I’m putting this one down for the time being. I really wanted to like it. There were aspects I loved but there were also many portions I was truly bored. The romance wasn’t romancey, the banter didn’t feel right. I wasn’t rooting for the couple.

I’m hoping to give it another go, but at 50%, I’m struggling! Thank you for the ARC!

This was my first Emma Lord book, so I didn’t have any set expectations going into it. But after finishing For the Record, I’m excited to check out Emma’s other works!
 
𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏’𝒔 𝒆𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒂 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒊𝒕.

Mackenzie Waters – “Mack”, former band member of Thunder Hearts / Seven

Samuel Blaze – “Sam”, former band member of Candy Shard
 
You can’t outrun your past. Which is exactly how Mack & Sam - previously being one of the most famous rivalries in the music world - find themselves working together after two years of radio silence. Mack and Sam agree to work on a comeback album together, and find themselves getting along a little too good. But working together in the present brings back memories of the past … memories that both Mack and Sam lived differently. While they can’t rewrite their past, can they pen the future they’ve both always wanted?
 
I thought the chemistry between Mack and Sam was playful and genuine. The characters were likeable (except Serena was a miss for me, personally). I think if you’ve ever been in a situation like Mack and Sam, minus the whole stardom thing, then their characters will be easily relatable in the sense of not allowing yourself to get there with someone. I really enjoyed how the “family” storyline played out in this book – including Sam and Ben and how sometimes the people we surround ourselves with become our own found family through thick and thin.
 
Besides being a fan girl, I don’t know much about the actual music industry itself. I feel like the story could have had a longer time gap between the break up of their bands and their comeback album. Understanding their lives and circumstances changed a lot (Sam becoming a dad and Mack with her surgery), two years seems like a little short on time for their management not to think they could be successful in their own solo careers. I also wish we got a little more backstory into their lives while they were still in the band.
 
Honorable Mentions:
~Ben dessert specials
~Sam rearranging the songs for Mack (my heart!!!)
~Epilogue
 
🎤 Second Chance
🎵 Famous FMC & MMC (Musicians)
🎤 Rivals/Enemies to Lovers
🎵 Hidden Identity
🎤 Found Family
 
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and of course Emma Lord for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I gave this one 4.25 out of 5 stars! It was such a fun and heartwarming read. The way Emma wrote these characters beautifully, they feel real, and I loved getting a peek into the chaos of the music world.

The main character’s journey—figuring out who she is while balancing fame, friendships, and everything in between—was super relatable. There were plenty of funny, sweet, and emotional moments, and the whole vibe of the book was just really enjoyable.

If you’re into YA stories with strong female leads and a bit of behind-the-scenes drama, this one’s definitely worth checking out.

I have been searching for a romance book with musicians! This was a fast-paced book filled with a slow-burn kind of second chance love! Definitely recommend if you enjoy stuff similar to the movie "a star is born"

this was a super charming read but did not quite hit the mark for me in the end, unfortunately.

the dynamic - and the banter - between mack and sam in for the record is immediately effortless, and honestly they managed to be adorable even to a dour second chance romance denier like myself. i enjoyed the band drama and the peek at life for musical artists was really fun. the issue i found myself struggling with the most was the writing; it's quick and quirky, but it almost ended up being too... all of those things, like the first twenty pages were just a barrage of similes and hyperbole that made it kinda hard to follow along.

if that is your kind of writing though, i think this would be a really adorable, romantic quick read that would 100% save you from a reading slump, guaranteed, it just did not fully land for me.

thank you to netgalley and st. martin's press for the arc!

Mackenzie and Sam have always been rivals but years after both bands broke up they join together to relaunch their musical careers only this time together.

I love this duo! They were sweet but also real! The chemistry was perfect and the all the other "side" characters each had their own fun stories! I'm a sucker for a band book and this one hit the spot!

Emma Lord is always a favorite of mine and this one went up to top 3 on my list!

I enjoyed this book and this being my first by this author it definitely won’t be my last. Pop star and musician, found family, female friendships just such a good story 💕 I usually hate second chance romance lol but this one I liked. Highly recommend.

Loved this book!!!! Loved how the story changed POV each chapter to take turns between Mack & Sam. This was a love story on many levels: friendship, fatherhood & with a couple of old rivals

This book is SO GOOD. I was so into it the second I started it. I loved reading about these two bands, their history, and where they are now.

The writing is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. Half my Kindle is highlighted with stunning prose, earnest reflections on life, friendship, toxic love, believing people's empty promises, and ultimately finding the courage to love and believe in yourself.

The standout and highlight in this book, however, is the love between Sam and Mackenzie. Oh, my LORD the chemistry!!!! It was so palpable, tender, and feverish. I truly felt the hunger between them. I loved the confidence they bring out of each other, the understanding they have, the support they provide, the cheekiness... ahhh, I just loved it all.

This is my favourite from Emma Lord - she absolutely knocked this out of the park, and it's one of my new favourite romances. Pick this up asap!!

Thank you SO much to St. Martin's Press for the advanced e-copy!

I am really, really enjoying Emma Lord's adult romances, and hope she continues to write them. She always has well developed characters, and I really enjoyed the music/pop star aspect of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

<spoiler>

In For the Record, Mackenzie Waters, former front-woman of the Thunder Hearts, is trying to relaunch her career following a thyroid surgery that changed her voice permanently. The public already loves her new voice, but they don't know it as she's been releasing her new songs -- cataloguing her romantic history with seven men -- anonymously as the artist Seven on the new music app Tick Tune. To help to ease the transition into a career without her band, her manager proposes she team up with Sam Blaze -- ex-frontman for the rival punk band Candy Shard and the seventh man who Mackenzie plans to release a song about. The only one to truly break her heart.

Meanwhile, Sam Blaze's career has been stagnant ever since he left Candy Shard to be a father to a son -- Ben -- he didn't know about. Even with taking a step back from music though, he's never forgotten about Mackenzie Waters. When he gets an opportunity to reconnect with her, both musically and personally, he jumps at the chance. But can they overcome their own histories to create the perfect duet?

I gave this book 3/5 stars. I think it was a solid romance with an interesting premise. It was an easy read and the characters were enjoyable too.

This might be the first romance that I've read set in the music industry and it was a lot of fun. The faux-rivalry between the Thunder Hearts and Candy Shard seemed entirely believable as something that would get fans interested and invested. I really enjoyed exploring that history in the book as we get to know both Mackenzie and Sam. The details about the friendship between their two bands, like how they would play the 'Sweet Spot' game, made me want to spend even more time exploring the past between these characters.

On a more grounded note, I think that Mackenzie and Sam's personal issues seemed very realistic and lead to understandable barriers to their romantic relationship (even if you're still, of course, rooting for them to overcome those barriers). It did feel, though, as if they quickly crossed the line from 'friends with benefits' to being in a relationship despite going out of their way to establish rules for themselves early on. I think that there could have been some more romantic tension if we had spent more time with these rules creating artificial barriers between them.

As for Mackenzie and Sam themselves, I liked them both in theory but I didn't feel like I fully got to know them as characters. We're told a lot about how Mackenzie likes to flaunt rules and is wild on stage with a commanding presence but we don't see many examples of this. Likewise, we hear about Sam as a reformed punk rocker bad boy but only ever really see him as a dedicated father and steady support for Mackenzie. It feels like we miss out on truly seeing their personalities as well as some of their flaws. When they come together, they certainly have chemistry but I think it would have been heightened if we had seen more of them as individuals as well.

I did really like the side characters in this, specifically Ben, Hannah, and Serena. Ben was a delight with his enthusiasm for weird, salty desserts and his bond with his moms, Sam, and Mackenzie. Hannah was clearly the kind of supportive friend that everyone would want in their corner. And Serena, while seemingly cold at first, had her friends' backs when it counted and was a force to be reckoned with when solving some issues with legalities on the Tick Tune app that Mackenzie used. If Emma Lord chooses to write a book about Hannah and/or Serena I'd definitely be interested.

Overall, I like the premise/setting of the book but I do wish that we had gotten to see a bit more of the main characters personalities rather than being told about them. I think that would have helped with the romantic chemistry in the book as well. I do think that this was solid contemporary romance novel though and definitely a fun read for anyone that might be interested in the music industry.

For the Record by Emma Lord is basically what would happen if Hayley Williams joined Atomic Kitten and got tangled in a swoony, slow-burn romance. I loved every second of it.

Mackenzie Waters is a glitter-dusted pop star with the heart of a punk rocker, and her internal monologue is chef’s kiss—equal parts chaotic, heartfelt, and hilarious. When she’s forced to work with her former rival, Sam Blaze, the tension is so thick you could cut it with a guitar pick. Their banter? Perfection. The angst? Just the right amount.

This book is full of second chances, self-discovery, and all the messy, wonderful emotions that come with chasing your dreams. If you love music, romance, and characters who feel like your best friend, this one needs to be on your TBR!

**Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the eARC, in exchange for a genuine review! All opinions are my own.**

This was my second book written by Emma Lord and I got to say I definitely preferred her new adult romance to young adult one. As much as I hoped I'd enjoy this book more, somehow the entire plot simply missed the mark for me. I found myself skipping a lot while reading and became impatient just to reach wherever the protagonists, Mac and Sam, interacted or talked. Since this was a second chance romance between two rockstars, I honestly was more interested in figuring out how and what happened to them during all the years apart. Thus, I would appreciate more if the pace of the story could be faster and cut to the chase. Another thing that somehow bothered me was the appearance of Sam; based on the synopsis and how he was depicted as a nice, sweet, and thoughtful person, he ended up being a huge playboy with tattoos and a revolving door of girls, which was such a turn-off for me. Anyways, I still did like the second chance element here but honestly thought the book could be better plotted.

***Thanks to the author and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***

For the Record by Emma Lord is a contemporary romance that follows Mackenzie Waters (formerly of the girl group Thunder Hearts) and Sam Blaze (front man of the punk band Candy Shard). Sam is trying to resurrect his music career and Mackenzie is posting anonymously to the app Tick Tune under the pseudonym Seven. Having toured together in the past, their managers pair them up as a duo to write and record an album. During the writing process, they both realize the feelings they have and have had for each other are something more than a gimmick the record company wanted them to play up.

Thoughts:
I love a good music-centric romance. I did enjoy For the Record, but I struggled to finish it. The story is well written and you see quite a bit of character growth from both Mackenzie and Sam. They start out (through flashbacks) as musicians who are trying to please their label and navigate personal issues while being in the limelight and harassed by paparazzi. In the present, Mackenzie is struggling to find her voice again, after having surgery that affected her vocal cords, and Sam is trying to break back into the music scene on his own while protecting his son from the media. They're older and more experienced with music, but now starting at different places than they did the first time around. If you like a comeback story, this is definitely a good one. Sam and Mackenzie's chemistry is really great, and they work well together both as characters and musically. I loved Hannah, Serena, and Ben as well. They're all really vivid secondary characters, and added some sass and drama to the story.

The place where I struggled was the pacing. There are six sections (broken down into song titles) that each have a few chapters per section. Some of the chapters were a bit long, and a few scenes stretched for multiple chapters. I found myself not wanting to keep reading because it didn't really move fast enough for my weird brain. This is more of a reflection on me and my quirks, and not a testiment to how the book is written (which is very well).

Overall I really enjoyed For the Record, and will definitely be checking out more of Emma Lord's work.

Netgalley provided me with a free ARC of this book. This review and all opinions it contains are my own.

Ughh I’m so so sad because I thought I was gonna LOVE this book but unfortunately it fell flat for me!! It’s no secret that I love love love Emma Lord’s writing but this one just did not hit the spot for me🙂‍↕️ The character just didn’t feel very developed and a lot of the plot points felt very unexplored and could’ve been explained so much better and they just weren’t in my opinion. I also genuinely didn’t understand their relationship for a couple chapters?? It just weirded me out and confused me?? It was like friends with benefits but it felt weird to me I don’t even know 😭
I’d still recommend it though!! Just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean someone else won’t love it! 🫶

I had a hard time getting into this book. It started off slow for me and the characters seemed really immature for their ages. I’ve realized after reading this book that music style romance books aren’t my cup of tea. The book wasn’t poorly written by any means. This book just didn’t hold my attention!

Pop princess and brooding rocker find a second chance at love in this fun read. While visiting all their old “haunts” they find there is so much more to discover about each other. A fun and easy read, told from dual perspectives, For the Record is sure to appeal to romance and music lovers alike. Thank you St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

This is a second chance romamce. Sam and Mackenzie use to tour together and now they are being forced together and previous tension are running high. They are super sweet and I love their fun banter and flirty moments. This plays out like a traditional romance and was perfect for that storyline. I did enjoy reading this story but it didn't stand out in anyway. But sometimes that exactly what you need. Through in some secrets and single dad trope and it's pretty good. I would recommend this to someone who's in a slump and needs a quick easy read with no surprises and follows the cookie cutter storyline.

⭐ Overall: 4/5
🌶️ Spice: 1/5

General Overview
Tropes: rivals to lovers / Forced proximity / second chance romance / mutual pining
Format: dual POV
Third-act breakup? HEA? (scroll to bottom for answer)
Vibe in 3 words: angsty, TENSION, lots of history
Nicknames: Sparkles (his for her)

FMC
I liked Makenzie. I feel like she was slow to accept that he cared for her, but I understand because she was protecting her heart. In the end, she just couldn’t fight all her feelings.

MMC
I really loved Same Blaze. By the end, he was so sure of loving Makenzie. He was jealous and protective, but in a pretty healthy way. He is honesty so sweet and a solidly good person, golden retriever vibes kinda, but a protective one. He was adorable and cared in a bunch of ways that she couldn’t accept yet.

Favorite Quotes
“Whether she's breaking rules or breaking my heart, I'll never get enough.”
“I can’t lose you… please, you have to know I’m doing this because I lo—”
“Sam acting all protective… made perfect fodder for the crowd… only now that I’m seeing it tighten up every inch of him do I realize that he was actually, legitimately pissed.”

What I loved
I read this book in one sitting, literally. I sat down for seven hours and read the entire book. I really loved that when they looked at each other, they knew how the other felt. They were really in tune with one another. I also really liked that when there was conflict, they handled it well in my opinion. I loved that they had history and inside jokes. And they had a ton of chemistry.

What I Didn’t Love
Honestly, there wasn’t must I didn’t like. Some of the side characters frustrated me, like the whole thing with Serena. And the fact that Mackenzie was holding back so much with Sam about her voice, I understood it, but I felt like I just wanted her to trust him more because his love was so obvious.

Would I Recommend?
Third-act breakup? NO
HEA? YES
Yes for fans of Daisy Jones and the Six, but want more focus on the FMC and MMC and less substance abuse/general toxicity

This book was pitched to me as Daisy Jones meets Emily Henry, and honestly? Yeah! It does give that energy!

Former pop and punk sensations (Mack and Sam, respectively) used to have one of the most famous music rivalries/will-they-won't-they's... and now, years later, they're back in each other's circles and are doing the one thing they never thought they'd do... actually get along.

This book is classic Emma Lord (I've read most of her books, Tweet Cute multiple times!) with just a bit more spice -- you still get the punny names, the big emotional moments, and the great tension build-up. If you've liked her previous books, I feel pretty confident you'll like this one. It veered towards cheesy at times, but I personally think that's part of Lord's charm. Personally, it felt a little more like an aged-up YA/NA rather than a true adult romance (I'll admit I had a bit of trouble with the amount of "bad boy" commentary, especially for the front man of "Candy Shard"). That being said, the story itself is compelling, characters were lovable, and I appreciate a second-chance-romance that actually acknowledges growth, so it was an overall very enjoyable read!

Officially adding this to my list of books with fictional music I desperately want to listen to.... and can someone please hook me up with a vintage Thunder Heart shirt? Thanks!!!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review❤️