This was a such a cute summer story, but boy did I want them to realize they needed to be together before it actually happened. I particularly enjoyed the authors backstory for this book and it made it more meaningful to know that parts of the story were inspired by actual events. This was a quick read that any fan of romance will certainly enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ALC! I really enjoyed the audiobook version of this.

4.5⭐️s. Super fun with lots of banter and great wit. I enjoyed both characters of Josie and Wyatt and had moments to relate to both characters. They both had depth and tension but also lightness and playfulness as they transitioned from animosity to friendship and beyond.

The setting of the “murder house” and the sailboat was a lot of fun, and some of the sites off the ICW I was familiar with. Also, love the moments with Jib.

For the audiobook, the female narrator was great but I struggled with the male narrator. His volume varied wildly between so low it was basically muttering, to all the sudden almost yelling volume. It was really annoying and almost made me switch to reading the digital version instead if I hadn’t been in the middle of a different one.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook and ebook. All opinions are mine.

Such a cute read! As someone from Richmond, VA who does weekends away to Kilmarnock this was such a fun surprise. It really was exciting to read a book where I actually know the small town. The vibes were captured perfectly!

I’m not usually a fan of “siblings best friend that you had a previous negative encounter with” trope, but this one was done well and I didn’t find it overbearing. I liked the forced proximity but their relationship happened at a slower pace. I found myself laughing out loud a lot while I listened.

One note for audio listeners: the male and female readers had totally different energies as they read. The male one was super passionate… I mean, the character was getting heated in his own head and the narrator started basically screaming and talking fast.. I had to pull my headphones out because it startled me. I wasn’t really a fan of his narration BUT he doesn’t do as many chapters as the female. If I reread, this would be a book I would skip the audio and physically read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ARC and ALC! You had me at nurse MFC and then throw in a misunderstood hockey player? So good. Josie is the younger sister who has always been on the outs with her brother’s best friend - NHL player Wyatt. When Wyatt gets injured and holes up in his recently deceased uncle’s home, Josie’s brother tricks her into going to visit and then convinces her to stay and nurse Wyatt back to health. The banter, the longing, the sweetness…I gobbled this one right up.

A very cute story with a lot of the popular tropes: forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, she falls first, hockey romance, brother's best friend. I think the pacing could've been better, especially during the second half, but I enjoyed the characters and the story.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I would give this a 3.5/5 stars. This story follows school nurse Josie during her summer vacation while she takes an unconventional side job of caring for injured pro hockey player Wyatt. I enjoyed the story overall and it was a nice light, feel good book. I thought the characters could have had more depth and the romance could have been stronger once it was formed. I listened to the audiobook and I enjoyed the dual narration, but sometimes Wyatt’s narrator spoke very loudly. I absolutely loved the inclusion of Jib. This is a good summer read and potentially a good palate cleanser book, too.

Audiobook NetGalley Arc. I really enjoyed this book, loved the grump MC and the sweet FC. I liked the narrators, I didn’t like the guys voice at first but he really grew on me and they both did a great job. The story was a fun lighthearted story.

I loved this clean, light-hearted romance novel! Even though it was fairly predictable, I still enjoyed the storyline and the interactions between the main characters. Would definitely recommend it for a women’s’ book club.

Josie is expecting to meet her brother for the sibling holiday extravaganza. Instead she gets Wyatt a hockey joke who is recovering from a serious injury. It’s her worst nightmare, especially when she discovers she will be staying in the murder house. At times this book is funny the author and the narrator both work on building the characters so you become invested in what happens to them.

Ultimately, you know how the books going to end you just enjoy the journey of how they’re going to get there a perfect summer Read lighthearted and heartwarming

This book is such a breath of fresh air, I was laughing out loud multiple times. The audiobook's narrators really brought the characters to life and made the banter that much funnier! I love a good enemies to lovers and this one had it all: grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, one bed, he falls first, and brother’s best friend. Josie thinks she’s going on a trip with her brother when really he sends her to the cabin his best friend (and a hockey player he is the agent for) inherited recently to help him heal from an injury. Wyatt has stopped going to his doctor's appointments; he clearly needs help, but keeps refusing it. Josie's brother convinces her to stay and help him recover, despite thinking that she and Wyatt have hated each other since they met a few years ago. The book is perfect for summer and comes out August 5th!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

Author Emma St. Clair has written a classic "enemies to lovers" romance. Josie, a school nurse, gets duped into caring for her brother's hockey playing best friend. Her brother first brought Wyatt home when Josie was a high school student and immediately took offense at his seemingly easy way with the opposite sex. They are all grown now and Josie wants nothing to do with her brother's clients. Her brother has grown up to be a sports agent and Wyatt is a professional hockey player. An injured professional hockey player.

When her brother tricks Josie into helping Wyatt with his recovery after a disc golf accident, they both get more than they bargained for. Josie is disdainful of the rundown house Wyatt is living in, but changes her mind when she learns it was his beloved uncle's home. Wyatt's main goal this summer is to sail down the intracoastal waterway and scatter his uncle's ashes at designated stops along the way. Josie has never been sailing, but offers to go along and help.

She has also collected a small stray dog they take along with them as Jim seems comfortable on the boat. Wyatt makes fun of the wardrobe Josie has purchased for the dog, but secretly delights in it (especially the red bikini that matches Josie's). Wyatt improves and Josie becomes a competent sailor, with the two of them becoming accustomed to one another.

Narrators Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller tell the story in alternating points of view with insight and humor.

This book would be a good addition to a school library for teens looking for romance. While it offers romance, it doesn't include any scenes might upset protective adults. Fans of Denise Hunter would appreciate this one.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this audiobook! I loved the narrators and think they did an amazing job pulling you into the story!
I will be purchasing a physical copy of this book, that’s how much I enjoyed it!

WOW! Another fantastic book by Emma St Clair, I absolutely loved this enemies to more story! So happy to see Wyatt (a former Appie) get his story, and Josie, a nurse at an elementary school. I laughed at the funny meet-cute that they had, so hilarious. Wyatt is grumpy and Josie is sweet and spunky. I loved the fun, witty banter between them, made for some good laughs. I loved the storyline and how it moved along, the slow burn built perfectly and kept me entertained all the way. Wonderful characters, even the side characters who added so much to the story. Fantastic story you don’t want to miss.
The narration is so great and add so much to the story, made it feel like I was watching a movie. Highly recommend this audiobook.

Cuuuuteee! Had so much fun with this one.

And the character development was phenomenal - Josie and Wyatt both grew so much throughout this story. They both had struggles and things they wanted to escape but spending the summer together really allowed them to open up and support each other while working through their issues.

Slow burn romance and (mistaken) dislike to lovers will never be over-done in my humble opinion. I loved their journey from the "murder house" to sailing down the coast together with their adopted lil friend Princess Jib.

Narration was wonderful, Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller embodied both characters so well.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this lovely ALC!

Josie thinks she is going on a sibling vacation but ends up having to take care of her brother's best friend who recently got hurt. They are like enemies but somehow come to an agreement which leads them to take a sailing trip together.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers gem set in the most unlikely romantic location, a "quaint little murder cottage" in Virginia. Packed with banter and boatloads of unresolved tension, yes, pun intended, it's everything you want from a grumpy/sunshine, second-chance summer romance.

School nurse Josie never expected her brother's annual sibling getaway to become an awkward summer of forced proximity with her least favorite person, hockey player Wyatt Jacobs. He's her brother's best friend, her sworn enemy, and now her housemate and patient for the summer.

The setup is the perfect recipe for delicious banter and tension-filled moments. Josie and Wyatt's dynamic develops from witty exchanges to genuine moments of vulnerability as they confront the misunderstandings of the past and the personal baggage between them. The dual POV makes the emotions feel richer and realistic. The boat trip turns this rom-com into an unforgettable emotional journey. Their adventure along the Intracoastal Waterway is full of heart, healing, and enough confessions to keep you flipping pages late into the night. This book is full of humor, hijinks, and a puppy. Who doesn't want all of that? Get ready to fall overboard.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction / Zondervan Fiction Audio for the opportunity to review and provide my honest feedback.

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair is a charming enemies-to-lovers romance that genuinely hooked me with its witty banter and heartfelt character growth, even if a couple of things felt a little too perfectly set up.
Right from the start, I was all in. The premise is just gold: Josie expects a fun sibling reunion but instead lands at a "quaint little murder cottage" with Wyatt, her brother's best friend and her absolute arch-nemesis. Their initial interactions are a riot—pure personality clashes fueled by a shared, totally misunderstood history. St. Clair totally nails their animosity, making their forced proximity genuinely entertaining as Josie begrudgingly helps Wyatt recover from an injury. The shift from outright animosity to a hesitant alliance, especially when Josie agrees to be Wyatt's first mate on a trip to scatter his uncle's ashes, felt so natural and earned.
Most of the story unfolds on the open water, which is such a fantastic backdrop. The sailing trip provides unique challenges and tons of opportunities for both characters to drop their defenses. As they navigate the Intracoastal Waterway, the cramped quarters and shared experiences really force Josie to peel back Wyatt's grumpy layers, revealing a more vulnerable and nuanced guy underneath. And it's not just Wyatt changing; his presence pushes Josie to confront her own preconceptions and past hurts, which I loved. That slow burn of their connection is so well-executed, building anticipation with every shared glance and reluctant act of kindness.
Now, while the emotional journey of Josie and Wyatt is definitely the star of the show, I did find myself thinking that some of the plot points felt a tad too convenient. I mean, the circumstances that lead them to sail together, while super fun, do lean a bit into the fantastical. But honestly, those minor quibbles were easy to overlook because the character development is so compelling and there's just a genuine warmth that radiates from their evolving relationship.
All in all, If All Else Sails is a truly satisfying read. If you're into contemporary romance, it offers a delightful escape with plenty of humor and a whole lot of heart. It's a sweet reminder that sometimes, the person you think you can't stand might just be the one you're meant to sail off into the sunset with.

read this book in audiobook and really enjoyed the dual/duet narration . I can’t remember what it is. Wyatt has the Alpha attitude but he is caring and will do anything for Josie has he has been pining for her for years . He is best friends with her brother and who does her brother call when he stops showing up for appointments after being injured.
He is staying at his uncles cabin thst was left to him after his death. They were really close. This is not the first book I have read by this author and it certainly won’t be my last . It’s a great summer read. He had planned to sail down to Georgia but now he needs to medically cleared to do so. He convinces Josie to go with him so he can still go while injured .
There were many sweet and tender moments and some laugh out loud ones that had me on the brink of tears. Just kisses . A definite reread

Listening to this audiobook was such a treat! The story itself was already wonderful — full of humor, adventure, and heartfelt moments — but the narrators truly brought it to life. Their performances were top notch; each voice felt perfectly matched to the characters, especially Wyatt, who quickly became my favorite. His charm and wit came through so clearly in the narration, and I was completely hooked.

The dialogue sparkled with personality, and the narrators handled the comedic timing brilliantly. I found myself grinning at the banter and completely swept up in the emotional moments. The love story was sweet, slow-building, and so satisfying to follow, and the sense of adventure gave the entire story a great momentum.

I also really appreciated how much character growth there was by the end — it made the journey feel complete and meaningful.

All in all, this was one of those audiobooks you don’t want to hit pause on. With a fantastic cast of characters, excellent narration, and a perfect mix of laughter and emotion, this was such an enjoyable listen. I’d absolutely recommend it to any audiobook lover!

I received this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Overall, I thought the audio was great. However, the male narrator wasn’t my favorite, though he was fine. I just felt like he did a lot of shout talking for Wyatt that seemed a little over the top. I did like Wyatt’s character and how patient he was and that he was really a cinnamon roll. I liked seeing Josie grow and gain confidence through the story. The sailing trip was such a fun way to advance their relationship and make them work together. This was a sweet story and a great summer read.