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

Received the audiobook ARC from NetGalley. Such a cute story. I loved the brother’s best friend trope. I enjoyed both main characters, Josie was very likable and I loved how much she cared for other people. Wyatt was a little grumpy, but I enjoyed the way we got to know his character throughout the story. They had great chemistry together, I loved the natural progression of their relationship. I appreciated that they discussed deeper topics and were willing to dive into their own vulnerabilities. The audiobook was good, I liked the female narrator, but the male narrator was hard to understand fully at times, his volume kept changing which was a bit annoying.

“If All Else Sails” is a cute contemporary romance about Josie, a school nurse who is led to believe she is meeting her brother Jacob for their summer sibling extravaganza, only to find herself in a rundown cottage. There she is tasked with the job of assisting Wyatt, her brother’s best friend and hunky hockey player, whom recently injured himself. This is a cute and playful enemies to lovers/brother’s best friend trope. I truly enjoyed the playful banter exchanged between Josie and Wyatt.

I listened to this story on audiobook and while Andi Arndt is consistent in her narration, Patrick Zeller is a bit all over the place. The volume of his voice varies significantly throughout his narration. He'll mutter something under his breath one moment and then he'll suddenly shout the next. It was a bit off-putting.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. The author’s note at the end made me smile. I loved that they used real world and personal instances from their life in this story.
Great job!

Brothers best friend romance//forced proximity. Says enemies to lovers but it’s really not. Just a miscommunication in the beginning. Pretty clean book overall smut wise. Very heartwarming

This was a super slow burn which I loved, although it was such a slow burn, that I felt like I didn’t get enough time with them. Didn’t make me like the book any less, just an observation.

This would be a perfect book to read at the lake or beach this summer! Humor, sweet moments, tension, sloww burn.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of the audiobook. The performance was perfection.

This was a cute "brother's best friend" (and also hate?) to lovers romance. I loved the concept of the female MC being able to help the stoic grump not only to physically recover from his injury, but also on his mental health recovery. I loved the setting (isolated cottage and then on a sailing trip). The dog was the cutest. A great summer read.

I generally don't mind a little bit of spice in my books, but I have to say it's a nice change to read one that does without. The slow burn, in contrast, is all the more intense.
What I took away from this book is that first impressions, although lasting, can be deceiving. I really enjoyed following along as Josie and Wyatt realize that they might have judged each other too soon. It's great to see them really getting to know one another and reevaluating their relationship.
Josie is a FMC I could empathize with rather easily. Closing yourself off in order to not give anybody the chance to break your heart is something I can definitely relate to.
Wyatt, outwardly a textbook grump, is a secret softie and walking green flag. The way he's always had a thing for Josie is really adorable. Also, I appreciate the way he's always respected her boundaries and let her set the pace.
This book is perfect for when you are in the mood for something cute and wholesome.

I listened to this on audiobook and while I enjoyed the narration a lot, let me just give you a piece of advice:
Don't listen to the chapters from Wyatt's POV using headphones.
I think both narrators did a fantastic job at bringing the story to life. While Andi Arndt is rather consistent in her narration, Patrick Zeller is very lively. Which I won't complain about. It's just that the volume varies significantly throughout his narration. He'll sometimes mutter something under his breath you can barely hear, and then he'll suddenly get very excited and shout out loud.
Like I said, I appreciate the liveliness, just maybe lose your headphones for his chapters.

I'm not quite sure what it was, but I really didn't like the MMC's POV's narrator. I didn't take that into consideration into my rating though. There was also several mentions of a traumatizing event that happened to the FMC a few years back, hinting to hit often up to the "big reveal" that was not a reveal at all by this point, we all knew what had happened. Mention it less often or reveal it sooner. Aaaaand, we get it, Wyatt is big. No need to mention it every other page. Also, I'm all for a good slow burn, but not when there is no chemistry or when the entire reason they are not together is based on a friggin' misunderstanding... Now, it doesn't seem like I enjoyed this, but I really did, which speaks volume on the author's ability to keep me invested in a story despite having so elements I don't like. I loved the connection to the Appies series (stupid name for a hockey team, I will die on that hill).
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

4,75/5
This book was really nice, the perfect summer romance for everyone whos interested in some non spicy books. i loved the classic grumpy x sunshine and how well the characters were written.
would deffo recommend

I have loved Emma St Clair’s books for a long time and I was so happy to get to read her trad debut! And it did not disappoint. The romance was so sweet and I loved the banter.

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair earns 4 stars for its smooth, engaging writing and heartfelt romance that feels genuine without being overly sentimental. While the chemistry between the leads is undeniable, I did not particularly enjoy the grumpy/sunshine trope, which made it harder to fully connect with the characters. Still, St. Clair’s ability to craft emotional moments and witty dialogue kept the story afloat and made for an enjoyable read.

I would probably give this book a 3.5. It’s cute, but a little boring. There wasn’t much tension or plot. It is an easy read for a summer day by the pool.

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁:

Loved!!! If you have never read a sweet romance what are you waiting for. Emma’s books are so well written with such amazing character dynamics you don’t even miss the spice. They are about the connection, growth and finding happiness with a side of swooning. This one had so many funny and heartfelt moments that your cheeks will hurt from all the smiling & grinning. Highly recommend!

Mini Spoiler: A few Appies make a guest appearance! (I was so excited as I didn’t expect this.)

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

Josie just arrived at the address her brother gave her but there is only a creepy murder cottage and no sign of him. Then the cops arrived and she’s thrown into the back of a hot police car and get heat stroke - not how she planned to start her sibling vacay. Her brother is definitely going to pay dearly for this one!

Wyatt didn’t expect to find his long time crush delivered to his doorstep and after having her accidentally arrested she’s going to hate him even more. Apparently his agent and best friend thought sending his little sister, who’s a nurse was the best way to get him to follow doctor’s orders this summer.

Josie doesn’t like Wyatt, she definitely doesn’t like athletes and her brother knows this. But somehow when he asks her to help Wyatt this summer and dangled a high dollar value in exchange for her help, she can’t say no. Now she’ll have to figure out how to tolerate the grump of a man as they are now roommates for the foreseeable future.

𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:

“I always wondered what kind of woman would snag your grinchy little heart.”

𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅:

* Older Brother’s Best Friend & Client
* Grumpy x Sunshine
* Injured Hockey Player
* School Nurse
* Forced Proximity: A Quaint Murder Cottage & Sailboat
* He’s Crushed on Her for Years
* Rescue Dog Jib
* Dual POV
* Closed Door Kisses Only

💕🐖⛵️🩼🩺🏒💕🐖⛵️🩼🩺🏒💕

This one had a slow start to me, but after it picked up, it took off like a rocket. I absolutely love the love story between the two main characters and I love how it teaches you that what one person sees as success might come at a cost you aren't willing to pay.

4.5 ⭐️

This was such a cute, fun, well-paced rom-com!
I really enjoyed both main characters and their POV. The pacing was perfect and I flew through the story in almost one sitting!

Tropes:
Brothers Best Friend
Close Proximity
One Bed
Enemies to Lovers (light on this since it’s obvious from the beginning that Wyatt has unrequited feelings for Josie)
Hockey Romance


The narrators did an excellent job at bringing the characters to life. Andi Arndt is one of my favorites and loved hearing a new male voice that I enjoyed from Patrick Zeller!

Thanks to the author and publisher for this ALC in exchange for my honest review!

The meet-cute? Lol, perfection.
This book was absolutely adorable! I loved Josie and Wyatt, their chemistry was off the charts. It had such a cozy vibe and made for a perfect summery read, while also thoughtfully touching on grief and healing.
The slow burn was everything, and the tension? Chef’s kiss.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the characters and the story was interesting and fresh!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫

🩷 Here are my favorite things about this book:
- I loved learning about sailing!
- The forced proximity is so cute!
- I loved the familial relationships in this book!
- The cute puppy (whose name I can't remember now loll).
- Josie and Wyatt had great chemistry!
- The side characters were really fun.

I did feel like the book dragged on a bit and it took awhile to get to the real heart of the story, and then the ending felt rushed. I also didn't really enjoy the male narrator's voice and narration style.

✨ Perfect for lovers of...
slow burn,
forced-proximity,
brother's best friend,
and hockey romcoms! ✨
.
🚨 Content/Trigger Warnings:
- Making out (semi-detailed)
- SA (only mentioned, not detailed)
- Loss of a family member

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and Zondervan Fiction Audio for an ALC of Emma St. Clair’s book, If All Else Sails.

This book is about Josie, who thinks she is meeting her brother on a surprise trip but instead ends up being tricked into nursing her brother’s best friend Wyatt (who also happens to be her sworn enemy) back to health after an injury which has him sidelined from his hockey career. The more time they spend together, the more Josie realizes that perhaps Wyatt isn’t as horrible as she always thought he was. When it is brought to her attention that he is no longer able to take a trip he had planned sailing the intercostal Waterway to Savanah to scatter his Uncle’s ashes because he can’t complete the trip alone with his injury, she offers to go with him. As they spend more time together, Josie starts to realize she has feelings for Wyatt that seem more like love than hate.

I loved this book. I found the book to be charming and entertaining. I loved the banter between Wyatt and Josie and loved how they both were able to tease each other and also learn to read the other. I liked that the author based this story off of her aunt and uncle’s history and used her aunt’s journal to guide the story.

I was lucky enough to listen to the book and while I didn’t love the male narrator because his at times I couldn’t hear what he was saying some of the time, I did enjoy getting to experience the book as an audiobook.

This is the first book I have read by Emma St. Clair but it will certainly not be the last!

#EmmaStClair #IfAllElseSails #NetGalley #ThomasNelsonFiction #ZondervanFictionAudio #Romance #Sports #Fiction #ContemporaryFiction #RealisticFiction #ALC #ARC #HeFallsFirst #EnemiesToLovers #BrothersBestFriend #ForcedProximity #GrumpySunshine #Audiobook #July #2025

If All Else Sails" by Emma St. Clair comes out next month, and it was a perfect summer read! Josie and Wyatt were such fun characters to read about in this story. I also enjoyed going on the sailing adventure with them, made me feel like I was right there on the boat. I listened to an advanced audio copy and the narrators were great and made it come to life! Thank you to Thomas Nelson for the copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

⛵IF ALL ELSE SAILS⛵

I was so excited to get this #Travelingarc of @kikimojo's first trad published book! Such a fun read, perfect for summer!

A school nurse and an injured hockey player sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S ....just kidding. Instead they are stuck in the "murder cottage." You just have to read it to figure out that one😆

Basically... forced proximity from the cottage to the sailboat due to a pesky brother's meddling. Wyatt is the sweetest gentleman with a little grumpy outside. I was here for all the adorable gestures by that man! 😍 Also loved the school nurse piece- so relatable!

Another delightful sweet romance! This releases August 5th!

The banter and back and forth enemies vibes in this story is fire! It caused so many outloud laughs and good dopamine hits.

I highly recommend this book right alongside Pepper Basham, Courtney Walsh, and Becca Kinzer.

There are no swears or alcohol and level 2 descriptive kisses only.
Present tense, first person, Dual POV.
The narrators are superb on the audiobook.

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

#IfAllElseSails #NetGalley #ThomasNelsonFiction