Not sure if it was something on my end or the audio itself, but it kept getting quiet & loud during the male characters POV, which made it a bit difficult to understand some of it.

Besides that, loved the story. The slowest of burns but worth it. I thought the characters had good chemistry and rapport. I really enjoyed the banter back and forth.

⭐⭐⭐ = 3.5/5 stars!

If All Else Sails was a cute closed-door romance. The audiobook had great narrators too! The story is about Josie, a sweet and humorous school nurse, who spends her summer helping her brother’s friend, Wyatt, a grumpy NHL player who’s recovering from a foot injury. Josie stays with Wyatt in his run-down cottage and they end up going on a sailing trip where sparks begin to fly. This story was full of fun tropes and a light hearted cozy escape that many will be sure to enjoy!

Grumpy – sunshine
Forced proximity
Brother’s friend

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the audio arc in exchange for an honest review!

I received a free early copy of this audiobook for review. This is my own opinion. Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson/Zondervan for the opportunity to review!

<b>Genre:</b> contemporary romance

<b>Tropes:</b> lots of misunderstandings but I wouldn't call it miscommunication, brother's best friend, hurt comfort, road(boat) trip

<b>Spice Level:</b> no spice

<b>Content Warning:</b> brief mention of assault (the legal term--not r**e (I will explain below if you're interested, because the implications throughout the story are far different from what happened, even though what actually happened is upsetting. Look below the line at the end of the review.)

Josie and her brother go on trips together all the time, and she thinks they're going on another this year, but instead he sends her to the home of his friend who's suddenly become a recluse after the death of his uncle and an injury. Josie winds up at a murder cottage and nearly gets arrested until Wyatt figures out who she is and grudgingly allows her to stay. What follows is a lot of cute getting to know the real you moments and a summer boat trip send off for the uncle's ashes.

If All Else Sails is a very cute, no spice romance perfect for those looking for a light love story with summer beach read vibes.

The narrators are really good! The dude must've been a theater major because he did The Most ™️.










________________________________




Okay, so based on the limited information we have about why Josie hates athletes so much, it is implied that she was r*ped, or at least that's how I interpreted it and how I think many others would as well. She was not. What happened was a drunk guy either in her dorm or visiting someone was so drunk he wound up in her room while she was sleeping and laid on her. Yes, it was assault, and yes, it's terrifying and triggering and many other awful things. I'm not downplaying it by any means, which Josie actually does in the story. (Wyatt sets her straight on it, anyway. He's a good boy.) BUT if you are triggered by sexual violence, this should be okay, because that's not what happens.

Someone get me on a boat with a grumpy MMC, stat! 🚤

There’s so much to love in If All Else Sails! Wyatt, a grumpy pro hockey player, is recovering from an injury, and guess who shows up to help? Josie, a school nurse (and his best friend’s sister 👀). But this isn’t just bedside care. Helping him recover means hopping aboard a sailing trip down the coast... and you know that kind of close-quarter chaos means tension, sparks, and unexpected circumstances. This is a sloooooooow burn, which is not usually a trope I love, but the tension and chemistry build up was just right.

This is a dual narration by Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller. Andi is becoming a favourite narrator of mine. She can do no wrong! My biggest issue with this audiobook (not the story itself) is that I had to spend a lot of time adjusting the volume when it was Patrick Zeller narrating. His performance was great, but it often fell into a whisper (when it wasn’t for an intentional whisper moment), making it a frustrating listen when walking and listening in the car.

If you love…
✨Forced Proximity
✨Brother’s Best Friend
✨Grumpy x Sunshine
✨Clean / Closed Door Romance
This is for you!

Really cute summer read. Zero spice. Brother's best friend (hockey player!). Josie is a school nurse tricked by her brother to help get his hockey player best friend literally back on his feet after an injury to his foot. Romance develops after living in the "murder house" and on a sailboat. I did immersive reading with this one. Narrater was great. The majority of the time the story was told from Josie's perspective. The narrater's voice for Wyatt was a little hard to understand, but I slowed down the speed for those chapters.

And ... Emma wrote some of the Appies hockey books. There are some cameos that were SUPER fun!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Thomas Nelson Fiction and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the advanced copies.

THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING! i was living for Wyatt and his dad core of being so soft on the inside. I was giggling and kicking my feet 24/7. the writing style was so out of this world good.

the main heroines both were so much better and well built with the trauma in their background, i it was just enough to make them that much more relatable and lovable, but not so much that it overshadowed the romance in the book

I'd recommend this book to anyone, but especially those that want to start reading and get into romance, its just the perfect mix of cutesy, swoon worthy and relatable

Emma St. Clair? Ohhh YES. Andi Arndt?! TRIPPED OVER MYSELF to request this one.

Aww these two! Wyatt is Josie's brother's friend (and eventually client). When they first meet there is an attraction but also a BIG misunderstanding. This leads to years of animosity until Josie's brother tricks them into spending time together. Josie is a nurse and Wyatt is recovering from a surgery that he needs to heal from before he can get back to his professional hockey career. After Wyatt's beloved uncle passed away he is just not that motivated to get to PT and take care of himself.

I really enjoyed this story. These two were fun and funny and so in love.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and the author for the opportunity to listen to and review this story.

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair is a delightful romance that is both heartfelt and funny.

Told from dual POV, but primarily from the female POV, this story has great momentum and intrigue. The misunderstandings between the two feel real, and add to the desire to keep turning pages. This story explores more than romance—it dives into familial relationships, sibling relationships, career growth and happiness, and even depression.

This romance is a closed door romance, but there’s plenty of on the page chemistry that makes it sexy without the actual sex.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story, which was performed by two narrators. It was an enjoyable listen, and I especially loved the female narrator. I listened to this audiobook at 1.75x speed (this is my normal audiobook listening speed).

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this advanced listening copy.

If All Else Sails is a cute enemies to lovers romance that's perfect for a vacation read. It's not too deep and light enough to keep your interest. I enjoyed the glimpses into sailing culture, and loved the author's backstory as to why she chose sailing and the particular trip she highlighted in the book. The main characters were both well written, although I didn't love the beginning of the book-the way they're thrown together in the beginning is a little stilted and weird in my opinion. If you can get by that though, it's a very cute and quick read.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest and fair review.

✨⛵️𝓘𝓯 𝓐𝓵𝓵 𝓔𝓵𝓼𝓮 𝓢𝓪𝓲𝓵𝓼 𝓫𝔂 𝓔𝓶𝓶𝓪 𝓢𝓽.𝓒𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓻 ⛵️✨

I had the audiobook arc of this book!!

This is a cute and wholesome romance.

I really enjoyed the plot of this book, thought it was entertaining and I liked how it developed. I did like how the relationship developed for the most part. I just thought the ily was way too quick imo.

I really liked the female voice actor voice, I thought she did a great job and I was glad that most of the chapters were from Josie. She was able to convey feelings and any shocking things within the same volume of speech.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the male voice actor voice, I loved his enthusiasm but I had troubles with the volume. What I mean is, that sometimes his voice would be good tone and then he’d drop down to a whisper at some of the sentences, so I would turn up the volume and then out of nowhere the voice would be really loud (trying to show how frustrated the character was). But this imbalance just made it hard for me to follow along with his chapters.


* I requested the audiobook arc from NetGalley, thank you to the author and publisher for approving my request. This review is of my own and honest opinion

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair is the perfect summer romcom—warm, funny, and full of heart.

This charming story dives into how easily misunderstandings can shape our perceptions of others, and how meaningful connection can grow when we take the time to communicate. I really appreciated how the book highlighted that theme in a way that felt both relatable and hopeful.

As a fan of sports stories, I was thrilled with the setting, but even more impressed by how Emma St. Clair kept the focus on the emotional journey of the characters. The romance takes center stage, and the chemistry between the leads is both sweet and believable. Their banter, vulnerability, and growth made it so satisfying to watch their relationship unfold.

The book has plenty of laughs and swoon-worthy moments, but it also has depth. It touches on trust, personal growth, and the courage it takes to open your heart again after being hurt. I found myself completely drawn in and rooting for the characters the whole way through.

If you’re looking for a feel-good read that still offers emotional substance, If All Else Sails is a fantastic choice. It’s a heartfelt, engaging, and thoroughly enjoyable book—perfect to toss in your beach bag or cozy up with on a lazy summer day.

If All Else Sails: A Novel
Thomas Nelson (August 5, 2025)

A 5 🌟 read for me
🏒 Wyatt embodies the qualities I admire in a man: he is strong, self-controlled, protective, loving, and sensitive to his partner's needs. Plus, he’s also a hockey player, which adds to his charm!
👩‍⚕️ Josie is truly wonderful. She’s independent and capable of handling life on her own, yet she also embraces the support and comfort her partner offers. I appreciate her nurturing spirit as a caregiver; it adds depth to her character.

I absolutely loved the setting and was captivated by the chemistry between Josie and Wyatt. Their “meet cute” at the “Murder Cottage,” where she almost got arrested, was both original and entertaining. The story is filled with hilarious moments that kept me laughing. The witty banter was outstanding, and I’ve even adopted the phrase “fever flirting” into my everyday vocabulary! This book is truly fabulous, and I can't recommend it highly enough. The narrators were exceptional and brought the characters to life. This is a delightful, clean romance that you can enjoy alongside your teens and young adults. Both leads showed remarkable respect for each other, presenting a great example of the qualities young girls should seek in a partner.

I received a complimentary e-copy and audiobook copy of this book and read it and listened to it with pleasure. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review. Thank you, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley.
#NetGalley #ifallelsesails

I absolutely adored this book. I wouldn’t necessarily call it enemies to lovers. But there’s definitely the forced proximity and grumpy versus sunshine trope. It’s more of a story of two people who spent a lot of time misunderstanding each other finally getting on the same page. I love the vibes. The FMC is definitely living my dream life.

This was such a cozy/feel good read. I could find myself reading this several more times without being bored. This is also something I would easily recommend to a book group.

As for the audiobook, I loved the female narrator. The male narrator did throw me off. He had a very big voice. I immediately thought of Kronk from The Emperors New Groove! I wish our MMC would’ve had a softer voice.

As with a couple other books I have recently read I would have loved some spice. I don’t feel like the book was really lacking by not having it, but my goodness it would’ve been amazing!

Thank you so much for letting me read this book. This is definitely my favorite of the month!

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair should be an automatic read for fans of fun, sweet, clean romances. It is a fast paced read with quick, witty banter between the main characters. It would be a great summer read. The narrator of this audiobook is great and adds so much to the overall enjoyment of the book. I give this book a 5 star read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to Net Galley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the advance audio copy of this book. If All Else Sails is a a wonderful slow burn romance.

I will first start with the narration, which was amazing. Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller bring the characters of Josi and Wyatt to life. The story is a slow burn romance. Their romance/friendship is off to a rocky start when Josi's brother sets her up to help out is client/friend Wyatt. Things don't start out well, but somewhere along the way their romance blooms as they sail their way down the coast.

This is the prefect summer/breach read for lovers of feel good cozy romances

Audio read

Josie, a school nurse on summer break, arrived at the location of a summer trip with her brother, Jacob, a sport’s agent. Jacob doesn’t show but calls to tell her that he has a huge favor he’s willing to pay big for….help his best friend, Wyatt (a pro hockey player), recover from a recent surgery. Wyatt has a terrible attitude and refuses to cooperate with the PT required to get him back on the ice. After some initial crankiness on Wyatt’s part and stubbornness on Josie’s to get him healthy, they begin a friendship on a sailing trip down the inter-coastal Waterway that could turn into love if they give into it. This was a cute, Hallmarkish story. It’s a nice palate cleanser after a heavier read. With regard to the Audio, while the female reader was enjoyable to listen to, the male reader was anything but. It made the chapters he read a struggle to get through and I couldn’t wait for them to end.

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair was such a fun and heartfelt read, and EXACTLY what I needed after reading a more solemn and serious book!

Josie and Wyatt’s first meeting was a total disaster and one that Josie is not going to forget anytime soon! I thoroughly enjoyed watching their relationship shift from tension and misunderstandings to something full of real connection and quiet support.

The setting on the water added such a peaceful, adventurous vibe that made me want to keep turning pages.

What stood out most was how both characters were dealing with their own struggles, but somehow managed to help each other heal without even meaning to at first. The mix of humor, awkward moments, family chaos, and personal growth made this story feel honest and refreshing!

If you’re looking for something light but meaningful, and full of fun this is a great one to pick up!… or listen to the audio! It’s amazing!

⛵️☀️Watch for its release this summer!☀️⛵️

Huge thank you to @netgalley and @thomasnelson and @zondervan for the opportunity to listen to the advanced audiobook!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy of "If All Else Sails" by Emma St. Clair in exchange for my honest review.

The story itself for "If All Else Sails" was adorable. I liked the general premise of the book of an older brothers hockey friend, Wyatt, and little sister, Josie, fall for one another. A school nurse and a hockey player: who doesn't love a happy ending for two people who have had challenging lives. Since Wyatt can't got on his sailing trip alone, Josie offers to go with him. Unbeknownst to Josie, the trip is in in honor of his uncle. They connect better than ever before through a little pup, learning from one another and growing together. ,

My favorite part was the little dog they found. She became an important glue to the story. The little doggy outfits were also adorable.

The challenge of this book was the male narrator of the audiobook really took away some of the enjoyment of the story. It was a little hard to understand his lines at points, which made listening to the book a little frustrating. The volume was off where sometimes he was quiet and other times loud. It was very inconsistent. I think I would enjoy the book more with either a different male narrator, or to have read the book via Kindle or paperback. I unfortunately gave the book a lower score because of trying to listen to it. I think this is one of the first times that a narrator has so negatively impact my enjoyment of the book.

I truly enjoyed Emma St. Clair's writing style and will be reading other books by her!

This is a heartwarming and engaging romance that had me hooked from the start. The storyline is both charming and full of emotion, with well-developed characters that you can’t help but root for. The romantic tension between the leads is palpable, and I really appreciated the pacing and buildup to their connection.
The audiobook narration was fantastic. The narrators did an excellent job bringing the characters to life, capturing their personalities and emotions with precision. The pacing of the narration was spot-on, making it easy to stay immersed in the story.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the story, there were a few moments where the plot felt a little predictable, and I wished for a bit more depth in the conflict. However, the overall experience was still incredibly enjoyable, and the heartwarming moments more than made up for it.
This audiobook is perfect for those looking for a feel-good romance with great characters and excellent narration. I definitely recommend it to fans of light, heartfelt rom-coms!

This book was so perfect!! It is releasing just in time to join everyone on their summer beach trip. The banter, the flirting, the adorable puppers- dressed in clothes!! 😍

I think my most favorite thing about this book were the little unexpected surprises that came as I read. Little nuggets that made this book much more original than I expected when I picked it up.

I loved watching Josie and Wyatt learn to really know each other and the way assumption can change everything. Beautiful story with wonderful pacing and a lovely HEA.

Favorite quote: “A successful marriage takes place in the gaps….There will always be gaps where you don’t agree, or don’t understand, or don’t align. A successful marriage is one that works even in the gaps.”

Trigger warning: Mention of assault with very few details