This story follows MacKenzie and Sam, former bandmates who once played the “are they dating?” game. They both leave their bands but find their way back to music—together, or in MacKenzie’s case, definitely not. The plot was fun, though not earth-shattering. The characters were cute—dark, handsome guy and spunky girl—but there were times I felt lost due to some over-explaining of details. Still, the main story was sweet, with plenty of swoon-worthy moments. I really liked MacKenzie’s journey through loss and heartbreak. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

If you're after a cute, easy romance, this one’s for you—it’s cozy and hard to put down.

Have you ever read a book that gave you butterflies? That’s when I know it’s going to be good.

For the Record follows Mackenzie and Sam as they reconnect after the push and pull of their onstage relationship two years prior. Both are at the point now where they want to revive their singing careers and they agree to do it together as a duo. This book had the best angst and slow burn with the most perfect ending. It gave me Daisy Jones and the Six vibes and I couldn’t put it down!

This was my first Emma Lord read and I can’t wait to read more!

This book made me think of Daisy Jones and the Six! Love a book about rockstars, music, and great chemistry between the characters. Definitely would recommend this one for a summer beach read this year!

I had never read a story by Emma Lord before, but after "For the Record" I will definitely be going and reading all of her books!! The writing style made this book really easy to get into, and the characters made me want to keep reading. There was a great lighthearted sweetness between Mackenzie and Sam while still having moments of vulnerability that made their relationship feel authentic. A few honorable mentions for Sam!!! Him teaching her how to swim, amazing! When he played Jingle Bell Rock at the fashion show! The way he rearranged Thunder Hearts music so she could still sing the old songs, we love!! The love between them was so evident through each interaction and I felt super invested in their characters.
I appreciated how both characters treated each other with such care. There were sensitive topics touched upon in the novel, and I felt that there was enough weight given to each moment and it felt genuine to who they were. Also, the friendship between Serena and Mackenzie felt well done in terms of how it was paced throughout the book and how aware each of them were in terms of what they needed in terms of taking care of one another.
I would definitely recommend this book if you are looking for a romance novel with great wit and well developed characters. Thanks to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for this ARC!

Firstly, I want to state that I’m a big fan of Emma Lord’s YA novels. I think Lord captures the essence of what makes a young adult novel great, so I was excited to read her new adult romance novel, For the Record.

Overall, it’s a fun book! It’s not perfect but I did enjoy it. I thought the characters were well rounded and I adored the side characters. However, there are few aspects of the book that I didn’t quite like that prevented me from giving this 5 stars.

One of my gripes was that while I liked the characters, they felt very juvenile. There were times where I just found their actions, words, monologue, and interactions too immature. I suppose the best way to describe these adult characters as if they belong in a YA book.

I think Emma Lord has the potential to write a great adult romance book - and For the Record demonstrates it! I just thought there were aspects of the book that I found too juvenile and I just couldn’t take it serious sometimes.

4 stars ⭐️ This was my first book by Emma Lord and it was a fun rivals to lovers read! The banter was great and I love a he falls first trope. It was a fun read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was another sweet story from Emma Lord. She is the queen of writing childhood enemies/lovers who know each other really well. I seriously felt their connection and the witty banter was spot on. The premise of competing girl and boy bands was so much fun and unique! I highlighted a ton of quotes, and writing lyrics for each other made me swoon! Grab it August 12th!

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

This was my first by this author. She has a very unique 'flavor' of writing. I liked it, but it look a bit for me to adjust to. A sweet, memorable romance.

This was cute. I did think it dragged a bit which is why I didn’t give it five stars. However, I will still recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet and fun romance.

First off, why is every musical guy in books named Sam. Second off, I need to stop reading Emma Lord because I haven't liked her books previously. This was her last chance and admittedly it wasn't a bad book plot wise but I just didn't vibe with the writing.

3.5- this was such a fun read that had a really unique plot!! Even though there were some things that made me frustrated with some of the characters, this book kept me coming back for more! This is definitely a book you are going to want to read when it is released!

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!

this gave what needed to be given!! my first emma lord and certainly not my last!!

if you love music, entertaining characters, second chance, angst, fun plot, easy-to-read writing – this book is for you. i literally binged this so hard that i didn’t even realize time was passing. like i looked at the percentage on my kindle and was suddenly at 80% when i felt like i just started like two seconds ago. iykyk ... that’s the BEST feeling.

this wasn’t a five star simply because i feel like the characters lacked emotional depth at some points. their growth felt a bit stunted and could’ve been explored more/better imo.

thank you to st martins press & netgalley for the arc! all opinions are my own <3

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