Emma Lord’s For the Record hits all the high notes of contemporary romance, delivering a standout second-chance story fueled by music, rivalry, and real-world emotion. Once locked in fierce competition onstage—Mackenzie Waters as pop princess and Sam Blaze as punk rocker—they lit up the music scene with their clash of styles and simmering chemistry. But even the flashiest spotlight dims; both bands crashed and burned, and the spark between them flickered out.
Fast forward two years: Sam has traded backstage drama for domestic devotion, suddenly parenting a son he never knew he had. Mackenzie, on the other hand, is grappling with the aftereffects of thyroid surgery that compromised her voice, forcing her to perform behind a pseudonym. When a label suggests a joint comeback album as the ultimate PR revival, the pair is thrust back together in a creative arena where old wounds and unresolved tension abound.

What follows is a melodic dance of collaboration, confession, and real sparks reigniting. Their songwriting sessions crack open emotional vaults as much as they craft new lyrics, blending professional redemption with personal healing. Lord’s depiction of the music industry—its pressures, unpredictability, and the delicate balance of artistry and image—is grounded and convincing. Meanwhile, the slow-burn romance between Mackenzie and Sam plays out with bated breath, every moment calibrated to resonate.

There are deeper chords here than just chemistry. Sam’s commitment to being a caring dad, and Mackenzie’s cautious rediscovery of her voice, both add layers of authenticity that elevate their reconnection beyond typical romance tropes. If there’s a minor glitch, it’s that some supporting arcs don’t get as much attention, and the pacing eases off midway—but even so, the emotional pull remains compelling from the first track to the final refrain.

In For the Record, Emma Lord has composed a satisfying, emotionally rich rivals-to-lovers romance where the greatest hits—heartbreak, healing, and harmony—are still waiting to be written.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of For The Record! I give this book 3 stars. The idea of For The Record is very cute. I feel like 2 young rival pop stars who get a second chance to come together in a more mature way later on in their careers makes for an intriguing story.

I give this book 3 stars because I do feel like the characters overall were very surface level. I didn’t feel emotionally connected to any one in particular the whole time. I appreciate their attempt to overcome their past selves, but just never felt like we got to understand what the past truly was for them.

The romance also seemed to happen all at once which was almost confusing. It was easy to get on track once it started but I do believe it had an abrupt start.

Overall, I would recommend for anyone looking for a light contemporary romance read. But if you want more substance this may not be the read for you.

🎙️ Enemies/rivals to lovers
✨ Second chance (secret pining, it’s-always-been-you vibes)
🎙️ Forced proximity
✨ Musicians (pop star x punk rocker)
🎙️ Hidden identity
✨ No third-act breakup
🎙️ Single dad

I was hooked from page one. Hooked. So much that halfway through, I basically begged the publisher for a physical copy.

Fast-paced, beautifully written and bursting with rock & roll heart, For the Record is an anthem for being your best, true self—and for the people who help you get there. At its core, it’s about accepting new realities, taking the right risks and seeing people for who they are.

The characters felt real and relatable, even with the fame. And Sam’s son is adorable. His weird love for nasty, savory “dessert” abominations might be my favorite kid trait ever written.

I’m giving this 4.5 stars instead of 5 because of the ending. The past plays such a big role, I was craving a full-circle moment in the epilogue. We got a small nod in the last chapter, but it didn’t quite land. The epilogue felt like it would have been better as a cute bonus chapter. It didn’t close the story the way I wanted and some of the choices didn’t make sense. Still, I’m absolutely coming back to this one.

As a rock & roll girl and punk rock kid at heart, this book spoke to me.

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC via NetGalley! I loved every word.

This one took a bit for me to get into. I started it several times and then finally finished after several weeks.

It’s a cute story with two former band members who have always held a flame for each other. There is a lot of miscommunication, and there are a lot of characters trying to get in their way. It was entertaining enough, but not something I would rave about.

Sam and Mack used to be rival pop stars.

The crowds and the record label played into their 'will they, won't they' vibe until one day it all ended. Neither honest with each other about their feelings or thoughts.

Now years later, Mackenzie is letting go of past hurts in anonymous songs and hopes to start a singing career again. Sam is also ready for a new phase of his career. But working together is the only way they can get the record label behind them.

Emma Lord creates a situation that forces each character to confront some of the hurt from their younger days and show the growth they've had since then. In doing so she lets the reader find ways to explore and express growth for themselves.

Sam is a dreamboat. Mackenzie is part manic pixie dream girl and part wounded soul warrior. I dare you to read it and not want to snuggle and love them both.

✨️ARC Review✨️

4.25⭐️ for For the Record by Emma Lord

I very much enjoyed this one, and the fact that it takes place in the music industry made it that much more interesting to me. I actually liked the second chance vibes of this one, probably because they hadn't been in a real relationship the first time around. I felt it made this second chance at love more realistic and believable, and I found myself eating it up.

Sam and Mack were definitely a slow burn, but I loved the way that burn showcased their chemistry and progressed from sort-of rivals to friends who have fun to so much more. I also loved that the story focused on other relationships too, namely Mack's friendship with Serena.

Fans of Daisy Jones and the Six will probably enjoy this one too.

Thank you so much to Wednesday books and Netgalley for the arc and finished copies in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

This book was like battle of the bands with a dash of redemption. Mackenzie and Sam are talented musicians with feuding bands. A little enemies to lovers behind the scenes if you will. When the bands fall apart, so does their connection. Several years later, they team up together to revive their careers while also balancing being a single parent, Sam, and finding her voice again after an operation changed her voice, Mackenzie. Their chemistry is sizzling as soon as they are reunited. There was a decent amount of character development for both characters as they figure out what their relationship looks like now as adults with some life experience. I absolutely adored this story! Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own.

Instagram review will be live the week of release.

It was good but it just didn't keep my attention.

It's enemies to lovers whose bands are against each other.

I just didn't feel the connection between the two characters and that was hard for me to finish the book.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I devoured this book in less than a day. For sure my favorite book from Emma Lord! This dynamic between Mackenzie and Sam was so much fun. The relationship was just so well written & I absolutely loved the way that both of these characters developed so beautifully both alone and together.

I also really enjoyed the music industry overall and it really has made me think of a lot of things.

Mackenzie and Sam have been rivals who hate each other from the moment they met. Their bands are also rivals, always trying to one-up the other and claim the fame. They finally both realize that it's easier to just avoid and ignore each other, so what happens when they are brought back together again unexpectedly?

This book was.... difficult. I didn't really feel much connection to the characters, I found the story to be kind of boring until about the 40% (ish) mark, then I was starting to get interested, and then it fell off again around 75%. I don't know if I just don't know much about the music scene, but a lot of the terms and explanations were lost on me. I felt pretty confused with the terms of the bands and record labels, etc. I also felt like there was no real high point of this story. It felt more like cresting a small hill in my yard that climbing a mountain to get to the climax of the story, and then downhill was just... a step. For this to be marketed as a rom-com, I also didn't find it very funny or very romantic. Instead, it felt cheesy.

I don't mean for this review to be harsh, I just don't think I was the right person for this book. I think the author did well with building characters and rivalries and relationships between characters, but I don't think it really translated well to me as a reader. The two characters that I actually felt emotion towards were Serena, Mackenzie's friend and bandmate who made me angry and annoyed, and Ben, because he's an adorable 6 year old who holds nothing back.

Anyway, I don't think I was a good fit for this book, and I typically don't read many rom-coms anyway, so take this review with a grain of salt. I would be willing to read something else from this author in the future and give her another shot. This one just didn't work for me. 3 stars.

Mack and Sam were partners/rivals in the music scene. They were in different bands that often played together, and although the bands clashed at times, Mack and Sam had a unrequited chemistry off stage. This story really begins two years after the bands fall apart, and Mack and Sam are looking to revive their careers with a joint comeback. Although they start off as an forced alliance, it doesn't take long for sparks to fly between them, even with secrets and competition around them.

I enjoyed this story! The characters are complex and compelling, and the conflicts between them keep the story line going. Thanks to St Martin's Griffin and Net Galley for the ARC!

Oh, how I enjoyed this book. Mack & Sam are destined but it is a rocky road to happy for them both. Mack comes off as peppy and up but she’s so much deeper than that. Sam is the charming bad boy but he too has layers. Like an onion we get to peel the layers back and might shed a tear or two but in the end we get a delicious dish.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

This is a second chance romance about a pop singer and her on-stage punk singer rival, who missed their chance at love years ago. Now, the two are paired up by their label in order to give each of their careers a second chance. But the more time they spend together the more they forget why they couldn't make it work the first time.

This was my first Emma Lord book and I was excited about the premise, expecting a lot more banter and tension between these two whose on stage chemistry sparked fanfic and had millions rooting for them. However I feel this fell a little flat for me, there were times I didn't feel very connected to either character or their relationship... I get why things happened the way they did I just felt quite underwhelmed. And apparently this book was only 280 pages?? It felt like it dragged on and on! My favorite parts were when they were together writing music but we always skipped right over the actual songwriting process and they just rehashed things from their past. I also HATED "Tick Tune", I lost years of my life every time I read that. I did enjoy the epilogue, very cute and I actually could see these two crazy kids staying together past the epilogue so that's always a win in my book.

Overall this wasn't my favorite rom com but if you're into musician romance and second chance (my least favorite trope) maybe this will hit the right notes (haha get it, music?).

I thought the idea behind this was so cute, but I was unfortunately bored. I think I wanted more banter and chemistry, more fun between the characters. They just felt a little flat to me, so I struggled with seeing them together. I did like the different POV and how they flowed together seamlessly. I thought the different perspectives were well done. The book and characters just felt a little childish to me, more YA than adults. I struggle with YA books, I feel that they are more targeted to my oldest child. I went into this wanting the spice, banter and "can't keep my clothes on" chemistry from two musicians and I just did not deliver. Maybe I just went in with the wrong mindset?
Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy

This book was funny and emotional, which is one of my favorite combos. I love a “rock star” romance and this delivered.

The characters were a vibe. Loved the relationship progress between Mack and Sam. There were a few plot twists that felt maybe not as thought through, but they didn’t really block the overall flow of the book. A very sweet, musical read!

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for sending me an ebook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Okay I LOVED THIS!!!!! Mackenzie and Sam were SO GOOD and I loved their history and chemistry and dynamic so much. All of the dynamics with the ensemble cast were great and the drama was great abd it was one of those books I never wanted to stop listening to. It’s also narrated by Andrew Eiden and Jesse Vilinsky who are amazing and gave STELLAR performances! They cannot wait to reread when it comes out next month and dont be surprised if you see this on my favs of the year list!

This book is first and foremost a romance, however, it is so much more than that. It grapples with themes of parenthood, evolving friendships, change and reinvention, and autonomy and control in the music industry. I really enjoyed how these themes were portrayed in Mackenzie and Sam’s story.

Mackenzie and Sam are rivals from 2 former bands who often performed together. Two years after their bands break up, their label asks Mackenzie and Sam to become a duet. They agree and begin to revisit their old “haunts” to inspire their songwriting. The chemistry between the two as they revisit their pasts and work on their future was palpable. Mackenzie is also posting anonymously on a music app as “Seven” to share songs about her past relationships. She has to figure out balance her anonymity as “Seven” with becoming half of Mack & Sam. I really enjoyed this part of the story showing that artists’ voices and personas will change as they age & is something that we may not think about artists having to come to terms with.

This book, of course, also has classic Emma Lord silliness (dessert abominations) that makes it even more fun of a read.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Emma Lord has truly outdone herself with "For The Record," delivering a story that captures the heart and soul of romance lovers everywhere. This slow-burn romance is set against the bustling, vibrant backdrop of a big city, providing the perfect stage for characters that leap off the page with authenticity and charm.

The protagonists are richly developed, their chemistry palpable from the very first meeting. The slow build of their relationship adds depth and realism, making every shared glance and tender moment feel earned and deeply satisfying. Emma Lord masterfully balances emotional tension with lighthearted, witty dialogue, creating characters that are both relatable and unforgettable.

What truly sets "For The Record" apart is its ability to intertwine personal growth with romantic development. As the characters navigate the complexities of city life, ambition, and self-discovery, readers are treated to a narrative that feels both genuine and uplifting.

And the ending? Pure joy. The happy conclusion is the cherry on top of an already delightful reading experience, leaving readers with a satisfied smile and a heart full of warmth.

If you're a fan of slow-burn romance, dynamic characters, and stories that celebrate love in all its forms, "For The Record" is a must-read. Five stars without hesitation!

For The Record, by Emma Lord, is about two members of rival bands trying to get back in the groove of things after they both needed to take a hiatus from the limelight. Lo and behold, they share the same management, and their teams decide the best way to bring them back onto the scene is to hop up on stage as a duo.

Will their rivalry live on, or will they finally admit that their chemistry on stage isn't just a bit for their fans? Only time will tell.

Review:

This was my first time reading an Emma Lord book, and she did not disappoint! I loved everything about it. Mack and Sam’s chemistry was fiery, and the plot was entertaining.

The banter was bantering. There’s just something about when the FMC seems like she can’t stand the MMC, and the MMC shamelessly flirts with the FMC just because he knows it’ll get a rise out of her. It is very much one of my all-time favorite dynamics between two characters in a romcom book. I eat it up every time.

Like I said before, I went into the book completely blind, so Sam being a dad was a pleasant little surprise. I loved seeing the relationship between Sam and his son grow and evolve throughout the book, and seeing Mack accepted within the folds of their little family unit was heartwarming.

For The Record is for the girls who love a good rivals-to-lovers, a single-dad trope, second-chance romances, and curating the perfect playlist! If you love all things Daisy Jones and The Six or Fleetwood Mac, this book is a must-read!

Thank you, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley, for providing me with an eArc. 4.25/5 would recommend! Will be purchasing the trophy copy for my bookshelf on release day.