Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Hello friends! I just finished the audiobook of For the Record by Emma Lord, narrated by Andrew Eiden and Jesse Vilinsky, and I have to say, this one hit all the right notes for me. The premise alone had me hooked: two rival singers with undeniable chemistry, pitted against each other in the public eye, only to take wildly different paths after their rise to fame. I was excited going in, and for the most part, it delivered exactly what I wanted in an enemies-to-lovers romance with a side of music industry drama.

We first meet Sam, and I was instantly drawn to his quieter, grounded energy. Two years ago, he walked away from his career as front man to Candy Shard. He was at the top of his game when he found out he was going to be a father. Now, even though no longer with Ben’s mother, he’s wholly committed to being present in his son, Ben’s, life. It’s refreshing to see a male lead in this kind of story who steps away from the spotlight not because he crashed and burned, but because he prioritized something more important, being there for Ben.

On the other side of things, there’s MacKenzie, who had to step back from singing when a health issue sidelined her dreams. She’s been living life working under a different name, but when the chance comes to work on a joint album with Sam, she’s forced to face the parts of herself she thought she’d left behind. Watching her rediscover her voice and passion was such a rewarding part of the journey.

From the first scene between them, the tension and history are palpable. This is an enemies-to-lovers story told from dual perspectives, which I loved, because it let me really understand both Sam and MacKenzie without having to choose sides. Their chemistry is more layered than your standard romance; there is a little resentment, a lot of professional respect, and those little surprising moments of vulnerability that sneak up on you.

Another highlight for me was the warmth of Sam’s extended family dynamic with his son, Ben. Emma Lord wrote those scenes with such care, and they added a layer of heart to the story that kept it from feeling like just another celebrity romance. The glimpses of co-parenting life, the support system around Ben, and the love that radiates in their home made me enjoy Sam’s character even more.

If I’m being honest, I would have loved to see just a little more depth in the resolution of their conflicts because things wrapped up a bit faster than I would have preferred. I won’t spoil it for you, but a quick resolution after a pretty big issue is a pet peeve of mine, but overall, I really enjoyed this story. The narration added so much to the experience too. Andrew Eiden brought a grounded, heartfelt quality to Sam’s chapters, while Jesse Vilinsky nailed MacKenzie’s mix of guardedness and grit.

So friends, For the Record is a warm, charming romance with just the right amount of tension, a believable second-chance setup, and a love story that finds its balance in more ways than one. If you love dual POV romances with music at the center and characters you can root for, I think you’ll really enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review. Until next time, happy reading, friends!