If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair was a spectacular enemies-to-lovers romance.
Looking for a great summer read? Look no further than!
This is the one!
I enjoy reading Emma St. Clair’s books!
She knocked it out of the park with this sweet story.
A fun and heartwarming romantic comedy that is perfect for fans of the genre. The writing is witty and engaging, and the characters are lovable and memorable. If you're looking for a lighthearted and enjoyable read that will leave you feeling good, then this book is definitely worth checking out.

Thank You NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Josie and Wyatt's story is a beautiful read. From the vulnerability of both of them despite the tough facade and the gradual journey to true love been revealed is heartwarming.
A story of hope, family bonding and healing broken family ties, If All else Sails brings smiles to one's face as one goes through all the phases in the books.
I especially like the relationship between Josie and her brother, Jacob; siblings with different characters but the love between them is clearly seen.
Even though Wyatt was hurt and had lots of past pain stemming from his father's behavior, he still had a large heart and Josie was finally able to realize the true depth within.
There were so many hilarious scenes that made me smile and laugh aloud. The author did a beautiful job crafting the sailing atmosphere into the book giving you a nice experience.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

📚🎧Review 🎧📚

If All Else Sails
A Sweet Grumpy-Sunshine Rom-Com
by Emma St. Clair


This sweet grumpy sunshine rom com was such a fun, heartwarming read!
Josie and Wyatt’s enemies to lovers journey had me laughing out loud one minute and swooning the next. Josie is chaotic, chatty, and sunshine in human form, while Wyatt is the perfect mix of grump and hidden softness. Their banter and slow building connection made for an enjoyable summer romance, even if the plot sometimes felt a little rushed at the end.
🎧 Audiobook thoughts: I really enjoyed the dual narration. Andi Arndt brought Josie to life perfectly, funny, heartfelt, and relatable. Patrick Zeller did a solid job as Wyatt, though his tone occasionally felt a bit off for the character. Still, it was a cozy, easy listen overall!
Perfect for fans of closed door romance, big emotions, banter, and a dog that completely steals the show!

Dnf'd at 55%. The first half of the book was funny and exciting, but the 2nd half just turned too slow for me to stay invested in finishing the story.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this story! Just wasn't for me unfortunately.

*I received a copy of this book as an ARC. This review and thoughts are mine alone.*

Rating: 4.5⭐️
Spice: 🌶️


Wyatt is a hockey player, who is known to be grumpy and communicates in single words and grunts. He’s always had a thing for his best friend and agents sister, but she’s always hated him.

Josie has written off all athletes after an incident with her brothers friend years ago. But Wyatt makes his way through her walls.

My only discrepancy is that it isn’t a true enemies to lovers story. If they had an adult conversation, she would have realized he wasn’t a jerk, just been through a lot.

I did enjoy this though, and hope that we get more of Josie’s brother next!

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

This one is perfect if you’re in the mood for something light, funny, and full of silly side characters. We've got a grumpy/sunshine vibe, a brother’s best friend romance, forced proximity, and a whole lot of slow-burn tension packed into one unforgettable summer on the Virginia coast. There’s even a sailing trip that gave me major Captain Ron energy (iykyk!).

It’s a closed-door romance, and what it lacks in steam it makes up for with plenty of sarcastic banter and undeniable chemistry. Wyatt is the kind of gruff hero (btw - he’s a pro hockey player, so there’s that..) who falls first and hard. Josie is his perfect match, full of wit and stubbornness. Toss in a dog, some unexpected detours, and all the summer vibes, and you’ve got a rom-com that feels tailor-made for deck reading or listening.

Big thanks to NetGalley, Audible Audio, and Thomas Nelson for the advance copy and audiobook!

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From the very beginning chapter, I know I was in for a real treat! The way Wyatt and Josie meet (well again) was just so funny.

So many fun things in this book. Her playing nursemaid while Wyatt recovers from an injury, the way she gets to take care of him is sweet (even when it's with animosity at first). The neighbors pigs 🤣.The found dog, Jib and her outfits that Josie puts her in. The way that Josie is going to help Wyatt on his sailing trip and learns so much she freaks herself out. Jacob, Josie's brother, bringing some special friends to visit! The first kiss which was perfection and well worth the wait. The way Wyatt says "he's really good at waiting" and all that implies.

So happy to see a story for Wyatt away from the hockey career and how well his story stands on its own.

Thank you for this arc!

I think If All Else Sails is a very interesting story. I liked the forced proximity and brothers best friends tropes a lot. I liked Josie’s and Wyatt’s characters both on their own and togther, the two of them had great banter and chemistry. There was definitely a little anticipation for their relationship. Definitely enjoyed this read and recommend to read it when it comes out!

I've read a few Emma St. Clair books now and this is one of my favs, if not my favorite one. From the very beginning, I was hooked on the story. Josie and Wyatt have instant chemistry.... Even though the first time we meet them, he's getting her arrested (or detained, depending on which one of them you ask).

But even though this is how WE meet them, this isn't how they first met - they've actually known each other for years, by way of Josie's brother, Jacob, who happens to be Wyatt's agent and best friend. These two have a history and not a great one, as they both think the other hates them due to a misunderstanding during their first meeting.

Wyatt has since become a bit of a recluse, a hockey player that's healing from an injury. Jacob enlists Josie, an elementary school nurse, to help get him back on his feet. Forced proximity and a bunch of other tropes later, and they start to realize maybe they don't dislike each other quite as much as they thought.

In usual Emma St. Clair fashion, this is a closed door romance. Absolutely zero spice here but there are a ton of laughs (those pigs!), a ton of really sweet moments, and a TON of chemistry. It's also a dual POV which is always a plus.

Give this one a read, you won't regret it!

This was SO SWEET and truly the best! forced proximity, longing glances, a YEARNING MANNN this had it all. I LOVED Jib and honestly everything about this book. Such a fun and easy read.

What a fun summer read! Perfect the beach or sailing 😉

If you enjoy grumpy/sunshine romcoms you’ll enjoy this one!

I LOVED this book! Wyatt and Josie were perfect, their chemistry, their banter, the emotional ties, and Jib! Good lord, I laughed my way through this entire story (hospital scene, OMG!). I love a good Hockey story where the grumpy hot guy falls for the best friends little sister who he's had the hots for since they were young. Just a great all around book that I'd read again. Well written and a quick read that was difficult to put down. This is a new author for me and I plan on reading more of her work.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.

School nurse Josie is sent to help her brother’s best friend Wyatt, a hockey player she despises, recover from an injury. Amid simmering animosity, their forced proximity during a sailing trip leads to unexpected romance.

This grumpy/sunshine rom-com is a sweet, slow burn. Josie and Wyatt are both dealing with some childhood trauma that makes it hard for them to open up to people. The novel is fun and heartwarming with a family feel.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Emma St. Clair consistently delivers wholesome, closed door romances with charming characters and cute storylines. IF ALL ELSE SAILS is the latest addition to her catalogue and it was the perfect binge listen for a summer day.

From the adorable meet cute involving police and handcuffs to riding out a violent storm on a sailboat, the book is an evenly paced slow burn enemies-to-lovers, brother’s best friend, forced proximity romcom. Josie is a school nurse who gets tricked into caring for Wyatt, a dour injured hockey player staying in a dilapidated coastal cabin.

Josie is guarded. Wyatt is grumpy. Somehow, slowly, they break through the obstacles and shields they’ve put in place to protect from being hurt. A few things stood out to me: Wyatt and Josie actually communicate. They talk through their issues and concerns with honesty and frankness. Nothing is rushed. Their relationship is allowed to develop at a pace comfortable for Josie. (Some may find the burn too slow, but it felt organic to me.) Most importantly, St. Clair does not rely on the dreaded third act break up to create tension. (What a breath of fresh air!!!)

The dial POV narration is performed by Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller and both bring vulnerability and flirtatiousness to their roles. The banter is light when appropriate and brings more depth during more serious segments.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio, and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the advance copies. All opinions are my own.

closed door, no language, and sweet! I feel like it started off so well but the plot flopped a bit by trying to fit too much into it (grief, injury/recovery, long sailing trip, past trauma, and more). it made the slow burn take too long imo.

3.5 rounded up. This is honestly a very cute, well-written, clean romance. There's good banter, emotional moments that bring the characters together, engaging dialogue, and a good plot.

Read if you like these related tropes:
✨Only one bed
✨Enemies to lovers
✨Brother's best friend
✨"Hockey" romance (MMC is an NHL hockey player, albeit an injured one so actual gameplay is not involved)
✨Forced proximity
✨Clean romance

It started off as a five star read for me, but things started to get bogged down by the repetitiveness of the FMC's internal monologue and hang-ups. I was able to empathize with the FMC's worries the first one or two times, maybe even three times, but by the fourth, fifth, and sixth times that the FMC mentally spiraled instead of having an adult conversation, all empathy was lost. That, coupled with the fact that their tense relationship over the years was actually a culmination of all of HER actions and behaviors (and not his, like it was made out to be), it was difficult to be understanding of the FMC in any capacity. I also hated the storm scene, which again, circles back to the FMC being unable to have an adult conversation at an appropriate time in an appropriate place. The FMC just didn't know how to communicate properly, which is the worst kind of conflict to introduce in a romance book and unfathomably frustrating and not at all relatable for me. All that being said, if you don't mind the miscommunication trope, it is quite an easy and enjoyable read. Enough so that I actually will be checking out St. Clair's other novels.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Emma St. Clair always writes such sweet and lovable books and this one was AMAZING! I had such a great time reading this book. I had so many laugh out loud moments. Thank goodness I was alone because people would have questioned my sanity. LOL..I fell in love with these characters right away and I knew I was going to LOVE this book.

Josie's brother sends her to an unknown address thinking she was going to be spending time with her brother for their annual Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza. When she pulls up to the house that she calls the "Murder House" she doesn't know what to think. But the last thing she thinks is that police officers will show up to arrest her for trespassing.

Wyatt finds a strange woman walking around his property taking pictures and thinks she's a fan or stalker so he calls the cops. Little does he know it's just his best friend and agents sister. He thought he's do a little surprise set up for both of them since Wyatt is injured and needs someone to make sure he takes care of himself so he can get back on the ice.

Well things will definitely be interesting with these two. He's grumpy and that just makes for some amazing banter. These two will have you laughing so much, swooning, smiling and they will take you sailing into the perfect ending! There will also be a dog that gets involved in this story and you will fall in love with the dog as well. I HIGHLY recommend this audiobook. This is the perfect book to take to the beach!

Thank you Emma St. Clair, Thomas Nelson | Thomas Nelson Fiction, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

This book follows Josie, an elementary school nurse who is supposed to be going on a surprise holiday with her brother during the summer vacation. When Josie shows up to the place her brother tells her to go, she ends up in a run-down cottage, which happens to be owned by Wyatt, Josie's sworn enemy and her brothers best friend. Wyatt is a hockey player who is cooped up in the cottage recovering from an injury, and Josies brother wants her to stay and look after him. As the says go on, they grow closer together and realise that the more they get to know each other, the more Josie realises that she may have misunderstood Wyatt all this time.
I really enjoyed the concept of this book, but whilst reading it, it felt a little muddled. For example, something happens around the 25% mark, which would have fit better later in the book when we get more of an understanding of their relationship as it was at the beginning. I also think the sailing aspect should have happened sooner, and we should have been able to see them getting more comfortable around each other and seeing their relationship grow. I also thought that the ending was disappointing. It just ended and then went to the epilogue. I wish we actually saw them in a relationship for longer than a chapter. Overall, I did enjoy reading this book. Some aspects just felt a tad disappointing

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC for an honest review.

Gah! This book was just what I needed for a fun, summer, romantic read. As always Emma St. Clair gives just the right amount of sweetness, witty banter, and tension filled with deeper issues without being over the top. Josie's brother's best friend is Wyatt. And the two have always had a way of getting under the other's skin. Enemies from the start. But as any good romance goes, you know there is something else going on with their declaration of being enemies. There is such a fine line between hate and love...:)

I adored both sunshine Josie and grumpy Wyatt! Watching the two being forced into a close proximity situation was so much fun. The slow unraveling of feelings mixed with past misconceptions that are finally brought to life was well worth the wait to the end game. Add adventures on the water and a cute rescue dog! Oh, and also guest appearance from some of our past Appies players...what a nice surprise! For some reason, I didn't even put the connection together until they showed up. lol

5 stars

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it 1000 times. I just love Emma St Clair books! This book has all the wit and banter that we always get with Emma St Clair books. I loved the story and it made me so happy to read.

Josie and Wyatt were so fun and I loved how their relationship grew. Poor Wyatt struggled with his words coming out how he intends with Josie which leads to some communication malfunctions. I love how you get to see the characters emotions thru the writing and the struggles they go through. I also loved the sailing adventure. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with sailing in it.

Again this book was a huge win for me and I cannot wait for the next adventure Emma St Clair has in store for us. Thank you to Emma, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for complimentary copies of the ebook to read and review. All thoughts are my own.