I loved this cozy story! It was so fun to follow Wyatt and Josie. I loved feeling the angst between them. The miscommunication was just enough that it felt believable. I will say sometimes the male narrator’s voice came across as jarring, but overall it was a fun and swoony story.

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair by Emma St. Clair took me a minute to become engaged, but once I did, I really enjoyed it. This book is narrated by Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller. They are both excellent.

When Josie heads to a cabin, which looks deserted, in Northern Virginia, she expects to find her brother, but instead, after creeping around, the police show up. Apparently, the famous person hiding inside the cabin thought Josie was a paparazzi. And, Josie's summer vacation is off to a great start in the backseat of a police car.

Josie's discovers that her brother sent her to VA to help the famous person, hockey star Wyatt, as he recovers from an injury. What a way to start off this mission!

After much cajoling, Josie agrees to help Wyatt (her brother must pay her a HUGE amount of money) and begins taking Wyatt to physical therapy. While Josie has always hated Wyatt, we soon learn that Wyatt has a flame for his best friend's little sister.

As Josie helps mend Wyatt's injury, Wyatt may just mend Josie's heart.

A sweet story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this advance listen in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

First thing’s first: thank you Netgalley for the ALC of this book!
If All Else Sails by Emma St Clair was a darling closed door romance about Josie, a grade school nurse who gets talked into taking care of her brother’s best friend and injured hockey player, Wyatt. Josie and Wyatt have never really gotten along, but they’re going to need to find some common ground if he’s going to recover in time for the next season.

This book was an easy, cutie little read! It had a lot of things I love:
Frenemies to Lovers ✔️
Forced Promximity ✔️
Brother’s Best Friend ✔️
Slow Burn ✔️
He Falls First ✔️

This book was well narrated and dual POV, which I loved. I did feel like it was all a bit predictable because we got so much of the characters’ inner monologue, which also meant there was a bit more telling vs showing than I’d like. I also felt like the the sailing portion of the book came rather late for a book named If All Else Sails that features a boat on the cover. I would have loved to see the main characters spend a little bit more time getting to know each other as partners before promising forever, but that’s just a personal preference. All in all I thought this was a fun summer read, especially if you like a closed door romance!

3.75⭐️ rounded up to 4⭐️ for goodreads

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this ARC audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: August 5, 2025

I absolutely adored Josie and Wyatt in this enemies to lovers story. Josie is a school nurse who arrives at Wyatt’s run down cottage to meet her brother, who had other plans for Josie. Her brother didn’t arrive for their trip, instead asking Josie to help Wyatt heal after a hockey injury. They end up sailing together and of course fall in love.

I loved the female narrator but struggled to understand the male narrator. His voice at times sounded like he was mumbling and would get quieter.

Overall, very cute and fun story that I couldn’t stop listening to.

Emma St. Clair delivers a breezy, heartfelt romance in If All Else Sails, the kind of audiobook that sneaks up on you with slow-burn chemistry, layers of emotional depth, and just the right amount of chaotic summer energy. Set against a backdrop of creaky floorboards and canned food, this is an enemies-to-lovers story that gradually softens its sharp edges into something tender and satisfying.

The Story

Josie, a school nurse with a sharp tongue and a protective heart, finds herself stuck at what she dubs the “murder cottage” with her long-time nemesis Wyatt, a grumpy, injured hockey player who also happens to be her brother’s best friend. It’s awkward, forced, and delightfully charged. From shared grocery runs to navigating tight boat quarters, the plot unfolds with steady emotional layering. I especially appreciated how the sailing journey became a metaphor for healing and trust, though I did feel the pacing sagged a bit in the middle. Some moments meandered without much plot movement, but just when I’d start to drift, a new emotional beat or bit of banter would pull me right back in.
The side characters, particularly Josie’s brother and her best friend, were sprinkled in more like seasoning than full ingredients. I would’ve loved to see them play a slightly more active role, but their presence still helped shape the story’s emotional stakes.

The Narration

Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller are an absolute dream team for this dual-POV romance. Arndt nails Josie’s dry wit and simmering frustration, while Zeller brings Wyatt to life with a voice that’s all slow burn and buried vulnerability. Their performances felt like a genuine duet rather than two voices reading independently, each chapter transition was seamless and emotionally resonant.
Zeller especially stood out to me, his portrayal of Wyatt captured the guarded, gruff charm that slowly unravels throughout the book. Andi Arndt, as always, is a pro. Her delivery is natural and emotive without ever feeling over-the-top, and her pacing makes Josie’s internal monologues and snarky comebacks feel real and relatable.

The Flow

The audiobook moves at a mostly smooth clip, with natural breaks and transitions that made it easy to follow, even without a visual cue of chapters. I never found myself confused about scene changes or POV shifts, a testament to both the narration and the clean structuring of the audiobook. While the mid-book lull could’ve been trimmed slightly, the final chapters made up for it with emotional payoffs that felt earned.

Final Thoughts

If you're into heartfelt romances with layers of slow-burn tension, a touch of saltwater, and dual narration that truly enhances the story, If All Else Sails is well worth your listening time. It's not just about romance, it's about learning to see past assumptions, healing in unexpected places, and maybe, finally kissing the one person you swore you'd never like.

Checklist: Enemies to Lovers, Brother’s Best Friend, Forced Proximity, Grumpy/Sunshine

If All Else Sails completely swept me away! This book had everything I love in a romance: the brother’s best friend dynamic, grumpy/sunshine chemistry, and yes—only one bed! Each trope was executed so well, and the tension built perfectly over the course of this slow burn.

I listened to the audiobook and loved it. The narrators brought so much life and nuance to the characters. Their performances added an extra layer of immersion that made the story even more enjoyable.

Highly recommend for fans of emotional, trope-packed romance with great narration to match!

Enemies to lovers and brother’s best friend, say less.

This was such a fun listen and is going to be great for a summer read. I will caution it is a slow burn but I didn't mind it. There were moments I felt like this book was long but the comedic relief kept me intrigued. I loved the cozy nature of this book, the added companion made for a fun addition. I do wish there was a little more hockey in the story, I found myself wanting to know more of Wyatt and his career. Overall, this clean and cozy read is the perfect pallet cleanser when you need a fun beach read.

This was my first Emma St. Claire novel and it did not disappoint! I loved it!

This was a hilarious story!!! St. Claire sprinkles little sparkles of lovely all throughout from the police to the cool whip container to Jib.

I thoroughly adored this book! I love how it unfolded. The narrators even did a great job connecting!

This books succeeds where many don’t, it is able to blend joy, trauma, and growth together in a way that seems organic, interesting, and not forced.

This was a really cute. Fun and light summery read. The characters were likable, and I enjoyed the plot. 4 instead of 5 because the plot felt like it just kind of ended? I would have liked to see the ending play out a little more.

Wasn’t the biggest fan of the narrators. Would recommend the written version.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the audio ARC.

I had a good time with this book. It checked a lot of my bookish boxes— brother’s best friend, he falls first, forced proximity, hockey (albeit in a minimal way), grumpy+sunshine, and enemies to lovers. I thought the concept was fun and unique, and really loved hearing the author’s note relaying the importance and sentimentality of the setting.

I really enjoyed getting to know the MCs, and loved their interactions and banter. I did wish we could get to know the side characters a bit more— mention of them and any small interactions left me a bit wanting. I also felt like the story was a bit dragged out. By the time I was feeling like things were getting a bit redundant or not really moving along, we did get some new characters or bigger developments in the plot… so that timing kind of saved it for me. Buuuut I wished I wasn’t pulled out of the story, thinking things were getting a bit long-winded in the first place? Ultimately, I liked the storytelling and pacing… it just felt a bit long and redundant at times.

Audiobook dual narration was really entertaining. I thought both actors did a wonderful job. Patrick Zeller is a very enthusiastic performer, and I thought he did a really awesome job with this character— perfectly portrayed this grumpy, soft-at-the-core guy. I picked this novel up because of Andi Arndt. She’s reliably a great time, and I always enjoy listening to her performances.this time was no exception.

My first Emma St. Clair book and it definitely won’t be my last. I’ve heard her name bandied about on social media but clearly I wasn’t taking all the banter seriously enough. Now I’m on a mission to read her entire backlist! Because this author knows how write a rom/com. Pacing perfection and the comedy beats are brilliantly executed. I howled with laughter so many times. (The meet-cute was beyond hysterical!) But there’s also a lot of heart and solid ‘real life’ stuff too and that anchors the story, making it both believable and relatable.

So, enemies to more, with sparks flying and electrical undercurrents sizzling from the very beginning. Love the snappy inner dialogue of our heroine and the more contemplative (though occasionally agitated) thoughts of our hero. Wyatt and Josie are made for each other, they just don’t know it…yet.

And what fun to go along on that journey of discovery with them. He’s a tad (understatement) cranky to her cheery (mostly) glass half full outlook. Of course they clash. And they have a back story – not a romantic one – but they’ve known each other for years courtesy of Josie’s brother who is also Wyatt’s best friend. So, lots of favourite romantic tropes here that made me absolutely giddy with bibliophile delight.

‘If All Else Sails’ is destined to be a blockbuster summer read (it releases on August 5, 2025.) Definitely a rom/com to look forward to with great anticipation.

I really enjoyed listening to the audio edition courtesy of Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley. This one is a dual narration which was highly entertaining. Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller portrayed Josie and Wyatt’s personalties to perfection. Increased by ‘reading’ pleasure and really brought the whole story to life for me.

I wanted to love this but had trouble connecting with the story! Wished the characters were a bit more developed.

This was an interesting listen for me - I really liked the story but I was left wanting more. It seemed to end just as it got started for me. The whole book was building to this climax, that was just the last few chapters. I wish we got more from seeing their romantic relationship, rather then the building towards its. There were also a few loose plot lines that I feel could have been tied up better. I think that would have made it satisfying to me.

I would personal say it felt more in the realm of a young adult/new adult book personally - like if the character were 6/7 years younger, it would firmly being in those categories.

The performances really helped to get into the story - you could really feel the emotions in the voices. It help added to the whole listening experience.

Overall, I would say it is a good light read, not my personal cup of tea, but delightful none the less!

When I requested this ARC, I was hoping for a fun, breezy beach read with a touch of second-chance romance and a good dose of brother’s-best-friend angst—and Emma absolutely delivered. She didn’t just meet expectations; she exceeded them in the best possible way.

I loved this book. Josie and Wyatt were such a joy to follow—witty, warm, and full of that undeniable spark that makes you root for them from the first page. Their banter was on point, and their chemistry leapt off the page (or, in my case, out of my headphones—I listened to the audiobook, which made the experience even more immersive). There were so many genuinely laugh-out-loud moments that had me giggling in public and kicking my feet like a teenager with a crush.

But beyond the humor and sizzling tension, what really stood out was the depth of emotion between Josie and Wyatt. They’ve been through it—misunderstandings, emotional baggage, moments of doubt—but the care they have for one another is undeniable. It's written into every conversation, every lingering glance, and every small act of kindness. Their journey felt real and earned, and I loved watching them find their way back to each other.

The story also had a surprising amount of heart. Emma layered in moments of compassion, healing, and genuine vulnerability that gave the romance real weight. And I have to mention the puppy—one of my favorite side characters in any rom-com I’ve read recently! The way that little fluffball added charm, chaos, and warmth to the story was perfection.

If you’re looking for a book that’s equal parts funny, tender, and swoon-worthy, this is it. Emma knocked it out of the park with this one, and I already can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Josie is a school nurse. Wyatt is her brother Jake’s best friend, sports agent client, and a professional hockey player—who’s now a little embarrassed after injuring his ankle playing disc golf in the off-season. To lift his spirits and make sure he actually rests, Jake sends Josie to look after Wyatt during her summer break.

As always, Emma St. Clair delivers a sweet romance with a fresh storyline. I especially liked Josie—she felt like someone I could actually know. Wyatt was great, too.

One note on the audiobook: Wyatt is voiced by Patrick Zeller, who’s clearly great at playing funny characters—but Wyatt himself didn’t come across as all that funny. Some of the internal monologue felt more humorous in delivery than it seemed on the page, and the humor didn’t really build or evolve. Still, Wyatt was an enjoyable character overall.

And the boat/intercoastal waterway setting? Loved it—especially having worked at a marina myself.

If you enjoy clean, feel-good rom-coms, this one’s worth a listen. Fans of Courtney Walsh will feel right at home.

Another awesome book from Emma St. Clair. It was so fun to be back in her Appies Hockey World and it was fun being out on the open water instead of the frozen rink. Wyatt was such a grump and I loved that Josie brought him out of his grumpiness. And the history they shared was fun also. I couldn’t with Jib!!!! I’m not a boater but after reading this I want to take a water trip. Ha! Having some the Appies back was fun too. You can never go wrong with they are around. lol.
The narrators did a great job bringing the story to life. I felt like I was right next to them sailing away.

I love this book so much. I listened/read it while I was camping and I finished the whole thing at the lake.

I also got the ebook and the audio copy and the narration was incredible. They perfectly fit the characters and I didn’t want to book to end.

A big thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for both copies of this book!

I love the brothers best friend trope so I was excited to read If All Else Sails. 

Nurse Josie is recruited by her brother to help his best friend and hockey player Wyatt recover from an injury. When Josie learns that his uncle has recently passed away and a sailing trip he used to take with his uncle is upcoming, she volunteers to go along. As they sail, the two get closer.

I was lucky enough to listen to the audiobook (superbly narrayed!) while reading along with my ebook copy. While it was a good storyline, I felt it was a little slow moving. Both characters had feelings for the other but neither communicated well enough to voice this, despite multiple side characters telling them they had chemistry or that they already acted like a couple. If you're a fan of slow burn romance, you may enjoy this one.

🎧4⭐⭐⭐⭐.5🎧
Thank you to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen and review.

Josie is lured to the murder cottage by her brother Jacob, he wouldn’t steer her wrong, would he?
Josie finds herself in a predicament. Her brother's best friend, Wyatt, doesn’t seem to like her much, but she has been asked, well, with some incentive, to help Wyatt out to be his nurse until he can get back on his feet.

Wyatt is very opposed to this, but goes with it if it means getting Jacob off his back. But it also gives him time with Josie, whom he has wanted to set things straight for a long time, but he always seems to put his foot in his mouth when he tries to talk to her.
The dynamic between these two is entertaining. When you add in a little dog with accessories, what is not to love?

Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller were the perfect narrators for this book. I am not always a fan of either, but they really hit it out of the park with this one. I would listen again.