Thank you NetGalley & St Martin's Press for the eARC of For the Record

2.5 Stars

Former music industry rivals Mackenzie (pop) and Sam (punk) reunite after 2 years of silence to revive their careers via a joint album. As they work together to write a new album, sparks are reignited and past pains are brought to light. Will Sam and Mack be able to revive their careers? Will they be able to forgive their past mistakes in order to find happiness together?

This book was fine. It was relatively quick paced and the music plot was entertaining. It made me a little nostalgic thinking back to the days of girl/boy bands and catchy music that was a staple to my childhood.

Both of these characters were in their upper 20s/early 30s but seemed so immature to me and they all sucked at communication. I appreciate the emotional journey both Mack and Sam went on and how they were able to explore the potential of being together permanently, but it was hard for me to connect with it. I also found the names of the bands and some other elements super cringey (Thunder Hearts? Candy Shard? Neon bucket hats to be more "discreet" in public? Come on). And as someone who has no idea how the music industry works, I really had a hard time with the Tick Tune and Seven aspect and found the pseudonym storyline kind of frustrating.

Overall, it was fine. I feel like this book could be more targeted for the YA crowd if the spicier scenes were revamped/removed.

To be honest, this book and these characters just are not for me (and that's okay!) Honestly this is second book by Emma Lord that I have dnf'd this year so I think that her writing style is not something I enjoy.

I could tell from chapter two that I was not going to enjoy this book because I absolutely hated being inside os Sam's mind. The drama felt really forced and honestly juvenile for these adults. I put the book down at 13% because I could just feel myself being over it already.

I feel like I am in the small camp of people that don't love her writing but don't let that deter you if you have enjoyed other recent books by Lord.

Thank you so much St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin and Netgalley for this arc!

This was a fun, music-infused second-chance romance that had some great moments, but overall it landed as just okay for me. I liked the setup-- two former rival musicians forced to collaborate on a comeback album -- and the emotional layers of both Mackenzie and Sam.

Emma Lord’s writing is engaging and the banter was solid, but the pacing dragged a bit at points for me, and some of the character development felt a little surface-level. I was hoping for more emotional payoff, especially given the big themes of identity, regret, and redemption.

Still, if you're a fan of messy creative partnerships, musical drama, and slow-burn romance, it’s a decent read.

Sam and Mack are past music rivals. Now years later the two decide to dig up the past and team up on a new album. As they work together more is revealed about how they truly felt each other back then and those feelings never went away. I found this one fun to read and I really appreciated how both MCs were mature and actually talked things out rather than hiding the truth. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the egalley.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This enemies‑to‑lovers, celebrity‑status rom‑com hits every note.
Emma Lord delivers Sparkling dialogue you’ll absolutely binge-read. I love all the supporting characters!
Music lovers will enjoy the behind‑the‑scenes look at their recording journey.
I recommend this one for anyone looking for a fun, binge worthy, second chance, enemies to lovers romance.

For some reason, I really struggled to get into this one. I'm not sure why, maybe it was the whole "TikTune" plotline, but I put off reading this book for MONTHS. However, once I pushed myself to get through the first five chapters, I found myself wanting to read more.

I loved the romance; it wasn't perfect, it wasn't too dramatic or throwing in random side struggles just to add theatrics, but it was cute and the dual-pov was a good touch.

I especially loved how the friendship aspect wasn't forgotten. Every other chapter, Serena's name was mentioned at least once, and I liked that her arc with Mackenzie wasn't rushed just to focus on the romance. It was still a main plotpoint, and I liked the realness of it.

Though it was hard to start - and I still don't know why - the rest of it definitely made up for the beginning.

thank you Netgalley and Emma Lord for the arc!

Mackenzie and Sam were such a fun couple to follow throughout this book! I loved their history and seeing them come back together and rediscover one another. The music elements were a lot of fun, but I did feel a bit disconnected from the emotional heart of the book.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I started this one, as I haven’t read any of Emma Lord’s books yet. But I loved the cover, and every once in a while I looove a celebrity romance, so I grabbed this one off of Netgalley. I am very glad that I did!
For The Record does a great job of so many different tropes – celebrity romance, second chance romance (even though they *technically* never dated), forbidden romance, single dad… and it nails it across the board. While I was worried about it at the start, my concerns about a miscommunication trope and about a lack of realism quickly turned into a phenomenal story about taking the time to find yourself and better yourself so that you’re able to be there for the people around you. That being said, I did find myself frustrated by Mackenzie not really opening up to Sam and being honest with him about a LOT of things – her surgery, Seven, her falling out with Serena – while it was clear that he was telling her just about everything, including about his dad. It was something that stood out to me in the beginning of the novel, but became a small frustration as the novel went on, and it was clearer why Mackenzie was being cagey about some things.
I was a HUGE fan of the plotline surrounding TickTune and Rocket’s artist-screwing contract. So many artists, whether they’re musicians, authors, or another kind of art, end up getting screwed on the business side of things after they unfortunately sign a contract that they don’t quite understand. It’s really easy to stand on the outside and say “they should’ve known better,” so I appreciate the author taking the time to explain a little bit about how music labels are able to twist things or have requirements that are nearly impossible to meet, that leave artists worse off than they were, while the suits take the credit and the profits. It’s a side of the music business that is definitely not advertised often, and I really loved that it was a huge plotline of this story.
I really enjoyed this story, and definitely recommend it as a sweet, music themed romance that will leave you wanting to listen to your own personal high school/college soundtrack. Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Emma Lord for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

This one couldn’t really keep my attention. The characters felt very young and the writing was very repetitive.

Unfortunately, it just didn’t do it for me.

THE BANTER! THE CHEMISTRY in this second-change romance! Whew! I am a total sucker for dual POV - this did not disappoint!

Music rivals popstar Mackenzie Waters and rockstar Sam Blaze had tumultuous, very public interactions. Two years later, Mackenzie's voice has changed and Sam has been out of the spotlight. They are put together on a joint comeback album to see if they can kickstart their careers again.

I thought it was the tiniest bit slow in the middle, but it was totally fine as the interactions and feelings progressed. I am a huge fan of Emma Lord, and this was another winner for me.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was such a fun book. I really enjoyed the characters and the storyline. Great second chance romance. This was my first book by Emma Lord and won't be my last. Would recommend!

I haven't read a ton by Emma Lord, but what I have read, I've liked. I really enjoyed this one - the setup, pacing, writing, and characters all really worked for me. Mackenzie (Mack) Waters is a former girl group member who is trying to find her new sound after a few years off the scene (and a major change to her voice). She's secretly been releasing music on Tick Tune (which is kind of like TikTok, SoundCloud, and SnapChat had a baby) but her former label execs aren't sure if they're ready to take a real chance on her. Enter Sam Blaze, whose punk band regularly toured with Mack's group and with whom she had a half-genuine, half-trumped up by their agents rivalry during those days. Sam had a rep as a player and, unbeknownst to him, he broke Mack's heart. Two years later, they run into each other (literally) in a bar that used to be their old hangout (and is now owned by Mack's best friend and bandmate Hannah), and their agents (who are twins sisters named Twyla and Isla, which tickled me throughout the book) cook up a new scheme to capitalize on the old rivalry, with Mack and Sam writing and recording a new album together. I liked both Mack and Sam, as well as all of the supporting characters (crossing my fingers for other books featuring Mack's Thunder Hearts bandmates), and I got really invested in the whole storyline with Tick Tune. A solid enemies-to-lovers/second chance combo that I would particularly recommend to music lovers.

I don’t know, it’s all just so high school.

I really like Emma Lord’s YA work, but it just doesn’t translate to her adult stuff. It lacks so much nuance; there’s no banter, stakes, or exposition. The characters just weren’t connecting and it all felt so forced.

Last year I read Emma Lord’s August release and felt the poor communication was awful between the leads, and the chemistry was forced... And here I am, again… experiencing the exact same complaints. Perhaps this is just where we part ways.

This was so cute! Sam and Mackenzie have such a cute love story. I loved getting to read their story as they navigated new and old feelings for one another and figured out how they fit into the music industry after they both took a small break. Mackenzie's being due to her having an unexpected surgery and Sam's because he found out that he had a son, Ben. Ben is an absolute delight and he looooves Mackenzie's music. He's arguably one of her biggest, and maybe youngest(he's four) fans, and it's adorable.
I loved every second of the book.

ARC REVIEW

For the Record
By Emma Lord

Rating: ⭐⭐/5 (2 out of 5)

Publishing date: 8/12/2025

This book wasn't for me.

If a book doesn't capture my attention in the beginning, it's hard for me to feel connected to it. Unfortunately in this situation, my mind started wondering a few pages in. It felt SO long but in reality, I believe it's under 300 pages.

I hate making reviews like this since reading is so subjective, but isn't one I will recommend.

But as always, so appreciatice of the early read opportunity. Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress

On to the next!

GOODREADS BLURB:
Once the most notorious rivals in the music scene, pop princess Mackenzie Waters and punk rockstar Sam Blaze electrified audiences as their bands clashed on stage. But behind the scenes, their simmering tension grew into something more — until suddenly both bands fell apart, and the idea of Mackenzie and Sam did, too.

Two years later, Sam has traded the rockstar lifestyle for a quiet life raising the son he didn’t know about. Meanwhile, Mackenzie is dealing with a postoperative change in her voice by only singing under a pseudonym. The only way to revive their public careers? A joint comeback album.

With fans over the moon and their futures on the line, Sam and Mackenzie face their biggest challenge yet: giving up the old rivalry and learning to work together. But as old sparks fly and new secrets emerge, they set off a chain reaction neither of them could have anticipated — one that proves that sometimes, the greatest hits are the ones yet to be written.

The book started off a little slow for me but picked up speed pretty quickly. Nothing I love more than a good enemies to lovers! I loved these two characters together, how they built each other up and made each other better. The other plot lines only made this story better. A solid story. Another great read from Emma Lord!

I had a great time! Fun characters with a lot of heart. Plot that was well-paced and continuously interesting. Relationships and dynamics that were believable and made sense. Side characters were developed enough to warrant their own books, but no major plot holes to require them.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’d give this book 3.5 stars. I thought it was an enjoyable story. It’s perfect for a fun summer beach read. I would’ve loved to see more of the main characters romance development - like falling hard for each other in the present day without assuming they had actually been in love with each other years ago. However, it was still sweet and the end was lovely.

Mackenzie Waters has left her past life as a pop princess behind. Sam Blaze, her punk rock rival, is dying to try out a new sound. When their teams suggest a joint comeback album, Sam and Mackenzie have to bury the hatchet in order to save their music careers. Mackenzie just has to keep one little secret from Sam: she’s been secretly releasing songs about her exes on Tick Tune under the pseudonym Seven, and her grand finale is about him.

Emma Lord’s YA rom-coms have always been a hit for me, but I was still a little surprised at how much I loved this one! The chemistry and banter between Sam and Mackenzie was exactly what I was looking for in this retired rockstar, almost second chance romance.

3.5 rounded up

Emma Lord typically writes YA, but For the Record is a more mature story with low spice. I did enjoy this story, but nothing stood out about the story. This story read like any other romcom and wasn't as captivating as her previous work.

For the Record follows Sam and Mackenzie two years after their separate bands split up and their initial meeting. Now they are working together to write music and maybe pick up where they left off. This story is told in dual POV, which I always enjoy. Both the main characters and the side characters were written to feel like real people.

The writing had a good flow and the transition between Sam and Mackenzie's POV was way to distinguish. Including lyrics in the story would have improved the story, .Readers get a glimpse into the music industry through this story, with one topic being artist rights. I would have liked this idea to have been explored more throughout the entire story and possibly what brought Sam and Mac together.

I have been a fan of this author for years and will continue to read what she writes. Unfortunately this one just didn't work for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.