GOODREADS SUMMARY:
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 singing only 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.
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 singing only 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.
TEE'S THOUGHTS:
I have never read an Emma Lord book, but I have always heard people gushing over her romances. When I was allowed to review her new book, For The Record, I figured this was a great time to finally read her. I am very much a music lover, and worked in the music business for several years, so this would be the book for me; however, I had a love-hate relationship with it. I didn't hate it, but I also can't say it was a favorite.
The premise was cute, and honestly, I am drawn to the enemy-to-lover trope. Mackenzie Waters and Sam Blaze are two singers who used to know each other, both in bands, from what I understood, bands similar to the 2000 Boy Bands and girl bands. Of course, they were rivals, and at the time the story is taking place, neither had in some time. Mackenzie had throat surgery that changed the tone of her voice, and she was struggling with her new sound. And somewhere along the way, Sam had an oppsy and found out he was a father.
Fast forward to the present day, where they meet again...and I will stop there, I can't give anything away, that would be just wrong.
So, as I said, I didn't hate this book; I listened to it on Audio, and maybe if I had read it, I might have liked it somewhat better. The story was, of course, told in both Mackenzie and Sam's point of view in individual chapters, as so many romances are, but I had a problem when listening to Mackenzie's POVs and the narrator had to switch over to Sam's voice; there was something about it that just grated on my nerves. Look I am not in anyway knocking the narrator, she was the perfect Mackenzie, and I am in NO way saying I could pull off a mans voice, she did what she could do, but there was something about it that just did not resonate with me.
The story's plot was fine; it kept me listening. Again, the subject of music was heavy in the book, and that is always something that will keep my attention. The characters of Sam and Mackenzie were fine, but like the book, I had no strong feelings for either of them. I didn't feel any of the tension I expected in an enemy-to-lover plot. They had been heavy rivals in the past, and I really would have liked just a bit more tension between the two.
I certainly didn't mind all of the above; I mean, it didn't stop me from listening to the book. If I didn't DNF, there was enough in this book to keep me going; there were some very good moments in here. I think the one thing that really got me, and probably lowered my opinion on For The Record the most, was, I am not sure how to say this, but the overly sweet cheesy lines that the two of them used often about each other...
" I am too deep into Mackenzie Waters..." and something to the effect that he can't get out, yada yada. I can't imagine anyone saying things like this to me, I think I would run, or at least, have a heavy eyeroll, they would certainly see. For some reason, I just could not get past this one thing, and I felt like I was reading dialogue from a 12-year-old who had just discovered the opposite sex.
So For The Record was an ok read, I did think I would have enjoyed it much more than I did, and as I have mentioned, I have read way worse books in my lifetime. Will I pick up another Emma Lord book in the future? Maybe I am not dismissing her at all. I believe in second chances, especially if I can finish the book; there was still something there I found enjoyable about it. I also think a lot of people will really enjoy this; it has a little bit of spice, just enough to feel the heat on your tongue, but not enough to burn your tongue uncomfortably, and it has many funny parts. So yeah, pick it up, it might be your perfect read.
