3 ⭐️

I enjoyed this! I thought that the characters were sweet and the storyline was cool! It was a fun time!

However, I did have some issues with it. I thought that some of the drama with Mackenzie and her friends, especially Serena, was kind of childish and annoying. There was a section of the book where Sam and Mackenzie’s relationship was completely unclear and a weird friends-with-benefits-but-also-i-love-you-and-you-love-me-but-we-can’t-say-it-for-some-nonexistent-reason. I just wanted some communication and honesty in all of these situations. Figure it out like adults please. I get that it adds to the plot, but for me, it was just annoying, and missed the mark.

I know it sounds like I didn’t enjoy it from that, but genuinely, I thought it was fun, and I truly did feel the love between the characters. I think the childhood rivals to lovers situation was really cute too.

I enjoyed reading this book! I don’t really read books about musicians/pop-stars so this was a nice introduction. I loved reading about the chemistry between the two. The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was that there was more explaining rather than dialogue and I’m picky about that in the books I like. I’m also a sucker for forced/close proximity so that helped.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for giving me an ARC of this book, it was honestly the perfect pallet cleanser from all the dark/heavy books I tend to read. I do love a good rom-com and although I don’t usually read pop-star romance, I was drawn to this one and it did not disappoint. This was cute, cozy and all wrapped up perfectly with great MC’s that left me in all my feels. It was my first Emma Lord book, but I’ll definitely be checking out her other books based on how much I loved this!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars – Cute but didn’t totally hit

this book had some sweet moments. i especially loved ben, sam’s son. he was adorable and added warmth to the story. there were fun scenes and a chill vibe, but it didn’t fully pull me in. some parts felt slow, and the characters could’ve had more depth. overall, a light, easy read, but not super memorable.

I really love this! The plotting and pacing was so well done. The fictional social media aspect was fun and not cheesy at all. I really loved all the relationship especially the Thunder Hearts girls! It was emotional, romantic, tense, flirty, and heartwarming all at the same time!

This was a good lighthearted read!

I haven’t found many music romances so I was excited for this one. I enjoyed the story and the authors writing

I look forward to reading more from this author!! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC copy!

For the Record gives us the story of Mackenzie and Sam who were both popular lead singers in rival rock bands who toured together. Their fans adored their on stage hot and angry relationship until both bands broke up. Two years later the record label is pushing them back together and the heat re ignites.

There were a number of things I enjoyed about this one. I liked the growth our main characters showed and how they both handled major changes in their lives with the help of good friends who made interesting side characters.
I also enjoyed the strong female friendship storyline. I did feel like there was a slow middle of the story where I just wanted these characters to communicate better which I found frustrating.
Nevertheless if you enjoy light romances with a musical theme I would encourage you to give this one a try.

Thank you to net galley and St. Martins Press for the egalley of this book.

For the Record is what other romances with musician MCs dream to be. This book is funny, light hearted, and so entertaining. It’s also emotional and beautiful and made me cry. Mackenzie and Sam are the sweetest couple and I loved every moment of them. I also really appreciated how all the drama revolved around other characters and life events, not third act break ups. This was a perfect second chance romance, one where I was actually rooting for the characters to have their HEA. I loved every detail of this book, from Mackenzie’s Christmas underwear to the character arcs around Ben and Caspar, to the showcase and the epilogue. This was such a great read and the best book Emma Lord has written so far!

This book was pretty good! I got to read it as an early release. It was a romance story that didn’t really have any unexpected romance drama, but it had wild drama in the story. I have never read a music romance, and I really liked it gave a break from sports but a good romance.

This was a DNF after the first few chapters, was a miss for me seems to be more for a younger audience. Was not able to really connect with either character and the story just didn't grab me. Would always recommend for someone to give it a try but wasn't the one for me. I want to thank NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

T his was such a fun blend of music, rivalry, and second chances. The dynamic between Mackenzie and Sam had the perfect mix of angst and chemistry, and I loved watching them try to navigate a comeback while dealing with their past. The behind the scenes music drama made everything feel vivid and high stakes, and the emotional growth especially around parenthood and identity really gave the story heart. A couple plot points felt a little over the top, but overall, it was a satisfying, heartfelt rom-com with just enough drama to keep me hooked.

Unfortunately I couldn’t find myself caring about the love story in this. The only redeemable part was the subplots/relationships. There’s also far too many books about life after being a child popstar out these days.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a fun and relatively lighthearted romance based in the music world. Mack is a pop princess, but with a bit of edge in comparison to her two former band mates. Sam is a punk rocker and their bands had built up a tension/teasing vibe while touring before both brands broke up. Sam went to take care of his son he had just learned about and Mack later had to get vocal surgery, changing her singing voice. I really loved seeing the parenting vibe with Sam and how the co-parenting arrangement was set up. Hearing about his party days felt like it was throwing him into a major stereotype and his personality could’ve been a bit more nuanced. Mack is interesting seeing how she’s really close with one former bandmate but somewhat distant from the other. Sam and Mack definitely have chemistry and I enjoyed seeing that come to the front of the story as it balanced their pasts and presents. The Tick Tune side of the story didn’t feel necessary and the Serena (I think?) storyline really took away from time that could’ve been spent developing Sam and Mack a bit more. Overall, it was still an enjoyable romance, even while being predictable. 4⭐️, 2🌶

If there’s one thing I know, it’s that I’m gonna have a good time reading any book by Emma Lord. I really love her writing and every one of her characters. For the Record was a super fun read, once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. The tension between them was palpable from the beginning and I loved the little snippets of their past that explained Mackenzie and Sam’s relationship and their whole enemies shtick. I almost wish there would have been more, a dual timeline could have been really fun here. It was a great take on the second chance romance, but the story was also so much more. Between Sam relationship with his dad and Mackenzie’s evolving one with her two best friends, there was a lot of growth from both of them.

Read for:

❤️‍🔥Rivals to lovers
💕Second chance
🤫Secret identity
👩‍❤️‍👨Forced proximity

Emma Lord is a great writer, and I really enjoyed this! The tension was high, and the rockstar and pop star rivalry was very fun. I really enjoyed the characters, and seeing the sparks and chemistry between them.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC.

2.5 stars rounded up because I like Emma Lord.

This was a solid and sweet rockstar romance. I loved the friendship between Mackenzie and Hannah. Sam and his son were adorable. I was also so happy that this book didn’t fall into the same structure so many second chance novels fall into – endless flashbacks leading up to the big secret why they are estranged. To me, it messes with the present-day pace and takes away time to show us how it will be different for that happy ever after. However, I felt that the plot and character developments were flimsy in parts, and as such I wasn’t quite sold on Sam and Mackenzie even though I loved their ending.

The writing jumped around sometimes, especially chapter one which was written as if we had assumed knowledge. For instance, Mackenzie’s throat surgery is dropped, but we don’t get an explainer until a chapter later. The Tick Tune and Seven stuff was also lacking, as were the songwriting sessions (e.g. the whole reason for them to be forced together after two years of no contact). I was surprised to read the author tried to make it as a songwriter in Nashville because at no time did I feel like we were in the room with Mack and Sam trying to co-write, it was a lot of telling. It was such a missed opportunity to really sell what it’s like to be a musician. Instead we’re treated to wasted nonsensical stuff like the masked ball and taking publicity photos (BEFORE A SONG WAS EVEN WRITTEN!) on a boat. There were so many better ways to force them together (e.g. inside a rehearsal and jam space writing songs).

Also, did we really have to have Mackenzie be based on Taylor Swift? Could romance authors get a bit more creative and stop mentioning or fan fic-ing her in every romance novel? Also, Candy Shard as a punk band name ? More like a reality show’s idea of a contrived punk band. And while both bands had twin sister managers, the idea of them being on tour together performing at a pretend romance? Let alone a punk band touring with a pop band? I’m so thankful we weren’t treated to flashbacks of that cringe.

I know I sound like I’m slagging this book off, but honestly, I was just disappointed. The basic ingredients were there for a thoughtful second chance romance that expounds on the impact of throat surgery on a singer known for belting songs, and the ways the recording industry exploits songwriters and musicians. But, sadly this book left me wanting.

Thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was absolutely adorable! It’s giving 5 Seconds of Summer fanfiction in the best possible way. I love a rockstar romance, and this one definitely hit the mark!

for the record by emma lord? five stars and a standing ovation. it’s fun, fast-paced, and full of heart—with just the right amount of backstage drama and self-discovery. emma lord nails the voice of a teen caught between chasing fame and finding herself, and the music industry setting is chef’s kiss without feeling overdone. sharp dialogue, lovable characters, and a main character you actually root for? yeah, this one’s worth the hype. total encore energy.

Did I pick up this book for because the main character's name is Mackenzie? 100%. As a Mackenzie, I don't feel like there are a lot of characters that share my name in books, so when I see them, I grab them right away. (It is always interesting to me how they all go by Mack though and no one uses Kenzie). I may have picked it up for the name, but I stayed for the cutest second chance romance. This was a 5 star read for me, and I definitely recommend checking out "For the Record".
During one of my updates when I was tracking my progress, I said Mackenzie gave me a little bit of TSwift vibes. And while that's still true, Mackenzie is a strong character that stands on her own.
Serena and Hannah were Mackenzie's bandmates, and they toured with Ben's emo/pop punk band. As is often seen with young, female stars in the media, everyone was obsessed with Mackenzie's dating life and her "enemies to lovers" vibe she has going on with Sam. Before anything can really take off between the two, they both get hit with some news that sends them reeling and having to make adjustments fast. Two years go by before the pair have occasion to cross paths again. Which is when we meet them.
The entire group of characters were memorable. Obviously Mackenzie and Sam stood out, and Hannah and Serena. Even some of the more minor/side characters were great--I want to be Isla and Twyla when I grow up (also every time I read their names together I giggled). The characters are well written and you feel like you understand their personalities and know them as you're reading. There was strong character development for Mackenzie and Sam of course, but also the characters around them. The descriptions throughout the book were so great. I'd LOVE to be invited to an Isla/Twyla party, they sound so fancy and lavish and fun.
I liked the modern references to things/apps that exist now, and the apps that are made up for the novel feel like something that could be real. I liked that every thing and everyone felt so real and like it could really happen, that's not something you get in every book, even other ones that take place in modern times and are supposed to be realistic. Does that matter in a book? It depends right? I like both--I do a lot of reading to escape reality--but it was nice to be able to sit there and go "yes I could definitely see this happening, I bet if I was opening TikTok right now I'd see it there", just as its nice to read something and go "that could never happen but I love reading it all the same."
The ending was satisfying, and the book felt like the perfect length. Everything resolved well, and there wasn't any point where I thought it was dragging on too long. The scenes are really well described and make it easy for readers to imagine what it would look like.

Thank you Emma Lord, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book! I had SO much fun reading this. Every time I picked it up, I had a smile on my face. I loved getting to see Mackenzie and Sam grow into themselves in this book. I loved even more getting to see them finally put down all their defenses, and be together in the end. How strongly they felt for each other shined through onto the page from the very beginning, and it was a joy to read.