★★★★ (4/5 Stars)

**IF ALL ELSE SAILS** by Emma St. Clair is an utterly charming nautical romance that captured my heart from the first chapter. As someone with a deep affection for maritime settings, I was predisposed to enjoy this novel, but St. Clair's skillful storytelling and character development exceeded my expectations.

The story centers around engaging protagonists whose chemistry feels authentic rather than forced. Their interactions are layered with sweetness and humor, creating a reading experience that feels like a warm embrace. St. Clair crafts characters who are relatable and endearing, making it easy to become invested in their journey.

While marketed partially as a sports romance due to one character's hockey background, readers should note that actual hockey content is minimal. Instead, the nautical elements take center stage, with beautiful descriptions of life on the water that transport you directly to sun-drenched docks and salt-sprayed decks.

What I particularly appreciated was the novel's low-stakes approach to romance. Not every love story needs world-ending drama, and St. Clair demonstrates how everyday obstacles can create sufficient tension without manufactured crises. The result is a refreshingly genuine narrative that feels both satisfying and believable.

This was my first experience with Emma St. Clair's writing, and based on the strength of this novel, I'm eagerly looking forward to exploring more of her work. *If All Else Sails* is perfect for readers seeking a feel-good romance with maritime charm and characters who'll linger in your thoughts long after the final page.

I also really enjoyed the narration of this audiobook!

If you're a fan of the grumpy/sunshine trope, forced proximity, brothers best friend, and slow-burn romances, this one's for you!
I couldn't help but smile through Wyatt and Josie's witty banter. The chemistry was ever present and all I wanted was for them to acknowledge it. Their sailing adventure added a unique touch (and even closer proximity). This is my first Emma St. Clair novel and I can not wait to read more of their work! Recommended for anyone looking for a sweet summer romance.

If All Else Sails charmed me from beginning to end!

It has all the humor, wit, and banter that I love in Emma's books, as well as a swoon-worthy romance. Mixed in with that are moments of depth and heart, making this an absolute joy to read.

I loved Josie's personality. She's caring, kind, and funny, and the perfect match for Wyatt's grumpy but secretly sweet personality. I couldn’t help but fall in love with him.

Their banter was so fun, and their tangible chemistry was delightful. I loved watching their walls come down through some hilarious and also heartfelt moments.

You can expect—
brother's best friend
grumpy/sunshine
forced proximity
he falls first
slow burn
hockey player/school nurse
dual pov
kisses only
Appies cameos

If you enjoy lighthearted romances with some fun and adventure, don’t miss this gem!

The audiobook was excellent, with a dual narrative by Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller. They really brought both characters to life.

Many thanks to Emma St. Clair, NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ARC and ALC.

All opinions expressed are completely my own.

3.75⭐
After being lured by her brother for a little sibling vacay, Josie realises she's been bamboozled into working as an 'in-house nurse' for her brother's injured hockey player client. Only to discover it's her brother's best friend, Wyatt - her sworn enemy.

If you like:
* enemies to lovers
* brother's best friend
* grumpy-sushine
* humor
This is for you!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio/Thomas Nelson Fiction for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

If All Else Sails is such a cute romantic comedy that had me in stitches all throughout. It is heartwarming and hilarious. The dog, Jib, stole the show. Wyatt, a grumpy hockey player sidelined by an injury, is tricked by his best friend into letting his sister, Josie, an elementary school nurse, help out. They travel the inner coastal waterway on Wyatt's boat as a memorial trip to honor his uncle's memory and spread his ashes. The banter, hysterical situations, and cute dog make this romantic comedy a fun and enjoyable read. I actually listened to the book, which is a dual point of view between Wyatt and Josie. The narrators did a fine job of making the book come to life, and I highly recommend it. *I was given a copy of this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers, and this is my honest opinion.

Thank you Thomas Nelson and Emma St Clair for my gifted copy and audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

How exciting for Emma as this is her first traditionally published novel and perfect time for summer! This was full of so many of my favorite tropes: brothers best friend, hockey romance, forced proximity, he falls first.

I loved listening to the narrators in this and the dual pov.

Oh I loved this book! It’s a hockey romance that doesn’t completely center on being on the ice, which I found so refreshing!

There are lots of fun details to love:
- wielding a hockey stick against an animal
- scheming older brother
- the ER incident
- recovering from an injury
- WAG
- Appies shout out
- Sailing
- The storm 😍

I’ve come to love Emma St. Clair’s writing, and I’ve always depended on her books to be romantic, funny, and very low spice. I’m so happy to see that her writing trends continued in a traditionally published book. You can count on this one to be clean and wholesome! Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the advance copy of this book. A review was not required.

This was a quick fun read! A good ol grumpy/sunshine, brother’s friend, hockey player romance. I was fortunate enough to get both the eARC and the ALC so I could do my preferred immersive read which just elevated the experience.

If you’re looking for a fun summer read with plenty of sarcasm, angst, and humour, definitely pick this one up!

Specifically on the audio:

I liked both narrators! The right balance of animation in their voice to let you immerse yourself in the story without going overboard. I kind of wish the book had more chapters from the male POV because that gruffy voice was top notch

Such an adorable rom com! Josie and Wyatt’s banter had me giggling.

I was given advance access to the audiobook, which was narrated by Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller. Their voices complemented each other perfectly.

Author’s notes can be hit or miss, but I’m glad I listened to this one. Hearing her talk about her aunt was really touching.

#IfAllElseSails #NetGalley
Publication Date- August 05 2025

The book starts off well with an engaging and interesting opening scene. I was quickly invested into what mishaps were to become of Wyatt and Josie's reconnection. And while I was at times entertained by them, at other times I become bored. The narration was decent, but Wyatt's character could have been more emotional at times and less gruff. Overall it was a cute story but lacked some flair.

DNF at 40%. While I found the premise to be intriguing and have enjoyed this author before, I found the writing to be too simplistic, the interest and depth in either character low, the romantic tension to be nonexistent, and the male narrator to be excruciating. I cannot get over the male narrator making women sound like valley girls or children. The female narrator was great though.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan for the ALC

This was a really sweet slow burn summer romance!
I thought the writing and character development was fantastic, and I could see exactly why Wyatt and Josie were so muddled.

I laughed a LOT at their miscommunication and grinned with glee when they started opening up to each other.

There are some truly beautiful moments in the book which I don't want to spoil. Hearing Wyatt call Josie pretty, or seeing Josie start to soften towards Wyatt despite her instincts was heartwarming.

I love that Jacob was clearly trying to set them up and dropped out of the super sibling summer extravaganza because of "client issues." It was really cute and it felt very cupid-like.

It's a great story. Easy to read, fun to explore, and genuinely made me feel like I was sailing right alongisde Josie and Wyatt.

This was such a warm, easy listen. Josie and Wyatt had great chemistry, and I appreciated that their connection built gradually. It was not really enemies to lovers like the description made it sound. He clearly liked her from the start, but their banter and tension still worked for me.

The sailing setting gave the story a fresh feel, and I liked the mix of funny moments and quieter emotional ones. I do wish we had more time with them as a couple, especially toward the end, but overall it left me smiling.

P.S. Jib was such a fun little addition.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a breath of fresh air!
A book about a hockey player, outside of hockey - loved every moment of it. The plot was different and quirky, you got to know the MCs very well. I wish there would have been a bit more details of the side characters.
The narrators did an excellent job, I really enjoyed the FMC, the MMC didn’t flow as well with the FMC, but individually they were great.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this ALC in advance of it’s release!

4.5/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio, and Emma St. Clair for the opportunity to listen to and review this ARC audiobook.

I absolutely loved this book! From sailboats to zombie pigs (yes, really—just read it), this story had me smiling the entire time. Josie’s inner monologue was a true highlight—she’s hilarious, endearing, and refreshingly authentic. Emma St. Clair is brilliant for crafting such a vivid, funny, and heartfelt character.

This is a classic “he falls first” brother’s best friend romance, and I ate it up. Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller were new-to-me narrators, but both delivered strong performances that really brought the characters to life. My only minor critique is that the male narration had some volume inconsistencies, which led to a bit of volume adjusting on my end.

While it’s a definite slow burn with zero spice—something I don’t usually gravitate toward—it was so well done that it didn’t need anything more. The warmth, charm, and emotional payoff were more than enough.

I can’t believe this was my first Emma St. Clair book, but it won’t be my last—I’ve already added several more to my TBR.

Really enjoyed this on audio. Dual pov. Clean romance. Loved the trip they take. Thanks for the ALC on NetGalley!

What a fun story of enemies to lovers! I could not shake this sweet love story for weeks. I love the setting and the feels of the characters. Wonderful story!

Emma St. Clair absolutely nails the blend of heart, humor, and healing in If All Else Sails. Set on the Northern Neck of Virginia (a special touch for those of us familiar with the area!), this enemies-to-lovers story follows Josie, a school nurse tricked into spending a summer with her least favorite person—her brother’s grumpy best friend and hockey star, Wyatt.

What starts off as a chaotic cottage-sharing arrangement quickly turns into something deeper. As Josie helps Wyatt recover from injury and ends up sailing the Intracoastal Waterway with him (and a surprise animal companion named Jib!), their relationship begins to thaw. I loved how the story unfolded gradually and unexpectedly, weaving in heavier themes like grief and trauma alongside lighthearted banter and spicy chemistry.

The audiobook was a total win—two narrators brought Josie and Wyatt to life beautifully. It added so much dimension and emotion to an already layered story. St. Clair captured the local Virginia charm so well, and the emotional growth from both main characters felt authentic and well-earned.

If you’re looking for a summer romance that offers laughs, longing, and a lot of heart, this is it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance audio copy!

Pub Date: Aug 5, 2025

Ahhh!!! I loved reading this story and was so excited to listen to the audiobook! I absolutely loved this version and thought the narrators did a fantastic job making this story come to life! 100% recommend!!

Emma St. Clair has done it again, pulling me in from page one and keeping me hooked with the wit, the banter, the laughs, the chemistry, and all the swoon that Wyatt and Josie have to offer!

When Wyatt, an NHL hockey player (and former Appie!) gets injured and refuses to take care of himself, his agent/best friend, Jacob, sends his sister to take charge! However, Josie thinks she’s headed to her annual Super Sibling Extravaganza, not to babysit her nemesis. Things between these two start off on the wrong foot after Wyatt has her arrested and the fun begins and just doesn’t stop!

Wyatt and Josie are adorable!! He’s the classic grump and she’s the happy sunshine—though he doesn’t always bring out that side of her. I loved their chemistry and back and forth banter both when Wyatt was feverish and when he was perfectly healthy. It was fun to see their relationship change over time and I loved how their sailing trip really helped further their relationship. Of course, it was fun to see Van and Eli make a guest appearance, too!!

A few things to love:

💙 Wyatt & Josie
😤 Grumpy/Sunshine
🏒 Injured hockey player
👩🏻‍⚕️ School nurse
👫🏻 Forced proximity
🙅🏻‍♂️ Brother’s best friend
⛵️ A sailing trip
👟 Boat shoes
🦶🏻Foot-in-mouth disease
🐶 Jib
🛏️ One bed
🧔🏻‍♂️ A Van & Eli cameo

Loved this book so much! Don’t miss it!!

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

What an adorable story! I really enjoyed the dynamic of Josie and Wyatt. They were the perfect MCs to play off of each other. Wyatt was the best grump that, and Josie’s banter with him was great. They had me giggle and rooting for them the whole time! I also loved how the story also tackled issues of trauma and grief. It was really well incorporated to fit in the storyline and give the characters growth and depth.

Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller both did a great job of bringing If All Else Sails to life. I’ve listened to a few books by Andi before and always find them really well done. She conveys the best emotion in her voice to help really immerse you in the story.

Thank you to Emma St. Clair, Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley for an ALC!