Umm YES!! Give me more books like this please!

I love Emma Lord's teen books, but after being disappointed by her adult debut I was a little hesitant going into this one. I shouldn't have worried though because this was everything I wanted. Its nostalgic, cute, and incredibly heartfelt, to the point that I don't know how she pulled it off.

Everything was set up for success, from the will-they-wont-they history to the way he absolutely loves to infuriate her. My reading has been stacked with he falls first MMC and I think broody bad boys are getting kicked to the curb for a bit because I love these men being simps for the one that got away. Also, this book gives Taylor Swift vibes, I could see her doing an incognito album to say goodbye to her exes - if she hadn't just done Tortured Poets.

Tropes:
Will they won’t they
He falls first
Second chance
Rockstar x popstar
Single Dad
Cocky bad boy x chaotic good girl
Secret identity
Trip down memory lane
Songwriting
He calls her Sparkles

Romance books about musicians are always a guilty pleasure for me and this book did not disappoint! I loved Sam, Ben and Mack and the supporting characters had so much dimension to them. The banter was great and I love a good he-falls-first trope. Also, I could be wrong but I believe this book may pass the bechdel test, which is honestly very impressive for a rom com! For the Record is a fun, cute, easy to read, music-centered romance and if you are looking for that type of book then I definitely recommend this book!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC! This book was a pleasant read, offering a fresh take on the romance genre with its enemies-to-lovers trope, which I appreciate. The dynamic between the characters was engaging, and I found myself rooting for them despite their initial animosity. Mackenzie, the main character, was particularly well-written and likable.

Emma Lord’s books are always a delight and this one was certainly no different. I enjoyed the unique plot line of former rivals to were we ever really rivals to friends to lovers. The flashback moments were fun and the found family vibes were top tier. Also we are always here for healthy communication and no third act breakup! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley for this ARC.

First, A big thank you to St. Martin’s Publishing and NetGalley for early access to “For the Record” by Emma Lord. I just finished this book and raced to my computer to sing it praises! Sam and Mackenzie, separate and together are friggen chef’s kiss. The natural banter that you absolutely won’t stop craving is strung from beginning to end! Enemies to lovers with a forced proximity plot that is thickened by thoughtful nuances of relationships filled with all different types of love. The thing that propels this book to a different romance genre plane is the gorgeous complementary cast of characters that are unforgettable! Even through the conflicts in the book, you see an overwhelming amount of heartfelt support for both protagonists from friends, family, and their fans. It will leave you feeling uplifted and inspired - 5 Golden stars!

Okay book. The one big negative for me is that the author spent so much time talking about the characters’ past yet at the same time not getting deep enough into it that I questioned whether this was the second book in a series and I missed reading the first one. Not my favourite Emma Lord, but still a so-so read.

I saw that the FMC on the cover looked like Taylor Swift and I was sold. I really liked the plot of this book, I’ve never read a book of ex bandmates who are now both in rival bands, falling for each other. On top of that the FMC Mackenzie had vocal surgery and it changed her singing voice and Sam the MMC recently found out he had a son. So both main characters are dealing with issues that aren’t each other. I liked “For The Record” much more than “The Break up Pact”. I felt this book had an interesting and deep plot but it wasn’t convoluted. I’m normally not a fan of second chance romance tropes but it worked so well here, I couldn’t not love it. On top of that you get enemies to lovers, rival bands, and dual POV.

For the Record by Emma Lord ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This romcom gave me all the feels. From enemies to friends to lovers, Sam and Mackenzie have undeniable chemistry. They are ex band mates who now have a second chance at their romance, if only they could be honest with each other.

I absolutely adored this novel. I only wish I could listen to the songs mentioned

Really good read! Big fan of the plot and how this was written. I sped through it!

Thank you NetGalley and Emma Lord!

This was an excellent Adult sophomore album for Emma Lord! In all honesty, I liked this novel more than her adult debut novel - maybe it's the inner Swiftie in me, or that I'm a sucker for strong female friendships. The Thunder Hearts girl group truly showcased that friendships ebb and flow, but everyone is stronger together.

The pacing lagged a bit in the middle and sometimes I glazed over the intricacies of the music industry details, but Mack and Sam's chemistry and emotional journey were great. The Dual POV really elevated the storyline, as well as the deep history between the two MCs. Everything came together so perfectly - I'm always in awe of Emma Lord's talent. Emma Lord has this flawless ability to take complex topics and multi-layered storylines into fun, easy to follow, and full of banter romances.

I thought she'd bring back the "Lock, Click" motif later on in the book - but certainly the Epilogue makes up for it. (The Epilogue is possibly the best thing my eyes have ever read.)

Thank you to St. Martin’s Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!

This was a great read! I enjoyed getting to know the characters and rooting for them as they developed throughout the book journey. Though I could see the direction Mackenzie & Sam were headed there were some surprising twists along the way.
Emma Lord takes us through Mack and Sam's complicated previous working (and almost romantic) relationship. We can see their emotional challenges and growth toward a mature future.
If you're looking for an engaging and entertaining summer read- this is it!

This was a quick, easy read. I enjoyed the storyline as it was a fresh take on enemies to friends to lovers. Told via dual POV with many secrets and good banter between characters.
San and Mackenzie are ex band members of two rival bands that haven’t seen each other in 2 years. Mack has since had vocal surgery and her voice has changed while Sam was under the radar due to finding out he had a son. Now Mackenzie and Sam are not only back to making music together, but also realizing they may have feelings for each other.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was SO GOOD! It was a take on enemies to lovers that is very unconventional, but I love love loved it. It was well paced, so I was entertained the whole time. The conflict didn’t have me ripping my hair out, but I was genuinely rooting for Sam and Mack in the end and wasn’t frustrated with either of them. I love when book characters get to be in love! I will be adding more Emma Lord to my shelves!

4.5 ⭐️ This is my first Emma lord book and it did not disappoint! I really could’ve read this in one sitting if I had the time. I loved the characters, dual POV, and the entire storyline. It follows two “former” musicians that used to work together. Such good banter too🤌🏻 I think this is will be a great summer read and I’ll definitely be looking into her other books!

*I received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

What a stunning and beautifully written second chance romance. About love, loss, change and friendship. When this book started you could feel the tension between our two minds characters and could tell even then what they had was so special. Mackenzie and Sam have some history when two years ago Sam left, a surprise kid and a new priority it left Mackenzie hurt.

Going through her own things in the past two years were thrown back in with Mackenzie, a very strong and sure of herself FMC who has been through more than you can think. Finding herself and letting go of the hurt as her new role Seven, when the label makes an offer. Bring back the old tension and rivalry with Sam. And how beautifully done it was.

I love getting snippets of their past and how these two seemed to always circle around each other, and the push and pull of their dynamic even then. To who they are know and seeing the growth of the characters with your own eyes.

Everything about this story was layered so complex, between the romance dynamic, some friend dynamic in how change can affect your relationships, forgiveness and how the voice of an artist matters when it’s about to be taken away. I love the spin on modern technology and Tick Tune, comparing that to what we have but a way for artist to share their creativity. The dynamic between the girl group and how different their lives have been since they called it quits.

There’s so much to take away from this story. A big part of learning to forgive and that even if you hurt someone it’s never too late to fix things. About showing your love instead of saying it and realizing it’s okay if you did not have it all together.

I really really enjoyed this authors writing and how she showcased to so many complexities within the plot but also added so much romance I felt myself dying for the tension to break between these two. I laughed, I swooned and I feel like such a small piece of me was left with Sam and Mack.

I am such a fan of Emma Lord.
Seriously, I almost couldn’t believe my luck that I was able to get an early copy of For the Record.
For the Record is about two musicians who aren’t exactly exes, but they definitely are harboring some feelings for one another.
Told from both characters’ POVs, For the Record is a love story that made me laugh, cry, and swoon.

All opinions are my own.

This landed at 3.5⭐️ for me but I'll round up because I did highlight a lot of quotes and I think the general idea was great but execution was lacking. There were just way too many other storylines going on that took away from the main romance. However I did love all of the music and band aspects of this book and the connection between the leads was fantastic.

3.5 ⭐ This is a fun, dual POV, enemies to lovers slow burn, with a little spice. It follows musical rivals/frenemies Sam and Mack who find themselves back in each others lives in an attempt to reignite their respective careers. You really feel like you're watching a movie with these two rock stars trying to navigate love, heartbreak, fatherhood, family issues, friendships and more. I the banter between Sam and Mack was fantastic and I LOVED everything about the bakery. The relationship struggles between the other band members seemed forced and unnecessary. Overall, this was a fun and easy read.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC of For the Record in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute music focused rom com. Def reminds me of Daisy Jones and the Six in a way. So if you like that then you will like this book. It's sweet and fun. A little enemies to lovers vibe.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

I usually cannot wait to read Emma Lord's books, but I found myself stumbling over this one a bit.

The back and forth between past and present tripped me up, often forgetting the timeline I was reading. And unfortunately, I never felt the spark between the two main characters.