such a cute "enemies to lovers" grumpy man romance. Being a school nurse, I immediately was pulled to this story and her character was the cutest thing ever. His grumpy, go away personality was portrayed perfectly! The narrators fit the characters perfectly - the chemistry was there! Thank you Netgalley, Emma St. Clair, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio, and Thomas Nelson Fiction for gifting this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved so much about this book! First, I listened to the audio version and the dual narrators did a great job of bringing Wyatt and Josie to life. Second, there was so much humor interspersing the romantic tension. I enjoyed the laughter that went along with the story.

School nurse Josie is all set to enjoy her Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza with her brother, sports agent Jacob. She follows his directions meticulously, but instead of finding her brother, she finds a run down cabin on a lake that looks abandoned. She's convinced it's a "murder cottage", one of those that always shows up in movies with a dead body inside, so she starts taking photos in case she ends up the next victim. The next thing she knows, the cops show up to arrest her for trespassing. This Extravaganza is turning out to be a bust and she's not even a full day into it!

Hockey star Wyatt, injured playing disc golf (of all things) just wants to be left alone to wallow in his misery. Pursued relentlessly by the press and his female fans, he reacts swiftly when he sees a woman taking pictures of his property. When he realizes that the woman he's had arrested is his long-time crush, Josie, he's horrified. Finding out that his agent sent her to help him recover (also read babysit him) he doesn't know whether to be insulted or feel like he's being given a chance to actually win her. His first task is to convince her he's safe to stay with. He'll work on healing his foot and their relationship along the way, but can he overcome their shared history to gain the heart he cherishes?

These characters really got to me. Wyatt was especially layered. On the ice, he's an enforcer, and one of the senior members of his team. He doesn't say much, but when he speaks, the team better listen. The depth of his feelings for Josie comes as a bit of a surprise, but learning his life story fills in SO many blanks! Josie was fun but so focused on her task to get Wyatt healthy that she misses the fact that he returns her interest. When she offers to sail with him to scatter his uncle's ashes along the Intercoastal Waterway, their trip and proximity might just change their perspectives.

Readers who enjoy sweet romance with lots of laughs and plenty of sports (hockey, specifically) references will enjoy If All Else Sails. This was fun to listen to and would be a great "beach read." I loved it!

This is the rom com you need in your life if you like to smile, giggle, maybe sniffle, then smile some more! Every time I read one of this author's books, I feel like I look ridiculous as I smile constantly while reading. She writes characters that are real and flawed making them so incredibly relatable while weaving pure joy into words and creating a world that you wish you could just step into. I'm not even the demographic that she writes for as I am much older than the characters, yet I absolutely love reading her stories. This rom com is the brother's best friend, grumpy sunshine and close proximity tropes that you know and love, but done even better than most! I am the least sports-oriented person on the planet and couldn't even name one Hockey team that is real, but I totally would go to an Appies game if they were real (Go Appies!)! In fact, I might be inspired enough to actually go to a local minor league game here just to see if I like it. The beauty of her books is that they weave a compelling romance with real life issues to overcome and always end in a happily ever after. Added bonus is that most of her books introduce characters that will show up in the next book she writes. I am totally hoping that Jacob gets his own romance in a future book! I'm already looking to see what this author is writing next so I can get cued up and ready to read!

FYI: If you love a good audiobook, then get prepared as this book has dual narration that absolutely breathes another layer of life into already awesome characters and plot line to make the story feel even more alive!!

Josie's brother always comes up with a sibling trip and they can get wild, so when Josie shows up to a murder cabin and finds her brother's friend/client grumpy Wyatt, she isn't sure what to think. He talks her into staying to help Wyatt recover from an injury, and she agrees. Enemies to lovers/forced proximity lets go! I love both tropes, and they are done here together fabulously. Though, it is really only enemies on Josie's side, as we know Wyatt has adored her from the start. We learn about Josie's past, as well as why Wyatt owns the "murder cabin." They embark on a journey together and I am here for it all. This one is a super slow burn, and I wish we would have gotten a little more of them as a couple. It is a clean romance, many I read include the spice...so it was nice for the pacing on it. I really enjoyed this one, it was such a fun ride!

**I received a copy of If All Else Sails from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

This book was so cute!

I loved the banter and how their relationship grew. I also appreciate that there wasn't a whole big "third act break-up", there was the classic tension build with the miscommunication, but it didn't escalate beyond that, which was a nice change.

I didn't expect it be focused on so much more than the sailing trip, but that was a nice element as well.

I didn't buy the whole brother "playing match maker" plot line, it seemed like an unnecessarily point to try to make. I liked it more when it came across as a forced proximity situation just as a last ditch effort to get Wyatt to actually care about his health by sending a nurse to his door, one that he couldn't scare away.

Despite that, I liked the book and would definitively recommend it!

The narrators were wonderful! They really immersed me in the story. I love multiple narrators when it's dual POV, that's always the way to go in my opinion.

I'll be posting my review on Instagram in mid-July.

After already reviewing the written book and loving it so much I thought reviewing the audio would be a good idea. It is so good! I enjoyed the story even more the second time loving the narrators! Definitely give the audio version a go! Brilliant!

Josie seems like such a sweet person, but man is she an airhead at times. Why would she not question things more? Idk I just feel like if she had asked questions from the get go they never would have had to wait so long. And with that, Wyatt is such a grump with a big heart. He's such a teddy bear and I love him. HOWEVER the way he just went about his life letting her think he hated her, ugh come on man you could have had so many more years together! Oh well, that was just one of the tropes of the book I guess. Still enjoyed it and devoured the audio. I thought the narrators did a fantastic job on bringing the characters to life and really embodied their personalities.
Honorable mention, her brother is so sneaky!

This was my first book by Emma St. Clair and I was not disappointed at all! This story was funny and sweet simultaneously. I loved the banter between Wyatt and Josie so much. Jib was the real star of the show here, as most dogs are!
My only criticism was the male narrator. At times his voice was so quiet I had to turn the sound up to full volume. And at other times, he was practically yelling in parts that it didn’t feel appropriate to yell in. Andi Arndt was phenomenal as usual! I felt like a few spots could’ve used different inflection to make them even funnier. But overall, I absolutely loved this audiobook!

Josie is a school nurse. Wyatt is a hockey player whose best friend / agent is Josie's brother. Wyatt is hurt & shutting everyone out so Josie's brother tricks her into going to check on Wyatt. She arrives at what was suppose to be a Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza instead is a Murder Cottage complete with wild pigs and a sailboat. Wyatt was suppose take his boat out for his annual trip on the Intercoastal Waterway to Savannah but can't due to his injury. Josie offers to go with him if he does his follow-up appointments with his doctors and physical therapy. Will they survive living in close quarters? Will they let past hurts stay in the past?

Cute premise, cozy setting 🐶⛵️, and fun moments, but a bit too squeaky clean for me 🧼🫧

This book pulled me in quickly! I loved the charming setting of the Virginia Cape, the unexpected roommate situation, and the simultaneously endearing and funny moments the author created. ⛵🌊 I especially loved the dog entering the picture! 🐶🖼️🐾

While I flew through the first part, I found myself taking a break from the book around two-thirds of the way through. Josie, the protagonist, started off quirky and fun but gradually seemed more helpless and emotionally immature, with the tendency to be scandalized by everything. After reading a review of another of this author's books, which highlighted that similar character dynamics are more typical of younger teens, I couldn't help but see the novel through that lens.

While I understand and appreciate that this is a clean romance 🧼, hints of off-page intimacy and a greater build of realistic tension would have improved the book for me. While I don’t want to stereotype, it’s hard to believe a professional athlete would wait literal months to kiss someone he has feelings for (this is revealed early on) and is living with. The lack of communication between the two main characters became frustrating. You’re both grown adults living in the same house... please just talk 🙃.

As for the narration, it was okay overall, though the narrators’ delivery styles weren’t my favorite. At times, the vocal affect and tone felt distracting. The male narrator leaned heavily into the frustration angle, and that didn’t feel true to how I pictured the character, so it was a bit off for me.

As I mentioned earlier, there was still plenty to enjoy in If All Else Sails. It’s perfect for readers looking for a wholesome, fun summer romance with a cozy coastal setting and a (super) slow burn 🔥. I’m curious to explore more, maybe some romances where the door’s left slightly ajar 🚪😉 with similarly fun, quirky setups that still make me laugh. If you have recs, let me know!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ALC.

#IfAllElseSails #NetGalley #ALC #ARC

I usually don’t go for slow burn romances, but If All Else Sails completely won me over! Emma St. Clair nailed the balance of tension, heart, and humor in a way that kept me hooked from start to finish. The characters were lovable and layered, the banter was sharp, and the emotional payoff was so worth it. It’s the kind of story that makes you smile long after you’ve finished the last page. Definitely a standout read-even for someone who doesn’t typically love slow burns!

Really enjoyed the main characters, they were both easy to root for. The slow burn worked well, and I found the backstories engaging. That said, the ending felt rushed. A lot of things were wrapped up too quickly or glossed over, and a few tropes felt like they were just thrown in without much payoff.
Audio: didn’t love the narrators but they didn’t take away from the boon either.
Overall, a solid read with great buildup, but I wish the ending had more time to breathe.

This was the perfect book for when you just want a non stressful and fun romantic comedy. I really enjoyed it and will most definitely be reading more of Emma St. Clair's books!

This book follows Josie, who goes to meet her brother for a sibling extravaganza trip, only to find that her brother is no where to be found. Instead, she discovers that her brother has tricked her into caring for one of his hockey player friends, Wyatt, that is nursing an injury a bit of the case of the blues. The only problem with this is that Wyatt isn't a stranger to Josie. He is the boy that blew her off and made her feel like he hated her while she was growing up. After a bit of coercing in the form of a very large payoff from her brother, Josie finally agrees to stay and put her school nurse skills to the test. Soon, however, Josie realizes she may have had the wrong impression of Wyatt all along.

This book was so much fun. I loved the chemistry between Wyatt and Josie, and I loved that they were both likable characters just trying to do right by others. When his former hockey mates came and visited him, I immediately could tell that I was witnessing a cameo from important characters from other books and began researching the rest of Emma's books so I could read them later. I listened to the audiobook for this one and really enjoyed the voice actors for it. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a sweet closed door romance to kick off your summer!

I had to DNF the audiobook as the male narrators audio is very badly recorded. The quality of the sound is way lower than the female, so when the chapters change to female narration of blew up my ears.

The male narrations over acting is not very engaging either. It’s annoying and hard to focus on the actual story.

I would highly recommend adjusting st least the audio levels for the actual release as many audio listeners are very precious on audio quality when purchasing an audiobook.

I would have to read this one physically to be able to judge the story. But the audio recording from male chapters makes it very difficult to listen to and focus on the story.

Okay, let me start by saying Josie and Wyatt were sweet together. Her discovery of him, his true self, was done well. The one thing that got under my skin was her inability to communicate at all. It was frustrating, to say the least. And boy, does she hold an old grudge. Things could have moved faster and better if Josie opened up more. I did like how the story flowed in terms of the boat trip, and Jacob was a blast as well.

The narration was done well by both male and female voices.

#netgalley #IfAllElseSails

When Josie's brother sends her to a random address for their annual Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza, he is nowhere to be found. Instead, she ends up at a run-down cottage on the Northern Neck of Virginia occupied by a hockey player she knows and loathes. When this jerk gets her almost arrested for trespassing Josie is ready to ruin his day. This hockey player also happens to be her brother's best friend. When Josie gets stuck into spending a summer helping a grumpy hockey player through his physical therapy things are going to get messy.

With tropes like forced proximity and sexy banter, I thought for sure this was a book I would enjoy but it just wasn't. It felt like the couple was a little too on the surface and I just got bored. I just couldn't finish it unfortunately.

Read this book! I just needed to say that for the people who only skim reviews, hoping that will be their one takeaway. I devoured this book and found myself laughing out loud more times than I can count. If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair is one of the funniest romances I’ve read in a long time. She absolutely nailed the banter!! This book was read by dual narrators who did an amazing job of capturing the tone and emotions within the story. The chemistry between the two MCs was honestly everything. This one is a clean romance, so there is very very little spice, but the slow burn is soooo satisfying!! This book also nails the tropes. Forced Proximity, check. Grumpy X Sunshine, check check. Enemies to Lovers, check. Only One Bed (my fav) BIG CHECK! Do yourself a favor, read the description of this book, add it to your TBR, preorder it, do whatever you need to do to remember this book on August 5th!!

Thank you to NetGalley , Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

A very cute and easy read that I really enjoyed. Great for the summer. I really liked the characters and the story as a whole but in my opinion the FMC and MMC were never really enemies. So I guess I expected something else. Still really good.

Oh how good this book was!! I have read a lot of hockey romances but this one was such a fresh feel to it. A school nurse and a hockey player that is injured? Yes please! I loved their banter and the ride of them getting through his injury. Ugh truly so good!

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

2.5⭐️ Josie is tricked into spending a summer with Wyatt, where she takes care of him while he’s recovering from an injury. Wyatt is Josie’s brother’s best friend, and sports agent. They also happen to be “enemies”, in the loosest of terms.

I’m so sad to say I didn’t really like this book. I was very bored throughout it. I felt like the pacing was weird. The first 25% felt so slow, I’m pretty sure it was the first day she was with him. The opening scene caught my attention with the police detaining her for the wrong reasons and her brother sending her there without telling Wyatt she was coming. I don’t like the way it’s told to be an enemies to lovers. I didn’t really think they were enemies. It more just felt like she was the dudes friends sister. Like a normal awkward relationship between two people. The whole, sworn not to date her. She said he was her enemy, but it wasn’t even for a valid reason, she also didn’t even really hate him or anything. It was more of a miscommunication, or a wrongful judgment. She assumed he was a player from one encounter in her kitchen when she witnessed Wyatt and a girl that Jacob brought one. But the scene was clearly nothing. I don’t understand how the night never got brought up after all those years. Not even with her own brother. I also found it hard to believe that Jacob and Wyatt were best friends, especially since Wyatt didn’t even know about how Jacob almost died. Another thing I didn’t like was how bored I was. Nothing wowed me. It was all fine. But nothing stood out. I was waiting for something notable to happen, and it never did. I absolutely hated the splinter scene. It felt too long and too tedious. Like the chapter felt so long and I couldn’t believe she had more splinters to pull out of this man, and even more that she did after the chapter ended.

Even with the whole sailing thing. The title has sailing in it and so does the book cover, yet they didn’t actually step foot on a boat until 55% through. And even then, they barely talked about sailing in the beginning of the book. Which felt so weird for a book titled as it is. I was also so excited for all the sailing and the potentially see two people stuck on a sail boat together, especially if they “hated” each other, but that never happened.

Another downer for this book was the male narrator. SO SORRY TO HIM. But he was all over the place. There were random times when he’d be yelling and over exaggerating words and sentences. It came out of no where and made me wonder how the sentence actually read on the page. He made that entire tickle scene so weird. He was so loud and attempting to laugh. I couldn’t bear it.

Next, Josie felt so immature. Which did remind me of a previous book I read from the author. I get that the books are clean romance. But this is an adult woman who can’t say the word dick or penis, when actually having a conversation that brought it up. Maybe I’m just not meant for books like this. Even her encounter with one of Jacob’s teammates that turned her off to men. That encounter was crazy and I can’t believe that happened to her, however, she only revealed this to Wyatt 84% through the book. Where she even was still under the impression that this encounter was not the reason why she avoided men and dating. Even though it so clearly was the soul reason. I felt like that conversation should have maybe been revealed to the reader. She only vaguely started mentioning it well into the book. I remember a previous book by the author where a similar plot was added. Where it just felt like it was added randomly and didn’t have enough build up, if that makes sense. Back to the immaturity though, I feel like you can have a clean romance, where you still talk about attraction, and how a person feels when another person is around. I’m majorly thinking these types of books are not for me. So this might be a personal issue.

It’s hard to me to even think of things I liked about the book, mostly because I wasn’t in love with scenes, they were mostly just fine. I felt like they were cute, but then they’d drag on. Even a trope I love, like the one bed trope, it just didn’t hit for me because that trope is inherently based on the sexual tension that arises from the characters having to share a bed, but I didn’t feel any of that tension.

I didn’t like the rush of an ending. Josie started to have questions about their relationship that should have come up around 80%, not 99%. She had all these worries and concerns that were just gone the second Wyatt said he wanted to marry her. It felt too rushed. Especially for a book that seemed to drag on at so many points. I also felt like the characters didn’t grow or change much from the beginning. I felt really unattached to them. I couldn’t understand how they could love each other when they barely talked about that kind of stuff. I just didn’t feel their connection.

I wish I could have loved it, because the premise and the backstory behind the book was so adorable. This one was just not for me, but I could see other people liking it.