This was a wonderful, lighthearted romance! Emma St. Clair delivers another winner, with a grumpy hero, sunny heroine, and banter galore. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and didn't want it to end!

Emma does it once again! Emma St Clair is one of my all time favorite authors and always an auto buy. I was super excited to hear the news that she was traditionally publishing a book and jumped at the opportunity to request to read it early.

There were so many things I loved, it's hard to list them all. The slow burn pining and tension was the best part. There were so many small moments of bumping knees and brushing shoulders and these are the things I live for. I loved Wyatt's connection to the Appies hockey team from Emma's other series. The forced proximity of the boat trip helped create so many fun and swoony moments. Of course, the one bed trope is always the best and Emma's signature humor throughout was on point. I was smiling and had so much fun overall with the story.

I do wish there had been a little bit more communication sooner from Josie. This didn't detract from the story necessarily and helped keep the slow burn nice and slow, but she could have made her worries known a little earlier. There was a conversation they needed to have and when they finally did, it was perfect.

I was super lucky to have the opportunity to listen to an ALC and it was so good on audiobook! Josie's narrator, especially, did a great job and really brought her to life! The narrator for Wyatt's POV wasn't my favorite, but he still did a good job bringing emotion and Wyatt's signature grumpiness to his performance.

I'm so glad that the world at large has the opportunity to read an Emma St. Clair book for potentially the first time! This one is such a fun summer read and I would highly recommend it.

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair is an enemies to lovers romance that was fun to read, made me laugh out loud and I really wasn't ready for it to end.

Josie is tricked by her sports agent brother into caring for Wyatt, one of his clients. Watching their relationship naturally evolve despite the forced circumstances was refreshing and both characters were actually likeable.

I really enjoyed seeing them each fall for each other and the natural progression of their relationship. Unlike other forced proximity romances, it didn't feel unnatural at all.

Ms. St. Clair has created likeable characters, a story that I didn't want to end, and the book left me smiling. Win, win, and win.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

If All Else Sails was a great summer read. I’ve enjoyed Emma St. Clair’s books in the past and this one met all my expectations. Josie and Wyatt are likable, each with some traits and history that felt unique. The imagery and descriptions made me feel like I got a glimpse of what it’s like to sail the Intracoastal Waterway and I liked that the sailing journey moved the story along without being the only plot point of the book. I would have loved to feel a bit more closure at the end, which I know is tricky to balance with a slow-burn romance. I would definitely pick up another book set in Kilmarnock, I loved all of the town's quirkiness.

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

Tricked into romance?
A wonderfully fun enemies to lovers romance that will have you laughing and sighing. Josie is promised a Super Sibling Extravaganza with her brother, only to find herself standing in front of a run down, abandoned looking cottage. Only after she has been arrested, does she find out she’s been tricked by her brother, a sports agent, into nursing Wyatt, one of his client’s back to health. The kicker is that she knows he can’t stand her and she feels the same. Only the promise of a large payment gets her to agree to stay and thus begins the battles. Convincing him to see the doctor, physical therapist, and do his exercises is a chore only achieved by promising to go on a sailing trip with him. Soon she begins to see and appreciate another side of Wyatt that the world doesn’t see and she begins to wonder if perhaps she’s been wrong. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy. This is my review and all thoughts are my own.

Absolutely delightful! This book was so much fun! I was hooked from the first scene and laughing and completely invested the whole time.

Wyatt and Josie’s romance is slow burn deliciousness with all the forced proximity goodness I love. The romance was so sweet and I loved to see Josie peel back the layers that make up the grouchy Wyatt and get to know his softer attributes.

Everything you can expect from an Emma St. Clair book was delivered in spades—from laugh out loud scenes to animal encounters. I love the way she uses analogies and creative descriptions to really make the story come to life. The setting as well as the characters’ emotions and actions all felt real and relatable. The adorable chapter titles were a fun bonus addition.

I loved the different settings of the “quaint little murder cottage” and the sailboat. It’s not a hockey book, because he’s recovering from an injury, but there was some fun discussion about the sport and his former team, the Appies.

As an all-time Emma St. Clair fan girl, this book gave me everything I had hoped for and more. I highly recommend any romcom lover pick this one up!

🔥: Kisses

If All Else Sails is a charming addition to the romantic comedy genre, perfect for readers seeking a blend of humor, heart, and wholesome romance. Its well-crafted characters and engaging storyline make it a standout read for the summer season.

This book was so good! I love that it was kind of connected to the Appies series but also stands on its own. The tension and growth between Wyatt and Josie was so well done and I was drawn in from the very beginning.

This was a hopeful and light-hearted romance with plenty of tension and beautifully written dialogue. If I had a physical copy of this book I would’ve been annotating it left, right and centre!

I really loved the protagonists, Wyatt and Josie. It felt really rewarding to see how both of them found healing and joy in their relationship. I saw some of myself in Josie, and reading about her happily ever after brought me hope for my own future. Wyatt is now easily one of my favourite literary love interests. I loved the open and honest communication, how as they drew closer both protagonists acted realistically as the adults they were. The book was the perfect length, so that the romance didn’t feel rushed or forced, and we could follow how their relationship evolved over time.

I was really surprised by how much I loved reading this as I hadn’t read any of Emma St. Clair’s books beforehand. After enjoying this one so much I’m definitely looking forward to checking out her other works! I can’t wait for this one to hit the shelves so I can recommend it to my reader friends (and possibly snag a physical copy for myself).

I would definitely recommend this to fans of:
- Clean romance
- Forced proximity
- Enemies to lovers

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book! The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I binged this in two days. It was such an easy read. I loved the slow-burn nature of the relationship and the grumpy/sunshine dynamics.
It gave me some much needed laugh out loud moments as well as a sweet romantic relationship.
Such a good romance to read with a unique concept.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thanks for NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the opportunity.

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.