I have never picked up an Emma St Clair book before and I am so glad I chose If All Else Sails to be my first one. Josie and Wyatt's story is one so full of humor that I quite literally was laughing at loud at times. I love a good grumpy sunshine book and Wyatt was such a grump, at least outwardly, that his hockey team and fans all refer to him as "the grouch". Josie might be the sunshine to in this duo but I really feel like she was more of a partial cloudy. Like she has her sunshine moments but she all had trauma that didn't make her shine as bright. This story would classify as a slow simmer not a slow burn. The progression from "mutual" dislike to love was fairly slow paced and there was no actual burn to classify it as a slow burn. We get some heavy making out and that's as far as it goes. It definitely works for the story but don't go I expecting spice.

Andi & Patrick did wonderful with their narration. I always find the male narrator trying to do the FMC's voice so hilarious though. It sometimes makes it hard to take those moments seriously. Patrick did amazing conveying different moments like when Josie decided to tickle Wyatt. He didn't just read it simple and straight faced but actually portrayed the struggle that a person would go through trying not to laugh when being tickled. I will definitely listen to Patrick's work again.

If All Else Sails was a fun, summer audiobook. The FMC and MMC were thrown in a close proximity romance with a bunch of grumpy vs sunshine trope mixed in. I enjoyed the dual narration and the change in point of view throughout the book. The narrators were both easy to listen to and added to the experience. The plot and characters were well developed.

Thank you Net Galley, Emma St. Clair and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions shared are my own.
If All Else Sails is now available.

a cute summer romcom. I listened to the audiobook from NetGalley. Josie and Wyatt have grump/sunshine trope, she takes care of him, and miscommunications galore!

This was a cute, fun, easy read that I really enjoyed. I’ve never been sailing but this book sure made me want to.

I don’t always love the miscommunication/lack of communication trope but I thought it was done well in this book.

As for the narration- I thought the female did a great job. But the male narrator may have been my least favorite male narration I’ve ever heard. It seemed like he was either whispering or yelling and there was no in between so a had to keep changing the volume. I always had a hard time understanding what he was saying sometimes.

Thanks for the ALC netgalley!

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

OMG, I absolutely loved this book! Josie and Wyatt had me hooked from the start, I adored their dynamic and the way their relationship developed throughout. The grumpy-sunshine tension, the forced proximity, the hilarious banter… it was everything. I wanted to scream (in the best way) because of how happy this story made me. And the narration was, so good! It fit both main characters perfectly and brought the story to life.


Thank You NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair
Audiobook is narrated by Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller
Publishing Date August 5, 2025

Happy publishing week to Emma!
I read a lot of classis and literary fictions, and sometimes I need a break from all the serious contemplations of life quandaries.
This book provided just that - bubbly summer romance with a sassy main character and grumpy sunshine love interest.
Josie is a school nurse who was looking forward to have annual "Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza" with her brother, a sports agent. But he has something up in his sleeves because he secretly plots for her to help out his best friend, Wyatt. Wyatt is a professional hockey player. Josie and Wyatt knows one another but has never gotten along. Wyatt is now injured and in a slump, avoiding all human contacts. Then comes Josie, comedy, and romance.....

This book was yum yum popcorn and I ate it all up in two days. Sure, it is very formulaic enemy-to-lovers (ish) with a male hockey player, female nurse with a heart of gold but financially challenged, small bits of past trauma, boat, and a small dog. Has it all done before? Sure. Is it cliched? Yes. This book is not perfect nor selling on innovation. It's a Linus' blanket offering well-known comfort, and it does what it it claims to do (grumpy sunshine summer rom-com) very very well, at least to me. I especially liked dead-pan humor - this is for a fan of Abby Jimenez and Katherine Center (I am a fan of both).

I also love the fact that this book is closed-door romance in an age of "spicy books." It feels refreshing to use my own imagination for change.

As to the narration, I listen to a lot of audiobooks and this one was spot-on. Both narrators do wonderful job and I would recommend this audiobook.

A copy of this audiobook was provided free of charge courtesy of NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio. Thank you! Opinions stated herein is my own.

Josie ends up taking care of her brother’s best friend, Wyatt, after he had surgery. They go on a boat trip, just the two of them, and things happen. I love a forced proximity trope. This one was a slow burn, perhaps too much of a slow burn for my liking. This was a clean romance and I could have done with a little bit of spice. The characters were a bit bland at the beginning of the story, but did become livelier as the story went on. This was a fun easy summer read. I listened to the audiobook, I thought the narrator for Josie was OK but didn’t love the narrator for Wyatt.

Summer romance meets sports romance meets brother’s best friend!

Josie is dealing with her own trauma, even if she hasn’t fully acknowledged it. Her aversion to relationships, sports players, physical touch from certain men is extremely realistic but also heartbreaking. She’s made excuses to herself over her own trauma responses and, in turn, has sold herself short in opportunities to find love.

But Wyatt is patient and sensitive enough to catch on - even if he comes off grumpy and broody. He is literally everything that Josie says she doesn’t want but she is still drawn to him. And slowly, very slowly, he gains her trust enough that she begins to see him for the kind man he really is.

I love the dynamic between these two because even though Josie has her guard up, the banter is playful throughout the story. Wyatt is able to gain Josie’s trust enough to take her on an adventure. Out on the open water, sailing together down the coast, is where their relationship becomes something real and tangible.

This is a fun & playful summer romance but there are also deep layers to both characters that I found gave the story an incredible amount of depth.

There are some absolutely laugh-out-loud moments throughout Josie and Wyatt’s story. That’s one of my favorite things about Emma’s writing - she never fails to put me into a fit of giggles. As Emma put it - Josie and Wyatt’s “reunite-ugly” had me dyinggg! It’s seriously nothing short of hilarious. It’s the perfect starting point to their fun banter oozing with tension from years of misunderstanding and the forced proximity of the “murder cottage.” A growing connection slowly makes its way to the surface and I adored experiencing the tension becoming unpacked, shared vulnerable moments. I’m such a softie for these moments. 🥹 Then their trip along the Intracoastal Waterway is a beautiful journey of healing for the both of them, and honestly makes it a perfect summer read!

Ooh, almost forgot - check out the author’s note at the end! I thought it was neat.

🎧 I love @offmicandi! She played a perfect Josie. I can’t recall experiencing @yesthatpatrickzeller prior to this audiobook, but him as a super grumpy Wyatt was the cherry on top. The banter brought to life as a duet audio was fun. Def recommend this one if you enjoy audiobooks!

⛵️ brother’s best friend
🌊 grumpy sunshine
⛵️ forced proximity
🌊 closed door, no language
⛵️ sports-ISH - he’s a hockey pro, but this book centers around the off-season

Sweet and heartwarming!

School nurse, Josie, is tricked into meeting her brother, Jacob, at his best friend’s lake cottage. After being mistaken for a trespasser, Josie is detained in the back of a police car where she develops heat exhaustion. If that isn’t annoying enough, Jacob offers Josie an amount of money she can’t refuse to spend the summer helping his best friend, Wyatt, heal from an injury. Wyatt is a professional hockey player and Jacob is not only his best friend but also his agent and Wyatt needs to be ready for the next season. Josie hates athletes and does not like Wyatt at all! But, she could buy a new house with the money her brother is willing to pay her. So, after a few rough days getting adjusted to their new living arrangement, Wyatt takes Josie out to sail the inter coastal waterways where their living arrangement becomes even more cramped. By the end of the summer this ‘grumpy-sunshine’ duo just may fall in love.

This was really cute and I always love a story that takes place on a boat. I loved the little rescue dog, Jib, and all her cute sailer outfits! This has no spice and no language so you can share this one with your mom :)

The audio narration was fantastic performed by Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller.

Thank you Netgalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio, and the author for this ALC in exchange for my honest review. This book is available now

Emma St. Clair returns to the hockey well and once again delivers another heartfelt romance. School nurse Josie thought she was headed for a summer vacation with her brother, but when she arrive her her brother isn’t there. Instead she finds Wyatt, her brother’s best friend and client, a hockey player who she can’t stand. Wyatt is recovering from an injury and hasn’t been taking care of himself and Josie’s brother wants her to look after him and makes her an offer she can’t refuse. Josie always thought Wyatt hated her. Little does she know he’s secretly always been crazy about her and as she spends time helping nurse him back to health, Josie begins to wonder if she’s been wrong. Lovable characters, a fun dog, and a fair amount of heart make this one another winner. Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller both do excellent jobs with the audio narration. Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for an advanced copy of the audio version of If All Else Sails.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R2HVFIX0QE67NO/ref=pe_123899240_1043597390_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I liked the story. Well written.

However, i feel like it jumped around a little and would have been better as a short story.
Still very good listen while driving.

I loved If All Else Sails! Josie and Wyatt were such a fun grumpy-sunshine pair with great banter and real emotional depth. I also loved the nods to the Appies hockey franchise and the hilarious Savannah Bananas mention—it made the story feel so fresh and connected. A sweet, funny, and heartwarming romance that I couldn’t put down!

I was lucky enough to get both the ARC and ALC of this book so I was able to do an immersive reading experience.
Grumpy hockey players, enemies, and brother's best friend three of my favorite tropes!
This is such a perfect closed door summer romance for someone looking for that to end the summer reading season.

The narrators of the audiobook were AWESOME.

Thank you to Zondervan Fiction Audio and Thomas Nelson.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫(3.5)

Sent to a crumbling cottage instead of a sibling getaway, Josie finds herself stuck with Wyatt—a grumpy, injured hockey player, sworn enemy, and her brother’s best friend. Forced to help his recovery and sail the coast together, their tense partnership shifts as cabin-fever banter turns tender. Could hate-to-love finally set sail?

A breezy audio—and not just because of the coastal high winds (we don’t hop on the boat until over halfway through)—but because Josie’s frustrations are relatable and Wyatt’s pining is sweet. I didn’t hate anything about their story, but I also didn’t find much that felt special. They’re both kind of ordinary, and the unfolding of their relationship felt routine—making this an excellent audiobook to put on in the background while breezing through chores or errands.

If you're a fan of the Appies hockey series, a couple of players make a special appearance! And though there aren’t any text threads, I’m sure you’ll still grin like I did when their comedic personalities surface.

I highly recommend this story for anyone who loves when a secret softie can’t escape his best friend’s caretaking sister. Cheeky tension is Emma’s love language, so you won’t be disappointed on that front.

Andi Arndt is a masterful Josie. And while Patrick Zeller is a prolific narrator—and it’s a well-deserved title—I’m not sure he was right for Wyatt. I love his animation and style, but it sounded a bit mature for Wyatt’s grumpy athlete persona.

Thank you Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio @netgalley for the ALC 🥰

Perfect for you if you like:
Sailing/coastal settings
Cheeky/clean tension
Reluctant roommates/caretaking
Grumpy athletes with a soft side

Similar to:
The Love Haters by Katherine Center
Swept Away by Beth O’Leary
Love in Tandem by Becca Kinzer

⛔️closed door romance (kisses only)
⚠️SA (in the past; brief mention), sports injury, strained familiar relationships

What a cute, great summer read! Although described as enemies to lovers, I felt it was more miscommunication and close proximity than anything else. But the banter, chemistry and slow burn were done so well. I loved the characters, their self awareness, their growth, their interactions. I thought the descriptions and pace were well done. I enjoyed the different POV and how they were tied together so well and seamlessly. It made it so easy to understand the FMC and MMC. Josie finds herself spending her summer caring for her brother's best friend, Wyatt, who is recovering from an injury. As time goes on, she discovers that Wyatt is more than the cranky guy he presents - will spending time on a sailboat end with a kiss or a new enemy? Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

In this enemies-to-lovers romance, school nurse Josie is tricked by her brother Jacob into spending the summer at a rundown Virginia cottage with none other than Wyatt Jacobs, her sworn enemy and brother’s best friend. Tasked with helping the grumpy, injured hockey player recover from an injury, Josie reluctantly agrees. Forced to share space and navigate old grudges, an unexpected chemistry while on a sailing trip to scatter ashes, turns their tense dynamic into an affectionate one. As secrets surface and walls come down, Josie realizes there’s more to Wyatt than she ever expected. Love might be on the horizon... if they survive the summer.

4 stars!

Coming off of two 5-star reads in Wild Dark Shore and Atmosphere (and a DNF with Great Big Beautiful Life), I didn't know what to expect with this story and I have to say that it was LOVELY. Josie is friendly and full of joy, while Wyatt is a man of few words. They are a true grumpy/sunshine pair and it creates the most real and honest slow burn, as they live together in a "quaint little murder cottage" and on his uncle's sailboat (and with a surprise little family member)!

I mostly listened to this book on audio via NetGalley. Andi Arndt voices Josie and Patrick Zeller voices Wyatt. I thought Andi did an excellent job of capturing Josie's voice and pulling the listener into the story. I had a tougher time with Patrick as Wyatt, as some parts seemed emotionally extreme or excessive and his voice a touch too old for the young, buff athlete I was picturing; however, all in all, I enjoyed listening to this story and it gave me EmHen and Sarah Adams vibes.

Best for readers of:
- Enemies-to-lovers
- Brother's best friend
- Forced proximity
- Grumpy x sunshine
- Slow burn chemistry
- Low spice/closed door

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and UpLit Reads for the early and gifted copy of this summery rom-com, which is out and available now!

🤍⛵️ Wyatt Made My Heart Sail Away ⛵️🤍

Thank you @bookedwiththeemilys and @thomasnelson for the #gifted copies of "If All Else Sails"

Screaming happy pub day to @kikimojo ! This was my first book by you & it will certainly not be the last soooo Emma St. Clair fans, please hit me recommendations in the comments.

This was the perfect read for me. A hockey player, a cute fur friend, vacationing in an ocean and grumpy sunshine. Swoony sigh. Thinking about this story again makes me so happy.

I'm officially adopting Wyatt into my top ten book boyfriends of 2025 because he is just everything. He has it bad for Josie & it will make you weep happy tears. The small things he did for her throughout the pages.... he literally made her feel like a princess at all times. *Inaudible squealing*

My absolute favorite thing about this is the H I L A R I O U S B A N T E R between Josie & Wyatt. The verbal sparring is incredibly humorous. I caught myself audibly wheezing all the time.

The small moments that Emma wrote really melted my heart. The spontaneous shopping spree that Josie & Wyatts mom had will live rent-free in my head. Everything about it was so touching. But believe me, that's not the only moment where you'll catch happy tears forming in your eyes while reading.

🎧 I never have a problem with an earball experience that has dual narration....bUtTtTTt I was not a hugggeee fan of the male narrator. His female voice was cringe-worthy & I was not sold on his regular style of narrating. He just wasn't for me. On the plus side, I could have listened to Andi Arndt read me books forever. I think eyeball reading might be a better option for this one.

⛵️ Hockey Player x Elementary School Nurse
🤍 Grumpy x Sunshine
🐶 A Sweet Fur Baby with Outfits
⛵️ Brothers Best Friend
🤍 She Thinks He Hates Her (She's so WRONG)
🐶 Caretaking
⛵️ Forced Proximity
🤍 The PERFECT Summer Read
🐶 Closed Door

Oh my goodness, what a treat! The banter, the tension, the fever dream declarations, the hilarious predicaments—this book was just a grumpy/sunshine, forced-proximity delight. I laughed, I swooned, and I loved that a couple of Appies characters snuck in for a bit too. It’s a perfect summer read!
TW: Mild Depression, Past Loss of Parental Figure (Off Page)

5 ⭐️ for the story, 4 ⭐️ for the narration
The female narrator was great, the male narrator has a great voice but his volume and inflection changes fluctuated a lot and made it a little jarring at some points and impossible to listen on anything past 1.5 speed (I normally listen at 2x’s speed to everything).

🛟AUDIOBOOK REVIEW🛟
Happy publishing day to If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair! Thank you to @Netgalley for providing me the eARC and ALC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

RN Josie is meeting her brother Jacob for their not-quite-annual Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza, but she instead finds herself at what she calls a Creepy Murder Cottage with his grouchy professional hockey playing best friend, Wyatt. He is injured (read: extra crabby) and Jacob, who is also Wyatt’s agent, needs a big favor from Josie. Cue fever flirting, interesting Cool Whip container contents, a fashionable dog, one bed and its less romantic counterpart, one bathroom. This is a cute romance, and the author knows how to write funny as well as swoony lines. It was fun seeing characters from A Groom of One’s Own and Runway Bride and Prejudice make cameos.

I recommend reading the book or ebook for this one. Narrator Andi Arndt was great, but I had problems with new-to-me Patrick Zeller. His female voice wasn’t great which isn’t all that uncommon and we are used to forgiving narrators for this. I had a problem with his fluctuating volume. He would go from a whisper to a scream in a sentence, and the volumes between Arndt and Zeller were different. This could be an audio engineering problem and could very well be solved before publication.

4/5 stars
11 hours 2 minutes at 1x on audio
Closed door, as is the proud norm for this author
Location: Fredericksburg. Kilmarnock, Virginia. Other places.