If All Else Sails delivers a charming forced-proximity romance with a unique sailing twist. Josie, a school nurse, sets out for a family vacation with her brother—only to discover he’s not coming and has roped her into looking after his grumpy best friend, a recovering hockey player.

This was such a fun and lighthearted summer rom-com that had me laughing out loud more than once. It features everything I love in a romance: a delicious slow burn, witty banter, simmering tension, and genuine humor. The sailing trip offered the perfect backdrop for connection, giving Josie and the hero space to bond and grow closer as they learned to depend on each other.

That said, I did find the male audiobook narrator distracting at times—his inconsistent volume and tone made me frequently adjust the sound, which took away from the overall experience.

Still, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read—perfect for a relaxing weekend escape.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

If All Else Sails is a great clean romance. All the swoon and none of the spice. I loved these two together. After not seeing each other for a while, their meet cute was hilarious. It was such a great set up for their story.

Although a romcom, it's not all fluff. It covers grief and the long emotional journey that follows. I loved watching these two navigate that together. I also appreciated how the emotions were counteracted with much levity. Especially when it came in the form of a furry friend ❤️

Read this one if you love the brother's best friend and enemies to lovers tropes. I loved the blend of these two great tropes!

The rating is based on the story. I wasn't a fan of the audio. The sections with the male narrator did not have stable volume and I was constantly having to adjust my volume. In addition the cadence was variable, sometimes too fast and sometimes too slow. I didn't experience any of those problems in the sections narrated by female.

Thank you so much to Thomas Nelson for the gifted audiobook!

This one had me LAUGHING so hard, especially in the beginning. The brother/sister bickering was so funny and realistic. Even as adults, they argued like 5 year olds, but it was just so well done, I couldn't stop laughing.

Josie is skeptical when her brother invites her to a cottage in Virginia for sibling bonding. She's even more skeptical when she shows up and 1. sees what she describes as a "murder cottage" 2. her brother is no where to be found, and 3. her brother's best friend/client is there instead.

Wyatt is not only an injured professional hockey play, but also Josie's brother's closest friend and Josie's life-long enemy. There's nothing that sounds worse to her than spending the summer with Wyatt in the "murder cottage", but Wyatt needs a nurse and she needs the money!

Love and hilarity ensue in equal measure as the two begin to grow closer and closer to each other!

I thought this romance was so sweet and fun! There were few deeper moments that definitely added some depth, which I always appreciate!

I loved the dual narrators! I thought the female narrator was a little easier to listen to, but both were good!

The narrators did a great job with capturing the feel of the characters and were easy to listen to. The only thing that didn't work as well for in the narration is that the speed didn't quite match between the male and female chapters. The speed that felt normal to me in the female chapters felt too fast for the male's narration so I ended up going down to a slower speed instead of changing back and forth each chapter.

This was a low angst and sweet story of forced proximity, brother’s best friend, and mistaken perceptions. The sailing setting was a fun mix up and I especially liked that there was a real life inspiration from the author’s own family members. One of the reasons forced proximity is a favorite trope of mine is because it makes characters face things (and each other) that they would otherwise hide from. It was satisfying to see the walls between the main characters get broken down and their understanding expanded as the characters learned to be vulnerable with each other.

The story is an overall happy one with a dash of adventure and zany. That vibe combined with the setting make it an ideal summer read as you hang on to the last of this season!

Josie is tasked, against her will, to take care of hockey player Wyatt, who also happens to be her brother’s best friend. Josie and Wyatt have met before, many years prior, and it set their relationship on a course of enemies instead of lovers.

This book was so cute and fun and a perfect book to binge on the beach! Josie and Wyatt were so cute. The witty banter and enemies to lovers trope worked so well here, especially when the two of them set sail on Wyatt’s late uncle’s “last wishes” trip. The two of them had a slow burn, budding romance, that I really enjoyed watching unfold. I enjoyed the depth of the characters, and how they talked about their past and how it shaped their present. The narrators did a great job bringing Josie and Wyatt to life and made the story even more enjoyable!

Audiobook Review: If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair
Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Patrick Zeller

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ALC of If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair.

I liked the audiobook, it was a cute and fast summer listen, with a bit of depth to it.

I enjoyed the storyline and writing for the most part and was happily surprised, that the teased third act conflict, was not pulled through. I liked that the MCs learned to communicate.

The narration was fine, but the volume/pitch of the male voice changed so much, so that I had to adapt the volume quite often, which was a bit annoying. He also sounded quite angry, which I kinda get, but feel like it would be more pleasant to take down a notch for audiobooks.

In the end I just couldn’t really connect with the characters and would have wished for more depth. The writing also felt sometimes a bit thrown together and could have connected scenes/the plot better. I wish Josie’s trauma and anxiety would have been solved better/talked more about.

All I all it’s a great summer romance.

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair
Narrated by Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller

“In this enemies-to-lovers romance, school nurse Josie and her brother’s best friend—hockey player Wyatt Jacobs—are tricked into spending a summer together that’s anything but smooth sailing.”

I was hooked as soon as I heard that Josie was a nurse (as I am) and Wyatt is a hockey player…

I really enjoyed the narration to this story, I was intrigued the whole time and was keen to see where their relationship would go.
Cute banter/flirting. A really sweet love story. Left you smiling and feeling good!

🚤 Brothers best friend
🚤 Enemies to lovers
🚤 Forced proximity
🚤 Grumpy x Sunshine vibes
🚤 Slow burn tension
🚤 Closed door romance

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was such a great romance! Enemies to lovers isn't my favorite trope, but this one is done so well with these characters. There were so many laugh out loud moments! The start of this story was fabulous! I truly loved how these characters fell in love. It was a great mix of sweet and funny. I loved how 'unsuave' Wyatt was. I listened to the audio version of the book and love the narration of it. Such a great fun story. It's a perfect escape and will do wonders for your mood! I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Thank you to @netgalley @thomasnelson @kikimojo for the #gifted copies of this book.

"My last name looks good on you, Rookie. Maybe we can find a way to keep it there."

Summary: Josie heads to a mysterious address her brother sent her, thinking she was going on a sibling trip with him. Instead, she discovers his best friend, Wyatt, whom she loathes, waiting for her at the small, run-down cottage. Begrudgingly, Josie agrees to stay and help Wyatt with his recovery, so he's ready for the hockey season. As they spend more time together, Josie realizes there's more to Wyatt than all of his grumpiness. Set against a summer sailing adventure, this enemies-to-lovers tale follows a hockey player and an elementary school nurse, both unwittingly thrown together for the season.

My Thoughts: I loved the Appies series, in which Wyatt was a side character, so I was extremely excited to see more of his story outside of that world. I'm always a sucker for enemies to lovers, and the vibes were strong in this one, add in the bonus of brother's best friend, and I was over the moon. Josie's brother devised a plan that was both devious and ingenious, ultimately providing them both with exactly what they needed that summer.

Josie and Wyatt's relationship grew and changed throughout the summer, which was a joy to witness. It flowed from enemies to friendship to more in a natural way for two people who had met previously but didn't know one another. Their sailing trip created a special bond, as they learned to rely on one another and spent quality time together. Jib the dog was adorable, and I could not wait to see her next outfit! My heart swelled as a beloved few characters unexpectedly joined the sailing trip; it was a truly perfect, touching connection.

If you're looking for an end-of-summer book for this month, be sure to add this one to your TBR.
🎧I enjoyed the audiobook for this story. Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller did a great job bringing all the characters to life. Highly suggest listening to this one.

Read if you love:
⛅️Grumpy/Sunshine
🏒🩺Hockey Player X Elementary School Nurse
⛵️Sailing
🔥Forced Proximity
❤️‍🔥Enemies to Lovers Vibes
🤩Brother's Best Friend

This book was so cute and fun, I loved it! I started listening and the next thing I knew, it was almost done.

I loved Josie. She was so sweet and funny. She was willing to help her brother’s friend, Wyatt, even though she believed that he hated her. She also isn’t his biggest fan and she doesn’t like athletes due to a traumatic experience in her past. I loved how funny she was. Her inner monologue and comments had me cracking up.

Wyatt showed so much growth in this book. He started out as a huge grump who wanted nothing to do with Josie to letting his walls down and being such a sweetheart to her. I love how he wanted to be around her and would do things for her to stick around. I also loved the fact that he wasn’t a playboy.

I loved Josie and Wyatt together. Their banter was so good and they were just so cute. The way Wyatt let Josie take their relationship at her pace was so sweet.

I really liked Wyatt’s mother. I did not expect her to be as sweet as she was to her. Josie’s brother, Jacob, was such a great brother and I love how he played a role in her and Wyatt starting a relationship.

I really enjoyed the narration! The female narrator did such a fantastic job! While I enjoyed the male narrator’s voice, I felt like there were times where his parts were a bit loud and caught me off guard. Either way, I loved the audiobook, especially because I felt like it brought an extra something to their banter.

Thank you to Emma St. Clair, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio, Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC for an honest review!

3.5 rated up
*Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan fiction for early copy for review*

I really like the banter between these two character, but their romance felt to short. When we finally got to that bit the book was over. I really wish I got more time to digest them liking each other.

I listened to the audiobook and really liked both narrators. The only thing that could have made it better is if you had the narrators voice their characters in the other narrators chapters.

5⭐️ An absolutely funny and adorable story. My favorite so far by Emma for sure and that was already a high bar. There are so many good lines and moments in here. You won’t want to miss it on Aug. 5th!!
5⭐️ Narration from Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller. Andi gave Josie so much spunk, and I was here for it. While Patrick brought out the broody/moody and jealous vibes of Wyatt so well too. Loved every second of it.

Josie has been called to what basically looks like a haunted cottage. Oh and she’s arrested shortly after arrival. So much for a fun time with her brother. Come to find out Josie isn’t there for a trip to see her brother, Jacob. She’s there to help his best friend, Wyatt. He’s injured and not taking care of himself by any stretch of the imagination. Since Josie is a nurse and could use the money, Jacob pays her to make sure he goes to physical therapy and doesn’t die in the murder cottage.

Wyatt has a problem. He doesn’t want help and he really doesn’t know how to deal with Josie being with him. He’s liked her for years but she always seemed to hate him. Maybe this is his chance to finally win her over. But she seems to have an issue with jocks. They agree to go on a mission at sea to spread Wyatt’s uncles ashes. Will this be the straw that broke the camels back or will Wyatt win Josie over with his very subtle charm behind the grumpy exterior?

Thank you so much to @thomasnelson @netgalley and @kikimojo for the advanced reader and listener copy.

Loved this audiobook. I’m a longtime fan of this author. The story line was engaging, humorous and so much fun. It kept me interested throughout. My only negative comment would be that the male narrator would sometimes drop the level of his voice so I had to keep adjusting the volume. I will be recommending this book!

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW:
Story: 4 stars Narration: 4 stars Overall: 4 stars

Welcome to the story of Josie, Wyatt and the “murder cottage”. Wyatt is an injured hockey player who is staying at his uncle’s home for the summer. Josie is visiting there at the request of her brother. They are very surprised to see each other. Unbeknownst to them, Jacob is matchmaking. He knows that Wyatt has been in love with Josie for years. So, sit back, relax and get ready for a fun filled summer trip.
The dual narration by Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller was brilliant. I loved Josie’s wit, sass, intelligence as well as her love for her family and Wyatt. Andi Arndt portrayed Josie beautifully. Patrick Zeller was perfect as grumpy, surly Wyatt. His alpha, growly, sultry voice was divine. These two talented voice actors brought this story to life.
Thanks to the author and NetGalley for this ALC.

When school nurse Josie and her brother's best friend and client--professional hockey player Wyatt Jacobs--are tricked (by her brother) into spending the summer together it's anything but smooth sailing.

This one was so cute, and I absolutely love Josie and Wyatt. These two are the textbook definition of grumpy x sunshine and I ate them up. In the negatives (there are very little) I don't know if this benefitted from being a dual pov, there was so little of Wyatt's that it felt odd being pulled from Josie. And as a listener there were times where the Wyatt chapters were harder to understand so be prepared to turn up the volume to properly hear that deep voice!!

The plot is great though and feels super natural. Nothing feels like its reaching too far and their relationship progression makes total sense. But of course, it still isn't smooth sailing!

3.5 stars

This enemies to lovers, brother’s best friend romcom had me laughing out loud and enjoying the light hearted moments. I listened to the audio book and really enjoyed both narrators' voices. I felt that they suited the characters in the book and I prefer when dual voices are cast.

Josie and Wyatt had good chemistry, and I enjoyed their character development throughout the story. I did find that there was a heavy focus on visual detailing of the characters instead of describing their communication and feelings. Although a light hearted story, it does briefly get into some more serious topics like parental neglect and sexual assault and readers should be aware. Overall, the story was a no spice read romcom.

My favourite character by far was Jib the dog! The OUTFITS were hilarious!

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

*As a side note, the publisher Thomas Nelson is a Christian fiction publisher. This book (and other recent publications) have been no-spice or closed door fiction but without any overt faith content.

Thanks to NetGalley for the aac I had a fun time with this summer read. I thought it was just a cute cozy story. I enjoyed the audiobook I just didn’t love the male narrator. I would recommend for a cute summer romance.

📚🎧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!

If All Else Sails is a sweet, funny, and surprisingly emotional listen! I absolutely loved the sailing element which added a fun and unique twist to the story, and I appreciated learning a bit through Josie’s perspective. Josie and Wyatt’s banter had me smiling throughout, and Jib totally stole the show with her adorable little outfits!

What really stood out, though, was the emotional depth. I found myself genuinely connecting with the characters, and the narrator did a fantastic job bringing those layers of emotion to life. It balanced heartfelt moments with light, laugh out loud scenes in the best way.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ALC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you NetGalley, Emma St. Clair and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the Advanced Listener Copy of If All Else Sails.
We follow the enemies to lovers story of Josie and Wyatt as they ended up at ‘parent trapped’ by Josie’s brother, in a muder cottage. Wyatt is recovering from a hockey start and recovering from an injury and Josie is an elementary school nurse, Josie gets tricked into helping Wyatt recover. During his recovery they run into a few small issues while they embark on their relationship and their sailing voyage.
Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller are the narrators for this audiobook, this was a dual narration book and both narrators were great! I have listened to Andi’s narration before and she is absolutely wonderful! This was the first book that I have listened to with Patrick, he has a wonderful voice but sometimes the volume was loud and then soft. The flow of the book and the narrators were great, I was able to follow along and know who was narrating for each character.
I also found this book so funny, all the things that pop up along the way, I was smiling and laughing while listening!