This book was like if long hair Harry and 1989 era Taylor had done a “will they/wont they” thing that ultimately ended in both of their bands blowing up but then years later them getting back together as a duo. The chemistry, the angst, all the unspoken words that eventually work themselves out into the music made this such a beautifully written book. If you like Daisy Jones & the Six, right person/wrong time trope, and second chance romance this one is for you!

Another hit from Emma Lord! 4.5 stars!
Popstar Mackenzie Waters and punk rocker Sam Blaze were at the top of the music game and lauded for their will they/ won’t they flirtations on the stage, but behind the scenes their relationship was antagonistic at best. Two years later, both bands have broken up and Sam and Mack are brought back into each others’ lives when their record label suggests that the duo revive their careers with a joint comeback album. As they learn to work together and forgive past transgressions, Sam and Mack reignite old sparks and discover that their greatest hits are still to come.

Ugh I just adore Emma Lord! Her books are perfection. This one was a true gem. I really enjoyed it! Amazing job.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy of For the Record. This was my first book by Emma Lord, and after reading it, I can definitely tell her roots are in YA fiction. While there were a couple of spicy scenes, the writing style still felt very much in the YA vein.

What I liked about the book were the tropes—enemies to lovers and he falls first, which are some of my personal favorites. The chemistry between the two main characters was undeniable, and I loved the banter that unfolded between them. Their interactions often had me giggling, especially with the snarky exchanges.

Additionally, I enjoyed the dynamic between the band members, which added more to the story. Also the book is a short read so not bad. Overall, For the Record is a fun, lighthearted read with plenty of heart and humor

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an electronic ARC of this book.

4/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶️

Read this story if you like:
🎵 Rivals to Lovers
🖤 Books with Rockstars/Musicians
🎵 Single Dads
🖤 Female Friendship
🎵 Second Chances
🖤 Saying goodbye to your wild and crazy 20s and welcoming your 30s with open arms.

This book follows past rival lead singers of a girl group and punk rock group. They toured together and had a will-they-won’t-they going on, as requested by the label. *Some stuff happens* and both groups break up. 2 years later, these lead singers (our FMC and MMC) want to restart their careers as solo acts. The labels don’t go for it… but put them together and rekindle the will-they-won’t-they and they’re on board. The story follows as they are forced back together to write songs to showcase to the label in order to get a record deal. They learn a lot about themselves and each other along the way. 🖤 There’s also a who crew of side characters that I’d love to see get their own stories!!

Emma Lord does not disappoint with For the Record, a heartfelt and compelling story about two former musicians navigating their comebacks—together—despite their complicated past.

Mackenzie was once a member of Thunder Hearts, a chart-topping pop trio known for their harmonies and tight-knit friendship. At the height of their fame, they toured alongside Candy Shard, a pop-punk band featuring heartthrob Sam. Mackenzie and Sam shared a fiery love-hate relationship, their will-they-won’t-they tension fueling media speculation and fan frenzy. But when both bands dissolved, they went their separate ways.

Now, Mackenzie is struggling to reclaim her voice—literally—after vocal cord surgery, secretly posting music under the alias Seven to gauge how audiences might react. Meanwhile, Sam has his own reasons for keeping a low profile, balancing his return to music with family obligations. When the platform hosting Mackenzie's anonymous music threatens to expose its artists, she scrambles to keep her identity hidden. But working with Sam under their new duo, Mack & Sam, forces their history—and all its unresolved emotions—back into the spotlight.

As Mackenzie and Sam navigate their careers and rekindle their creative partnership, Mackenzie’s former bandmates have each found success in their own ways, leaving their friendship in a delicate, uncertain place. For the Record is a nostalgic, deeply emotional exploration of fame, reinvention, and second chances, with Emma Lord’s signature blend of humor, heart, and romance.

Excellent book! Fun characters with a sense of nostalgia throughput. You'll find yourself understanding their complex relationships and rooting for all involved. A truly great read!

This books was cute. Some more not PG spice than her others story tend to have, I may have just read another book of hers right before this :). I like second chance kinda romances though this wasn't quite that nor was it quite an enemies to lovers trope either. For those of you who like music and a good book this is solid. Plus I have a thing for blended families so it was just fun overall.

4.25 stars, 1.5 chili peppers (like 1 or 2 explicit scenes). I absolutely ate this true enemies to lovers, slow burn, rock star romance up! It starts out truly so strong, pulling you into the unique story immediately and was fast paced and kept me interested the entire book. It has all the banter that I crave in an enemies to lovers trope, and plenty of LOL moments (the Christmas underwear test lol) and kick your feet up moments too. And Sam Blaze, ILYSM. It was my first book by this author and won't be the last!

"I'd rather chance f*cking up a great thing with you than settle for a good one on my own."

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a 5 star read! I've never read a music themed romance and it was so fresh and new, I loved it. The back and forth banter between Mackenzie and Sam then that delicious slow burn leading up to when they finally accept their feelings for each other? So perfect!
I can't wait for the next book (hopefully!).

I loved Emma Lords new rom-com with a music twist. I could picture this as a movie while I read it. I loved their love hate relationship.

This was a super cute musical love story that did the enemies-to-lovers trope proud! It was well written and the characters were fully fleshed out people. It was written with a lot of love, it showed on every page. I loved this sweet story of Sam and Mack, it was just what I needed!

writing to the tiktok demographic is so demoralizing. while i love the work of emma lord, this was not my favorite book of hers. though it's being marketed as an adult romance, the characters and tone haven't broken free of the YA vernacular or decisionmaking process. i think there is an interesting book in there, but like a lot of books recently, the churn and pace of publishing makes it difficult to coax a great finished book out of a collection of mostly good ideas. the bottom line is this one felt like a messy first draft that needs more polish.

As far as rock star romances go, I think this was a fun second chance one. However, everything overall felt rather surface-level--I never felt completely attached to either character or their relationships. There were moments where I got glimpses of the possibility of that attachment, but nothing that allowed me to really dive into their stories.

I truly loved this book!

The energy of the main characters and the friendship dynamics mentioned was so good and enticing and it made it stand out from just another romance novel.

Wasn’t sure about how the music industry knowledge would be but it was played out super well!

Thank you NetGalley + Emma Lord for letting me read this lovely novel

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of For the Record. Emma Lord is one of my must-read authors, so I was excited to read this second adult installment in her collection.

What I Liked:
- I enjoyed the growth in the characters and the acknowledgement of the work it took to get there.
- I liked the friendships between the respective band members.
- I liked the idea of the music. As always happens when I read a book about musicians, I want to hear the music they sing.
- If I just sit back to enjoy the ride and don't think too much, it's very swoony.

What I Didn't Like:
- I really struggled with the names of the bands, shops, and managers. They felt a little twee to me, and by the end my eye twitched every time I read Twyla and Isla.
- Some things were too convenient if I thought too much about it.
- The happily ever after kind of glossed over the rage that the label must have felt. I know we read these books for the happily ever after, but the whole bow felt a little too easy to me.

Overall, I liked For the Record. It's definitely not Lord's strongest book, but it's still fun, "aww" inducing, and cute. The spice level was too much for my library, but I will definitely be recommending this one as an option for a mom friends book club read.

My rating scale:
5: I LOVED this so much! (Hard to achieve)
4: I liked this one a great deal and will surely remember details when I'm recommending it.
3: I liked this one, but it's going to blend in with other similar books.
2. Meh. It was fine.
1: I could barely get through this.

Once fierce rivals in the music world, pop sensation Mackenzie Waters and punk rocker Sam Blaze set stages on fire with their battles -until their bands crumbled, and so did their
undeniable connection. Two years later, Sam is adjusting to fatherhood, while Mackenzie hides behind a pseudonym after vocal surgery. Their shot at redemption? A high- stakes joint comeback album. As tension and chemistry reignite, long-buried secrets threaten everything. Emma Lord delivers a dazzling, emotionally charged romance about second chances, healing, and the magic of music. A must-read for fans of rivals-to-lovers
stories! Five stars!

4.25 stars!

Thank you Emma Lord, Macmillan and NetGalley.

I love Emma Lord’s writing style, it keeps things light even when the plot gets a little heavier or more tense. I found Sam and Mack to be endearing and fun and would love to hear more about Hannah and Serena and even Lizzie and Ben. Overall this was a really fun read and I flew threw it.

I really enjoy Emma Lord's books. This one is perfect for the fans of musical romance stories. Two old rivals who toured together with their groups have to come back together to write and perform some music together. I loved the forced proximity, and the enemies to lovers tropes of this one. I I also enjoyed the side story about her friendships with her bandmates and how things ebb and flow but ultimately your people are always there for you. There was a huge found family vibe here, and that's my favorite.
I did struggle a bit with all the side characters. Things got a little confusing there.
Another cute NYC romance by Emma Lord! Overall a great little romance read.

THANK YOU Netgalley, the Ms. Lord, and the publishers for this eARC!

I really enjoyed this novel; the characters felt real, and the well-paced plot kept me engaged from start to finish.