"For the Record" was unexpectedly good. I enjoyed the yearning between Mack & Sam. Books about music artists can get a bit cringe however, Emma described the music parts well. I can definitely see myself rereading this in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

This is my breakup with this author. I’ve loved her YA but I DNF’d The Break Up Pact and this was not for me either. I loved the first half and then I just lost all interest - debated DNF’ing for 20% and then finally three in the towel at the epilogue when I just couldn’t do it anymore.
Didn’t buy the relationship and it was all just overly dramatic.

This novel follows two former rock stars as they try to find meaning in music and love follow the break up of their bands two years ago. Once so woven together, Mackenzie and Sam are drawn to each other again.

I craved the moments in this book when Sam and Mackenzie were together. When they were in their own worlds (with the exception of Ben), I just didn't find myself drawn to the story as much. I'm not a huge "second chance romance" fan, but this was done well since the characters never acted on their attraction in the first place. I loved learning more about the Thunder Hearts, but wanted more of that female bonding that fell a little flat for me. I'm wondering if I had picked this up at a different time, my experience would have been better!

I have and always will be a fan of Emma Lord. This book had me in a lot of different feels but I loved Mackenzie and Sam’s love story. I felt that this story brought forward a lot of growth and learning from both characters along with side characters that made this book deeper on an emotional level but I loved it. Such a refreshing book from Emma.

I loved this book from start to finish. It’s as though Emma Lord plucked every single thing I love about romance books and sewed them all together in the binding of these pages.

Mackenzie is one tough but broken woman who is trying to fight her way back to feeling worthy in this world, though I think at first she isn’t even sure what that means for her. Through the power of anonymous songs to let go of each of her heartbreaks in her life, she mends her heart. What she doesn’t account for is Sam. The one who got away but who never was. The man who broke her heart, or perhaps she broke her own two years ago?

Sam is a “bad boy” who was in a rival boy band to Mack’s girl band. Throughout the years he and Mack played up their rivalry on stage on a very convincing “Will they or won’t they?” act. Until Sam learns he’s a father, and disappears without another word. Through this book we find out just how deep Sam is, how much love he has to give, and see his own struggles in a father he never met come to fruition.

I don’t want to spoil more, but I do want to say their story was beautifully written; I shed tears, my stomach flipped at some of the scenes between Sam and Mack. I will definitely be putting this in my top 10 of books I’ve read this year, and I hope that others will get to experience this joy as well.

Mackenzie Waters and Sam Blaze were the "IT" item in the music industry with a mix of "will they or won't they" and band rivalry choreographed by their publicists. Until one night it came to a screeching halt...

Two years later, their paths cross again but this time Sam has a son and Mackenzie is hiding an explosive secret. Both have continued music but with different vibes and no luck. The opportunity to work on a joint album arises which could revive their careers. But it will also force them to confront old wounds, talk about their feelings, and face secrets.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press Griffin and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this ARC.

Emma Lord has been an auto-buy author for me ever since I picked up one of her books! I was excited to see her venture into adult romance novels since her YA books are so beloved.

FOR THE RECORD is a fun rom-com about rivals in the music scene. Emma's writing is always so funny to me, so it lends itself well to a rivals-to-lovers storyline!

I loved that both MC's were in the music industry, with one being a pop star and the other being in a punk rock band. Mackenzie and Sam's spark starts to fizzle again when they are forced to work together.

This wasn't my favorite by Emma Lord, but it was another swoony rom-com that I devoured. I loved the audiobook and binged it during a road trip to my cabin!

Emma Lord once again proves she’s one of YA’s most vibrant voices with this heartfelt, music-infused contemporary. Full of witty banter, found family vibes, and tender romance, the novel strikes a perfect balance between lighthearted charm and deeper themes of identity and ambition. The behind-the-scenes look at the music industry feels fresh and engaging, while the characters are easy to root for. At times, the pacing lingers, but Lord’s signature warmth and humor carry the story beautifully. A feel-good read perfect for fans of YA contemporary with a dash of pop-culture sparkle.

DNF at 35%. This one just couldn’t capture my attention. I might try it again later, but after trying to finish this book for almost a month I just gave up.

📚: For the Record by Emma Lord
⭐️: 4/5

Mackenzie and Sam - both former band members. Her, a famous girl group; him, a pop punk band.

Wait, is this the start of an Avril Lavigne song?

With both of their careers at an inflection point, their record label schemes to bring them together for a duet album, bringing their feelings from years before back to the surface.

I have to say, I really enjoyed the pop star x emo pop punk tropey pairing that happened here. I enjoyed some of the Taylor Swift-esque references. I really loved the ending, and I loved that this was just a quick, feel good rom-com. It wasn’t super deep, and it didn’t have to be. It was enjoyable and fun at a time when it was exactly the kind of book I was needing.

Thanks to St Martin’s Press via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. For the Record is out now.

Thank you to Emma Lord, St. Martin's Griffin, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

You know those situations where two people hate each other, but in reality, they don't. It's just really love, and neither of them wants to admit it to themselves. Yeah, this is one of those books, and it is perfection.

This second-chance, rivals-to-lovers romance hits all the right notes. Mackenzie and Sam’s history crackles with tension, and watching them navigate fame, family, and fresh starts makes for a heartfelt and addictive read. With music, passion, and just the right amount of drama, it’s a perfect pick for fans who love their romances equal parts emotional and electric.

3.5 stars! This was a cute story about two musical rivals who end up working together after several years apart. Their time together brings back memories and feelings from the past as they navigate a new album together.

This was a sweet read but a bit of a slow build for me. It took me a while to read this book because it felt slow in most parts. The banter between the two characters was fun and it had some laugh out loud moments.

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

I have split feelings on this. On one hand, this was enjoyable as a cute romcom. I could see myself absolutely loving this as a movie. Although I wouldn’t really call it “second chance”, considering the two never really had dated before, I enjoyed the reconnecting aspect between Sam and Mackenzie. The relationship with Sam and his son was cute. I think there was potential to really drive home the friendship Mackenzie had with Hannah (Serena just pmo the entire time, sorry but her attitude was so unnecessary and the fact that she was mad at Mackenzie for keeping secrets while also keeping secrets).

On the other hand, I just didn’t really connect to the story. I felt that Sam and Mack were a bit bland. Not only was there not much character growth, but their “second chance” came across as insta love and they never really worked through the past “hurt”. Secondly, the drama with the side characters seemed completely unnecessary, specifically Serena’s problems with Mack & Sam meeting his father. Then the whole TickTune drama… i just didn’t understand why everyone was so up in arms over Mack being on this app. The whole premise being that Sam and Mack were supposed to duet together to I guess regain their popularity? Just for them to not preform together but then become a duet group on their own. I probably would have enjoyed them just putting the music industry behind them more than anything. Thank you thank you thank you for not having a third act breakup, despite Mackenzie refusing to tell the people she loves about her alter ego. That would have been the final straw for me.

Overall this was good, but didn’t mark the boxes to be great for me. Thank you for the eARC!

It took a little to get into this story, but once it did it was a quick read. Cute two POV romcom that also touches on finding who you are and lightly discusses on familial trauma. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.

This was an enjoyable rom/com. At first I wasn’t terribly interested, but as the story went on, I appreciated the character development and the relationship arc. Thanks NetGalley for the arc.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press & NetGalley for this e-arc.

Sam Blaze and Mackenzie Waters were both members of rival bands whose labels placed them on tour together, taking advantage of their chemistry. Now, two years after their bands split up, Mac and Sam are attempting to rebuild themselves, and their label wants them to work together as a duet. However, their actual affections for each other are on the verge of surfacing. Set in the dramatic genre of music, this book features a wonderful love story between two people who have strong feelings for one another.

For the Record was what I needed to read this summer. I love Emma Lord’s writing style and I have read quite a few of her books. I do like her YA quite a bit and her romance is a little open-door for me, but I used to read Emily Henry’s new book every summer and I read this instead. I’m so glad I did. Mackenzie Waters is an ex-rockstar who feels she has lost her one gift: her ability to sing. She goes on social media with a new persona and her audience falls in love with her all over again not even knowing it’s her. Her past rival will-they-won’t-they Sam Blaze has had a few life experiences himself and their record label is putting them together for one more album. “Watching” them reconnect was so much fun and their banter kept things easy to read.

Another reviewer was kind enough to post that chapters 19 and 24 can be skipped for a cleaner romance and I found skimming them for conversation was a great help in changing my reading experience a little bit without the graphic sex.

I still think The Break-Up Pact stands out for me for Emma Lord’s adult work and When You Get the Chance is by far my favorite of hers still. For the Record was a fun, breezy romance. Thank you so much NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for the opportunity to read one of my favorite authors!

Once bitter rivals on stage and off, pop princess Mackenzie and punk bad boy Sam set the music world on fire—until their bands imploded and so did their maybe-something-more. Now, years later, Sam’s a dad and Mackenzie’s singing in secret. Their big comeback? A joint album that forces them back into each other’s orbit. The catch? They have to play nice. With fans watching, tensions rising, and sparks flying, this hilarious, high-voltage romance proves the best songs (and second chances) come from the heart.

Fans of the second-chance romance trope are likely to sing their heart out with Sam and Mackenzie.

Emma Lord gets an easy and almost effortless rapport going between Sam and Mackenzie early on, showcasing how the chemistry just seemed to flow between them no matter how much they tried to ignore it (or in Sam’s case, pretend to ignore it). You also get thrown into the plot fairly quickly and intrigued by Mackenzie’s secret and fear of exposure. The stakes are high for both Sam and Mackenzie and while Sam had a lot to gain, it felt like Mackenzie had a lot more to lose, which made for great tension.

Still, some of the choices in this book made me question the length of it. This is quite a short book that you can read in one sitting but at some points I did ask myself at what cost? Staples in the romance genre (and what feels like bread and butter to a dedicated romance girly like me) were sometimes left out completely for—apparently—the sake of shortness. A good example of this is that Sam and Mackenzie decide to work together quite quickly in the beginning of the novel but then the parts that are usually the most amazing for romance readers (you know, the push-and-pull, will-they-won’t-they paired with the first unsure steps of working together and fighting that attraction that makes you kick your feet in the air and giggle), are completely glossed over with a two-week time jump and a few summarising sentences of what happened. I felt cheated because I would have loved to see how they dealt with this pressure of having to work together, the rushed timeline given by the execs and how they are coping with it especially when both parties carry so much history. Sure, it comes later on but it feels like an unnecessary time jump in an already short book. Similar moments occur throughout the novel that make the pacing a bit out of balance.

Also, and I don’t know if this is because I’m so used to Lord’s YA books, Sam and Mackenzie read incredibly young to me. Many of the things they say and do feel very much high school (as well as some sideplots that weren’t fleshed out enough to fully make an impact), which then made the steamy parts just feel so…jarring. Admittedly, I was also confused by the timing of the steamy scenes as they somehow seem to be engendered by talking about trauma or other heavy topics. I get being vulnerable as a way of deepening a relationship but I don’t know, opening up about your family’s issues does not get me into the hot and heavy mood. To each their own, I guess.

Do take this critique with a grain of salt, though, as I had the same issues with Lord’s previous adult release, so it might just be my inability to reconcile adult actions with the young adult voice of it all. Chances are this won’t be an issue for other readers.

All these critiques aside, I still enjoyed my time with For The Record.

Mackenzie’s story was particularly compelling and I loved how we got to see her grow on her own and how fiercely she continued to pursue music even when things (or her health) didn’t quite go her way. The subplots with her former band members were, if not completely fleshed out, intriguing and kept me invested in seeing how they would feel about Mackenzie’s musical trajectory.

Sam remained more of a “character” than a fleshed-out person (not helped by the constant full-naming of him on every page), but I did enjoy the glimpses we got of the softer side of him that wanted to protect his son and Mackenzie from the turbulent world they both live in.

Unsurprisingly, my personal highlight were the Taylor Swift lyrics casually weaved into sentences. While some are easier to spot than others, it always tickled me whenever I saw a folkmore or evermore song lyric out of context in the middle of a conversation. You can tell the author knows her stuff. Swifties are sure to scour the pages for these.

Overall, if you’re in the market for a quick, easy read with a sweet second-chance romance, For the Record might hit the right note for you!

FOR THE RECORD - @dilemmalord

a fun second chance romance between an ex rockstar and ex popstar with some serious underlying topics in the story. Check this out of you enjoy
Rivals to lovers
Rockstar vs popstar
Second chance romance
Dual povs
Hashitmotos disease rep.