them. She's loveable and sweet, but she has no clue about herself. I loved seeing Linx really see her and draw her out giving her confidence just like she saw past the rockgod image to the regular guy who loves his cat, working on songwriting and getting into mischief.

The other bandmembers are getting their stories next and I can't wait to see what comes of Bax and Courtney after what went down in this one.

All in all, it was off to a good start reading quick and leaving me smiling and laughing at times. Want something light and flirty, grab this one.

My thanks to the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jules The Book Junkie Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Played by the Rockstar is a spin-off of Christina Hovland’s Mile High Matched series. It is fresh, fun and great start to a new series. I’m not typically a fan of rock star romances, but Ms. Hovland created a very atypical rock star! Some of the characters in the book have been alluded to or fully introduced in prior books by the author, however, there is absolutely no need to have read those books to fully enjoy Played by the Rockstar (but I highly recommend those other books).

I loved Cedric; he looks the part of a bad-boy rocker, but he has a caring heart and is smart about keeping his head. His rather formal {real} name juxtapose to his stage name of Linx, is clue to how deliciously Ms. Hovland has layered this personality. Becca is a stressed-out therapist looking for a new direction. When she moves back in with her family in Denver, her parttime job in a locals’ bar allows her to reconnect with the rock star she mooned over as a young adult. What is meant to be a thoughtful, quiet vacation from life turns into a sweet, flirty relationship and a few months of breaking rules and having fun.

The pace is great, the chemistry is electric, and the characters are all lovable. While outwardly they seem completely different, at heart, they share a lot of commonalities that make a relationship beyond the initial burst of attraction believable. Becca’s mom provides much of the comedy with her all-too-honest and too-much-information conversations with her daughter.

Played by The Rockstar is a fun, sweet, sometimes humorous story. I hesitate to peg it as a contemporary romance or a romantic comedy; it’s a little of both. I have no hesitation in recommending it.


I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Read!!

This is a little departure for me with my usual rock romances. Don’t get me wrong it still had the ever so sexy rock star and the woman he had his eyes set on along with some band drama. I have to say this was hilarious but not to the point of taking away from the rock star persona. If you like some absolutely hilarious moments this is definitely a book for you. Wait until you read about Babushka and the retirement group…it was laugh out loud moments that made me feel good. That makes it a definite five star for me!!

[Jenifer Briggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rockstar romances will always be one of my favorite tropes, and since I haven't read one in a while, I was really excited to read this. But ultimately this fell short for me personally -- there were so many different storylines that were so convoluted that took away from the actual romance between Becca and Linx. Nor did I feel their chemistry outside of them wanting to sleep with one another.

There were some points where the book would be so slow, then other times it would speed by certain points so quickly. This just wasn't my favorite.

**I received an ARC of this book and these are my honest opinions.**

[Melliane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mon avis en français

My English review

I really like Christina Hovland’s romances and I was looking forward to discovering this new volume!

Becca is taking a break from her work. She took a sabbatical year and went home to get her life back on track. This is also where the great rockstar “Linx” comes to rest while waiting for the members of his band to decide to come back and play with him. And what to say when she sees Linx? He is the singer of the band she followed for a long time as a groupie. But she knows that this boy is known to go to one woman to antoher and if that’s not her thing, maybe she could make an exception.

I really had a great time with the story! Becca and Linx are both very touching and I loved discovering and following them. And then we see a lot of characters from the previous books and it was great. Brek is especially present throughout this book.

As I said, it was a nice surprise and I can’t wait to discover more!

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I’m going to admit I picked this book for review because I love rock star romanced, the cover caught by eye and the synopsis was intriguing. I liked parts of this book quite well, but overall it fell a bit short for me. This is my first book by the author Christina Hovland and I enjoyed her voice, but for me the characters were lacking development and there was too many side stories that took away from the relationship building between the two main characters. I am interested to see where she takes the other characters that were introduced and because I did enjoy parts of this book, I will definitely give her another try.

Becca Forrester is on an extended break from her job in Portland as a certified behavioral counselor she’s returned to her home town of Denver mainly because she has friends there and can live for free in the apartment above her parent’s garage, she also plans to waitress at her friend Brek’s bar. Job burnout has left her needing a break from her life so fun, friends, and a job where she doesn’t have to think all appeal to her. She was planning a break from men as well and then he walked in the bar and considering she spent a year as a groupie to his band, she knows she’s screwed but she’s determined to be smart about it.

He happens to be Cedric “Linx” Lincoln bassist for the rock band Dimefront and he’s in town because his band members are jacking around again and he needed a place to land and the band’s ex-manager Brek is someone he doesn’t mind being around. What he doesn’t expect when he walks into his buddy’s bar is a stunning woman who knocks him on his ass but seems to want nothing to do with him, but he sees the interest and he plans on figuring out how to get her in his bed.

This isn’t your typical rock and roll band story as Dimefront is on hiatus and Lynx is not happy about it. He’s bored, he wants to make music, and even though he adopted a cat he needs more in his life. I actually like Linx, you could tell he was at the point in his career where he was past the partying stage and just wanted to make music and although he had a notorious past with women for the most part he was respectful and interested in only one throughout this book. He was a bit of a grump because things weren’t going his way, but that was understandable. I enjoyed the scenes with his family but we never really got to know much about Linx and I missed that. I wanted to know more about his childhood, his time before his band made it big and even at the height of their success, but we didn’t see any of that and therefore I felt like we barely scratched the surface of his character. There seemed to be more to him, but we never got the chance to know him and for that matter neither did Becca.

Becca seemed like a caring and competent therapist because even though she tried she seemed to want to help everyone that came across her path which led me to believe that’s why she burned out. She eludes to that a bit but once again we never really got much info on her background. We meet her Mom and her friends and it’s easy to see she’s well liked and adored by her family, but she’s pretty one dimensional and therefore it was hard to really feel anything for her. I do think she and Linx were good for one another, there was no doubting their chemistry but without knowing the characters, it’s hard to imagine them long term.

There were so many side stories in this book that the relationship between Linx and Becca got lost; there was the Dimefront drama, some weird nursing home scenes that honestly did nothing to further the story and didn’t really fit, there was some drama in Linx’s family, not to mention the guys Linx decides to jam with while he’s waiting for his band, and Becca’s mom constantly talking about her sex life with Becca’s dad…seriously it was too much, it was distracting and so much of it had very little to do with the main story.

Played by the Rockstar had some good moments but too little character development left me feeling something was missing throughout.

Review copy provided for a voluntary review.

[Brianna at Renee Entress's Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars!

Christina Hovland is a brand new author for me and what a unique, fun, cute rockstar romance she gave with this book. Played by the Rockstar was a quick read- one that captivated me from the first page to the last. Linx and Becca gave me all of the feels and all of the laughs and all of that good stuff along their journey.

A few complications and a whole lot of lighter fun, this book is about two people who aren't happy with their current life and when they meet, everything just seems to be right and click. But can it last and withstand?

Great secondary characters, steamy and swoony heat between our main mcs, and a different take on the rockstar trope. It all worked well and this was such a good read.

I can totally recommend this book.

Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog.

[Rachel - Read with Rach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Christina Hovland is a great author and I enjoyed this story. I will definitely be reading more from her!

[Sandee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, funny and sweet romcom. Becca taking a break from career as a behavioral counselor. Linx, a bassist with a hugely popular rock band that is on hiatus again. When Becca and Linx meet they create a relationship that gives them both space, peace and happiness. But when their worlds blow up again, they need to figure out what is important. A slow and delicious romance, hilarious situations and wonderful characters that grow throughout the story. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves romcoms.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read a beta copy and the first book in Hovland’s new series, Mile High Rocked, has cameos from your favorite Mile High Matched characters (looking at you Babushka!) but sets the stage for a whole new cast of strong women and hot rockers all on a collision course toward their happily ever afters.

Hovland masterfully plays with stereotypes, creating a fresh main couple that pull you in and makes you invested in their story. As always her characters are well rounded and full of depth, experiencing the growing pains of life none of us ever truly grow out of. Her knack for comedy, and creating the perfect comedic relief in the form of zany and lovable matriarchs is alive and well with this book, and I can’t wait to see how this world unfolds with the rest of the series.

Played by the Rockstar is a stand alone novel, but I highly recommend reading the Mile High Matched series in order just to fully immerse yourself in this wonderful little world while you wait for the official release.

[Whit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute! Humorous! Sassy!

Becca is on vacation from her life as a therapist. She is drained from trying to solve everyone else's problems, so she decides to waitress at a bar in her parent's neighborhood. The owner and the wait staff are easy going and friendly and that is exactly what Becca needs right now.

Until the night, super hot, rock star, Linx walks into the bar and it's on!

Really cute story!

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/3/2022)! 🎁

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this arc from the author for an honest review.
Having read her previous books about Mile High I was wondering how this story was going to play out with different characters? I was not disappointed at all. You are at first back at the bar Brek owns. He was a former manager for a rock band named Dimefront, Brek stays home and at the bar now. He is surprised to see Cedric “Linx” Lincoln the bass player come in. he explains the happenings with the band and everyone splinting up, the bottom line he is tired of fighting at wants to make music.
Also arriving at his bar but she is asking for a waitress job is Becca, she has taken a break from her job as a certified behavioral counselor. She has moved into a room above her parents’ garage, oh by the way one summer she followed Dimefront around a European tour, which is known as the “Dimes”. This will all come up later in the story.
She is surprised to see Linx and just as happy as he does not remember her from years ago. As a waitress though she and Linx hit it off as they both are looking for something different at this moment in their lives. once you really get into the story you have Babushka and her friends from the retirement home showing up a few times at the bar making for quite a scene. Then all of them going back to the home with Linx and Becca tagging along. Once there they are hoping for chocolate cake but end up with so much more. Here is when the story really gets rolling. With talks from her mother about her and her father and what they do, with her being confused with the emotions and feelings she is experiencing with and for Linx, so much so she walks away.
Like with all of the other books there is so much going on that writing a review just does not give her story any justice for there a bit of stories inside of the main story. That is what makes this and her other books so darn special to read, at least for me a guy. The characters are good and the story is well thought out and not thrown together, overall a very good read. Read this book and see what happens at the end for there is so very much happening. I received this arc from the author. I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

[Kahea · Rating 5 out of 5]

***5 ‘Gibson’ Stars***

This book totally made me snort laugh. And swoon. And grin like a fucking loon and also growl with frustration. So basically it was a great read where I got to meet a whole new crew of people I NEED to know more about AND also get some time hanging out with some other people I already know and love aka the Mile High Matched crew...so total win-win for me!

I freakin’ ADORED Linx aka Cedric. He got that silver tongued charisma thing going on, is easy going and totally about his music and his cat ~ that was a bit weird at the start, but I can’t not love a man who loves his pets as much as he did. Becca was mixed bag for me. I honestly did adore her. She’s got this brightness to her that draws you in and will go all out when necessary, but man, some of the convo’s she was having in her head with herself had me growling.

As for their journey to their HEA, it was a lot of fun. The attraction was instant between them, but I really enjoyed how well they flowed together, there were awkward moments, but it really felt as if they just enjoyed the hell out of each other and ended up finding something amazing when they weren’t looking for it.

This was a great start to the series. It is a spinoff, so while you don’t HAVE to read Mile High Matched to start it, I honestly think you should because everyone basically pops in at some point since everyone is somehow connected. And then there is Babushka and she is still freaking AMAZING, though Becca’s mom did give her a run for her money a couple of times. But speaking of the new crew. I’m already totally looking forward to Tanner and Mach getting their HEA, especiall Tanner. And then there is Courtney, Knox, Bax and Hans ~ I already like Courtney, but Knox and Bax need to prove themselves and I wouldn’t mind know more about Hans. So, I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in the series!

~ Copy provided by the author & voluntarily reviewed ~

[Booklover Judy Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rock god walked into a bar…….and stole Becca’s heart when she was not looking. This is book one of a new rock star romance series. It contains a HEA and can be read as a standalone. It is written in third person from a dual POV.
Linx (Cedric Lincoln) is one of the members of the hugely successful rock band Dimefront. Unfortunately, his band is in the middle of a crisis, landing him in Denver to cool his heels while things get figured out. Becca is taking a break from the stress of her life as a therapist and is enjoying a low stress and low responsibility sabbatical while living above her parents’ garage. I love how Becca tries so hard to stay focused on her goal of not committing to anything that leads to stress or responsibility. It is very amusing. I adore Linx. His heart that just wants to make music, falls hard and fast for Becca. I love how patient he is with her. I love the passion and heat between them. I love how they communicate their feelings, even when those feelings speak of uncertainty.
The characters were fun and well developed. The secondary characters add depth that sets up future books. I really enjoyed the humorous moments and laughed out loud more than once. Readers who have read this author’s other works will be most pleased to learn that Babushka makes a few appearances, spreading joy and mayhem in her wake. I loved this book, and I am very excited for this new series from a talented author that always makes me laugh. It makes my day better to read her work.
I am voluntarily leaving this honest review after receiving an advance review copy of the book.

[Shan ~A~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given a copy of the audio book by Audibly Addicted in exchange for an honest review.

First I want to say that is is the first book that I have ever read/listened to by Christina Hovland, and it will not be my last. She left me so intrigued by the secondary characters in this series that I will definitely go back for more.

Now on to Becca and Linx's story.

Becca Forrester has decided to take a break from her life, so she leaves everything behind and goes to Denver to work at her friend's bar as a waitress while also moving into the apartment above her parents garage. Once upon a time Becca was a bit of a groupie of the band Dimefront.

Next thing you know Linx, who is a member of that band, walks into the bar. Although Becca is attracted to him, her hiatus from her life also includes men.

Linx is definitely intrigued, so he goes after her.

What I liked: Linx and Becca's family are hilarious. When Becca's mom or Linx's mom or dad was in a scene they completely stole the show. Ms. Hovland did a good job of making me interested in what was going to come after this book (as I said above). I liked that Becca and Linx were honest with each other about their attraction, their wants, and fears. Lastly, the narrators were awesome. I love Zachary Webber already and I'm unsure if I've ever listened to Stella Hunter, but now I'm glad I did.

What I didn't like: The story was slow at times, and there was too much of a gap in time between chapters. I kept wishing that I was able to speed up the playback more because of the slowness than because my preference is usually 1.5 to 1.8 depending on the narration.

[Melenareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Christina Hovland's books! I've been hoping there would be a series featuring the band Dimefront since the beginning of her Mile High Matched series and it's finally here with Linx and Becca's story!

Becca needs a break from her work and life in Portland. She heads home to spend time with her family and friends and gets a job at Brek's bar. It happens to coincide with Linx visiting Brek while the band is taking a break. Both of them have big life decisions to make and throwing a relationship into the mix doesn't seem like a good idea. However, their chemistry is off the charts and there's a spark between them from the very beginning.

Linx was a rockstar with a heart. I liked what a good guy he was, his sense of humor, and how he genuinely cared for his friends, family, and Becca. I really liked that this was dual POV so I could get his view on everything.

Becca was an interesting character. I liked getting to see how she loved her work, but also how it affected her and led to needing time off. She was a kind, smart, and fun heroine and I wish I could be part of her friends group!

The romance here is front and center, but both Becca and Linx also deal with other things happening in their lives. That's not to say there's excessive drama or angst. In fact, there's some hilarious moments involving both Becca's mom and Babushka, who is a character I've come to love in previous books.

There's also set up for the next book and the rest of the series that was really well done. It's not a cliffhanger, but leaves the door open for some storylines to move forward.

This book can be read as a standalone. However, I highly recommend reading the Mile High Matched series first as you get the stories of a lot of characters you see here! They are all amazing stories.

Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for an honest review.

[Sara ✨ Next Book Review Blog ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

***** AUDIOBOOK REVIEW *****

What an absolute delight Played by the Rockstar was. Christina Hovland really brought the humor to the forefront here. I could barely stand the situation with Gibson throughout the story. I don’t think I’d ever been so shocked into laughter before. Cedric, I feel the name Cedric fits this cat-loving man with a large heart and a fierce determination for his passion more than Linx. I think Linx was his pre-Becca name. I love his determination though. Cedric has come to a brick wall in his life and he needs to figure out his next move. Here comes Becca putting his life into perspective for us. We should all have that person that quiets our minds. Becca might help Cedric but feels like her life is spiraling out of control around her. She’s no longer happy with her previous goals.

The narration by Zachary Webber and Stella Hunt was great. Of course, if you’re an audio lover than you know Mr. Webber can channel his male counterparts flawlessly. He has this strong and gruff kind of voice that you could see singing in a rock band. He’s also playful and serious. He covers a range of emotions with just his voice… that is surely a talent. Then we have Stella Hunt playing Becca’s part. Becca is slightly quirky and fun. To come from such a serious and stressful position, she plays a lot. Her and Cedric’s have an enjoyable banter that really transfers to their voices. I enjoyed the narration a lot. The duo isn’t just fun, oh no, these two are scorching hot when put together.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had gone and fallen in love with the Mile High Matched series, so I was very excited to learn that we weren’t completely done with those characters that had made a home in my heart. This book centers around Velma’s gal-pal Becca and the Bassist for Dimefront (that Velma’s Brek used to manage), Linx. Becca and Linx are each taking a break from their everyday lives, just for very different reasons. She’s a friend of their former manager’s wife: totally off limits. She followed the band one summer on the European leg of their tour and knows perfectly well what kind of a player he is. Exactly the kind of “break from life” fling she’s looking for. She’s just playing, but is it possible the rock star’s playing for keeps? Once again, the author has given us a romantic comedy that gets both the comedy and the romance just right. Babushka and her crew make appearances, so you know there are comedy gems to be found. The author also mines uncomfortable family encounters for all the gold they’re worth. In the middle of all the silliness are beautifully poignant moments of self-discovery, vulnerability, and pure sweetness. There’s plenty of indications of where the next book is going to take us, and it looks like it’s going to be a hum-dinger. I’ve only just finished this book and already I can’t wait to get my hands on the next in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.

[Jenn Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christina Hovland is a new to me author and rockstar romances are one of my favourites tropes to read in romance so I couldn’t wait to dive into this one.

Linx is a sexy, successful rockstar. The moment he meets Becca he cannot take his eyes off her. He is immediately drawn to her and cannot stay away. Becca is therapist, currently on a hiatus from her life and job. She is sweet and funny and was equally taken by Linx upon first meeting. As the two begin getting to know each other and begin a no commitment sexual relationship feelings and emotions get blurred. Becca seemed to have one foot out the door the whole time and a part from their sexual chemistry the characters lacked an emotional connection I was looking for.

Stella Hunter and Zachary Webber do an amazing job narrating these characters. They both have sweet, sultry voices that matched the characters well. They have amazing vocal chemistry and made this for a delightful listening experience.

While I enjoyed the story overall I found too many irritable qualities in the characters and had difficulty connecting with the story as I usually would. Having said that I am intrigued by this author and would be interested in reading Linx’s sister Courtney’s story.

Note: I received an Advanced Listener Copy in exchange of an honest review.

[Jackie Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars for Played by the Rockstar.
Christina Hovland is a fairly new author to me and with each book I pick up I’m left wondering why I haven’t read more, why she hasn’t crossed my radar before now, well I guess that’s about to change.
Played by the Rockstar is a spin off from the Mile High Matched Series and this is book one in the series. If you love Rock Star romances or rom coms this book should certainly be on your radar.
Becca is back in Denver looking to take break from her real job and she decides it would be fun to do some waitressing at Brek’s, a local bar with live music.
Cedric aka Linx plays the part of bad boy rocker well but underneath the part he plays is a smart, caring, swoon worthy hero.
What starts a fun fling so turns into so much more for Becca and Linx, the chemistry is intense and the banter is witty. The characters are easy to love and I’m excited to read the other band members stories. This is a fun, entertaining read that I recommend to all romance lovers.

[DJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ROCKING STARS⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

PLAYED BY THE ROCKSTAR
BY CHRISTINA HOVLAND
NARRATED BY ZACHARY WEBBER & STELLA HUNTER

I really enjoyed this book as there was no broken Rockstar just a Cedric a frustrated guy whose band mates just can’t get their shit together which forces the band into a break.Cedric enters a bar where Becca Forrester works after taking a break herself from a career as a Therapist. It’s instant attraction and off the scale hotness they just can’t deny and so it’s a very hot book but alongside this you will have some laugh out loud moments from the older characters in the book. This book is fabulous and made even better buy the amazing narration from Zachary Webber and stella Hunter. This was my first book from Christina, I’m already lining up the next one.

[Stephenee · Rating 5 out of 5]

* I received an ebook of this as part of the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway Program *

This was a fast, fun read that left the reader feeling satisfied. The characters were fun, yet flawed and the reader could actually relate to them. The reader felt like they were sitting in the bar listening to Mach, Tanner, and Linx rock out - and they wanted to tap their foot to the beat they hear in their head.

This story has a bit of predicatable-ness, but it is overall fun for the reader! I will be reading more by her in the future and look forward to reading about Bax and Knox for sure!

[K. Ramjohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Played By The Rockstar was my first Christina Hovland novel. It was a quick light read that grabbed my interest from the start and gave me all the feels. It was a different spin on the rockstar trope which I liked. The main characters had great chemistry. Both were at a crossroads in life and ended up bonding and what should have been a short term fling soon turned into more. I loved the romance, I loved the comedy and I loved the secondary characters who added much to the story. This definitely wont be my last novel by this author and I would recommend it to lovers of rom coms.

[Eden French · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It had everything I look for in this type of romance; a strong, but sometimes awkward heroine, a hot hot hot rockstar (the hair and glasses did it for me), and smart, funny, real dialogue between Becca and Linx.

The steamy scenes were fire, but the overall story made my heart skip beats. Just everything about this world was so satisfying. And I'll definitely be reading more of this author!

10/10 recommend.

[Lisa Stinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Linx was a perfect rockstar. Yes...he had played the field while he was on tour for years but he isn't looking for that kind of distraction right now. He wants something a bit different. He finds exactly what he's looking for when he walks into the bar and sees Becca working for his friend.

This was a great story about two people who meet, get to know one another and then have some fun while they are at it. Neither was really looking for something to be permanent but they find it anyway. Soon Becca realizes that Linx is treating her completely different and she is unsure if this is the life that she wants. She was just supposed to be on vacation but can Becca handle being with a rockstar, who has a very sordid past. Linx just has to prove they are worth it.

There were some very funny parts to this book. It is the first book my Christina Hovland that I have read/listened to but I really enjoyed it and will definitely be looking up her catalog.

This is my first audio with Stella Hunter but I really liked her voice. I thought she and Zachary Webber were absolutely fantastic. Zachary does some of the best female voices I have heard.

[Kenna Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the characters and can't wait to read about Bax and Courtney.