REVIEW: For the Record by Emma Lord

For the Record by Emma Lord: Not to long ago Sam and Mackenzie were rocks hottest rivals, lighting the stage on fire each time their bands faced off and nurturing a simmering attraction behind stage, but when the bands fell apart so did whatever was brewing between Sam and Mack… Fast forward two years and life is looking very different for the two rockstars, with Sam choosing the slow quite life to raise the son he never knew about and Mack trying to find her new voice after major vocal surgery, things could not be more different than they had expected… however it would seem that the music world is not done with these two rockers when they find themselves thrown together by their label for a comeback duet album. With old sparks reigniting, untold secrets being revealed and big questions laid on the table, Mack and Sam need to figure out if they are ready to write their greatest hit yet…

I have to say that I really found myself liking For The Record, this book had a nice mix between sweet and sassy, music and banter and simply a really nice second chance love story. Lord has done a really good job in being able to blend the lighthearted moments with the more deep serious moments as Mack and Sam try to navigate being back in each others lives. On a side note, I do have to say that I rather enjoyed the entire book being centred around the music industry and both of their comebacks.

I really found myself rooting for Mack, she was simply a darling leading lady and I couldn’t help but want her to find her voice again. While she did have moments that made her seem a bit prickly, I think that was more of her being scared of getting hurt or rejected because her voice doesn’t sound the same anymore. There was something very rewarding in getting to see her break free of her anonymity and embracing her voice again, we get to see her face her fears and fall in love with her own music again. As for our rocker hero Sam, well he was actually a real sweetheart. I loved getting to see him being soft and gentle with his son, but also getting to see him show Mack this side of him. I really liked getting to see him manage to blend his family life with his rockstar life. I found Sam’s character journey very soft and easy to follow, there was something very mature about him that I liked.

There is no denying that this was a slow burn romance, with their past playing a major role in their journey, I absolutely loved getting to follow these two as they navigated their feelings, career and personal growth. One of the things that I really liked about these two was how nicely they balanced each other, Mack was all sharp edges but Sam was the soft blanket to wrap around her. I really liked that they lifted each other up while still keeping some of their spicy banter and spark alive.

Overall I have to say that I really enjoyed reading For The Record. This was a really nice blend of humour, heart and a sweet second chance love story. If you are looking for a book that has banter, heart and music then this is definitely the one for you!

Book Info:

Publication: August 12, 2025 | St. Martin’s Griffin |

Once the most notorious rivals in the music scene, pop princess Mackenzie Waters and punk rockstar Sam Blaze electrified audiences as their bands clashed on stage. But behind the scenes, their simmering tension grew into something more — until suddenly both bands fell apart, and the idea of Mackenzie and Sam did, too.

Two years later, Sam has traded the rockstar lifestyle for a quiet life raising the son he didn’t know about. Meanwhile, Mackenzie is dealing with a postoperative change in her voice by only singing under a pseudonym. The only way to revive their public careers? A joint comeback album.

With fans over the moon and their futures on the line, Sam and Mackenzie face their biggest challenge yet: giving up the old rivalry and learning to work together. But as old sparks fly and new secrets emerge, they set off a chain reaction neither of them could have anticipated — one that proves that sometimes, the greatest hits are the ones yet to be written.