Really enjoyed this book! Yes rom coms are predictable and tropes exist but read them for that fact because we find them comforting. I liked the spotlight it put on artists helping other artists. The pacing was really well done and I was satisfied with it overall. Would recommend!

Mackenzie and Sam have been in rival bands on tour together and have constantly battled with each other at each step of the way. Two years later, their label wants them to come back together to write songs and sing a duet together. Will these enemies be able to work together or will all the secrets from the past, and present, come to light?

This book had me laughing, cheering, crying, and yelling. So many emotions and I would happily go through this golden journey with Mack and Sam again.

Me? Giving an Emma Lord book 5 stars? You’re absolutely shocked! Seriously though, I think we all have those authors that really click with us, and for me it’s definitely Emma Lord. I think that she has a very distinctive voice in her writing and that sound is incredibly strong in her next adult release, For the Record. In any Emma Lord book I’ve come to expect characters that are relatable, likable, real and flawed, storytelling that’s easy to get lost in and feels like you’re talking to your best friend, silly and wild food combinations that actually sound incredibly delicious (need those mac and cheese scones), a romance with super fun banter with a couple that you’re really rooting for and truly care about one another, and a story that is going to hook you from the start. For the Record delivered on all of those things, and the second I started it I knew I was going to love this one.

Back in August of 2024, I was at Emma’s book signing for her adult debut, The Break-Up Pact, and she did give us some hints about For the Record, including that if we were to compare this book to a Taylor Swift album (obviously) that album would be Red, and I definitely see why she made that connection. Red (my personal favorite of Swift’s albums) is a great exploration of the highs and lows of relationships — both with yourself and with a partner — and I think those things are explored really well throughout For the Record.

I loved this cast of characters. I thought Mackenzie was a great main character and I really loved her journey throughout the book. While I’m not a singer, I am a performer and have lived and breathed theatre since I was a teenager and the thought of my body not working the way that it used to and preventing me from doing the thing that I love in the way I’ve always done it is really really scary, so I could really sympathize with Mackenzie as she struggled to figure out how to use her voice post surgery (it also made me think of what Julie Andrews went through after getting vocal surgery and luckily Mackenzie’s surgery wasn’t as severe as Julie’s was, but having that in mind made me extra emotional). The dynamic between Hannah, Mackenzie and Serena was really interesting as well. I won’t lie, I didn’t like Serena for most of the book and I was really struggling to connect with her, but I think that she was a well developed character and definitely interesting to read about and I was glad to see the progression of her character and that she, Hannah and Mackenzie were able to work through their problems.
Oh, Samuel Blaze. I really loved him. He was just so sweet and the love he has for his son is so beautiful. Sometimes, kids can be a bit hit or miss for me in books, mostly because sometimes authors just don’t get how to write a kid, but I think Emma did such a great job of writing Ben and the relationship between Sam and Ben. Sam is such a devoted dad and it honestly made him all the more endearing to me. I loved that he and Ben’s mom, Lizzie (and Lizzie’s wife Kara), co-parented so well and that they lived in adjoining apartments so that Ben could just go from one apartment to the other and be with his parents at all times. The “Mom Side and Dad Side” thing was so cute; I just loved their little family unit.

Mackenzie and Sam were so much fun. I absolutely loved their banter — they had me giggling, they were so funny, and I loved their chemistry. I was so excited for them to work together as a duo in the present and loved the concept behind the album and seeing them go to all of these places and revisit bits of their past together. There’s a moment where Sam says one of his bandmates called Mackenzie his “emotional support enemy” and that made me laugh so hard, and really, are they actually enemies to lovers if they are not each other's emotional support enemies? I thought that their relationship developed so wonderfully and I loved how supportive of one another they were.

For the Record kept me captivated from start to finish and just like all of Lord’s other works this book brought me a lot of comfort and happiness, and I know I’ll be rereading it multiple times.

"For the Record" had a lot of potential, and it was certainly a well-written story. The premise of former music rivals reuniting for a comeback album is intriguing, and the author clearly has a knack for crafting engaging prose. However, I found myself a bit underwhelmed by the execution.

While the writing was solid, the narrative felt somewhat repetitive at times, circling back to the same conflicts and emotional beats without much forward momentum. More importantly, the central romance between Sam and Mackenzie, which should have been the driving force of the story, lacked the spark and genuine chemistry I was hoping for. The tension felt manufactured rather than organic, and I struggled to fully invest in their connection.

Ultimately, "For the Record" is a decent read with a promising concept, but it fell short of delivering the emotional punch and romantic intensity it promised. If you're looking for a light, well-written music romance, this might still be enjoyable, but don't expect fireworks.

✨ 5 Stars ✨

Mackenzie Waters and Sam Blaze have always put on a will-they won't-they show for their fans when their bands signed on to do a tour together, ending in a... they won't.

2 YEARS LATER their both still hot for each other and are thrown together when their agents have an angle they want to pitch the label. Forced proximity, banter, and realistic life drama left me giggling, tearing up, and rooting for the MCs. I absolutely loved this silly little romance, love a rockstar dual writer romance as well. Simply put; HOT.

Good amount of spice but a massive slow burn 💖

This book is out in August, and I will absolutely be marking my calendar 💖

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the eARC ✨

Although the concept was clever and I love living in a musician's world, I just didn't love the LOVE here. I feel like there were too many moving parts; between Serena, the famous dad, Seven, and then the romance. It felt rushed and clumped and at the same time felt like not much happened.

I liked the whole premise of the book and thought it was very cute. At moments it felt like it dragged but overall I still enjoyed it.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc of this book, I really appreciate it.

This was cute!! Mackenzie and Sam are rivals who spent much of their careers competing before each having to take some time off for different reasons.

It took me a little while to get into this one, but once I did I was hooked. I really enjoyed the cast of characters around Sam and Mackenzie in this one. Watching them learn how to overcome the rivalry that had been part of their relationship for so long and learn how to work together to create something new and special was so fun. My one big point of contention with this one is that at times it felt like we were expected to already know their history or understand things that had happened before that weren’t written about. It made it a little tricky to fully understand what was going on the whole time. But overall this was very cute!

I loved this so much!! Music is such a big part of my life that I just absolutely eat up any book about it. Mackenzie was such a wonderful main character, I related to her so much. Mackenzie and Sam were so cute together, I would really a million more books about them.

Mackenzie was part of the group Thunder Hearts. Sam sang and played with a punk rock band that often played with Tender Hearts. Now that they are no longer in bands, Mackenzie and Sam are trying to decide how to play music and support themselves. Sam has a son, Ben, and wants to be home for him. The two plan on writing songs and singing as a duet. They have a lot of history together and most of the time it was negative. If they are honest with themselves, they have been attracted to each other through it all. It was time to learn to develop trust this time around. This story is full of competition between musicians, new artists, and record companies. I love how Sam and Mackenzie could bring out the best in each other. Ben was a delight. Great story and characters!

What a great story! Can't wait to read more by this author!
Thanks Netgalley and to the author for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc. I loved the FMC in this book. She was cool and funny. I really liked the storyline and plot of the book. This had me hooked.

TBH, this book took me so long to finish that I forgot what I have to say as a review 😅 however, I can say that it's nothing special. It just made my belief that books about music are not for me resolute. I mean yeah, I liked that the ML is responsible enough to step up and get involved in his son's life once he knew about him. I liked that the FL friendships are very realistic and show that every relationship has its ups and downs.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

SKIP CHAPTER: 19, 24

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

I don't have the best history with books about music/rockstars but I'm willing to try again thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with this ARC 🩷

Well crap, what a disappointment. This book did not met its potential. A rarity for Emma Lord who’s writing I adore. Mack and Sam just felt like caricatures of former rock stars. Also the whole musical everything about them was such wish fulfillment. I think all of that would have been believable if I could believe the Mack and Sam love story. And I just didn’t. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

For the Record is a witty, fast-paced, and thoroughly entertaining story about fame, secrets, and personal redemption. The blend of humor and serious moments makes it a captivating read that you won't want to put down. It's a page-turner filled with fun and insight into the world of celebrity.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

For the Record by Emma Lord, had me right from the start. There is nothing I love more than a movie or book about music, song writting, and a cute romance.
Mackenzie and Sam were rivals in 2 different bands, on tour together. They spent show after show in each other's space until tour ended and both bands broke up.
2 years later, and few crazy events later, they have somehow ended up writing songs as a duo. They explore and explain their feelings from the past and present and I loved it so much.

I'm so thankful to NetGalley for the advanced copy, I will definitely be picking up a finished edition when they are out!
4.25 stars

My favorite Emma Lord book I have read! For the Record is an engaging romantic comedy that combines elements of rivalry and redemption. Set in the music industry, it offers an interesting look into what happens after artists make it big.. and then stop. I found the plot engaging and the characters relatable, though certain aspects could have been further developed. I really enjoyed (and believed) the romance between the 2 MCs. This a worthwhile read for those seeking a lighthearted romance.

3/5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC which will be published on August 12, 2025.

For the Record has an intriguing premise, bringing together former rivals turned almost-lovers for a high-stakes music industry comeback. The forced proximity and second-chance romance tropes had a lot of potential, and there were definitely some great moments of chemistry between Mackenzie and Sam. The added layers of personal struggles—Sam adjusting to fatherhood and Mackenzie navigating her changed voice—added depth to their characters.

However, the execution didn’t fully live up to the premise. The pacing felt uneven at times, with some plot points dragging while others were rushed. While the tension between Mackenzie and Sam was well-built, their emotional development sometimes felt underexplored, making their eventual resolution less satisfying than it could have been. Additionally, some of the secondary characters and conflicts felt predictable or underdeveloped.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read with some fun, dramatic moments, but it didn’t fully hit all the right notes. If you love music-centered romances and second-chance stories, it’s worth a try—but don’t expect a chart-topping hit.

The premise had potential, but the story just didn’t draw me in. I struggled to connect with the characters or their relationship. They fell flat, making it hard to care about their journey. The plot also lacked the pull to keep me engaged. As my interest faded, I found myself putting the book down more often until I eventually couldn’t bring myself to finish it. While this book might resonate with other readers, it simply didn’t work for me.