Picture this: a glittery popstar princess and bad boy rockstar in a rivals to lovers, will-they-won't-they romance that captures the world's attention while their rivaling bands tour the world together. But their groups disbanded, life hit them hard, and now, two years later, former popstar Mackenzie and former rockstar Sam find themselves back in each other's orbit as they collab on a comeback album together.

This book delivered everything you'd want from an Emma Lord book: It's cute, fun, a bit quirky, and incorporates mentions of unique food combos that will make you want to run to your kitchen and start experimenting. This book feels the most Emma Lord of the ones I've read. It's sparkly and full of heart (and Swiftie easter eggs, if you squint). We got a lovable girl group turned found family, a cast of enjoyable side characters, a fun setting (I loved all the scenes in Sugar Harmony, the bar Mackenzie's friend runs), and a main character with some Taylor Swift vibes without it feeling fanfic-y (I'm talking crumbs here. It's really more that Swifties will recognize that the way the world views Mackenzie's relationships is similar to what Taylor has experienced).

Mackenzie and Sam had a sweet relationship where we got to see them heal past wounds and move from somewhat enemies to friends to lovers as they learned to open up to each other through the process of making music. They had such an interesting dynamic because while they'd spent so long in each others' orbit while on tour, they avoided each other (and their building feelings) off-stage as much as possible, so in a way, they were building up a real relationship and fully getting to know each other for the first time.

This book is compared to an Emily Henry and Daisy Jones and the Six, and I get why publishers would want to market it that way, but I would NOT go into this book expecting either of those. The premise of this book was giving me DaisyBilly angsty sequel vibes, but written by Emily Henry, and that's just not the vibe of this book at all (and not in a bad way). If anything, I'd expect more of a Sarah Adams, cupcake sweet, little bit quirky kind of read.

When I started this, I almost DNF'd because the bantering was not bantering to me and I wasn't feeling the dynamic between the main characters, but I'm glad I stuck it out because it ended up getting better each section and being a fun read. Some parts felt lacking and left me with a bit of disconnect from the characters and story, and I was left feeling like something was missing. In fact, I think I love the idea of this book more than the actual book itself. But if the premise intrigued you and you're looking for something cute and fun that feels like a rom-com movie on page, I'd say give this a shot. This was one of my anticipated releases of the year so I'm so grateful to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Oh how I wanted to love this one more than I did. The cover, the premise it all sounded so cute. Unfortunately, it really fell flat for me and just the entire storyline was missing something to make it work for me. It's definitely a quick and entertaining read nonetheless.

The end of For The Record made me all giddy and swoony - 5 stars to the last third. I loved Sam, Mackenzie, and Ben - they were all well developed and seemed honest. But… felt like there were a few too many story lines (it almost felt like blatantly setting up a series?) that took up space and forced out more details of the progress from rivals to lovers that I would’ve liked to see. I felt like they just jumped over all the past hurdles to start messing around and I would’ve liked a little more of that to be part of the story. But overall, I really enjoyed it and will happily come back for more if there in fact is a series coming!

Thank you so much to #netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC!

I was such a fan of these characters! After loving The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord, I was so excited to have the opportunity to receive an advanced copy of For The Record. Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Synopsis: Pop princess Mackenzie Waters and punk rockstar Sam Blaze were two rivals in the music industry and their bands were loved by their audiences. The simmering tension between Mackenzie and Sam grew into something more until both bands fell apart. The two have not seen each other in two years, and have gone their separate ways. Mackenzie is learning how to use her new voice, which has undergone some changes, and is singing under a pseudonym. Sam is raising the son that he never knew he had. They're approached to create a joint comeback album and are forced to put their rivalry to the side in order to work together to revive their careers. Like their fans ask - will they or won't they?

My thoughts: I was swooning over these characters! As someone who is not a fan of the miscommunication trope, I was so happy that Emma Lord created two main characters who learned to be open and honest with each other. Both of them took chances and were not afraid to be vulnerable. The story had many layers to it: found family, health scares, a little bit of spice, and two people learning how to be vulnerable together. The descriptions of the music they were creating and sharing made me want to hear their real albums! This book did not disappoint, and Emma Lord definitely has a forever fan in me.

This was such a great second chance romance book 🥹 This was my first book from this author and I will definitely be checking out her other books. The FMC was quirky but not in an annoying way, there were so many sweet moments in this book along with some deep emotional ones between the FMC and MMC, they had me in my feels quite a few times 😭 I typically stay away from celebrity/popstar books as they tend to be cringy but this one was done well! Loved Mackenzie's journey of self-discovery and the female friendships in this book 🥹

If you're not reading Emma Lord, you're missing out! For the Record is definitely my favorite Lord romance to date. Fans of Falon Ballard and Katie Ruggle will enjoy this. For the Record will make a great beach read this summer.

For readers looking for a tamer version of Daisy Jones and the Six and a hate-to-love romance, I think this book could work for you. The premise was intriguing, but it wasn’t a book that worked for me.

Ultimately, I was left wanting more from the main characters. Sam & Mack’s relationship was juvenile, at best. Their dialogue felt very YA, which I think makes sense considering this author has written mostly YA books.

The concept is what kept me reading for as long as I did, but I didn’t get the depth that I wanted from the characters. I had no emotional attachment, and I think that was in large part due to being told more about the characters thoughts and feelings than actually seeing it on page. I also think it would have lent well to the storyline if there would have been dual timelines.

Additionally, I thought the excessive use of curse words was lazy. While it’s not preferred, I don’t mind and can handle some swearing in books. However, the amount of times Mack said “damn” felt extremely unrealistic and took me out of the story.

By 30% in, I knew it was in my best interest to put the book down.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me.

This book was a wonderful read. Absolutely some T Swift vibes but absolutely reaching back to my high school days of boy bands and girl groups. Both Mackenzie and Sam were super frustrating with their absolutely clear love for each other while hiding it from the other because they thought the other didn't feel that way. And as frustrating as it was it's so real life that it was nice to see on page what a lot of people experience often. If someone loves Katherine Center, Emily Henry and the like...Emma Lord should be right up there on the TBR lists :)

This may be Emma Lord’s best yet. The chemistry of these characters, the fresh plot, the female friendships, the subplots that never felt like too much going on. I really, really enjoyed it, and something so special about Emma’s writing is how you can see her fingerprints all over it—this book felt like her, as parasocial as that may sound. My only complaint is some of the conflicts felt confusing—especially the third act “breakup,” if it even was a breakup. It felt like a miscommunication even as they were actively communicating. But the resolution made it all worth it, and this is one of my favorite epilogues I’ve ever read. 4.5 stars overall, would definitely recommend!

Emma Lord is quickly becoming one of my top authors! This was such a cute frenemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance, in a story that read quite literally like "he was a punk, she did ballet...what more can I say". Such a cute read, with insane character chemistry.

Former pop sensation and girl group frontwoman Mackenzie has been somewhat of a recluse since her band broke up and she had to have surgery that impacted her voice. But recently, she's been starting to get back into music, releasing songs anonymously on a mysterious app. When she's finally ready to dip her toe into making music under her own name again, though, the label is skeptical. Enter former punk band member and her musical rival, Sam, who is also contemplating reentering the world of music after taking time away to raise his son. The label decides what better way to revive two what they consider has-beens and throw the enemies together?

I had been in the mood for a celebrity romance and thought this one fit the bill. I had read Lord's YA novels, but if she has another adult novel, it hasn't crossed my path yet. This one was a pure delight to read. I love Mack and Sam, their whole story, and the many, many subplots which kept me constantly engaged. Some might consider all the things going on aside from Mack and Sam's dynamic (the evil record label! the evil app owners! Mack's feud with her former bandmate! Sam's mysterious absentee dad!) a lot, but I was entertained by it all.

I do think the cover art is a bit of a misstep though, as it's very Taylor Swift-coded, and McKenzie is nothing like her, in looks or personality. Mack is described as having a distinctive cloud of yellow curly hair, which isn't really what we get from the cover.

Thanks to St. Martin's for my eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

For The Record By Emma Lord 2.5

First thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the arc read. I was very excited to read this book! As always I have to be honest about my feelings about this read. However, I did have some problems with it hence the 2.5. The characters though were older acted like teenagers and lacked communication skills. These are adults and yet they lack communication abilities with each other and everyone around them. This leads to overall frustrating situations. I usually don’t mind a miscommunication trope, but this was too much. I also felt like this book was only written due to the recent craze over Daisy Jones And The Six. Two rival musicians try fighting their attraction to one another. Sam is a father trying to provide for his son. Mackenzie has a secret music identity called Seven. It truly felt like a fan fiction story about Daisy Jones And The Six. However, without the interview aspect, the author did not know how to go back and forth between past and present. We would be mid-chapter and suddenly sucked into the past to explain the context of a situation happening. This book would have benefited greatly from a dual timeline. I did bump up my rating from a 2 to a 2.5 simply because I think readers who haven’t read Daisy Jones would enjoy this much better, and not notice the similarities.

Mackenzie and Sam used to be in rival bands, but they’ve both moved on. Sam, to raise his son he didn’t know about. Mackenzie, to sing under a fake name to hide the fact that she had a surgery that changed her voice. They’re both ready to revive their careers, but the only way they can do it is by joining together to make a comeback album!

I really liked the idea of this book. Former rivals who have tension? Sign me up.

That being said, this book had a really slow start. It was hard for me to stay focused and I found myself skimming over stuff occasionally. I liked both of the characters, but there was something missing. They had good banter and there was definitely chemistry/tension between them, but I couldn’t quite find myself rooting for them.

I was eventually a bit more interested in their relationship and the book’s plot, but it took a while. I think there were some unnecessary filler parts added to the book that could have been shortened/left out.

Finally, even though it’s an adult romance, it felt more like a YA romance. And I do love YA books, so that wasn’t necessarily a problem for ME, but I just want to make everyone aware in case you’re expecting something more adult (though there ARE two spicy scenes)! If you’ve read Emma Lord before, it’s basically the same writing style as her YA books.

Tropes/other aspects:
Adult romcom
Rivals to lovers
Musicians
Dual POV
Found family
Friendships

Emma Lord's novels keep getting better with time just like fine wine. I was addicted to reading Mackenzie's and Sam's stories and did not want to put it down. With the rivals to lovers trope, both deal with the consequences of fame and changes in their personal lives (Sam learning he has a child and Mackenzie's post-operation that changes her voice). You can see the natural progression of their relationship becoming more than collaborators as they work on the joint album and spend more time together. I truly enjoyed reading the novel and cannot wait for what Emma Lord has in store next.

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

LOVED this second chance romance! I didn't know what to expect from this book and it was the best surprise! So fun to read and I could not put it down. The peek into the pasts of both Sam and Mack as well as the personal growth of both characters throughout the book made it impossible to stop reading. Their chemistry is off the charts and I loved that once they "broke their rules" they was no going back for either one of them. It is always fun to read about the glitz and glamour of celebrities, but I loved that there was true friendship/found family for both of these characters.

Highly recommend this book! Such a fun and entertaining story!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's for the ARC!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

When Mackenzie Waters and Sam Blaze toured together with their bands, they had a rivalry and chemistry and a “will they won’t they” that the public adored. But when Sam finds out he has a four year old son he didn’t know about, he leaves the tour without a word, breaking Mack’s heart.

Two years later, both bands have gone their separate ways. When Mackenzie and Sam run into each other at their old bar, an idea springs forth of the two of them making a duet album together.

Neither is thrilled- Sam is still in love with Mackenzie and doesn’t know how he can spend that much time with her; Mack is still bruised from his sudden departure from the tour and her walls are high, unwilling to get hurt by him again. But as they create this new album called “Haunts,” visiting all the places that were important to them at one time, their feelings become unavoidable.

I’ve loved Emma Lord’s YA books for years and I’m enjoying diving into her adult romances now. I love an MMC who has been pining for years and Sam ticks all the boxes for me. He was so steady and unwilling to lose Mack a second time. This was a nice twist on a rockstar romance.

I received this book as an Advanced Readers Copy via NetGalley. It releases in August 12, 2025 so make sure to add it to your TBR if it seems like something you’d enjoy.

For the Record was so much fun and so clever! I loved the premise of two former fuming band members collaborating as well as the subplot about Tick Tune. It was sweet, funny, and romantic. I loved Mack and Sam so much!

This was a cute story. I enjoyed the connection between the characters and the dual perspectives. Thank you!

Mackenzie Waters and Sam Blaze drove each other crazy while on stage, but behind the scenes, there was something more. Until there wasn’t. 2 years have passed and now Mack and Sam are both trying to start solo careers following the end of their respective bands. Forced to work together, will the old feelings find their way back?

I liked this book, but I didn’t totally believe the problem in this book. It felt forced. Also, there were moments where I felt like things were rushed and things could have been more explained.

This is a quick read which was nice. I also really liked Sam’s character, and I liked the duel POVs.

Thank you, Netgalley, for this ARC!

Very cute and sparkly! For some reason, I didn’t fully buy into the Mack and Sam love story, but the former pop star hysteria and second chance romance was a pleasant enough read!