Reading For the Record feels like listening to a cheesy pop love song. It's a pretty cliché romance novel with the stereotypical "bad boy" rocker and the "pop princess" having a second chance at falling in love. Thank you St. Martin's Press & NetGalley for the opportunity to read an e-ARC.

For the Record tells the story from both Mack & Sam's point of view as well as jumping back in time - due to this it was sometimes confusing at the beginning of a chapter knowing if we were in the past or present when there was little differentiation until a context clue came up. However, I acknowledge this may be fixed in final formatting since I received an advanced copy.

The storylines felt a bit flat and forced for me, especially involving Serena. The plot went around in circles and at times things didn't line up or make sense in the grand scheme of it all. Overall I think the story had bigger potential but needed to be flushed out just a bit more to make it believable. The character I cared for the most was Ben, but even that storyline felt cobbled together.

Final Rating: 3.25 out of 5 stars

first taylor swift-coded rom com I have read and liked so cheers to that

✰ 4 stars, the mmc even sings taylor swift covers, although his go-to is shake it off. so basic bitch of him but I'll look the other way in the name of book boyfriends.

thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ebook in exchange for an honest review

platform: netgalley ebook arc

I loved how Sam and Mackenzie were inevitable from the beginning of the story! I'd consider this a second-chance romance even though they didn't officially date in the past, but they have gone through so many things together that I felt their connection and chemistry. This story had so much more depth and emotion than I was expecting--each of the characters have something that they are working through which makes them feel more human.

Spoiler: I didn't really understand Sam's actions at the end when he wasn't really listening to what Mackenzie wanted because he thought he knew better for her, but I'm thankful he came back!

Absolutely loved! Emma Lord is a go-to author for me, I love the depth of each character she writes. Mack and Sam are no different, having a rich history of theatrical stage encounters as rivals, but also deep-down, actual friends. Their history comes back to the surface in this romance where they are placed together to write songs and try to build a new duo. Their flirty dynamic is a lot of fun and I really enjoyed the ensemble of characters supporting them.

A fun rockstar romance that locked me in for the duration!

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

For the Record is a second-chance romance following former pop star Mackenzie Waters and punk rocker Sam Blaze. Once fierce rivals with undeniable chemistry, their bands disbanded, and their connection fell apart. Now, Mackenzie, recovering from vocal surgery, and Sam, focused on raising his son, reunite for a joint album. As old sparks reignite, they must navigate fame, past mistakes, and lingering feelings. A heartfelt story of music, redemption, and love, Lord delivers a compelling tale of second chances in both career and romance.

I ate this up! Sam and Mackenzie had great chemistry, and I was swooning by the end. Their tension, the banter, the way their relationship slowly built back up. My only qualm was one of the characters... I'm looking at you Serena, but that didn't take away from how much I liked this book.

This is my first Emma Lord book, I know I know… where have I been! I loved the music vibe this was brought to the table, I haven’t read anything like it before so that was refreshing. It was a cite fast read but I did feel Something was missing. I also found it was slow at times. Overall it was cute

Another solid book from Emma Lord! Including interesting (questionable? lol) food combinations.

Mackenzie Waters was part of a girl band until they went their separate ways. She had an operation on her thyroid which changes her voice, and she's trying to deal with that change and her past relationships by writing/singing/posting songs anonymously until she can be more confident and start a new chapter of her life. She has a supportive friend/ex-bandmate and another ex-bandmate she's trying to reconnect with.

Sam Blaze was part of a boy band and played Mackenzie's rival while on stage. Their antics are hilarious and their actions and words only increase their tension and simmering feelings. When Sam's band dissolves, he finds out he's a dad (to the cutest boy ever) and throws himself into that role, but later thinks about becoming a solo act with a different sound.

Que their managers, who propose they work as a team to write and produce new songs to launch their new music careers. But they're still dealing with secrets, the fear of trusting the other, and their attraction. Their lust and love are written so well. You can definitely see second chance details, like the way they know each other to the point of knowing what a line in their face means. They're there for each other and want the other to be happy. I love these characters and their story! <3

I'm a sucker for characters who have a public persona that is different from their real selves.
I also appreciate the spotlight on shady people in the music industry and artists trying to make it.
I read this pop princess with exes and history with the industry as a nod to TS, but I could be wrong. I haven't read or watched Daisy Jones and the Six yet.

I love that Lord put pieces of herself in Mackenzie with her thyroid lump and trying to make it in Nashville as a songwriter. I appreciate when authors share personal details in their notes or acknowledgements.

I would definitely recommend this book!

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this arc! This was an amazing second chance romance that hit all the right notes for me! Former rockstar/popstar angst lovers reunite to make music again and all I have to say is I was rooting for them the whole time. The chemistry between them? The banter? The care and understanding? The tension? I was obsessed! Mackenzie also going through her own self-discovery journey, the elements of found family, and the discussion on female friendship was all so well done! A great, easy, romantic, and giggly read! 🎤💞🎶👩🏻‍🎤

This was an incredibly enjoyable romance read! I have absolutely no complaints about it... the character development was fantastic, and the dual perspectives added to the enjoyment. This book is an absolute delight! It is a fun and lighthearted read that beautifully weaves together themes of second chances and music, all while taking you on a slight emotional roller coaster. Perfect for summer reading!

And I only want a man like Sam from now on.

Thank you St. Martins and Netgalley for the Arc in exchange for an honest review.

🎤For The Record🎤 by Emma Lord
Pub. Date: August 12, 2025

This was a fun second chance romance book. Mackenzie and Sam were on tour together in different bands. They had chemistry on the stage but were enemies off the stage. Now, years later in order to get both their careers going again they are forced to work together. It was magical to watch the romance unfold between these two. Ben was absolutely the most adorable kid and his strange bakery concoctions were funny to see come to creation.

Read this if you like:
-Second chance romance
-Enemies to Lovers
-Dual POV
-Musicians /bands
-Female friendships
-Found family

Thank you for the E-book arc to read! I have read several of Emma Lord's books now and they always hit in the best way!

For the Record is the perfect contemporary romance fiction read that plays in your mind like an early 2000s rom com.

All the band details are nostalgic to being fans of boy bands like *NSYNC and The Backstreet Boys and fierce women artists like Brittney Spears and Christina Aguilera.

This story was the perfect blend of wittiness and rivalry all wrapped in a swoon worthy romance. It has strong friendships and a twist of drama within the music label industry. The whole read was fast paced and fun to immerse yourself in. All the stars for this lovely novel! 📖✨

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

This was a cute book, nothing super special in my opinion, but it did have some redeeming qualities. The characters stood out for their emotional intelligence, which was a refreshing change from some of the typical celebrity romance novels I’ve read. Their depth and self-awareness really added a layer of authenticity to the story.

That being said, the book did feel a bit dragged out, even though it’s not particularly long. Some parts seemed longer than necessary, making the pacing feel slower and I didn’t find myself excited to reach for it until the last 15%.

Overall, it’s a sweet and enjoyable read if you’re looking for a light romance with a bit more emotional depth than usual. It may not blow you away, but it’s definitely cute!

For the Record is a fun (slightly flawed) read with strong characters and an engaging look at the music industry’s darker side. The romance and drama are compelling, but the timeline feels inconsistent, and some parts drag with unnecessary side plots. I do wish it was edited down and not a second chance romance (I get that’s the whole schtick but it’s just a personal preference that second-chances are boring). While not perfect, it’s an enjoyable read for fans of music-themed romances.

Two musicians used to tour together. There was constant stunts to draw crowds; at the time they never connected. Sam (punk rocker and guitar player) had a child ... and subsequently cleaned up his act. The female was the lyrics genius. Now time has brought them together. There is a little drama with social media that is being used so musicians can release works anonymously.

Mostly I felt out of tune with this book. I want to say that I'm not the right age range, but I think I just didn't connect all that well with this one.

Good, but not outstanding.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read For the Record in exchange for an honest review. Approx 320 pages. Release is expected Aug 12, 2025.

This was a cute story, and I liked both the female and male MCs. My only knock is that it could perhaps be an edited to be a tad shorter. It felt repetitive at times, and there seemed to be some unnecessary side plots. All in all, I really enjoyed it and flew through it quickly. I would definitely recommend!

I enjoyed this book so much! I couldn’t put it down. I love a rom con. It was enjoyable the whole time, and I wanted to keep the story going!

This was such a great read! I was obsessed with both main characters and their support systems. Especially Ben the “pocket-sized punk!”

I love that the storyline about the contracts labels use to trap young artists was included because it happens in real life all the time and it’s so sad. People wonder why artists haven’t released music for years and it’s because of their record label.

I was in awe of Mackenzie’s perspective on her parents, that they way they are has nothing to do with her.

There is a critique I had that was a plot hole in my opinion:

*spoilers ahead*
The bands’ joint tour and personas seemed more likely to fit in the early 2000s and they way they talk about how it was so long ago but it had only been 2 years. The timeline didn’t flow because how is it that 2 years ago they had the award show debacle, wrote a song, and stopped talking the next day? When did they have time to record the song, perform the song on stage, bicker with each other on stage and catapult into fame if he ghosted her the next morning after writing it?

Also, grammar correction needed: “You did whatever everyone thought you were so cool doing it”

In a hilarious turn, I didn't even realize as I read this book that it was an ARC. I had downloaded it before a work trip and with two 4-ish hour flights, I was able to knock it out with no issue. And that? That my friends is the characteristic of an AMAZING book. I've read Lord's other books and this honestly may be my favorite. I always forget how much I love a good second chance romance - I think because there are some where you question why one of the characters is being given a second chance. In this case, any reservations I had were more or less covered and it was clear things had changed since they were younger.

Honestly, it was an easy read for me - I kept turning the pages because I wanted to, not because I felt like I had to get to the big moments.

Candy Shard and Thunder Hearts are two rival boy and girl groups that love to hate each other. The long-standing rivalry between front man Sam Blaze and girl gang member Mackenzie Waters sent the world into a frenzy. That was until 2 years ago when it all came crashing down. These pop stars are now crawling from near obscurity and trying to convince their labels to back them in solo careers. When the labels pitch the idea of these two rivals teaming up together in a duo, they both are willing to do what it takes to re-launch their careers. But will the old flames between them be rekindled and spark something new, or will it burn everything to the ground?

This was a fun enemies-to-lovers romance that will have any pop music lover thoroughly entertained!! It's mostly lighthearted with enough tension, banter, and interest to keep the pages turning! I enjoyed it and liked how it had some depth to it. The resolution was a little quick for me, and for some reason, the band names Candy Shard and Thunder Hearts just had me giggling. I couldn't take it quite seriously enough. Overall it was a fun solid read!

4.5 Golden ⭐️

This was a really sweet second chance romance with fun banter and a little sprinkle of spice. I really enjoyed the main characters’ chemistry and the end had me wanting to know more of how their relationship was before the events of this book (in the best way possible!) I loved how strong Mackenzie was as a character and the character development that both went through was so satisfying and believable.

The side characters were great too! Little Ben was funny and Mackenzie’s friends were just the right amount of supportive. Overall a really fun rom-com with just the right balance of romance and plot.

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