I wouldn't call this enemies-to-lovers exactly. This is definitely more in line with the "brother's best friend" trope. Nor would I say that it's mostly about sailing. That doesn't happen until 60% into the story, although I did really like their time spent on the boat, so it was worth the wait.

Marketing aside, this was very cute. The two MCs are likeable and their bantering is playful and sweet. I also really liked when other characters, like the brother, popped in to interact with them. There are also some classic romance tropes in here that should delight people: caring for injured MC, mild jealousy, one bed and so on.

As for narrators, there's a mixed bag here. Andi Ardt is decent and capable, as usual. She's done like a billion romance narrations, so she knows what to do. But Patrick Zeller. Oof. I recently heard his narration in a thriller where his POV was from a very bad person. So at first, I thought maybe that was negatively impacting my perception of his POV in this rom com. But honestly, I don't think he was very good? I feel like every time he was trying to express humor, he just yelled his lines. He has a nice voice though, I guess. Fortunately, Andi did the heavy lifting for the narration.

It looks like this is my first Emma St. Clair book, but definitely not my last. Glad she's on my radar now. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

4.5⭐

I loved this so much ❤️❤️❤️. I smiled all the time and laughed so hard, AND it's clean!!! I honestly love ALL the characters. The story itself is so cute and heartwarming and the audiobook is amazing 😭😭

Josie is sunshine and her sense of humor is hilarious. Wyatt is a grump but he's a secret softie, he reminded me of a porcupine 🥺 Jacob is a fantastic brother and a wonderful friend

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

I heard brother's best friend and came running 🫣 Gigantic thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the eARC & ALC 💕

Another adorable read from Emma St. Clair. This author does not disappoint. This time we are treated to a brother's best friend, he falls first story that will have you laughing and cheering for them the whole way through. Wyatt is a hockey player who was injured playing disc golf (I found this extra amusing as my husband and his buddies play this sport) and Josie, an elementary school nurse, was sent by her brother who just so happens to be Wyatt's best friend and agent to nurse him back to health, There are so many humorous escapades along the way and a boat adventure.
l loved each nautical mile of this story.

3.5/5 ⭐️
This was my first read by Emma St. Clair and this was a good book!

The story had some unique elements to it and Emma’s voice was really excellent at pulling me in and compelling me with the storyline. I love forced proximity, caretaking, and a MMC who can’t stop stumbling over his words! I found it adorable how he wanted to say one thing but always managed saying something else. But that gave them the chance to build those communication skills!!!

I think this book lacked some substance in some of the subplots it tried to incorporate. There was some acknowledgment of building trust after sexual assault trauma and some dabbling into toxic family dynamics but these storylines felt like they were really limited and it diminished their impact. I also feel like we missed the opportunity to see any growth or improved connection with her brother.

On that same note, some of the pacing was weird where we spent so much time in certain monologues and certain experiences, but then we’d gloss over days on end of their relationship building.

The audiobook performance was great. I received a copy of the audiobook from NetGalley and Thomas Nelson! The narrators did exceptional work - their inflections, tone, pacing all brought these characters to life in a delightful way. I loved the listen in addition to the read :)

This book was okay. It had enjoyable moments and if you are into the tropes of FORCED PROXIMITY, BROTHER’S BEST FRIEND & HOCKEY PLAYER, then you should enjoy the book. However, I am an action person and the book was too much telling than showing for me. The chemistry between the main characters was lacking. Very very slow burn.

I wish I had more of the MMC POV and more interaction with his father & brother. The entire book felt repetitive for me. With that being said, it was a light read which can be perfect for a cozy evening. This is my first read from the author and even though the plot did not live up to my expectations, the writing style was superb and I look forward to checking out more of her work. I liked the narrations.

Thank you Thomas Nelson for the complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.