For the Record by Emma Lord was a fun, easy read that gave me everything I love in a second chance romance: rekindled love, repaired friendships, and a few career comebacks thrown in for good measure. I really enjoyed getting a peek behind the curtain of the rich and famous lifestyle. It felt like a light, sweet, behind the scenes tour of celebrity life with some heartfelt moments sprinkled in.

The dynamic between Sam and Mackenzie was definitely a highlight. The chemistry was there, and I liked watching them reconnect. That said, even though both of them had some real emotional baggage to work through, the book never really dug in. Sam’s complicated family stuff and sudden leap into fatherhood, paired with Mackenzie’s journey post surgery and the heartbreak that came with it, had potential for deeper impact. But it all stayed pretty surface level, which made the stakes feel a little low.

And while I liked their relationship, Sam and Mackenzie often felt more like teens than adults who’ve been through the wringer of fame and personal trauma. Their immaturity sometimes clashed with the heaviness of their backstories.

Still, it was an enjoyable read overall. Sweet, hopeful, and perfect for when you want something easy to dive into. Just maybe not as emotionally satisfying as I was hoping for.

🎶✨ When pop princess Mackenzie Waters and punk rock frontman Sam Blaze shared the stage, the fireworks were undeniable. Their rivalry was fierce, their chemistry even fiercer—and just when something real almost sparked between them, everything changed.

Two years later, Sam is raising a son he never knew he had, and Mac is recovering from a surgery that altered her voice and her career. But now, fate—and a record deal—have thrown them back together to collaborate on a joint album. The fans are thrilled. The label is thrilled. And soon, they realize that maybe... they're not quite over what they left unsaid. 😳💔🎤

✨ For the Record is a breathtaking blend of second-chance romance, healing, and slow-burn tension that sings with emotional depth. It’s about the music we create, the families we find, the scars we hide—and the kind of love that refuses to fade away.

Expect:
🎸 Enemies to lovers vibes
🎤 Rockstar romance & behind-the-scenes drama
👨‍👧 Single dad sweetness
💞 Found family and redemption
🔥 That slow-burn chemistry we ALL crave

This one tugged on my heartstrings and had me swooning in equal measure! Highly recommend if you love your romance messy, emotional, and oh-so-satisfying! 💕

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC!

This was my first Emma Lord book, and although the story was cute and read like a romcom, the main characters did fall a little flat for me and I wished for a bit more depth. I did not connect with either of them in the way I wanted to.

However, It was lighthearted, fun, and a quick read. I would definitely recommend it to readers who are looking for a quick, light read, and I will definitely explore more of Emma Lord’s work in the future.

This year is giving me all the rockstar romances I never knew I wanted or needed!! For the record is my third of the summer and I devoured this second chance, dual POV, romance between two former singer/songwriter stars who used to tour together but are both trying to make a comeback after being out of the music scene for various years.

Sam and Mackenzie have a mutual pining situation going on but they never had a chance to really give a relationship a shot when Sam left music after learning he had a son and Mackenzie had a thyroid tumor that changed her vocal range and sound. Now they're working on a nostalgia record together reliving some of their favorite memories of their times touring together but secret's they've both been keeping threaten to derail another shot at love.

The book has great disability rep (she has Hashimoto's) and lots of emotional depth and I especially loved the strong female friendship between Mackenzie and her former bandmates. Excellent on audio narrated by Jesse Vilinsky and Andrew Eiden - my only wish is that there would have been some songs included in the audio book version - it would have elevated the experience that much more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @libro.fm for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review. This is definitely a new fav for me by Emma Lord and I highly recommend it for fans of books like If not for my baby or Never been shipped.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of For the Record in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 30%.

I mean, I might not be a big into romance, but this was basically unreadable for me. The dialogue was cringeworthy, the character names and band names were absurd, and the constant use of the word “damn” got old fast. It was rushed, forced, and not worth pushing through.

Maybe I could have excused some of those things if the writing was compelling, but it just wasn’t working for me.

While the concept was a really good idea and I had fun reading at some points, this story did feel messy. There was a lot going on and some of the side plots felt unnecessary and under explored. I liked the parts of the book that focused on their album they were writing together and their story of coming back together. The side plot with Serena felt like a forced fight with no good reason, and some of the other side plots felt like they just popped up to move the plot and then didn’t really resolve. It was a good book, just not my favorite!

I'm a fan of Emma Lord's romances and this one doesn't miss — I liked the musical background and the chemistry between Sam and Mackenzie, and it was just warm and fun throughout. A romance that leaves you feeling just a little bit happier than before.

I absolutely love Emma Lord books but was disappointed in this one--this felt like a YA book that was trying to be "grown up." By throwing in swear words, it felt awkward and didn't add to the story. Emma is such a great writer that (for me) this detracted from the plot and great writing; however, that might just be my personal taste. This is a great book for those who like second-chance romance and found family. 3 stars for me. I also listened on audio and loved the two different narrators for the dual POV--excellent choices! *I received a complimentary audio and e-ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

This was a pleasant surprise for me, as it started out a little underwhelming but quickly ramped up until I was flying through it. I will admit the names of the bands and many of the characters (Candy Shard? Twins named Twyla and Isla? Come on!) were making me cringe, but I ended up really loving the progression of the plot and seeing how all the characters’ stories played out. I thought I knew where the story was going the whole time but was surprised in how it came together. The author did a great job weaving the songs written by the main characters into a clever ending (and she didn’t subject us to any cheesy lyrics or bad rhyming!). I wish the fact that Sam was a punk rock singer and Mackenzie was a pop princess was played up more. The two didn’t seem that different in style and personality and I think it would have been fun for them to really contrast and be opposites.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Emma Lord book - and I will now be deep diving and reading as many of hers as I can get my hands on. I got the ARC for this book… a while ago. And somehow it got pushed down on my kindle and life happened, when I saw it was publishing next week it triggered my memory. I devoured this in two days!

Mack and Sam are members of past chart topping bands that toured together as rivals, a couple years before this book takes place. They are both exploring new paths in music, reinventing themselves, and their label wants them to do it as a duet. Sam is now a dad (single but I LOVE how the coparenting was done in this story bc it doesn’t feel accurate to say single dad) and Mack is working through her own life changing events.

This story was so much more layered than i anticipated it was going to be. The character development, the glimpses into the music/recording industry, the found family, it was all so so good.

Add this to your TBR friends - and come back and tell me how much you love it. I now need some band tees for these two!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for an ARC.

I personally enjoy books with musicians and music as a back drop and was really excited to read For The Record. Both Mackenzie and Sam are lovable and relatable and I liked reading both of their perspectives of fame and what happens after you’re no longer as relevant.

Things I enjoyed:
-the banter between our main characters
-lovable side characters
-second chance romance
-older main characters
-forced proximity
-some open door spice
-unique story line

Things that maybe could have been done differently:
-I wish we had seen more of Mac and Sam’s initial connection
-some of the side plots seemed to drag on a bit
-would have loved to read some of the lyrics like we usually get to do in music based books

It’s a fun read and you won’t regret picking it up.

3.5/5⭐️ for me

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 5!

Summer 2025 is for the Paramore girlies, I swear.

Back in the day Mackenzie was in a loud and glittery pop girl group, and Sam was in an angsty pop punk band. The bands were managed by twin sisters and paired together in a PR rivalry, including a Will They/Won’t They situation between their our protagonists.

After Sam learns the father to a toddler he didn’t know about, he disappears from public life. Mackenzie also disappeared after a health scare that changed her voice. Two years later, they’re both ready to try the solo thing, but the label will only green light a duet album that they need to write and perform for execs in a month. Paired with a trending app for anonymous musicians, bandmate drama, and family drama, the month gets REAL interesting.

I really cannot get enough of romances between musicians and For the Record did not disappoint. I related hard to Mackenzie’s tragic romantic past and her the reasons why she kept making bad decisions. I also love any main character with an invisible illness (she has Hoshimotos), though I feel that it wasn’t fully represented in her character. It’s mentioned a few times that she gets tired more often now but only in the past tense. It doesn’t truly come up ever in present day, which seems a tad unrealistic to me.

Overall, this was a charming musical love story that will definitely satisfy any true romantic looking for a little Sparkle. Don’t skip if you love second chance romances, forced proximity, and rock star romance.

Ugh I just didn’t like this. Did they love each other? Did they hate each other? I didn’t understand what the conflict even was. The stupid band names and Tick Tune and the pointless extra unlikable characters. I have learned my lesson. This author is not for me.

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

This one was so wonderful! As someone who hoped for stardom once upon a time, I also wished for a handsome boy to write songs with and to fall hopelessly in love with me. Sadly, while neither of those dreams came true, I was able to live out my fantasy in this dreamy book. I absolutely loved the relationship playing out amongst songs - it was just lovely.

Thank you so much for the ARC!

I loved this story and Sam and Mack together! I do not normally read music based books, but this one was really cute with their rivalry turned romance. They had great banter and there was a little spice but I enjoyed that it was not the whole storyline.

I fear that Emma Lord can do no wrong. I always end up absolutely loving her books, and FOR THE RECORD was so stinkin good and cute. I had such a fun time reading it, 10/10 recommend.

I'm starting to think that Emma Lord's adult novels just aren't quite it for me which is wild considering she's one of the only YA/new adult writers I still read. I liked the Break-Up Pact just okay and I feel like that's an appropriate descriptor of my feelings here too. It was fine, but it wasn't a stunner for me. I liked Sam and Makenzie well enough and I appreciated their struggles, but the big secret keeping them apart felt contrived. I preferred the conversation around what artists own and how that related to our currently reality with a certain app to the couple's specific conflict. Despite all this going on, I felt a little bored part way through this one. I'll still read everything that Emma Lord touches, I just think I prefer her younger audience books.

A rivals to lovers book that feels like a second chance all set in the music industry. This book is fun and clever and heartfelt.

Our to MCs have fantastic chemistry and banter which carries the whole book. I think the premise of the book was clever and interesting and provided that forced proximity that we love. There's also a found family that plays a major role and supports the MC's both separately but as a couple. Everything felt very connected and meaningful. There are also a lot of plot points going on which added some complexity and depth to the story and the characters.

Sam is a the perfect MMC pining (!!!) and definitely falls first and harder. Mack catches up, and their relationship goes from zero to 100 real quick. I feel like it needed to be a little more gradual.

What made this book work for me was the maturity. These characters were logical and acted smartly. Yes there are secrets and things withheld, but that's expected given the circumstances. There isn't a third act break up per say... more of a third act conflict that provides the necessary tension for the MC's to work through together.

Looking back, there were a lot of tropes in this one, but they all worked so well together and created a great story. I loved it!

*Thank you to Emma Lord and St. Martin's Press for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Tropes: rivals to lovers, second chance, found family, pining, he falls first, single dad, forced proximity, rock stars, and dual pov.

Thank you to St. Martins and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Overall, I enjoyed this rivals to lovers romance. The FMC and MMC had great chemistry together, and once the story got going, it was very entertaining. My only criticism is that there seemed to be backstory missing that would explain the relationship/rivalry between the main characters as well as the FMC and her best friend. There is also conflict between the main character and other minor characters that’s never really explained.

This had all the ingredients for a perfect romcom: former rivals, daisy and billy vibes, AND. masquerade ball?? But it was rushed. The chemistry between the main characters worked, but it was more show than tell. I think this story would have benefitted from a duel timeline to better balance out the history of the characters with their current feelings. Again, the chemistry was strong, the base level of the plot worked, and I liked both characters, but I was left wanting and by the end, a little bored. 3⭐️