Thank you NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio and Emma St Clair for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

The book was interesting and got me hooked but slowed down a lot once they hit the water. The story is closed door which is fine but the tension was quite limited. I loved the banter in the beginning and that died down a lot too. Brothers best friend romance is normally lusty and forbidden, instead Josie seems to gradually recognize she doesn’t hate Wyatt. Not exactly the most passionate of romances in my humble opinion.

I received the audio version, I liked the female narrator but the male narrator was too much for me. He was either yelling or whispering. Very much an aggressive talker - is that a thing? I know the MMC is grumpy but it was something that pulled me out of the story and was a distraction for me.

I loved this book so much!

The beginning hooked me immediately, the tropes were troping, and I had a great time! Both of the narrators did a great job.

Josie's brother tricks her into nursing his biggest professional hockey client back to health. Too bad it's Wyatt Jacobs and they do not get along. On top of that, he tries to have her arrested for trespassing on his property. Now she's stuck in a murder cottage with a hulking, grumpy athlete in the middle of nowhere.

If you like the "taking care of him when he's sick" trope, you'll love this. It is also a super slow burn with good communication!

If you loved the Appies hockey series by Emma St Clair and Jenny Proctor, pick this one up! But you definitely don't have to read those first. This is a standalone.

I felt impatient for the next plot point to happen a couple times in the book, so that's why I didn't give it 5 stars. 4.5 rounded up!

The vibes:
Grumpy x sunshine
Brother's best friend
Hockey player but injured
She's a nurse
Tiny dog in lots of cute outfits
No spice or language

Put it on your TBR immediately!

4 stars
Sex: no/closed-door
Language: no

Emma St. Clair always delivers clean, fun romances with plenty of banter, swoon, and heart. I truly couldn’t ask for anything more. The setting of this story is remote, coastal, and so charming. The characters are well developed and lovable. I love Wyatt’s reserved, gruff personality and his ability to be vulnerable and kind throughout the story. Wyatt and Josie were steady and there for each other every step of the way, even when they weren’t being sweet or affectionate. Thanks to NetGalley for the audio ARC to review!

ARC:
⭐️ 3.75 stars.

This was actually one of the better contemporary romances I’ve read recently — which surprised me in the best way. I’ve been in a bit of a slump with this genre, but this one was cute, fun, and emotionally satisfying when it needed to be.

I really liked the dynamic between the main characters. She genuinely thought he hated her — and the tension in the beginning? So good. It gave strong enemies-to-lovers vibes at first, and I loved how awkward and grumpy he was around her. Like, actually grumpy! He didn’t know how to act when she was in the room, and that made their early interactions feel electric. I definitely preferred the beginning of the book — I felt more connected to it — but overall, I liked the story as a whole.

The romance was sweet, and while the middle dragged a bit for me, it didn’t ruin the experience. The ending was cute too — maybe not as strong as the beginning, but still satisfying.

I read the ARC in both audiobook and ebook format, which made the experience even better. The narrators were great, though I did notice one thing: during the male POV sections, the volume would randomly spike. One moment he was talking normally, and the next it got so loud I had to adjust the volume. Not sure if that was intentional or just a production issue, but it definitely stood out.

Overall, this was a cute and enjoyable read with a real grumpy MMC and solid tension. Not a favorite, but I had a genuinely good time with it — and lately, that’s saying a lot.

I listened to the audiobook and Andi Arndt was as wonderful as always. The male narrator seemed to have some issues with the audio sound/quality being inconsistent but hopefully that will corrected by publication. The story was cute and would make a nice, light beach read. It kept me y interest throughout and I enjoyed it!

Josie is supposed to meet her brother for thier annual Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza only to find a murder cottage and being placed into the back of a police car, all the while her brother's best friend Wyatt Jacobs signing autographs for the cops. Once Wyatt realizes that it is Josie in the police car he has the charges dropped. As the days go by Josie wants to stay and help Wyatt sail his uncle's boat along the coast and soon Josie feels more than hatred toward Wyatt. This is a grumpy meets sunshine clean romance for anyone. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for letting me listen to an advanced copy of this audiobook.

I listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller. Need I say more???

Every once in awhile you just need a good romcom and this one hit the spot for me. It had good banter, some sweet, some funny and some "could you just get to it already." It was a clean romance that had me smiling through the whole thing. Josie and Wyatt took their own sweet time when it came to really acknowledging their feelings, but there was so much cute and fun along the way that I wouldn't really have had it any other way.

By the way, I'm still trying to picture a small dog in a bikini!

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio as well as NetGalley for the audio copy. All thoughts are my own.

A sorta enemies to lovers story…only the characters aren’t really enemies but the assumptions and massive miscommunication leads them to think that they are. Josie is a school nurse and had a traumatic escape from an attempted assault as a teen. This has made her wary of men and large athletes in particular. Her brother Jacob brings home a friend from college Wyatt who is a big hockey player and about to be come an NHL star. Because of her trauma, she’s afraid of him and he thinks that she hates him because she’s so skittish around him. Jacob becomes a big time sports agent who, of course represents Wyatt and he and Josie go on to have a series of misunderstandings over the years. Josie has tricked by her brother to go to Wyatt’s house to help him get over his recent injury. They end up overcoming their differences and finding out much about themselves and each other. I enjoyed the story but I thought that Josie’s character had too much inner voice in the book. It become irritating and made some of Josie’s anxiety and poor self image feel too much.

ALC 🎧
If All Else Sails⛵️🛟
Rating/calificación:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⛵️Grumpy x sunshine
🌊Forced proximity
🛟Dual POV
⚓️Closed door
🐚Brothers best friend


(EN)
First of all, I would like to thank Emma St. Clair, NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this opportunity!🌊
In this story, we meet a lovely school nurse (Josie) and an injured hockey player (Wyatt). The story begins when Josie's brother sends her to a random address for their annual Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza. But when she arrives, she realizes her brother isn't there—instead, she finds his best friend and client, Wyatt. Her brother has actually sent her to help Wyatt recover from his injury. Get your sailing boots and bikini ready for this one!
I loved this ALC so much! It has that grumpy x sunshine dynamic and had me laughing throughout the entire audiobook. The narrators were chef's kiss—I absolutely loved them!
I'm dealing with some health issues at the moment, and this book helped me so much. For that, I am truly grateful.
⚠️Content note: There is a brief mention of sexual assault.

(SP)
Antes que nada, me gustaría agradecer a Emma St. Clair, NetGalley, Thomas Nelson y Zondervan Fiction Audio por esta oportunidad.🌊
En esta historia conocemos a una encantadora enfermera escolar (Josie) y a un jugador de hockey lesionado (Wyatt). La historia comienza cuando el hermano de Josie la envía a una dirección al azar para su tradicional Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza (viaje de hermanos). Pero al llegar, Josie se da cuenta de que su hermano no está allí; en su lugar se encuentra el mejor amigo y cliente de su hermano, Wyatt. En realidad, su hermano la ha mandado para ayudar a Wyatt a recuperarse de su lesión. ¡Prepara tus botas náuticas y tu bikini para esta historia!
¡Amé este ALC! Tiene esa dinámica de grumpy x sunshine que me hizo reír durante todo el audiolibro. Los narradores me encantaron!🐚
Actualmente estoy lidiando con algunos problemas de salud, y este libro me ayudó muchísimo. Por eso, estoy realmente agradecida.⚓️
⚠️Nota de contenido: Hay una breve mención de agresión sexual.

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair is a charming, clean romance that delivers on humor, heart, and slow-burn longing. The dynamic between the main characters is engaging and full of chemistry, with plenty of sweet moments and witty banter that made this a delightful escape.

The story leans heavily into emotional tension rather than physical intimacy, which works well for a clean romance but left me personally wishing for a bit more spice to match the build-up. Additionally, the male narrator didn’t quite hit the mark for me—his voice lacked the depth and personality that the character deserved, which pulled me out of the story at times.

That said, it’s still a very cute, enjoyable read—perfect for fans of clean romantic comedy who love a bit of angst and a lot of longing. I appreciated the humor and heartfelt moments, and would definitely consider reading more from Emma St. Clair in the future.

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

A cute brother's best friend romance with perfect summer vibes and a sailing "road trip".

I thought the romance was sweet with the mutual crush and the MMC pinning for the FMC for years. Clear case of miscommunication/ between the two with FMC thinking that the MMC has hated her for years. MMC communicates poorly and sounds rude whenever they talk.

The doggy shenanigans were also cute.

I thought it was a bit long and being repeatedly introduced to new characters that essentially don't matter, although I get it for some of them, others were just fodder imo.

Josie has packed for a week get-away vacation with her brother. However, once she gets to her destination, it's a ramshackle shack and her brother isn't there. She wanders around - until the police arrive and detain her in their car with the A/C turned off. It turns out that the shack is owned by her brother's former best friend, Wyatt. Wyatt is now a pro NHL hockey player and he's on crutches and in a boot after an injury.

Josie's brother offers to pay her big bucks to stay and help Wyatt recuperate since no one is sure that Wyatt is doing what he needs to do. Wyatt is grumpy ordinarily, but being injured has made him even grumpier. As Josie is a school nurse, she seems like someone who can help him. The reader finds out early that Wyatt has been interested in Josie since college, but she thinks he dislikes her and she isn't interested anyway.

But as they stay together, and with a little nudging, Josie agrees to go with Wyatt on what used to be a yearly sailing trip with his uncle. But this trip is to say goodbye to the beloved uncle who passed less than a year ago.

We find that Josie finds Wyatt is attractive, but she is reluctant to have a relationship with any man. Until Wyatt starts to grow on her. And maybe she starts to like him more and more.

This is a light romance, where kissing is the most serious physical contact. I enjoyed the story a lot.

I have both the e-book and the audio version. I especially enjoyed the female voice.

This was a super cute, summer read. I may not be the demographic for this book, mid 30's with a baby - but it is cute for a younger demo. Fun tropes, fun at sea.

Amazing. I love Emma St Clair!!! She can do no Wrong. Five star all around. perfect perfect perfect the charecter delevopment was so so good

So stinkin cute and I smiled the whole time reading it! I am an Appies fan so I was thrilled to receive this Appies adjacent book. This book contained some of my favorite tropes - forced proximity and caretaking. I enjoyed the female narrator’s performance so much. While the male narrator did a great job brining Wyatt to life, I had some volume issues with him and often couldn’t hear.

If All Else Sails by: Emma St. Clair
📖

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