REVIEW: If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair: A chilled summer getaway with her sibling was just what Josie had been dreaming about… getting tricked into helping nurse her brother’s grumpy best friend recover from a bad injury not so much, especially seeing as Wyatt is enemy number one in Josie’s book. Between being stuck in Wyatt’s cabin in the middle of nowhere and bickering with him constantly, Josie learns that Wyatt is extra grumpy because he had planned on doing a sailing trip to Savannah to spread his uncles ashes that was before he ended up getting injured. Which is how she finds herself volunteering to be his first mate on this mini sailing mission which definitely does not have smooth waters with the way they bicker. But somewhere between the bickering, unexpected heart to hearts and a bikini wearing dog, this slow burn tension between them begins to change into something neither of them expected, the question is can these two navigate these new choppy waves?

I went into this book thinking that I’d get a light, easy romcom with the usual grumpy meets sunshine setup and while it was funny and charming, If All Else Sails really surprised me with how emotionally layered it turned out to be. This was a slow burn read in the best way possible. We really got to feel the deep sense of grief and guardedness that these two faced, but we also got to bask in their slow and quiet journey to happily ever after. Truly Josie and Wyatt were two darlings that I loved getting to follow as they navigated some choppy waters to find their version of smooth sailing.

Oh I loved our girl Josie. While she was all sunshine and happy vibes on the outside, she was actually still dealing with her past trauma that caused her to be so guarded, especially when it came to athletes. The more we got to know her and got to see her character slowly begin to unwrap the more it became clear that she has been carrying around this heavy weight of always keeping everyone together. I loved getting to see her let go of this weight and actually go from always being the caregiver to allowing herself to be seen, even if that means she isn’t all put together. This is exactly why I loved our hero, Wyatt, he truly saw Josie and wasn’t afraid to give her the space she needed. Wyatt for the most part was your typical grumpy on the outside but actually a total marshmallow on the inside hockey player. He two is trying to work through his emotions to do with his injury, his grief and really just felling out of sorts. What I loved about Wyatt was that he was so aware of himself and this made his journey so beautiful.

I just loved the build up between Josie and Wyatt. Truly there is just something that always melts my heart when it comes to a slow burn romance and with these two the slow build up really allows them to challenge each other but also affords them that safe space to open up. I just ate up their ever simmering banter and the way they could just rile each other up in an instant. The slow build up between these two really helped make their connection feel more real, while at first there is awkwardness and then a bit of tension, it is easy to feel things shift between these two and getting to see them help each other grow and open. I really liked that Josie kind of forces Wyatt to learn how to open up, while he challenges her to slow things down. These two just work and I loved getting to follow them on their journey. I absolutely have to take a moment to mention Jibb, this cute little pup just added such a sweet element to the book. I loved how she fixed into their sailing journey like a true seasoned sailor with her frilly little doggie bikini.

All in all I really loved reading If All Else Sails, this was so much more than simply a cute slow burn, sunshine meets grump romcom, this was a story of the slow quiet journey to healing and finding happiness. If you are looking for a book that is filled with heart but also loads of laughs then this is a definite must read!

Book Info:

Publication: August 5, 2025 | Thomas Nelson |

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.