Emma St. Clair’s latest contemporary romance, If All Else Sails, proves that the best love stories emerge not from perfect circumstances, but from the messy, complicated realities of two people learning to trust again. This enemies-to-lovers tale transcends typical romance conventions by weaving together themes of healing, family dysfunction, and the courage required to rebuild your life after trauma.
When school nurse Josie arrives at what she believes will be her annual sibling adventure, she instead finds herself face-to-face with Wyatt Jacobs—professional hockey player, her brother’s best friend, and the man she’s considered her sworn enemy for years. What unfolds is a beautifully crafted story that examines how our deepest wounds often become the very places where love takes root.
Character Development That Feels Authentic
Josie’s Journey of Reclaiming Agency
St. Clair demonstrates remarkable sensitivity in portraying Josie’s healing journey from a past assault. Rather than using trauma as mere plot device, the author shows how healing isn’t linear—how someone can appear functional on the surface while struggling with invisible barriers to intimacy and trust. Josie’s reluctance to pursue romantic relationships and her tendency to diminish her own trauma because “it could have been worse” feels painfully real.
The author’s decision to make Josie a school nurse proves inspired. Her professional competence in caring for others contrasts beautifully with her struggle to care for herself emotionally. When she finds herself literally nursing Wyatt back to health, the parallel becomes a vehicle for exploring how we often find it easier to tend others’ wounds than our own.
Wyatt’s Complex Masculinity
Wyatt Jacobs could have easily fallen into the brooding athlete stereotype, but St. Clair crafts a more nuanced character. His injury—ironically sustained playing disc golf rather than hockey—becomes a metaphor for how life’s most devastating blows often come from unexpected directions. The author skillfully portrays his depression and self-sabotage without romanticizing mental health struggles.
Particularly compelling is Wyatt’s relationship with his late uncle Tom, whose ashes he’s meant to scatter during their sailing journey. This subplot adds emotional weight beyond the central romance, exploring themes of grief, legacy, and finding family in unexpected places.
The Sailing Metaphor That Actually Sails
More Than Just a Picturesque Setting
The Intracoastal Waterway serves as far more than romantic backdrop. St. Clair, drawing from personal family experiences, creates an authentic maritime atmosphere that becomes integral to the story’s emotional arc. The unpredictability of sailing mirrors the uncertainty both characters face in opening their hearts again.
The technical sailing details never overwhelm the narrative, but they add credibility and immersion. Readers will finish this book with genuine appreciation for both the beauty and challenges of coastal sailing, as well as a desire to explore the Chesapeake Bay region themselves.
Jib: The Four-Legged Scene-Stealer
Uncle Tom’s tiny dog Jib deserves special mention. Far from being mere comic relief, this little terrier serves as an emotional bridge between Wyatt and Josie. Her ridiculous outfits (including a tutu that needs dry cleaning) provide levity, while her fierce loyalty demonstrates the healing power of unconditional love.
St. Clair’s Signature Style Evolves
Humor That Heals
Emma St. Clair has always excelled at witty banter, but in If All Else Sails, her humor serves a deeper purpose. The comedy emerges organically from character interactions rather than feeling forced. Particularly effective are the scenes featuring Josie’s horror at grocery store inefficiency and Wyatt’s deadpan responses to her sailing terminology enthusiasm.
The “attack pigs” subplot—inspired by the author’s real family experiences—provides genuine laugh-out-loud moments while serving as metaphor for life’s absurd interruptions when you’re trying to have serious conversations.
Emotional Depth Without Melodrama
St. Clair handles heavy subject matter with remarkable restraint. The revelation of Josie’s assault is never exploitative, and Wyatt’s family dysfunction unfolds gradually rather than through exposition dumps. The author trusts her readers to understand emotional complexity without over-explaining every feeling.
Minor Currents Against the Flow
Pacing Concerns in the Middle Third
While the setup and resolution shine, the middle portion occasionally feels becalmed. Some of the daily sailing routine descriptions, though authentic, slow narrative momentum. The physical therapy scenes, while important for character development, sometimes feel repetitive.
Secondary Character Development
Jacob, Josie’s brother and the architect of their forced cohabitation, remains somewhat underdeveloped. Given his central role in both characters’ lives, more exploration of his motivations would strengthen the story. Similarly, Wyatt’s family dynamics, particularly with his brother Peter, feel incomplete despite their obvious importance to his character.
The “Miracle” Recovery Arc
While Wyatt’s emotional healing feels authentic, his physical recovery progresses almost too smoothly once he commits to therapy. Real recovery from both Lisfranc injuries and depression typically involves more setbacks than portrayed here.
Themes That Resonate Beyond Romance
Holding Patterns and Forward Motion
The novel’s dedication “To anyone who is stuck in a holding pattern” perfectly captures its central theme. Both protagonists have been treading water emotionally—Josie since her assault, Wyatt since his injury. Their journey together becomes about finding the courage to move forward despite uncertainty about the destination.
Family of Choice vs. Family of Origin
St. Clair explores how biological family can wound while chosen family heals. Wyatt’s relationship with Uncle Tom contrasts sharply with his complicated family dynamics, while Josie finds maternal warmth in Wyatt’s mother that she’s never experienced with her own parents.
Technical Craftsmanship
Dialogue That Sparkles
The conversations between Josie and Wyatt feel natural and revealing. Their verbal sparring gradually transforms from genuine antagonism to affectionate teasing, marking clear emotional progression. St. Clair has a gift for subtext—much of the important emotional work happens in what characters don’t say directly.
Sensory Writing That Transports
The author’s descriptions of sailing create genuine sensory immersion. Readers will feel the sun on their faces, taste the salt air, and experience the unique rhythm of life aboard a small sailboat. These details never overwhelm the emotional story but enhance its impact.
Comparison to St. Clair’s Previous Work
For readers familiar with St. Clair’s earlier novels, If All Else Sails represents a maturation in both emotional complexity and thematic ambition. While maintaining her signature humor and chemistry, she tackles heavier subjects with increased sophistication. The author’s MFA in Fiction shows in tighter plotting and more nuanced character development.
This novel feels like a spiritual successor to Christina Lauren’s The Unhoneymooners or Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation—contemporary romances that use humor and compelling characters to explore deeper emotional truths about healing and second chances.
Perfect Recommendations for Fellow Readers
Readers who enjoy If All Else Sails should seek out:
- “The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida” by Shehan Karunatilaka – for complex character development
- “Beach Read” by Christina Lauren – for humor blended with emotional healing
- “The Unhoneymooners” by Christina Lauren – for enemies-to-lovers execution
- “People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry – for friendship-to-love dynamics
- “The Spanish Love Deception” by Elena Armas – for academic setting meets romance
Final Verdict: A Romance That Stays Afloat
If All Else Sails succeeds as both satisfying romance and thoughtful exploration of healing. St. Clair has crafted characters whose growth feels earned rather than convenient, set against a backdrop that enhances rather than decorates their story. While not without minor flaws, this novel offers the perfect escape for readers seeking emotional depth alongside romantic satisfaction.
The book’s greatest strength lies in its honest portrayal of how love doesn’t fix trauma but can provide safe harbor for the healing journey. Josie and Wyatt’s relationship develops with patience and authenticity that makes their eventual happiness feel both inevitable and hard-won.
For romance readers seeking stories that honor both heart and healing, If All Else Sails charts a course worth following. St. Clair proves that sometimes the best destinations are the ones we never planned to visit—and the best companions are the ones we never expected to trust with our hearts.