Two rival singers end up stumbling into a duet deal that will put there "will they, won't they" past to the test. A second chance romance trope you can not miss! This story reminded me of Music & Lyrics and any Taylor Swift love song!

A simple cute romcom with the rivals to lovers trope, with secret identity, and second chance vibes for the taking.

The romance was swoony, the slowburn was sizzling, and the whole music aspect of it helped bring everything together.

I read about a thyroid condition in the summary of this book in Publisher’s Weekly - and was so excited. It’s so common yet rarely seen in novels. Because the condition was not a prominent part of the story through the first half, I don’t think there is enough to discuss. Still - congratulations on a great book. I wish you great success!

2.75⭐️ mackenzie and sam had some cute moments, but it was very hit or miss for me and felt very rushed. outside of their relationship, i really liked the plot surrounding seven. it connected to multiple characters in different ways, both positively and negatively. i feel like with the themes and reasoning behind some things, it was supposed to be a little more emotional than how i took it but it was very flat so i wasn't able to connect with it as much. the conflict with serena could have also been done a little better at times, but i did really like their resolution!

This is my first book by Emma Lord and omg I enjoyed it so much. I adored the rivals to lovers romance between Sam & Mackenzie. The way there was so much more depth to the rivals portion of their relationship by having them be almost lovers added so much tension. I felt like the relationship was well paced and both leads were so enjoyable. I think what this book did really well was give both of our leads a gripping story outside of the romance. Sam’s struggles with his absent father and how it affected how he viewed himself as a father was so beautiful. The entire saga with seven was compelling and watching Mackenzie navigate her friendships really resonated with me. Overall, I will definitely be trying more Emma Lord books in the future.

This was such an easy and cute read- I'm such a sucker for musician / celebrity romance stories, so add in that the MCs are rival superstars and they have to work together are part of a comeback for both of their careers, and I was pretty hooked early on.

Once the biggest rivals in the music scene, pop sensation Mackenzie Waters and punk rock frontman Sam Blaze captivated audiences with their electrifying onstage clashes—and undeniable offstage chemistry. But when their tension boiled over, both bands imploded, and so did any hope of a future between them. Two years later, everything has changed. Sam is now a single dad trying to live a quieter life, while Mackenzie, recovering from a vocal surgery, sings anonymously to hide her changed voice. Their careers are stalling—until a joint comeback album is proposed. With fans clamoring and their reputations on the line, the two are forced to reunite. What starts as a publicity stunt soon turns into something more, as old sparks reignite and long-buried feelings come roaring back.

***Spoilers***

There were a ton of aspects of the story that I really enjoyed (like the mutual pining for YEARS, most of the side characters were super enjoyable, the second chance both romantically and professionally), but there were just a few things that I didn't loveee that would have made this story a five-star read for me. The reason why they never got together when they were touring together didn't make a lot of sense to me... they just circled each other for years as they dated/got with other people while wanting each other? I also didn't understand Sam and Lizzie's relationship and how that resulted in them having a kid together, Sam not knowing she had a kid until the kid was 4, and then them all living together. And lastly, Serena as a character just irked me.

However, even with some of those grievances I had with the plot, I really did enjoy the story and flew right through it!

Read if you like:
- celebrity / musician
- rivals to lovers
- single dad
- second chance (ish)
- forced proximity
- dual POV

For the Record by Emma Lord

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 1/5 🌶️

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, Netgalley, and the author for access this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

For the Record is an entertaining, exciting read with plenty of wit, tension, and heartwarming moments that’ll make one smile. A super cute read!

Pop star Mackenzie Waters and rockstar Sam Blaze used to be the biggest rivals in the music industry. They entertained audiences flawlessly on stage along with their bands and the public was enamored with them. Behind the scenes, the tension between them developed into something more until both bands went their separate ways and they did as well. Fast forward two years, Sam is raising his son he didn’t know he had and Mackenzie is dealing with a change in her voice caused by an operation by singing under a different name. The only way they can revive their careers is by releasing an album together, which means Sam and Mackenzie now have to learn to work together. As their story develops, old sparks are reignited and new secrets come to the light, all working to make them wonder whether the best is yet to come between them.

This was such a sweet story! A dual POV, second chance romance where the MCs have a strong history together and are such a good pairing both on and off the stage, especially when they recognize that they’re meant to be. The found family aspect is a wonderful addition and further strengthens the story. Overall, a great read!

Big thanks to NetGalley & St. Martins Griffin for letting me read this arc!!

I really enjoyed this one. I always think reading Emma's books are so fun, but this one really was magical. Tweet Cute has a special place in my heart, but this might be a close second. I see a lot of myself in Mackenzie, her strength and resilience is inspiring. And I just adore Sam. In a world full of red flags, be a Sam. If you grew up loving the musicians/music stories on Wattpad, you'll love this book. It's a much older, wiser, (and a well written) version of a classic musician wattpad story.! This book is so cute and wonderful. Go give it a read!

This was sweet, funny, steamy, all the ingredients for a great romance book! I really enjoyed this, I liked the characters and I found the plot points all believable and well done by the author.

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁:

This is a fun frenemies to lovers romance for all the music lovers. It’s full of forced proximity, facing the past, secrets, friendships and writing songs. Truly a swoon worthy read! If you’re looking for fun, flirty, second chance with a dash of spice this one’s for you. I really enjoyed it.

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

Mackenzie aka Mac was once a pop princess in a band with her two besties. Then a medical scare required her to get her thyroid removed and took her dream away. It’s been two years and her voice is not the same. A fun app that keeps your identity a secret has allowed her to post songs under the name Seven, and she shocked that she’s become popular again. This is a big secret to keep.

Sam was a rockstar in a punk rock band, then he found out he had a 4 year old son and life changed. It’s been two years and he’s trying to launch back into the industry as an acoustic artist. But the label won’t take a chance on him. Then he runs into Mac at a bar.

Mac and Sam were in bands that were portrayed as rivals and behind the scenes they had a real enemies vibe. But the fans always loved to ship them together, so a partnership now 2 years later would be the thing that could launch his new career. Now he just has to convince Mac to write an album with him.

𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:

“I thought—that woman’s either gonna change my life, or end life as I know it.”

𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅:

* Popstar vs Punk RockStar
* Second Chance - Previously in Rival Bands
* Frenemies to Lovers
* Single Dad to a 6yr Old Son
* Steamy Swim Lesson
* Revealing Secrets
* Hashimoto’s Rep
* Female Friendships
* Dual POV w/ Spice

💜🎶🎤💜💛🎤🎶🎤💜💛🎤🎶💜

=

3.5 stars

For the Record delivers a fun and emotionally grounded second-chance romance between two ex-rivals turned reluctant collaborators. Sam and Mackenzie’s banter was a highlight, and I liked how the book balanced romantic tension with personal and professional redemption arcs. I can’t pinpoint exactly what held me back from fully loving it, but I still found it enjoyable.

Thank you for the early copy!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. Since I'm familiar with Lord's YA lit as a school librarian, I was excited to check out her new adult book!

Mackenzie Waters was once the front woman for a pop trio, but years after they amicably split, she's been posting anonymous videos that detail her romantic relationships on a music app. There is one more song to release, and it's about that one man who may have hurt her the most by keeping her at a distance.

Sam Blaze's band once toured with Mackenzie, and he was cast as her "will they/won't they" rival on stage, but he always avoided letting anything actually happen because he didn't want to hurt her. When he found out he had a son, he stopped touring and focused on his new title of dad.

Now, it seems as though their lives are about to become intertwined once again as their agents want them to work together on a new album, but as Mackenzie and Sam get closer again, old feelings come back, truths are revealed, neither is sure how to move forward through all the past hurts and present secrets.

I enjoyed this book a lot! The main characters had great chemistry, the side characters were important and memorable, and the plot was well executed. I liked how much both MCs grew throughout the book, learning to trust each other and themselves. I think Lord's adult debut maintained some of the sweetness of YA while clearly belonging in the adult category.

🎶 F A M O U S F R I D A Y review 🎶 featuring “For the Record” by Emma Lord!

Sam Blaze and Mackenzie Waters are both in the music spotlight and have been rival musicians for years. They both have messy and complicated pasts and unresolved chemistry that has always created a strong tension between them.

Years later, they are going through big life changes: Sam finding out he’s a father and Mackenzie dealing with a new vocals after a career altering surgery.

Now their record labels are forcing them to make a joint comeback album together, which forces them not only to reinvent themselves and confront old wounds, but perhaps have a second chance at finding success … and so much more!

Read this if you enjoy:
🎙️ second chance romance
🎵 self discovery
🎸 pop star vs rock band
🎤 dual pov
🌟 enemies to lovers

Thank you kindly to @dilemmalord @stmartinspress @netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This book releases on August 12, 2025!

This was a disappointing read. Admittedly, I probably would have DNF'ed this after the first few chapters if this hadn't been an advanced reader's copy.

I was immediately not a fan of the writing style, which lacked depth and instead focused on frankly incredibly clichéd and cheesy sitcom situations. There were also about 20 characters introduced in as many pages, and I just didn't think they were all necessary.

Overall, this book was a struggle for me to get through, despite its relatively short length. I did like the plot setup, but unfortunately, it just fell short.

For the Record by Emma Lord
Pub Date: 8/12/25
Format: audio
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Thank you to St Martins Press and Netgalley for this advanced ebook in exchange for my honest review!

This is somehow the first book I’ve read by Emma Lord and it was fun! As a music lover and recovered band kid, I love a romance that revolves around the music scene. It provided a great backdrop for this contemporary romance!

I really enjoyed the first half of this book, but the second half just fell a little flat for me. There was a bit too much going on and it was just a little tough to stay engaged because I wasn’t sure which stakes were supposed to hold our attention or be our main priority. Was it Serena? Was it the music execs? Was it Sam and her romance with him? Her career? Her secret about being Seven?

I really did like the relationship between Mackenzie and Sam and thought this was a fun, quick read…but I think keeping it a bit more simple would have worked better for me.

All of that said, the audiobook was wonderful and the narrators did a great job. I would still recommend checking this one out!

I have been a fan of Emma Lord's work ever since Tweet Cute, which was the ultimate romcom! 

Two music stars in different industries cause a stir by joining forces. When things go awry, they lose touch. When they meet again two years later under very different circumstances, they can't deny the chemistry they have together. But will things work out this time?

I adored this book! The second chance romance between the two main characters was electric and it was easy to feel their connection through their banter and interactions. I was lucky enough to listen to the audio (which was extremely well done) while I read along with my ebook - one of the best ways to read! If you're after an easy to read and get lost in music romcom, definitely pick this one up.

thank you netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this early arc!

this was such a fun, sweet story! i immediately knew i had to read this one when it was marketed for the daisy jones fans because that’s my girl and honestly it was giving all the right vibes!

these characters were so sweet, had so many cute moments, and i really enjoyed their story. i wish i got scenes from their past during the feud days, but overall this was a fun read! 3.5 stars.

This is my first book by this author and I was pleasantly surprised. This is a cute and quick romance that will leave you wanting to go to a concert. This follows Mackenzie and Sam. Back in the day Mackenzie was a pop princess and Sam was a rockstar. They were rivals who would pull pranks on each other but also play into Mackenzie and Sam liking each other. Two years later and Sam has taken a step back from the spotlight to be a dad and Mackenzie has been recovering from an operation. To get back out there they must make a joint album to make some buzz in the music world.

I loved the premise of this book and it had great potential. Both MCs were wonderful individually. However, together it fell flat for me. I just wanted more. Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.

An easy read for those that are into second chance romance/enemies to lovers vibes. Pop Musician Mackenzie Waters and rockstar Sam Blaze are both likable but also flawed. It's like the book tried to give us some depth and background, but it's still a very light / easy read. I'm a sucker for good banter, and these two have it.

Shoutout to whoever does Emma Lord's covers, because they just grab you and I honestly would pick up any of her books for that reason alone.

I especially enjoyed the musician/performer aspects of this story, in addition to the MMC's cute little son and the fact that Emma Lord always seems to manage to insert a bakery into her books. I'll admit that I didn't always feel the emotions the main characters were portraying and sometimes they just felt overwrought for what was actually happening in the story. But I did like the two love interests' sexual tension and cute banter--so overall, I'd say it was a sweet story and I had fun reading it.