Aww these two! Wyatt is Josie's brother's friend (and eventually client). When they first meet there is an attraction but also a BIG misunderstanding. This leads to years of animosity until Josie's brother tricks them into spending time together. Josie is a nurse and Wyatt is recovering from a surgery that he needs to heal from before he can get back to his professional hockey career. After Wyatt's beloved uncle passed away he is just not that motivated to get to PT and take care of himself.

I really enjoyed this story. These two were fun and funny and so in love.

Personally not my favorite 🤔
In this story we follow Josie an elementary school nurse who gets tricked by her brother to take care of his best friend. Enter Wyatt who is a famous hockey player with an injury, who’s also dealing with grief and has a foot-in-the-mouth disease. These two start off terrible, but will they be able to put their past aside and help each other out?
Personally I was really enjoying the story, it’s a closed door romance and a slow burn both done really well.
However I had two issues with it. One is Josie because I don’t understand how she got at the end of the book still confused about how Wyatt felt for her. But my biggest issue was with the ending. As I said it’s a slow burn and I enjoyed that it actually took all the book to set things up, however I don’t think you can wrap everything up in a few pages and an epilogue. It felt way too rushed in my opinion.
All problems aside this was very easy to read and a really entertaining story.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair is a fun rom-com, perfect for any day, especially when looking for an opportunity to check out of reality and just enjoy a sweet story with plenty of banter and barbs. Josie and Wyatt are combustible, just not for the reasons they think. I love how Josie’s brother decided on an intervention for one of his best hockey players and sent in the big guns…Josie herself. Josie and Wyatt have one incredible instance after another, which keep peeling back layers and exposing the script they’ve held about each other for years. I love how they each feel free to totally be themselves and find themselves exactly where they never would have believed. As misunderstandings and misrepresentations start to come to light, Wyatt is an all-out softie who, thankfully, happens to a very patient man. Once they hit the water, the smiles kept coming, even though they were laced with some more serious conversations. Loved the addition of Jib!! Pure cuteness. If you have followed Emma St. Clair’s writings, you’ll catch a cameo from some beloved Appie’s players!!

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

3.5 stars rounded up! I liked the meet cute and the characters were easy to root for. I wouldn’t classify this as a hockey book - it’s loosely connected to the Appies hockey series, and Wyatt is a hockey player, but I think he could have been any type of athlete and the story could have stayed the same.

I wish there had been more time actually sailing - the trip doesn’t start until half way through. The FMC’s obsession with dog clothes and sailing terminology is a little cheesy, but still cute. The author does a good job building tension between our main characters, and this is a verrrry slow burn.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4.5 honestly! What a fun/cute/adorable read!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for allowing me to read this eARC!

So my bad, I didn't read the description of the book, I just saw a cute summer cover/title and said "Sign me up!" BUT this book was a hockey romance too?! I'm sorry but I am a sucker for the girl in his jersey trope. EVERY DANG TIME! There is just so much about this that I adored!

Josie and Wyatt fit together so well. And while you knew instantly the enemies-to-lovers was going to be one-sided, it was still such a joy to read! Both of them were so closed off in the beginning, but in such different ways that when they started to open up to each other, it seemed so equal. There really wasn't a moment that felt like one was trying more than the other. The only reason it wasn't a 5-star from me is that I would have liked to read more Wyatt chapters about his progression in the way he felt toward Josie. But I also get that the story just needed more from Josie. The support system around them was just phenomenal as well. Every character felt like it was there for a reason.

I loved that the chapter titles were one-liners from the book; it felt like a game! Every time I read the line, I went "Oh! There it is!" Jib was also the perfect addition to the story. While at first I thought it was just going to be some comedic relief, I ended up loving the way Emma used Jib to further the plot too.

Absolutely adorable! Go check it out when it comes out!

If all else sails by Emma St. Clair


I got this audiobook via @netgalley as ARC and heres my thoughts about it, which are all mine. Thank you also @tnzfiction this book!

First of all, I LOVE Emmas writing and this didn’t let me down a bit! In this book was hilarious, I laughed out loud so many times! Being part kind of Appies (Hockey romance series she have been writing) still not been part of that and not being hockey romance. And that said I LOVED cameo of Van and Eli and of course players group chat (YKIYK).
Story itself is well written, but I felt like I didn’t get to know MMC as much as FMC. Even there was lots of things happening in the book, I liked how in peace the both MC were written - even when they were panicking. It gave depth to the story!
And now I want to adopt one of the puppies one (and ofc get matching outfits). But no pigs please.

4/5

May this kind of love find me. You mean, do I want a grumpy hockey player with foot injury who is actually my brother’s best friend and have me nurse him to health? That sounds scandalous but that will never happen in my life. My life is pretty dull at the moment. But do I want a patient man that will wait for you for how long it takes because he knows you are worth investing all your time in waiting for her? That sounds romantic but impossibly hard you know. Plus the cute banter and interaction, I want that too.

Josie and Wyatt would have the best How I met your mother story to tell their child and grandchild. They were so cute and disgustingly cute that it made you jealous especially if you’re single. And them finally getting together will make you want to throw them to another planet as a congratulation.

This is the kind of rom-com that is quite hard to find, fluffy rom-com with no spicy scenes. None at all. Which is kind of refreshing because it’s been a long time since I read something that purely focuses on romance and not lust. But I do get that sometimes people will get frustrated with the slow progress but I think there’s nothing wrong with it because their romance was so good (also comical) that will make you giggle and shit.

And the plot on the sailing was so detailed. Okay, maybe it’s a bit exaggerated, but for a romance story to put more thought on polishing the setting is something that’s not easy to find. I might not know anything about sailing but I read it and believe everything is true. From their preparation, the journey to any mishap encounter feels like it was based on real experience rather than purely fiction. Which I appreciate for every research to make the sailing plot looks believable and eventful.

If All Else Sails is a wonderful summertime romcom – I could not put the book down and ended up finishing it in a day!

I have read and loved Emma St Clair’s and Jenny Proctor’s Harvest Hollow Appies series – about a fictional AHL hockey team – and while this novel can totally be read as a standalone I loved the connection to that series and also how similar it was to those feelgood, cozy and fun novels.
This book will put a smile on your face and butterflies in your stomach – and I absolutely adored all those little bird-feather touches!

“Our day.
People talk about four letter words, but this three-letter word is the one that does me in. Every time.
Our trip. Our dog. Our day.”

ARC Review! If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair! Thank you to the author and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the earc! This book will publish August 3, 2025!

Emma St. Clair is such an amazing closed door romance writer! I feel like this romance was heavy on Josie's individual confidence and growth as well. Josie + Wyatt have the SLOWEST of slow burns, but if you read and trust the process, St. Clair does an excellent job explaining why as the story is told!

I love chapter titles and feel like they are such a fun addition for books to have so they made me smile as each one gave you a peek as to what the chapter held.

I am a sucker for a grump who says "no" a lot, and Wyatt showed up to deliver. :)

There were some heavier themes of grief and trauma interwoven. I did not feel like it made the story too heavy, but as always, check your trigger warnings, friends. Your heart matters.

I am rooting that we get a Jacob story next because I need that in my life!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this ARC audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: August 5, 2025

I absolutely adored Josie and Wyatt in this enemies to lovers story. Josie is a school nurse who arrives at Wyatt’s run down cottage to meet her brother, who had other plans for Josie. Her brother didn’t arrive for their trip, instead asking Josie to help Wyatt heal after a hockey injury. They end up sailing together and of course fall in love.

I loved the female narrator but struggled to understand the male narrator. His voice at times sounded like he was mumbling and would get quieter.

Overall, very cute and fun story that I couldn’t stop listening to.

This is a delight - a slow-burn closed door romance that doesn't suffer at all from the lack of spice. There's a real chemistry between Josie and Wyatt, and Emma St Clair is excellent at capturing the tension of all the misunderstandings and misconceptions and how it's informed their past dynamic, and also how that energy shifts as Josie, in particular, recalibrates and gets to know Wyatt better. Throughout, the banter is witty and pacy, and I was fully invested in their story. While this is very much about the central pair, mostly isolated and in close proximity, there's plenty to enjoy about the cameos from the secondary characters: notably Josie's brother (and Wyatt's best friend and agent) Jacob, Wyatt's mother, and a fun reunion with a couple of Wyatt's old Appies teammates. While you definitely will get a kick out of the latter if you've read the Appies series, it's certainly not a requirement; this is perfectly enjoyable as a standalone, and should make perfect summer reading for anyone wanting emotional depth and pathos with their romantic comedy.

4.5 stars

This was a light, fun read with some of my favorite tropes—forced proximity and brother’s best friend. I absolutely loved the sailing aspect; it added such a unique backdrop for the story and really allowed the romance to blossom naturally as Josie and Wyatt navigated both the waters and their growing feelings for each other. Their underlying miscommunication/lack of communication drove me nuts—it felt so unnecessary and could’ve easily been resolved early on. The pacing was a bit slow, but once they set sail, the slow burn romance found its stride, and watching their connection deepen amidst the waves was a highlight.

Overall, it’s a cute easy read perfect for a slow burn and clean romance lovers, but it was missing that extra spark to make it truly memorable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another awesome book from Emma St. Clair. It was so fun to be back in her Appies Hockey World and it was fun being out on the open water instead of the frozen rink. Wyatt was such a grump and I loved that Josie brought him out of his grumpiness. And the history they shared was fun also. I couldn’t with Jib!!!! I’m not a boater but after reading this I want to take a water trip. Ha! Having some the Appies back was fun too. You can never go wrong with they are around. lol.

I love this book so much. I listened/read it while I was camping and I finished the whole thing at the lake.

I also got the ebook and the audio copy and the narration was incredible. They perfectly fit the characters and I didn’t want to book to end.

A big thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for both copies of this book!

I love the brothers best friend trope so I was excited to read If All Else Sails. 

Nurse Josie is recruited by her brother to help his best friend and hockey player Wyatt recover from an injury. When Josie learns that his uncle has recently passed away and a sailing trip he used to take with his uncle is upcoming, she volunteers to go along. As they sail, the two get closer.

I was lucky enough to listen to the audiobook (superbly narrayed!) while reading along with my ebook copy. While it was a good storyline, I felt it was a little slow moving. Both characters had feelings for the other but neither communicated well enough to voice this, despite multiple side characters telling them they had chemistry or that they already acted like a couple. If you're a fan of slow burn romance, you may enjoy this one.

⭐⭐⭐ = 3.5/5 stars!

If All Else Sails was a cute closed-door romance. The audiobook had great narrators too! The story is about Josie, a sweet and humorous school nurse, who spends her summer helping her brother’s friend, Wyatt, a grumpy NHL player who’s recovering from a foot injury. Josie stays with Wyatt in his run-down cottage and they end up going on a sailing trip where sparks begin to fly. This story was full of fun tropes and a light hearted cozy escape that many will be sure to enjoy!

Grumpy – sunshine
Forced proximity
Brother’s friend

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the audio arc and eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Really cute summer read. Zero spice. Brother's best friend (hockey player!). Josie is a school nurse tricked by her brother to help get his hockey player best friend literally back on his feet after an injury to his foot. Romance develops after living in the "murder house" and on a sailboat. I did immersive reading with this one. Narrater was great. The majority of the time the story was told from Josie's perspective. The narrater's voice for Wyatt was a little hard to understand, but I slowed down the speed for those chapters.

And ... Emma wrote some of the Appies hockey books. There are some cameos that were SUPER fun!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Thomas Nelson Fiction and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the advanced copies.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair. This book was an absolute delight from start to finish—a charming, feel-good read that had me smiling the whole way through.

St. Clair masterfully delivers on all the tropes romance lovers crave: “he falls first,” brother’s best friend, grumpy/sunshine and close proximity. The chemistry between the main characters practically sizzles off the page, and the banter is witty, playful, and endlessly entertaining.

If you love romances with fun dialogue, chemistry, and all the right tropes, If All Else Sails is a must-read. Emma St. Clair has crafted a story that’s as sweet as it is satisfying.

Fun! light and silly romcom. I usually hate a miscommunication plot propellor, and I didn't love it here either, but the story stayed fun and easy through it so I didn't pull out too much hair. And easy and very enjoyable read. Recommend!

This was such a fun and refreshing read! I’m a sucker for a good grumpy sunshine pairing, and Emma St. Clair nailed it with this one. I really loved both main characters—not only their chemistry, but the way they showed up for each other. She takes care of him in such a heartfelt way, and he helps her work through her own struggles too. It felt like a true partnership, which made their relationship that much more satisfying to read.

The sailboat setting was such a cool twist! I haven’t read many romances that take place mostly on the water, so it felt unique and added a lot of charm. (As someone who loves sailing, I especially appreciated those details!)

And if you're a fan of the Apies Hockey series by Emma St. Clair and Jenny Proctor, you're in for a treat—there are some fun familiar faces that pop in, which made the book even better.

Romantic, feel-good, and just different enough to stand out—this one’s definitely going on my favorites list.