Emma Lord is quickly becoming one of my top authors! This was such a cute frenemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance, in a story that read quite literally like "he was a punk, she did ballet...what more can I say". Such a cute read, with insane character chemistry.

Former pop sensation and girl group frontwoman Mackenzie has been somewhat of a recluse since her band broke up and she had to have surgery that impacted her voice. But recently, she's been starting to get back into music, releasing songs anonymously on a mysterious app. When she's finally ready to dip her toe into making music under her own name again, though, the label is skeptical. Enter former punk band member and her musical rival, Sam, who is also contemplating reentering the world of music after taking time away to raise his son. The label decides what better way to revive two what they consider has-beens and throw the enemies together?

I had been in the mood for a celebrity romance and thought this one fit the bill. I had read Lord's YA novels, but if she has another adult novel, it hasn't crossed my path yet. This one was a pure delight to read. I love Mack and Sam, their whole story, and the many, many subplots which kept me constantly engaged. Some might consider all the things going on aside from Mack and Sam's dynamic (the evil record label! the evil app owners! Mack's feud with her former bandmate! Sam's mysterious absentee dad!) a lot, but I was entertained by it all.

I do think the cover art is a bit of a misstep though, as it's very Taylor Swift-coded, and McKenzie is nothing like her, in looks or personality. Mack is described as having a distinctive cloud of yellow curly hair, which isn't really what we get from the cover.

Thanks to St. Martin's for my eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

For The Record By Emma Lord 2.5

First thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the arc read. I was very excited to read this book! As always I have to be honest about my feelings about this read. However, I did have some problems with it hence the 2.5. The characters though were older acted like teenagers and lacked communication skills. These are adults and yet they lack communication abilities with each other and everyone around them. This leads to overall frustrating situations. I usually don’t mind a miscommunication trope, but this was too much. I also felt like this book was only written due to the recent craze over Daisy Jones And The Six. Two rival musicians try fighting their attraction to one another. Sam is a father trying to provide for his son. Mackenzie has a secret music identity called Seven. It truly felt like a fan fiction story about Daisy Jones And The Six. However, without the interview aspect, the author did not know how to go back and forth between past and present. We would be mid-chapter and suddenly sucked into the past to explain the context of a situation happening. This book would have benefited greatly from a dual timeline. I did bump up my rating from a 2 to a 2.5 simply because I think readers who haven’t read Daisy Jones would enjoy this much better, and not notice the similarities.

Mackenzie and Sam used to be in rival bands, but they’ve both moved on. Sam, to raise his son he didn’t know about. Mackenzie, to sing under a fake name to hide the fact that she had a surgery that changed her voice. They’re both ready to revive their careers, but the only way they can do it is by joining together to make a comeback album!

I really liked the idea of this book. Former rivals who have tension? Sign me up.

That being said, this book had a really slow start. It was hard for me to stay focused and I found myself skimming over stuff occasionally. I liked both of the characters, but there was something missing. They had good banter and there was definitely chemistry/tension between them, but I couldn’t quite find myself rooting for them.

I was eventually a bit more interested in their relationship and the book’s plot, but it took a while. I think there were some unnecessary filler parts added to the book that could have been shortened/left out.

Finally, even though it’s an adult romance, it felt more like a YA romance. And I do love YA books, so that wasn’t necessarily a problem for ME, but I just want to make everyone aware in case you’re expecting something more adult (though there ARE two spicy scenes)! If you’ve read Emma Lord before, it’s basically the same writing style as her YA books.

Tropes/other aspects:
Adult romcom
Rivals to lovers
Musicians
Dual POV
Found family
Friendships

Emma Lord's novels keep getting better with time just like fine wine. I was addicted to reading Mackenzie's and Sam's stories and did not want to put it down. With the rivals to lovers trope, both deal with the consequences of fame and changes in their personal lives (Sam learning he has a child and Mackenzie's post-operation that changes her voice). You can see the natural progression of their relationship becoming more than collaborators as they work on the joint album and spend more time together. I truly enjoyed reading the novel and cannot wait for what Emma Lord has in store next.

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

LOVED this second chance romance! I didn't know what to expect from this book and it was the best surprise! So fun to read and I could not put it down. The peek into the pasts of both Sam and Mack as well as the personal growth of both characters throughout the book made it impossible to stop reading. Their chemistry is off the charts and I loved that once they "broke their rules" they was no going back for either one of them. It is always fun to read about the glitz and glamour of celebrities, but I loved that there was true friendship/found family for both of these characters.

Highly recommend this book! Such a fun and entertaining story!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's for the ARC!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

When Mackenzie Waters and Sam Blaze toured together with their bands, they had a rivalry and chemistry and a “will they won’t they” that the public adored. But when Sam finds out he has a four year old son he didn’t know about, he leaves the tour without a word, breaking Mack’s heart.

Two years later, both bands have gone their separate ways. When Mackenzie and Sam run into each other at their old bar, an idea springs forth of the two of them making a duet album together.

Neither is thrilled- Sam is still in love with Mackenzie and doesn’t know how he can spend that much time with her; Mack is still bruised from his sudden departure from the tour and her walls are high, unwilling to get hurt by him again. But as they create this new album called “Haunts,” visiting all the places that were important to them at one time, their feelings become unavoidable.

I’ve loved Emma Lord’s YA books for years and I’m enjoying diving into her adult romances now. I love an MMC who has been pining for years and Sam ticks all the boxes for me. He was so steady and unwilling to lose Mack a second time. This was a nice twist on a rockstar romance.

I received this book as an Advanced Readers Copy via NetGalley. It releases in August 12, 2025 so make sure to add it to your TBR if it seems like something you’d enjoy.

For the Record was so much fun and so clever! I loved the premise of two former fuming band members collaborating as well as the subplot about Tick Tune. It was sweet, funny, and romantic. I loved Mack and Sam so much!

This was a cute story. I enjoyed the connection between the characters and the dual perspectives. Thank you!

Mackenzie Waters and Sam Blaze drove each other crazy while on stage, but behind the scenes, there was something more. Until there wasn’t. 2 years have passed and now Mack and Sam are both trying to start solo careers following the end of their respective bands. Forced to work together, will the old feelings find their way back?

I liked this book, but I didn’t totally believe the problem in this book. It felt forced. Also, there were moments where I felt like things were rushed and things could have been more explained.

This is a quick read which was nice. I also really liked Sam’s character, and I liked the duel POVs.

Thank you, Netgalley, for this ARC!

Very cute and sparkly! For some reason, I didn’t fully buy into the Mack and Sam love story, but the former pop star hysteria and second chance romance was a pleasant enough read!

5⭐️

For the record (😉): whoever wrote the blurb for this book declaring it for fans of Emily Henry and “Daisy Jones & the Six” hit the NAIL ON THE HEAD. It has all the humor of an Emily Henry novel combined with the rivalry/tension of Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne but makes it a present-day rom com.

The FMC gives Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter vibes but if she got her start in the Spice Girls.

The banter between the MC’s was near flawless.

No surprises or twists here, but nor were they necessary.

This is one where I’d actually LOVE to hear The Thunder Hearts bandmates’ stories in future novels.



Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

Rating: 4 Stars
Spice Rating: 1.5
Publish Date: August 12th 2025
Will I purchase a physical copy? Yes!

Sam and Mackenzie will always live rent free in my head. I felt for every single one of the characters and was interested in every aspect of the storyline.

I went into For The Record completely blind as I like to do with most books. I have very few absolutely nots for tropes and two of them are single parent (children mostly) and second chance romance so I was very surprised to see both in this book. What I was more surprised about is how much I enjoyed the tone of the first few pages that I didn’t care it has two of my most disliked tropes! They were done incredibly well and really made sense for the story.

This is the first Emma Lord book I have read and it certainly will not be the last, I am not afraid to admit that I felt so much for Sam and Mackenzie that by the ending tears were slowly trying to escape and I was genuinely feeling all their feels for every situation. Emma really captures each emotion so beautifully and intertwines the readers so well I felt like I was friends with everyone.

I highly recommend reading For the Record and I am adding Emma’s backlist to my TBR.

For the Record, by Emma Lord will be a fun summer beach read in 2025! Pop Princess Mack and Punk Rocker Sam have been music rivals for years. What happens when the lights start to dim, bands break up, or pop stars get older? This second chance romance was a fun read, set in the music world. My biggest complaint was the band names and the made up social media platform name (Tik Tune). This is a quick and enjoyable summer read. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to review this book!

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After a surgery changes her voice, former girl-group pop icon Mackenzie Waters is navigating her return to performing when her label throws her into a project with her rival - former punk band frontman turned single father Sam Blaze.

This was SUCH an incredibly fun time. I wasn’t sure how I would like a book set in the world of pop stars, but Emma gave these characters so much depth that I almost forgot about their stardom. They also faced every complication and conflict with so much grace and maturity, it was so refreshing when it seems that so many books rely on the characters being bad communicators. Emma was able to show us how much these characters have grown both by giving us snippets of their past, and showing us how they handle conflict in the present.

The romance was sweet, lovely, raw, and complex. You felt the love between our main characters so deeply, as well as all of the different kinds of love between the friends and family we meet along the way.

Also I have no idea how Emma managed to write a book that was SO centered around music that doesn’t exist, but still captured the essence of all of the songs we learned about. I’m just sad that I’ll never get to hear any of them in real life, because it truly feels like they exist!

This book was an instant favorite, and I feel so lucky to have read it!

Emma Lord’s For the Record is a fantastic enemies-to-lovers romance that surprised me in the best way. While the story started off a bit slow for me, it gradually built into something deeply engaging, with all the heart, tension, and chemistry I could hope for. Mackenzie and Sam—two former bandmates-turned-rivals—find themselves forced to collaborate after years apart, and their dynamic is electric once it fully unfolds.

Mack and Sam’s history is steeped in real animosity, not just surface-level banter, which makes their evolving relationship all the more satisfying. Watching them navigate their past resentments while rediscovering their connection was a rewarding journey.

I’ll admit, I don’t usually gravitate toward music-centered stories, but this one was an exception—I found myself truly invested in the romance despite the music theme. Emma Lord does a great job capturing the highs and lows of fame, weaving in themes of friendship, ambition, and personal growth. The supporting cast, particularly Mackenzie’s former bandmates, add richness to the story.

While I sometimes wished for more flashbacks to Mack and Sam’s early days on tour, the book balances the past and present well, offering just enough glimpses to heighten the emotional stakes. And unlike many romances, the third-act conflict avoids the typical breakup trope, instead presenting a realistic hurdle that the characters navigate together.

With sharp writing, witty banter, and a relationship that blossoms beautifully over time, For the Record ended up being one of my favorite music-themed romances. If you love a well-executed enemies-to-lovers story with compelling characters and a satisfying arc, this one is definitely worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Mackenzie Waters and Sam Blaze had a "will they or won't they thing" going on when their respective bands were on tour together. They played it up because the crowds loved it but they eventually moved on to the maybe we could and then Sam gets some news that sends him running back home and focusing on his family. Two years later, Mackenzie is ready to get back to recording music but is concerned she won't be well received due to a change in her voice because of a surgery. She is secretly recording songs and releasing them on a new app that allows users to listen to a song just once a day. She's gained quite a following but still feels uncomfortable because fans don't know it's her. Sam is also ready to get back into the recording studio but wants to limit the amount of time he's away from home. The label feels he doesn't have enough star power for those type of demands and is ready to walk away. Mackenzie and Sam are pulled together to relaunch their careers by releasing an album they write and record together. The close proximity makes them wonder if perhaps they can have something now. We follow their story as they embark on dates meant to recreate some things from their past while inspiring some new music and fans are eating it up. It's once again a "will they or won't they" scenario and you'll have to read it to find out if they get their HEA.

I do not generally enjoy the pop star type RomComs as they always feel cringey to me but this was a sweet and fun story without all the weirdness of silly lyrics and names of songs. I think this is a strong story with a great cast of characters and a dose of humor that brings us back to RomComs time and time again. A solid read!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

This is how a second chance romance should be done!!

I adored this book!

When music rivals come together to reignite their careers, the music they write is beyond words!! Both have changed from the cocky kids they were in there former bands. They reignite more than just their careers!

This was so sweet and fun and the end was perfect.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for the early access!

Emma Lord’s books are always so cute and this book was no exception. It felt a little slow in the beginning, but I came around to it!

Emma Lord has done it again with her latest! I had such a blast following along with this story and felt immersed in the world the author created with these fun characters! I loved getting to peak into the music world through this read and was rooting for the main characters from the start. I will be recommending to everyone!