Cute, somewhat slow moving, and the personal journey angles seemed a bit "meh". I got lost in the weeds a bit with what they could and couldn't do with the record label, the music Tik Tok thing, etc. but it didn't really detract from the story for me. The friends' friendships were more interesting to me than the love interest. This reminds me of a fun but not particularly memorable pop song.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely! Here’s a longer, in-depth Goodreads-style review for For the Record by Emma Lord:

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Review: For the Record by Emma Lord

Emma Lord delivers a beautifully written, emotionally rich romance in For the Record, a story that’s as much about second chances as it is about self-discovery. Set in the glitzy, high-pressure world of the music industry, this book goes beyond your typical “exes with tension” story. It’s about evolving past who you were, embracing who you’re becoming, and finding love in the process.

The story follows Mackenzie Waters, a former pop girl group star whose vocal surgery has changed not only her voice but also her identity as an artist. She’s grappling with the fear that everything she’s built could fall apart—and that the world might not accept her as she is now. Sam Blaze, her former labelmate and public “rival,” is now a single father trying to find stability in a life that used to be anything but.

When their labels team them up to make an album, it’s a forced reunion full of creative tension, unresolved feelings, and a lot of emotional messiness. But it works—really works. Lord does a phenomenal job balancing the glamour of the music world with the very real vulnerabilities of her characters. You feel every bit of Mackenzie’s anxiety, her frustration, and her desperate hope. You understand Sam’s need to protect his son while trying to reconcile with the love he once ran from.

Their chemistry is fire—rooted in past flirtation, rivalry, and an emotional connection that neither of them ever truly got over. The way they write music together is intimate in a way that goes beyond romance; it’s trust, it’s vulnerability, it’s two people literally finding their voices again.

What also stands out is the maturity with which conflict is handled. There’s communication. There’s personal growth. And while there is a third-act conflict (as with all good romances), it’s grounded and realistic—not overblown for drama’s sake.

Other highlights:
• The side characters are strong, especially Sam’s son and Mack’s old bandmates.
• The musical setting feels authentic and surprisingly emotional—even though the songs don’t exist, they feel like they do.
• The theme of “showing love” vs. “saying love” is explored beautifully.
• Mack’s journey with self-worth, body image, and creative identity adds real emotional weight.

Minor critiques: There are a few pacing issues in the middle, and some threads (like Serena’s character arc or Mackenzie’s bond with Sam’s son) could have used more depth. The resolution might feel a touch too quick, but it’s emotionally satisfying enough to forgive that.

All in all, For the Record is more than just a romance—it’s a story about voice: finding it, reclaiming it, and using it. Whether you’re a music lover, a second-chance romance fan, or just want a book that hits you in the feels with depth and swoon, this one’s worth your time.

I love when characters in a romance novel are famous, and in this book the two leads are famous singers from former rival bands. I loved learning the history between the two characters and learning their rivalry may have been something else in disguise. I enjoyed this book and enjoy a lot of what Emma Lord has written. Can't wait to read more of her in the future.

2.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mackenzie (think TSwift) and Sam (punk rockstar) reunite for a second chance romance that doesn’t completely come together. This is more adult than Lords previous YA novels. That part I didn’t mind however the characters fell a bit flat and underdeveloped. I found myself struggling to get through some parts and was a bit relieved to finish the book altogether.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the arc.

I'm a sucker for a good second chance romance so For the Record definitely worked for me. I devoured this! I fell in love with the characters, music scene and romance.

This is a second chance romance and let me tell you it delivers on angst. Mackenzie and Sam had a lot of messy history and have to work together again on new music. The forced proximity and history between these two brought so much great tension. I gobbled it up.

The plot was fun. The side characters were great, especially liked the female friendships shown here. Plus we also get found family which is another trope I love. There were a lot of great elements blending together nicely.

A fun book, especially for the angst lovers.

i love how cute this was. the cover is perfect and if you love romcom you will want to check this one out. emma lord has amazing books

3.75 Stars

This was my first novel by Emma Lord and she will be going on my immediate read list! I am a sucker for a good second chance romance and this one delivered.

If you love music, rivalries, angst and some snark you will love this book. I think the FMC had some good growth and development throughout the book, but there were times where the characters fell kind of flat. The friendships in this novel were amazing and very much give off the "
found family" vibe, which I absolutely love to see.

The novel is dual POV, which gives us a great balance between the two main characters. But I felt the tension between them was gone too quickly; I would have loved for it to simmer on a bit more.

Overall this was a decent, quick read and I would recommend it!

Thank you to NetGallery and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read this eARC!

Unfortunately I did not like this book. It was completely unrealistic to what the music industry is actually like, and it made it hard to comfortable suspend my disbelief. It reminded me of the way I thought the music industry worked when I was 12 writing Jonas Brothers fan fiction, but somehow it knew less than I did at that age. It felt very strange to me and it just made it unenjoyable.

I received an advanced-reader-copy in exchange for an honest book review. Thank you, NetGalley.

Marketed for fans of Emily Henry and Daisy Jones and the Six (both of which I am avid fans of), I was very excited to get an early copy For the Record! I wouldn't exactly say it lived up to the hype though...

I just might market it as something more akin to The Spanish Love Deception (lovey dovey) or Tessa Bailey's novels (loose interpretation of "enemies" to lovers).

Don't get me wrong, the writing was great, the characters were likeable (though wish there we got to know them a bit better), the plot was cute (though perhaps a bit rushed). Call me pessimistic, but I'm personally not a fan of super lovey-dovey, cutesy, sunshine-y characters. And that's what this felt like. Sure, it wasn't always positive, there was some growth - but they were just a little too set in their love and not enough angst for me. I like those raw negative emotions (because hello, I deal with those every day and that's what realistic for me), but that's just me! That's not to say another reader wouldn't enjoy this novel :)

Personally this book is a little too slow for me. I also can’t get the Taylor swift parallels out of my head. I do love Ben though I think his character is really cute. If you enjoy a slow burn and singer rivalry/romance this book will be perfect for you.

This book was a little slow to start. It is described as “perfect for fans of Daisy Jones & The Six”, but the vibe is not as compelling as Daisy in style or compelling characters.

For the Record is a second chance, enemies to lovers trope with a dual POV. Two musicians in rival bands, Mackenzie Waters and Sam Blaze have a simmering do they or don’t they thing going on that guarantees the public can’t get enough. But eventually both bands fall apart, and so does whatever relationship Mackenzie and Sam have. Two years later, both are trying to revive their careers, but according to their record labels, neither is enough of a draw on their own. Both have to get on board with a joint album, and they have to sort out their feelings for each other.

It does pick up in the second half a bit when Sam finds out that he’s a dad to a four-year-old boy, doing everything he can to make up for lost time devote with his son. Meanwhile, Mac has had a surgery, which alters her vocal chords and changes her singing voice. She creates an alter ego, Seven. No one realizes Seven is actually Mac and Seven blows up on the internet. I felt like that story line could have been much more interesting.

The chemistry finally starts to become interesting , and after 100 pages, or so, I was in the story, and it was interesting enough to finish.

Emma Lord is an auto-read author for me, I love all of her books. This one was no different in that I did very much enjoy it, but I did find myself lost sometimes while reading, like for example when something was mentioned that I don’t remember them talking about before. The pacing was also a little challenging for me. I feel like they glossed over things I would have liked more detail on and were detailed and occasionally repetitive on things that I felt like were already well established. But I really liked all the characters and their dynamics with each other.

Oh my. When I saw that this book was being described as perfect for Emily Henry / Daisy Jones fan I knew I had to read it.

The story follows Mackenzie and Sam, two musicians in two different bands.
They are known for the rivalry on stage. Two years after both bands have split, Mackenzie and Sam find themselves back in each other's orbits to record an album together.

I didn't really vibe with this one at first. I found the writing to be leaning towards more of a YA book. Some of the banter was too goofy and had me cringing. I wasn't feeling the vibe with the FMC/MMC up until about 70%. I will give this 3.5 stars because I loved how things started to wrap up near the end, even had me a bit teary eyed.

Craaaaaaaaaaaack!

What's that sound, you say?

It's the sound of this author striking the ball with all the bases loaded and achieving a grand slam !

First, it's a love story. Yes, it's about Mack and Sam. It's also a love story for Mack herself. Who she is now? Where does she see herself going personally? professionally?

Secondly, it's a story about growth and timing. When the two concepts are equally present and balanced, what can blossom ?

Thirdly, it's about the non-conventional definition of a 'family'. Both Sam's and Mack's aren't the traditional variety and their characters are the better for it.

And, finally, it's a reminder that there are authors you should stick to even if her former one "The Rival" didn't meet expectations, they still can bring the magic.....


This ARC was provided by the publisher, St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was adorable. I love Emma Lord's take on romance. she always has the right amount of spice and cute.

Emma Lord is the queen of romcom and this time she returns with an entertainment-industry themed love story. It's a fun romp with her signature quirky characters that makes for a great summer read.

Emma Lord delivers an engaging and heartfelt story with For the Record, blending music industry drama with a second-chance romance that feels both nostalgic and fresh. Mackenzie’s struggle to reclaim her voice—literally and figuratively—after vocal surgery is deeply relatable, and her reunion with former bandmate Sam is filled with the perfect mix of tension, banter, and slow-burning chemistry. Watching these two navigate their past, their present collaboration, and their unresolved feelings kept me hooked from start to finish. The behind-the-scenes look at the music world, the songwriting process, and the emotional weight of their history added an extra layer of depth that made the story feel even more immersive.

Beyond the romance, what really stood out to me was the strong cast of side characters and the themes of personal growth, forgiveness, and redefining success. Sam’s role as a devoted father made him even more lovable, and the dynamic between Mackenzie, Hannah, and Serena added layers of friendship and personal evolution. There were moments when the pacing felt a little uneven, but overall, this book had me laughing, swooning, and rooting for Mackenzie to find both her voice and her place in the world. If you love music-centered stories with emotional depth, witty dialogue, and a romance that feels like an old song you never stopped loving, For the Record is a must-read.

Review

I've heard of this author before but have never read any of her books! This is my first one. The concept is very up my alley so I was hooked from the idea! The characters are interesting and Sam with Ben! I love the idea of them coming together when they both need it! The duet and everything leading up to it happening. I also love how each section is separated I wonder how it looks in the finished copy of this book! The origin of him finding out about Ben and Lizzie finding out about Ben. Serena def has beef! The fashion show! The duet being posted about. That's so messed up!! The two boys, who is she gonna choose, sam obviously!! That song writing! Woah what a small world for sure!! Them both crushing on each other hard and the fact that both are kind of trying not to but can't help it! I will say that even though I rated it 3 stars, it is a good book, I just got disconnected from it for some reason, it didn't fit well with me and that's why I rated it the way that I did. The whole seven thing and the whole app thing! I wonder what's going to happen with all these plot lines! The whole dad thing was very interesting. That scene and her singing! The rocket thing. The dad and son moment as well as the moment with Serena about seven! The last song and him figuring out she was seven and having to deal with Ben after? The world learning about seven! The heartbreaking conversation and Omg Hannah and Grayson? The whole show and them at the end! The prologue! This was a good book, don't mistake my 3 stars for a bad one!!!

Quote: "'id rather chance fucking up a great thing with you than settle for a good one on my own.'"

Rated it three stars out of five!

I loved Mackenzie and Sam! I’m typically not into rockstar stories but this one was great. Their chemistry was perfect and their characters had great depth. Would totally recommend!

2.5 ⭐️ rounded up! Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC! I went into this with no expectations, just excited because I’ve heard good things about this author’s young adult books and the premise sounded very interesting. A second chance romance between two lead singers of separate bands that toured the world together? Sign me up!

I made it about halfway through when I realized this was not a YA book, which is my fault for not looking it up more. There were parts of this book I couldn’t tell if it was trying to be more adult or more young adult - the themes were more mature, but often the behaviors of a lot of the side characters felt very juvenile. I’m not a big fan of “Gen Z” language in books, so the whole “TikTune” storyline took me out of the story several times. I think I would’ve preferred if the app was just not named at all. Or named something completely different than alluding something that already exists in real life. I personally think this book would’ve been better if it was written and marketed as a young adult book.

Overall, this wasn’t terrible, but it also wasn’t very memorable for me. I did enjoy the themes of redemption between the main female character and her previous bandmates, and I liked seeing the main male character’s relationship with his son. I do look forward to reading more of Emma Lord’s YA books in the future!