Sadly this book was not for me. If I never hear the term Tick Tune again it will be too soon. I have enjoyed some of Emma's other work but this one I just could not get into and I didn't care for the MC's or the outcome. I'll continue to read this author but this one was a miss for me.

This book was great! I loved the feelings you get from all the characters. Mackenzie was an emotional wreck from previous relationships that she'd had while touring with her band. She also had Sam who was the lead singer of the group her band was touring with, everyone put them as enemie for promoting the tour... a few years go by and Mack has changes in life and is afraid she can't sing anymore. In pops Sam and he has had a few changes in life as well. When they run into each other can they both forgive the past? I was rooting for them both ❤️

For the Record is a sweet romance about two former musical rivals who come together to write music and get back into the music scene. This is a sweet easy read where the chemistry is believable. While I didn’t always buy the forces keeping them apart, it was a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Such a great book. I would recommend it as the summer romance of 2025. I finished it in a quick two days as I didn't want to put it down.

I LOVED this book. It was so cute and i was swept away through the whole thing. Thank you for the ARC.

The only thing better than a well written rom-com is one that is about music- and For the Record by Emma Lord is just that! Enemies to lovers, dual POV- this one has it all & I loved this book! Definitely add this to your TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publisher for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank You to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Griffin, and Emma Lord for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is my first book from Emma Lord, it was a relatively fun and easy read.
The story follows musician rivals Mackenize and Sam agreeing to collaborate for a comeback album. The two have unresolved conflict and feelings since they last saw each other.
The premise of this book definitely has you wanting to know what happened between the two. Their relationship was in turmoil, though they were able to find common ground.
Although a generally fast read, at times the pacing of this book could’ve been better. I felt that the plot was dragged out too much for my liking.

Overall, this book just had enough drama to keep your attention. I wish that it would’ve been a bit more swoon- worthy, but it was a good read.

🎵 Dual POV
🎵 Second chance romance
🎵 Frienemies to lovers
🎵 Found family

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC! Years ago, Mackenzie Waters and Sam Blaze were oppposites on the music scene (she was in pop band, Thunder Hearts, and he was in a punk band Candy Shards). But undeniable sparks flew, until Sam disappeared from the scene, and the two bands broke up. Then, Mackenzie was hit with a medical emergency that impacted her career. Now, Mackenzie has been secretly releasing a series of songs under the alias Seven. Each song tells the story of a failed romance, with her last song set to be about Sam. That is until they are thrown back together by their agency as an opportunity to jumpstart their carreers as a duet. With an attraction (and chemistry) that can't be denied, romantic songwriting sessions, and past (and present) truths revealed, For the Record is a touch second chance romance with a look at the dark side of the music industry and social media.

At first I wasn’t drawn into this story but giving just a few characters it really started to take off and we get to see Mackenzie and Sam’s characters start to unfold.

A story of found family and a second chance romance that ripped my heart out and put it back together.

I really enjoyed the epilogue and BEN ! Give it up for side characters that steal your heart.

* LGB side character representation throughout *

I do wish that there was a way to know a head of time that there is LGB representation in the book. Typically it's not my cup of tea and I would have not chosen the book. Overall it was a quick read and enjoyable.

This celebrity musicians romcom had my romance reader heart singing! The banter is top notch and the external plot of music industry and artist rights was fun to dive into as someone not part of that world. As a Swiftie I absolutely noticed Easter eggs Emma tucked in metaphors and lines but it was enjoyable and fun not heavy handed like other Swiftie coded books can be. Cannot wait to recommend this to all my romcom lovers

This book was a cute romcom, but it lacked a bit of depth. I liked the mcs together, but when talking about their music careers, they felt a bit immature. The social media aspect was a bit heavy handed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC of For the Record! This book hits all the right notes: witty, angsty, and irresistibly swoony with just the right amount of backstage drama. Emma Lord trades her usual sunshine-soaked YA for a bold, buzzy adult rom-com, and she absolutely rocks the transition.

Mackenzie Waters and Sam Blaze? ICONIC. Think Taylor Swift meets Brendon Urie with the emotional baggage of Fleetwood Mac. Their chemistry sizzled when they were rivals, but it practically explodes when they reunite for a high-stakes comeback album. There’s so much history packed into every snarky exchange, longing glance, and guitar chord that it’s impossible not to root for them—both as a couple and as individual artists healing from very different pasts.

Mackenzie’s struggle with her voice (literally and figuratively) gave this book a beautifully authentic edge. And Sam? A reformed punk rocker turned unexpectedly soft-hearted single dad? Yes, please. The scenes with his son added so much heart and depth without ever veering into saccharine.

This isn’t just a love story—it’s a story about reinvention, redemption, and rewriting your narrative even after the final curtain call. A little messy, a little angsty, and a whole lot of fun, For the Record is a pitch-perfect rom-com encore.

Would I sell my soul for a behind-the-scenes tour doc featuring these two? Absolutely.

Emma Lord fans and music lovers, this one’s for you.

I was the tiniest bit skeptical of Emma Lord’s adult debut, because nowadays I feel like most adult romcoms are just reduced to “adult content” without any actual emotional journey for the characters or other important elements. However, I went for it anyway because it’s Emma Lord, so of course I’m going to. Naturally, I had nothing to worry about.
This is a celebrity second-chance romance, both of which I think are hard to write because cringe and unbelievable, respectively. But Emma did SUCH an amazing job using them in fresh new ways that made a lovely story full of her usual charm.
I loved how even though both MCs were extremely famous musicians, I kept forgetting that was a thing because they were very down-to-earth and just kind of lead as normal lives as possible. They have lots of individual depth, and being stars isn’t their entire personality or identity. The back-and-forth snippets of their past were skillfully incorporated and added so much to them and their dynamic with both each other and other characters.
Finally, it’s so lovely when the third-act breakup isn’t an actual breakup but a bump in the road for reasonable plot development that they know they’ll get through together rather than pushing each other away and relying on miscommunication.
Overall, excellent addition to Emma Lord’s backlist that’s definitely worth a read! Thanks SO much to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this highly anticipated release of mine!

It was such a journey of an ex-punk rock star and an ex-pop girl band star. From the fake rivalry to real rivalry. From fake feelings to the truth that they've both been wanting each other. From band break-ups, family reconciliation, to self doubt and self blame - they go thru this journey to find the truth and love.

Sam has always have eyes for Mackenzie, he would pull her off of any guys he knows they're not good for her. And abruptly had to had go (and the reason is a good one). After 2yrs, pretending to not keeping track of each other, they desperately wanted to know what the other is up to. When they manage to get close to being honest, it's thru music and songs. Their hearts got there before their heads arrived.

My deal: I hate 3rd act breakups. But!!! This one was done in a very organic way, it flowed thru nicely. I was anticipating Sam to walk away, but he didn't. There were some moments where you were wondering what would happen, but the way it all came together was beautiful and lovely. This one surprised me as to how much I liked it.

Thank. you to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the ARC

For the Record was such a feel good read! The story revolves around Mackenzie and Sam, former popstar/rockstar rivals, who are trying to make their comeback in the music industry and are forced to partner by their label to make it happen.

Watching their relationship evolve from rivals to partners to lovers during the whole book was really fun to read. From the first scene they met, they seemed inevitable (which I guess makes me one of Thunder Hearts/Candy Shards fans waiting for them to actually kiss??). Anyway, loved the story and the characters!

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Emma Lord is just not the author for me, and that's okay. I can see a lot of people enjoying this book, even if I didn't.

For me, this stalled. There was a lot of potential that felt lost in the execution, which ultimately led to the story dragging its feet at the expense of the pacing.

This was my first Emma Lord book. The blurb said it was perfect for fans of Emily Henry, and I completely agree.
Two former rival rockstars are both trying to make a comeback. What a better way than to pair up two rivals together as a comeback album?
You can’t miss the second chance in my book. All the back and forth of them hiding their feelings because they don’t believe the other can be what they need was heart-wrenching but worth it in the end. Would recommend to any second chance romance lovers like myself!
Thank you, NetGalley and St Martins Press, for the ARC!

ARC REVIEW—Thank you NetGalley for the early copy of For the Record. A wonderful behind the scenes story of two musicians forced to rekindle a fake relationship to sell their music and recreate a name for themselves. Only one of them secretly already has done that.

🎸 Rivals to lovers (but were they really rivals? 😉)

🎸 Single dad romance

🎸 Self discovery

🎸 Found family

Honestly, Ben is the glue in this story. He shows them how their love of music and each other coexists. Music is their love language.

A sweet love story filled with music and heart. Mackenzie and Sam’s story was full and beautifully written. 3/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC!

I mention it every single time, but I love a second chance romance more than any other trope!

Mackenzie Waters was once a member of a pop girl group, Thunder Hearts. In the height of their career, they were made part of bit by their label to be a in a rivalry with an emo rock band, Candy Shard and then forced to tour with them. At the center of the rivalry, was Mackenzie and Candy Shard band member Sam Blaze. They played it up on stage, but Sam mostly kept his distance off stage. Mackenzie was known for being typically messy and the always being heartbroken. 2 years after a quick end to their tour, and both bands breaking up, Mackenzie’s management has an idea. Hey what about a duet album with Sam? They end up both agreeing and they both realize there wasn’t much to that rivalry at all, but moreso feelings.

I give it 4 ⭐️! You can’t miss with second chance in my book. All the back and forth of them hiding their feelings because they don’t believe the other can be what they needs was heart wrenching but worth it in the end. Would recommend to any second chance romance lovers like myself!