Josie is a school nurse who wants to buy a house, so when her brother asks her to help nurse his client and best friend, ice hockey player Wyatt, during the summer break, she is open to the suggestion … once she’s recovered from being arrested detained and negotiated an appropriate fee.
If All Else Sails ticks all the trope boxes.
Sports romance (Wyatt is a successful professional ice hockey player).
Forced proximity (Josie’s brother basically bribes her to stay with the injured Wyatt and ensure he heals).
Grumpy-sunshine (even if Wyatt’s grumpiness is mostly a result of his ability to unfailingly say the wrong thing).
Big misunderstanding (Josie thinks Wyatt doesn’t like her).
Unrequited love (Wyatt loves her).
Slow-burn romance (which means the will-they-won’t-they is the main plot and there isn’t any irritating third-act breakup.)
It’s billed as enemies to lovers, but that’s only half true.
While Josie has loathed Wyatt almost since the day they met, Wyatt has been harbouring a secret crush for just as long.
The story is written in first person point of view, which means it’s important to read the chapter headers to stay on track with which character we’re reading about. I do find first person allows me to get into the heads of the characters and really get to know them, and I loved that. It gave the story a unique and fun voice.
If All Else Fails is one of the few novels I’ve read in recent years which actually has chapter names, and where those chapter names add to the story rather than providing spoilers.
I particularly loved the slow-burn aspect of the romance, the way their relationship developed slowly and naturally. Seeing Wyatt’s point of view was great, because it added tension (whereas Josie’s scenes mostly added comedy).
The only possible criticism is that there isn’t a Christian faith arc, something which has become more the norm than the exception for books from Thomas Nelson.
Recommended for rom-com fans who love witty banter and all the tropes.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
About If All Else Sails
In this enemies-to-lovers romance, school nurse Josie and her brother’s best friend–hockey player Wyatt Jacobs–are tricked into spending a summer together that’s anything but smooth sailing.
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.
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About Emma St. Clair
Emma St. Clair is a USA TODAY bestselling author who loves sassy heroines, witty banter, and love stories with heart and humor. Her books have sizzling chemistry while keeping the bedroom door closed. She has an MFA in Fiction and lives in Katy, TX (go Tigers!), with her hubby, five children, and Great Dane. Her favorite place to write is tapping on her phone while on the elliptical machine. No Emmas have been hurt in the writing of these novels (yet).
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