Love, love, loved this book!!! I have read other Appies books and enjoyed the call backs. You definitely don’t need to read the others to understand what is going on. This is a perfect grumpy x sunshine romance book. It does touch on unwanted sexual advances in a very tactful way. I will add Wyatt to my list of book boyfriends! And the dog! I was dying over the outfits.

After successively reading a couple of books with heavier themes, this listen was exactly what I needed. The audio narrators were both phenomenal. I honestly think they made this book even better by the way their voices brought to life the characters.

Funny and lighthearted, this is a dual POV with a sunshiny female lead (Josie) who is tricked into taking care of her brother's best friend (Wyatt), a grumpy injured hockey player. Little does she know said hockey player has been secretly interested in her for years but respectfully keeping his distance. I loved Wyatt's patience and gentleness with Josie, the mutual support and cheering on of one another, and the setting of a sailboat trip down the intercoastal highway. How cool!

This book is published by Thomas Nelson, a leading publisher of Christian books. I have read a few recent releases from TN and I have been surprised by the increasing amount of suggestive dialogue & innuendo to sexual content that they contain. There is nothing explicit & it may be perceived 'clean' by society's standards, but I think it's misleading for Christians who are called to a set-apart holiness. I have also been disappointed by the absence of any clear faith content or gospel themes in these recent releases.

😇: Christian publisher (ThomasNelson); no faith activity nor any clear religious themes
🤐: no language
😍: sweet kisses, a high amount of visual ogling, suggestive dialogue, and innuendo

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair - is a first by this author for me. This is a "cute" "Rom-Com" feel of a read that would be a fun movie too - wink-wink

Years worth of misunderstandings find Josie at Wyatt's doorstop and in a police car. When more misunderstandings occur Josie finds herself taking care of Wyatt - her brother's best friend and client. Wyatt, who has loved Josie since his first look many moons ago, has always had a hard time talking around her and everything comes out wrong. Wyatt is a "big-time" hockey player who is injured is in need of help and who better, Josie - a school nurse with her summer free.

They are thrown together - out in the sea and learn the truths of the past and the present. Such a fun read that left me with smiles all the way through!

A slow-burn romance that leans more cozy than passionate. While it’s marketed as an “enemies to lovers” story, I’d argue that’s a bit misleading… there’s tension, yes, but the characters never truly feel like adversaries.

The plot takes its time to get moving, almost too much time. The sailing element, which I expected to be central, doesn’t really show up until halfway through the book. That said, once it does, the setting and dynamics shift in a satisfying way, especially with the classic forced proximity trope coming into play.

One of the unexpected highlights was Jib, the dog, who honestly stole every scene she was in.

If you’re looking for spice, this might not be your pick. But it has some sharp banter and it is a sweet, easy-to-read story. At times the pacing felt a little drawn out, but the overall tone was charming and low-stakes, perfect for a relaxing weekend read.

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this advanced audiobook

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Audio, NetGalley and Emma St. Clair for an ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

5 out of 5 stars

Emma St. Clair did it again! I absolutely loved this book. Since starting the Appies series I have wanted Wyatt's story and I'm so glad I finally have it. This enemies to lovers, forced proximity book proved to add all of the right tension. Wyatt self sabotaging his recovery made so much sense with the grief he was experiencing. Josie being a nurse and in need of money was just what was needed to get Wyatt back on track with his recovery. The only issue... they are NOT big fans of each other. Josie thinks Wyatt hates her... not to mention the fact that she hates hockey players, but she really needs the money so she takes care of Wyatt (despite his many protests). They grow closer and we get to know each character more as they get to know one another. Overall, this book was so good and it is definitely one of my favorites by Emma St. Clair. I have a soft spot for Wyatt and he's definitely one of my favorite MMC's. A man who can sail? YES PLEASE. However, I will never look at Cool Whip the same way again lol. iykyk.

Narration: I LOVED the narration between these two. I thought the chemistry between the characters was so palpable and the opening up to one another sounded so honest and real. I would definitely read something narrated by them again.

Love this story. I love the development of Wyatt and Josie's friendship than a relationship. Clean, sweet romcom. I enjoyed the banter. I also enjoyed the little links to the Appies.

This was super cute. I loved the grumpy sunshine vibes and the matchmaker surprise, even if it was a bit cheeky.

Both POV were delightful, the dog was the perfect twist and I found myself giggling quite often. Loved the pace, and the unexpected twist around his family and past.

There is plenty to love in this book, but one thing that stood out in this book is its depth. Both characters experience real growth and healing, making their eventual connection all the more satisfying when it happens. The sailing adventure adds a unique twist, and the inclusion of a lovable animal sidekick only ups the charm and the wardrobe.

If you’re looking for a clean, uplifting romance with humor, heart, and memorable characters, then If All Else Sails is a must-read for you. It is perfect for fans of contemporary rom-coms and anyone looking for a nice end-of-summer read.

thank you to emma st. clair, thomas nelson fiction, and netgalley for an arc of this book. all opinions are my own. ♡

₊˚⊹⋆ first thoughts: a enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, taking care of the guy you hate book????? PLEASE.
₊˚⊹⋆ final thoughts: ok this was super cute. at first his grumpiness low key annoyed me, but in the end i was swooning for jacob and josie. always big niche of mine, i love that they have names starting with the same letter... maybe im easy to please. i genuinely loved the banter between the two of them and how you could really feel their relationship take the deeper plunge each time it did. it was so much more than "taking care of the guy you hate" like i first expected it to be and it was LOVELY.

DNFed at 15%, the male character’s voice drove me crazy. I had to stop listening to the audiobook because of it. Really tried to push through and couldn’t get over it.

3.5⭐️s. I had this book in both audio and print and enjoyed both formats. The narrators were both great! This was a slow burn enemies-to-lovers “road trip” on the water. I loved both of the characters!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher- I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for the early access to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

All Else Sails is a gem of a clean romance and a refreshing take on the sports romance genre. From the very first chapter, I was hooked—school nurse Josie thinks she’s heading off on a sibling vacation, only to be greeted instead by her brother’s best friend, Wyatt, an injured professional hockey player who’s spiraling during the off-season. He’s grumpy, living in a rundown cabin left to him by his late uncle, and in desperate need of someone to help him get back on his feet. Josie reluctantly agrees to stay for the summer to help him recover, with her brother offering to pay her for the favor.

This setup had all the right ingredients for a story I love—forced proximity, sailing adventures, a broody male lead with a golden-retriever heart, and my personal favorite trope: grumpy/sunshine with a “he falls first” twist. Wyatt has been quietly pining for Josie for years, while she’s convinced he can’t stand her and wants nothing to do with athletes. Their chemistry was undeniable, and their banter added just the right amount of charm to carry the story.

While I enjoyed the book overall, I’d recommend reading this one in print or on an e-reader rather than listening to the audio. The male narrator didn’t work for me and ended up pulling me out of the story more than drawing me in. I also found myself wishing the book had just one narrator—it might have made the experience feel more cohesive.

My main critique (and the reason for the 4-star rating instead of 5) is the imbalance in the dual POV. Josie had three to four times as many chapters as Wyatt, which made his inner world feel underdeveloped in comparison. I either wanted more balance or a full commitment to a single POV. As it stood, it left some gaps in understanding his perspective.

That said, All Else Sails is the perfect read for Hallmark movie lovers and fans of sweet romance with more heart than heat. It’s a charming summer story that feels like a warm breeze and a good escape.

This book completely stole my heart! From start to finish, it was such a cozy, feel-good romance that left me smiling.

Josie and Wyatt were beyond adorable. I loved watching their relationship unfold slowly and naturally—their chemistry and that simmering tension between them had me hooked from the beginning. It was one of those romances where you're just cheering for them the whole way through.

If I had one tiny wish, it’d be to have just a bit more time with Josie and Wyatt as a couple—I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to them yet. And while the book is marketed as enemies to lovers, that’s a bit of a stretch. Wyatt’s feelings for Josie were obvious from the start. Still super cute—just a different vibe than advertised.

All in all, this was a light, heartwarming read perfect for anyone who loves a charming romance with lovable characters and plenty of heart. Highly recommend!

I got the audiobook from Netgalley, and I'm so happy I did!

This book was everything I needed when I listened to it. It's perfect for summer, it has a brooding hockey player who's out with an injury, it's about characters with pasts that hurt them, and it contains all the swoon that I need in a no spice romance book! It kept me smiling, laughing, and listening intently the whole way through the book.

The narrators were great in this book, especially the MMC.

Kissing only
No language (that I noticed or remember)
Mention of past assault and a toxic parent relationship

A big thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Emma St. Clair for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

I thought I didn't like the romantic comedy genre anymore, but this was the cutest book. If you like no spice, it's squeaky clean. However, the tender romantic moments and
sweet kisses are definitely present.

Grumpy sunshine + brother's best = must read.

Overall: 4
Spice: 1 - kissing only
Narration: 3

Josie is a school nurse on summer vacation and looking forward to an annual trip with her brother Jacob. But when she arrives at the address Jacob gave her, he is no where to be found, but his best friend grumpy, reclusive Wyatt is the resident of the murder cottage she finds. Josie and Wyatt have been avoiding one another for years, so Jacob's request for Josie to stay and take care of Wyatt while he recovers from an injury is a tall ask. As they bond over a found dog and a sailing trip, can they get past their prior animosity?

A hockey romance that takes place on a sailboat. My second book of Emma St. Clair's, this provided the same great story, characters and setting of the first. I loved Josie's dedication to learning about sailing and sharing that knowledge with the reader. Wyatt is longing through this one and Josie is the only one who doesn't recognize it. A fun, sweet read with kissing scenes only. Andi Arndt was perfect in this as usual as narrator, but I felt the male narrator sounded a bit to old for the part.

I love a good sailing adventure romance and had high hopes for this one (such a cute cover!!) but unfortunately I think it missed its mark. The characters fell flat, the pacing was off (the boat part didn't begin until 2/3 through the book), and the chemistry just wasn't there for me. The ending was cute, albeit cheesy.

My Ratings:
🧍🏽‍♀️ 2/5 Characters
🌶️ 0/5 Spice
🎬 2/5 Ending
🧩 2/5 Plot
💫 2/5 Overall

Thank you to the publisher for an advance listening copy!

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

A cute banter filled romance! I agree with a few reviews to say this is advertised as an enemies to lovers but they weren’t fully enemies in the first place? So it was easier for the love part to develop and not as tension-filled as a true enemies to lovers could be. Also kinda slow pacing and then a rushed ending with admitting feelings but cute story overall! 3.5/5

This was a good story. I listened on audiobook, and the only problem I had was i had to keep turning up the male narrators parts. Both were fine, but his voice was just a little too low and I couldn't understand what he was saying without turning it up. I enjoyed the story and loved the tie in with the Appies books (also by Emma st. Clare and Jenny Proctor). I stayed up late finishing this book. The lack of sleep tomorrow will be worth it!

Josie thinks she’s off to a siblings vacation with her brother, Jacob, but when she arrived she finds a rundown shack and her injured brother’s best friend, Wyatt. Josie and Wyatt have never gotten along, but when Jacob hires her to help Wyatt recover from his injuries she might just have to put her dislike for him aside. As Josie takes care of Wyatt she starts to see that she may have judged him wrong from the beginning. Will they turn from enemies to friends and possibly something more?

I love brother’s best friend, enemies to lovers and hockey romances and this one checked all those boxes. I was pulled in from the beginning and didn’t want to put this book down as I fell in love with Josie and Wyatt. This was a great, feel good, sweet romance that was full of slow burn. I loved the characters and seeing how they changed and opened up throughout the story. This was a good romance read that hit all of my favorite tropes and entertained me from start to finish.