If All Else Sails by: Emma St. Clair
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You 'll find 🔍

Dual narrators
Two childhood rivals
Animal encounters
Sibling relationships

I thought 💬

There is nothing better than when a story grabs you in the first act. What an opening scene!!

The male narrator caused me to keep adjusting the volume as he was quiet and then loud. He nailed the grumpy vibe. Female narrator was wonderful.

I loved ❤️

Top tier banter! Chef's kiss -
I could not get enough

The humor - I laughed out loud from beginning to end

Jib- the adorable dog on the cover has a sweet storyline

Traveling on the ICW from Virginia to Atlanta- I didn't even know this waterway existed and now I'd love to take a trip.

Wyatt- what a layered character, I loved getting to know who he was

Josie- queen of sarcasm! Her confidence, her banter, her heart ❤️ I adored her

This is a book I will re-read and would make a great gift.

CW: no language, kisses

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ln this slow burn romance, Josie and her brothers best friend, hockey player Wyatt Jacob’s, are forced to spend the summer together that anything but smoothed sailing.

This was a cute brother’s best friend, forced proximity romance with great banter and a cute puppy! I consumed this as an audiobook read by two narrators. While I enjoyed the female narrator, Andi Arndt, the male main character did not work as well for me. The voices were too different and there was some fiercely aggressive reading that was a little over the top. But overall, I really enjoyed this clean romance with a hockey adjacent story line set along the coast and would recommend this as a read versus a listen.

3.5 stars rounded up

This is an Enemy to Lover, Sunshine with Grumpy, Close Proximity, Hockey adjacent romance, dual POV.

Josie got suckered into going to a Murder House under the geist of Super Sibling Summer trip. But not only was she stood up by her brother, it's her brother's best friend that called the cops on her. Grumpy Wyatt was hold up in the house because it was left to him by his favorite relative in the family, his uncle. The place is nothing like a famous hockey player should be living in. On top of him being injured. Josie's brother playing the matchmaker that he is, sent Josie the sunshine to fix that grumpy, or at least get out of the house.

It's.a fun book, though some parts early on kinda dragged on a bit too long, on the going back and forth if Josie is staying or going because Wyatt was being stubborn. Or going/not going to the doctors for follow up appointments. Then, the journey, I kinda wish the more time was spent there then the other details. The people they met, Josie going from nervous about driving a boat to leaning her way. Wyatt finally stop putting his foot in his mouth and be honest. There were alot of conversations I felt like it was breezed over; such as, I'd like to know what Wyatt & Jacob talked about, and more on Wyatt's true feelings; especially after finding out he was misunderstood all along. Overall, it's a fun summer read.

This is my first book with the author but since the audio has Andi Arndt, I hopped on the bandwagon. She's great as always, no complaints there. I don't get Patrick Zeller much. My only complaint is that his volume control, I get that he's trying to emphasize his character's inner thoughts vs. the dialogue spoken out loud. But his volume varies significantly. His internal dialogues are as soft as whispers, but the normal speech are booming. That makes it very hard on the listeners.

Thanks NetGalley & Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ARC

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for an advanced audiobook copy of If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair, and narrated by Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller.

In this forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers romance, elementary school nurse Josie and famous hockey player Wyatt are tricked into spending a summer together by Josie’s younger brother (who also happens to be Wyatt’s agent and best friend). Wyatt is currently staying at his uncle’s old summer cottage, recovering from an injury which is threatening his career. When Wyatt does not seem to be complying with his treatment plan, Josie is hired to be his caretaker for the summer to ensure he is following doctor’s orders. Wyatt and Josie have never gotten along, and this new arrangement is doing nothing to change that - at first. As these two are forced to spend time together, they begin to see that what they thought they knew about each other might be wrong. When Wyatt’s injury might sideline him from taking a memorial trip on his uncle’s restored sailboat down the Intracoastal Waterway, Josie offers to be his first mate. Will these sailors find love? Can they overcome their past to give each other a chance?

This audiobook was absolutely swoon-worthy. I loved the narration by Andi Arndt, and Patrick Zeller was appropriately angry as Wyatt. I had never read one of Emma St. Clair’s novels before, however, I so enjoyed her writing, I can’t wait to check out more of her books. If you are a Hallmark movie fan, and love true love stories, not heated hook-ups, If All Else Sails is for you. Great summer read!



When Josie's brother sends her to a random address for their (sometimes) annual Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza, she finds neither siblings nor extravaganzas. Instead, ends up at a run-down cottage on the Northern Neck of Virginia occupied by a hockey player she knows and loathes.

A hockey player who isn't just one of her sports agent brother's clients. He's also his best friend. And Josie's sworn enemy.

Oh—and her brother wants Josie to help Wyatt recover from his injury.

Dragging grumpy hockey players to physical therapy is a far cry from bandaging skinned knees, but for the price her brother offers to pay, Josie is willing to try.

Even if it means sharing what she dubs the quaint little murder cottage with Wyatt.

Begrudgingly, Josie starts to see a little more of the man behind the grumpy exterior. And when she finds out he was supposed to sail the Intracoastal Waterway south to Savannah scattering his uncle's ashes, Josie surprises even herself by offering to be Wyatt's first mate.

Smooth sailing is nowhere to be found, and Josie begins to wonder if they'll be able to make it home without killing—or kissing?—each other.

And yet, the longer they share cramped quarters and canned food, the more of Wyatt's layers she peels back until Josie realizes she misunderstood him, their shared history, and perhaps herself as well.

Short synopsis: Josie is meeting her brother for their summer vacation, when she’s sent to his best friend Wyatt’s cottage. She ends up nursing him back to health from his injury, and sailing the Intercoastal Waterway with him.

My thoughts: I loved Emma’s books in the Appie’s series, and was pleasantly surprised to find a little crossover in this book.

Wyatt was such a grump, and Josie had sunbeams just shooting off her! I love a little opposites attract moment, and I enjoyed watching her nursing instincts kick in to care for his injury.

The forced proximity while on the sailboat was so cute, and there was great banter and humor throughout.

I do wish there was a little more time at the end where we actually saw some HEA. I know it was there basically all along but wanted a little more time in their bliss.

Read if you love:
* Forced proximity
* Sailing
* Brothers best friend
* Caretaking
* Grumpy/Sunshine

Received the audiobook ARC from NetGalley. Such a cute story. I loved the brother’s best friend trope. I enjoyed both main characters, Josie was very likable and I loved how much she cared for other people. Wyatt was a little grumpy, but I enjoyed the way we got to know his character throughout the story. They had great chemistry together, I loved the natural progression of their relationship. I appreciated that they discussed deeper topics and were willing to dive into their own vulnerabilities. The audiobook was good, I liked the female narrator, but the male narrator was hard to understand fully at times, his volume kept changing which was a bit annoying.

“If All Else Sails” is a cute contemporary romance about Josie, a school nurse who is led to believe she is meeting her brother Jacob for their summer sibling extravaganza, only to find herself in a rundown cottage. There she is tasked with the job of assisting Wyatt, her brother’s best friend and hunky hockey player, whom recently injured himself. This is a cute and playful enemies to lovers/brother’s best friend trope. I truly enjoyed the playful banter exchanged between Josie and Wyatt.

I listened to this story on audiobook and while Andi Arndt is consistent in her narration, Patrick Zeller is a bit all over the place. The volume of his voice varies significantly throughout his narration. He'll mutter something under his breath one moment and then he'll suddenly shout the next. It was a bit off-putting.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. The author’s note at the end made me smile. I loved that they used real world and personal instances from their life in this story.
Great job!

Brothers best friend romance//forced proximity. Says enemies to lovers but it’s really not. Just a miscommunication in the beginning. Pretty clean book overall smut wise. Very heartwarming

This was a super slow burn which I loved, although it was such a slow burn, that I felt like I didn’t get enough time with them. Didn’t make me like the book any less, just an observation.

This would be a perfect book to read at the lake or beach this summer! Humor, sweet moments, tension, sloww burn.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of the audiobook. The performance was perfection.

This was a cute "brother's best friend" (and also hate?) to lovers romance. I loved the concept of the female MC being able to help the stoic grump not only to physically recover from his injury, but also on his mental health recovery. I loved the setting (isolated cottage and then on a sailing trip). The dog was the cutest. A great summer read.

I generally don't mind a little bit of spice in my books, but I have to say it's a nice change to read one that does without. The slow burn, in contrast, is all the more intense.
What I took away from this book is that first impressions, although lasting, can be deceiving. I really enjoyed following along as Josie and Wyatt realize that they might have judged each other too soon. It's great to see them really getting to know one another and reevaluating their relationship.
Josie is a FMC I could empathize with rather easily. Closing yourself off in order to not give anybody the chance to break your heart is something I can definitely relate to.
Wyatt, outwardly a textbook grump, is a secret softie and walking green flag. The way he's always had a thing for Josie is really adorable. Also, I appreciate the way he's always respected her boundaries and let her set the pace.
This book is perfect for when you are in the mood for something cute and wholesome.

I listened to this on audiobook and while I enjoyed the narration a lot, let me just give you a piece of advice:
Don't listen to the chapters from Wyatt's POV using headphones.
I think both narrators did a fantastic job at bringing the story to life. While Andi Arndt is rather consistent in her narration, Patrick Zeller is very lively. Which I won't complain about. It's just that the volume varies significantly throughout his narration. He'll sometimes mutter something under his breath you can barely hear, and then he'll suddenly get very excited and shout out loud.
Like I said, I appreciate the liveliness, just maybe lose your headphones for his chapters.

I'm not quite sure what it was, but I really didn't like the MMC's POV's narrator. I didn't take that into consideration into my rating though. There was also several mentions of a traumatizing event that happened to the FMC a few years back, hinting to hit often up to the "big reveal" that was not a reveal at all by this point, we all knew what had happened. Mention it less often or reveal it sooner. Aaaaand, we get it, Wyatt is big. No need to mention it every other page. Also, I'm all for a good slow burn, but not when there is no chemistry or when the entire reason they are not together is based on a friggin' misunderstanding... Now, it doesn't seem like I enjoyed this, but I really did, which speaks volume on the author's ability to keep me invested in a story despite having so elements I don't like. I loved the connection to the Appies series (stupid name for a hockey team, I will die on that hill).
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

4,75/5
This book was really nice, the perfect summer romance for everyone whos interested in some non spicy books. i loved the classic grumpy x sunshine and how well the characters were written.
would deffo recommend

I have loved Emma St Clair’s books for a long time and I was so happy to get to read her trad debut! And it did not disappoint. The romance was so sweet and I loved the banter.

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair earns 4 stars for its smooth, engaging writing and heartfelt romance that feels genuine without being overly sentimental. While the chemistry between the leads is undeniable, I did not particularly enjoy the grumpy/sunshine trope, which made it harder to fully connect with the characters. Still, St. Clair’s ability to craft emotional moments and witty dialogue kept the story afloat and made for an enjoyable read.

I would probably give this book a 3.5. It’s cute, but a little boring. There wasn’t much tension or plot. It is an easy read for a summer day by the pool.

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁:

Loved!!! If you have never read a sweet romance what are you waiting for. Emma’s books are so well written with such amazing character dynamics you don’t even miss the spice. They are about the connection, growth and finding happiness with a side of swooning. This one had so many funny and heartfelt moments that your cheeks will hurt from all the smiling & grinning. Highly recommend!

Mini Spoiler: A few Appies make a guest appearance! (I was so excited as I didn’t expect this.)

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

Josie just arrived at the address her brother gave her but there is only a creepy murder cottage and no sign of him. Then the cops arrived and she’s thrown into the back of a hot police car and get heat stroke - not how she planned to start her sibling vacay. Her brother is definitely going to pay dearly for this one!

Wyatt didn’t expect to find his long time crush delivered to his doorstep and after having her accidentally arrested she’s going to hate him even more. Apparently his agent and best friend thought sending his little sister, who’s a nurse was the best way to get him to follow doctor’s orders this summer.

Josie doesn’t like Wyatt, she definitely doesn’t like athletes and her brother knows this. But somehow when he asks her to help Wyatt this summer and dangled a high dollar value in exchange for her help, she can’t say no. Now she’ll have to figure out how to tolerate the grump of a man as they are now roommates for the foreseeable future.

𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:

“I always wondered what kind of woman would snag your grinchy little heart.”

𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅:

* Older Brother’s Best Friend & Client
* Grumpy x Sunshine
* Injured Hockey Player
* School Nurse
* Forced Proximity: A Quaint Murder Cottage & Sailboat
* He’s Crushed on Her for Years
* Rescue Dog Jib
* Dual POV
* Closed Door Kisses Only

💕🐖⛵️🩼🩺🏒💕🐖⛵️🩼🩺🏒💕

This one had a slow start to me, but after it picked up, it took off like a rocket. I absolutely love the love story between the two main characters and I love how it teaches you that what one person sees as success might come at a cost you aren't willing to pay.

4.5 ⭐️

This was such a cute, fun, well-paced rom-com!
I really enjoyed both main characters and their POV. The pacing was perfect and I flew through the story in almost one sitting!

Tropes:
Brothers Best Friend
Close Proximity
One Bed
Enemies to Lovers (light on this since it’s obvious from the beginning that Wyatt has unrequited feelings for Josie)
Hockey Romance


The narrators did an excellent job at bringing the characters to life. Andi Arndt is one of my favorites and loved hearing a new male voice that I enjoyed from Patrick Zeller!

Thanks to the author and publisher for this ALC in exchange for my honest review!

The meet-cute? Lol, perfection.
This book was absolutely adorable! I loved Josie and Wyatt, their chemistry was off the charts. It had such a cozy vibe and made for a perfect summery read, while also thoughtfully touching on grief and healing.
The slow burn was everything, and the tension? Chef’s kiss.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the characters and the story was interesting and fresh!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫

🩷 Here are my favorite things about this book:
- I loved learning about sailing!
- The forced proximity is so cute!
- I loved the familial relationships in this book!
- The cute puppy (whose name I can't remember now loll).
- Josie and Wyatt had great chemistry!
- The side characters were really fun.

I did feel like the book dragged on a bit and it took awhile to get to the real heart of the story, and then the ending felt rushed. I also didn't really enjoy the male narrator's voice and narration style.

✨ Perfect for lovers of...
slow burn,
forced-proximity,
brother's best friend,
and hockey romcoms! ✨
.
🚨 Content/Trigger Warnings:
- Making out (semi-detailed)
- SA (only mentioned, not detailed)
- Loss of a family member