It’s a rock ‘n’ roll love story! What happens to your dreams when you’re forced to abruptly stop your rise as a rock/ pop star? Do you create new ones? This is where we start our story with our two leads. Sam, bad boy lead singer of a punk band, and Makenzie, America’s sweetheart heart and part of a brilliant pop trio both walked away from their careers at roughly the same time but for very different reasons. These two were in vastly different bands, but a genius marketing ploy by their mutual label had them tour together. Mack and Sam’s bickering and onstage animosity fueled the audience who couldn’t get enough of the push and pull, will they won’t they of it.
When they meet up two years later, they are different people, but one thing is certain, they still make really good music together, but is that all?
**Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to the ARC of this book.**

This was such a fun and heartfelt read. I loved the characters and really got invested in their story. The setting within the music industry was really interesting to me, as it’s outside of my experience. I’ve liked Emma Lord’s other books, but this is my favorite so far.
The narrator did a great job with this book, I’d definitely look for them in the future.

This book is a fun, music-filled romance about second chances. Mackenzie is a pop star recovering from surgery that changed her voice, and Sam is a rocker raising a son he just found out about. Years after their 'rivalry' days, they’re thrown together to make a comeback album—and maybe rekindle something more.

I liked how real both characters felt, and the dual POV made it easy to connect with them. The chemistry was still there, and I enjoyed seeing how they’d each grown.

That said, while it was a solid, enjoyable read, it didn’t completely wow me. It was missing that something to make it truly memorable. Still, a sweet story with relatable characters and a nice take on second chances.

I really enjoyed this!! Probably giving some of the credit to the audiobook actors because they are two faves and absolutely rocked it!! Such a cute story and charming banter. I liked the little nods to music / the music industry. It was a fun one-time read romance! Definitely check it out especially the audiobook!!

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review!!

Forget everything you thought you knew about pop and punk, because Emma Lord's For the Record is here to prove that the most beautiful music is made when two stubborn hearts finally harmonize.

Mackenzie Waters and Sam Blaze were the ultimate "it" couple... of enemies. The tension, the stage clashes—it was all so wonderfully dramatic. But their story fell silent, only to be resurrected two years later with a joint comeback album. Let me tell you, the delicious agony of watching these two navigate forced proximity is a symphony in itself.

What elevates this story from a simple second-chance romance is the heart and soul behind the music. Sam's journey as a new dad and Mackenzie's struggle with her voice add such a rich, emotional layer to their reunion. It’s not just about getting back on top; it’s about healing old wounds and finding a new rhythm for their lives. The way they learn to support each other, both professionally and personally, will make your heart absolutely melt.

This book is a love song to second chances, a perfect blend of rockstar drama and tender, quiet moments. It's witty, emotional, and will have you rooting for Mackenzie and Sam to finally hit all the right notes together. If you're looking for a book that proves sometimes the greatest hits are the ones you never saw coming, this is it!

For The Record is a novel centering around two musicians. It reminded me of Daisy Jones and the Six because of this. There are conflicts centering around the changing landscape of music, social media and music streaming rights of musicians. This is a YA book with a second chance romance and a dual point of view. The MMC's narrator had a perfect voice for this story and overall the audio was easy to listen to and flowed well. The characters were well developed and the plot had some slower parts but nothing that you couldn't push through.

Thank you Net Galley, Emma Lord and MacMillian Audio for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions shared are my own.
For The Record is now available.

I was sooo looking forward to this book. I am a huge fan of Daisy Jones and the Six, so when this got compared to that; I was so down. Unfortunately, this did not live up to my expectations. I think that it was hard to root for the love interests together, which is strange because I liked them separately, just did not feel the tension or the vibes of them together.


Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for my early e-arc.

This was my first Emma Lord book. A friend of mine is always talking about her writing, so I was happy for this one. I love second chance romances, and Mack and Sam had that history and tension I crave. I liked seeing how their past shaped the way they came back together. As a music lover, that setting was extra special for me! The pacing did feel slow at times, but I still cared enough to want to know what would happen between them.

I’ve been diving deeper into the audiobook world and learned that duet is my favorite style, but also enjoy some dual narration. This one is dual and I thought Andrew Eiden and Jesse Vilinsky did such a fantastic job that I didn’t get distracted by it.

All in all, I found it to be a fun and easy listen.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advance copy. These opinions are my own.

I just really enjoy Emma Lord's books. There's something about her writing that always draws me in, makes me genuinely care about her characters, and reminds me how great dessert is. For the Record is no exception. Former hit musicians and rivals Mackenzie and Sam are both looking for a comeback and now find themselves, for romance novel reasons, working together. Retracing their past, co-writing love songs, what could happen?

There's a little bit too much of a convoluted sideplot here with a TikTok-esque anonymous music platform and evil music label executives. I think the story drags when it gets too mired in this and really sings (lol) when it focuses on the central romance. This was funny, charming, and included the perfect amount of swoon to make for a nice diversion from all the things.

The audibook is excellent and I'm always so happy when they have two different actors voice the main characters in a romance. Andrew Eiden is one of my all time faves, so I naturally also immediately loved the character Sam. Jesse Vilinsky does a great job bringing Mackenzie to life.

This one sticks like an earworm you can’t get out of your head. In For the Record, Mackenzie Waters — a former pop girl-group member — is reinventing herself as “Seven,” an anonymous singer-songwriter posting breakup ballads on Tick Tune (think TikTok’s musically obsessed cousin). She had surgery that changed her voice, and because of this, music fans don't recognize her singing.

Meanwhile, her former rival and crush, punk icon Sam Blaze, has traded his rock star life for dad duty with his four-year-old son.

When a record label suggests a comeback album featuring Sam and Mackenzie singing duets, the two former rivals start meeting up to write new songs.

The banter sparkles, the second-chance romance balances sweetness and swagger, and the beat of healing friendships and parental redemption adds unexpected depth. Still, a mid-story dip keeps it from being a runaway hit. Less Taylor Swift, more upbeat indie radio. Charming, heartfelt—and surprisingly resonant for a pop-star reunion.

This was the first book I have read by Emma Lord. I am wondering if her YA writing is better because this was aimed toward adults but felt YA. I had hoped for more Emily Henry vibes like the desciption said, but it wasn't bad.

thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review!!

this was cute! i did enjoy the romance, however, being that this is kind of a second chance romance, i wish there was more of our main characters, Mackenzie and Sam in the past while they were in their rival bands.

in this we are following Mackenzie and Sam. Years ago they were each in their own bands and their labels wanted them to really play up their rivalry for the fans. Then suddenly both bands fell apart before Mackenzie and Sam can see if there is anything real between them. Now two years later, Mackenzie and Sam are meet again and tensions are still high and their meddling managers and label want them to write a comeback album together.

I felt like there were a lot of storylines and even though they all related to each other, it felt like a lot. I wish it was just focused on Mackenzie and Sam and not why Mackenzie’s other bandmates are currently not getting along. It felt like there was a little too much going on for me.

I did really love the storyline of Mackenzie’s journey with her health and now it affected her voice. She has Hashimoto’s and I loved the representation. She has surgery on her thyroid after a nodule is found and is told the surgery could affect her voice. I really enjoyed her journey in navigating what it meant to her as a singer and performer.

overall, i would recommend, it just unfortunately wasn’t my favorite.

I loved this audiobook. The narrators did a great job and I found myself wanting to listen to it all the time. I loved watching them overcome current drama and trauma from their past. A great book.

This was a classic rom-com which hit all the right notes. I enjoyed the characters and would love to see more of them.

This was cuteeee.

* great banter and flirting
* both our MCs are singers
* flashbacks
* second chance
* our MMC is down baddd for our FMC
* blended family / co-parenting

Overall I really enjoyed this! Sam and Mackenzie had a great dynamic and I loved watching their romance bloom while they wrote songs together. I do think some of the other plot points took away from the romance aspect of the book (especially in the 3rd act) but adored the friendships, the insight to the music industry, and the overall plot of the book.

Well, I found this to be fine, nothing truly special. I couldn’t connect well with Sam and Mackenzie as I have with other couples. Mackenzie needed therapy and Sam was pretty one dimensional. There was a very stupid and unnecessary third act something that made me more ragey that I needed to be. I will still check out Lord’s next book thought as I have enjoy her others in the past.

I’m a fan of Emma Lord’s books and For the Record was no exception. What I appreciated most was the character development. I’m a sucker for complex characters. I found myself rooting for Sam and Mac—and isn’t that exactly what we want to do when it comes to a romance novel? Well done!

Sam and Mac are meant for each other, too bad they’re too busy pretending they can’t stand each other. They spent tons of time together while their bands were on tour together and their management encouraged them to play up a rivalry. Yet they still have so much chemistry there are lots of close calls between until their bands fall apart and both of them experience some serious life changes.

They don’t see each other for two years and then get talked into working together to write an album. They still have unbelievable chemistry and now they have to spend time together, talk so they really get to know each other, and deal with some of the issues from their past. Both characters go through so much growth and they really face their issues both personal and as a couple head on. They have the sweetest love story and I enjoyed this story so much.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book narrated by Andrew Eiden and Jesse Vilinsky. They were both really great and made this book so fun and easy to listen to. I’ve listened to Andrew before and always love everything he narrates but this was the first time I’ve listened to Jessie and I wasn’t disappointed.

For the Record
By: Emma Lord
Narrated By: Andrew Eiden & Jesse Vilinsky
Review Score: Four Stars

Boogie’s Bulletpoints
•Dual POV
•Chosen Family
•Second Chance Romance
•Slow burn

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🎧 Audiobook Review! 🎧

An ALC was kindly provided by Macmillan Audio. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy this wonderful book!

In “For the Record”, we meet Mackenzie and Sam, two musicians that were part of different bands, but the bands always toured together. One of the ways they engaged with fans was play a “will they or won’t they” flirtation on stage.

Fast Forward, and both bands are broken up, and Mackenzie and Sam are no longer friends, but are forced to work together in an attempt to re-kindle their careers.

Mackenzie and Sam have SUCH good chemistry (and really, Lord just writes such good chemistry, I swear) and I loved seeing them work together, but also fight their feelings for each other.

This was such a fun read! I can’t wait to see what Lord writes next!

This book is for anyone who can’t imagine life without music. The cover is gorgeous, the characters are instantly engaging, and the story had me crying, smiling, and cheering from start to finish. For The Record is enchanting, inspiring, and utterly unmissable.. "People loved to watch us hate each other"