FIRST OF ALL: thank you SO very much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC copy of this book! This was my very first Mia Sheridan book and it won’t be my last.

Now, onto my review. Overall I’d give the experience of reading this book somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars. Rounding up to four because I adored the characters and the ending so much. And…

I finished it!!!! I felt like I was never going to make it to the end of this story.

Okay, let me start out by saying this book hooked me from the first moment I stared reading! I was fully invested in Emily & Tuck and thought it was so charming and different.

And then the plane crash happened and I was just like what… just happened?!

Maybe it was my fault because I went into this story 100% blindly (I don’t like spoilers) but I in no way/shape/form thought I would be reading a story about a post-apocalyptic event. Like, at all. So I was really thrown?

And then I think the pacing was just weird for me without my being able to put my finger on it. Things seemed to drag on that maybe I wouldn’t have cared to focus on.

BUT! I never wavered from adoring Tuck and Emily! I really loved the characters in this story. Their slow burn was scrumptious!!!!!! I was so damn happy when Charlie exited the picture! And this book kept me guessing, that’s for sure!! I couldn’t figure out what was going to happen next from moment to moment.

To refresh— I loved the beginning and adored the ending… it’s the long middle of the book I struggled with. The characters are so wonderful; they are going to stay with me for a long time. And truly the story was unique! I say give this book a shot after fully reading the description — if it sounds like something you’d like then give it a go.

This was exactly what i expected, a second chance, childhood friends love journey. Plus a total blackout that has them fighting for their lives, very intriguing. The characters are likable and relatable throughout the book. I appreciate the dual POV and enjoyed the time jumps in the beginning they set up the foundation for the main characters really well. Though the plot was well executed overall, I think the ending was too simple. I wish it would have been more flushed out, for it being 400+ pages I think the journey should have been cut sooner to get adequate closure.

I was immediately drawn to this book by the emotional weight of Tuck and Emily’s story. I found their journey from childhood friends to estranged adults incredibly compelling, and I couldn’t wait to see how their lives would intertwine after all these years apart. I loved how their reunion felt both fiery and tender, as their banter and unresolved emotions leapt off the page. As I read about Emily’s glamorous yet vulnerable world as a pop sensation and Tuck’s struggle to rebuild his life after prison, I found myself rooting for both of them to find redemption. When the solar flare hit, I felt a palpable shift in the story’s tone. I was completely immersed in the chaotic, post-apocalyptic landscape and captivated by how it tested their resilience. What resonated most with me was the emotional depth of their connection. I felt the bitterness and heartbreak they carried, but I also saw the warmth and hope that slowly rekindled between them. Overall, I was deeply moved by this book.

This book gave me a perfect mix of romance, tension, and high stakes, set against a fascinating backdrop of both sunlit California and a darkened world without power. I left the story feeling inspired by its messages of resilience, love, and finding light even in the darkest moments.

"Amid the sun-drenched orange groves of California, childhood friends Tuck Mattice and Emily Swanson shared a bond that seemed unbreakable—until life ripped them apart.

But when a cataclysmic solar flare disrupts the electrical grid, society is suddenly plunged into chaos and darkness. For Emily, the familiar comforts of fame and fortune crumble, but for Tuck, this stark new reality could be the chance he needs to finally prove himself. As they come to terms with all they've lost and the bitterness that's kept them apart, they must find their way back to one another and discover a new place, under the sun."

Heart Of The Sun was a deep dive into the reality of what could happen at any time. To me Tuck and Emily's story took back stage to the real story of surviving an event like a complete failure of the grid. And honestly I was here for it. The devastation, confusion, survival and hope were all present.

This was my first Mia Sheridan novel and I will definitely be adding more to my shelves. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this great story.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!

I really enjoyed this! I wouldnt say it was a second chance in my opinion because they never started before, BUT its a really wonderful old connection romance.

I loved the dystopian touch. I actually hadnt read a dystopian story before and this one was good. It felt very true to how those types of changes would affect people’s psyche and dynamics.

Another hit for Mia!

I wasn't sure what to expect with this one, but I enjoyed it. Tuck and Emily were childhood friends. Tuck lost his mom and was handed hardship upon hardship in the years that followed. Bad decisions led him to prison. Emily was a talented singer and became famous and in need of security. Tuck needed a job and got one thanks to Emily's mom prodding Emily to hire Tuck. Emily, her boyfriend Charlie, and Tuck are in a plane crash when a solar flare puts the world in chaos. They survive the crash thanks to the pilot's maneuvers and set out to find their way back to California. The story of survival starts here. Tuck is the reason they survive. Charlie is absolutely useless. Emily learns a lot about her self on this journey and falls for Tuck. Once Charlie is out of the picture, Tuck and Emily grow closer and make it back to California. The thought of any of this actually happening is pretty terrifying. I'm a typical romance reader, so the survival story dragged a bit for me, but the love of Tuck and Emily was a good read.

Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan

4.25/5⭐️
1/3🌶️ (spice)
2/3🦋 (swoon)

•My Thoughts•
Do I kind of have the desire to become a prepper now? Why yes, I do. This was absolutely fascinating. I haven’t read many dystopian stories but you better believe I will now! It’s a very cool cross between the “known of our world” contemporary and a kind of fantasy as the author imagines what it would look like if some huge event changed EVERYTHING.

I love the way Mia looks at humanity in this book and how we see the good and the ugly in a newly lawless world. Tuck and Emily’s story was mesmerizing and I loved how they each got a second chance at being a better version of themselves but also together. I do wish that *even* more of their romance was developed and shown on page but between the chaos and and their history, I still absolutely enjoyed the book immensely. If you’re looking for something different with lots of action, a dive into the gritty side of humanity and a sweet romance, please please considering giving this one a try! This book only solidifies that Mia Sheridan is an author that I need more of in my life.

Thank you so much to Mia Sheridan, Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This review will post to my Instagram page in the next few weeks and is up on Goodreads and StoryGraph (all linked below)

This book gives me the vibe of the walking dead or The Last of Us just without the undead creatures, but the end of the world vibe with romance mixed in.
What would happen in a world without electricity? It's scary to think about because everything relies so heavy on it. I liked the book. Childhood friends who who lost contact due to life circumstances reunited after years apart only one became famous and the other became a felon. They need to help each other survive a possible apocalypse.

Sheridan is hit or miss for me because she often writes about young twenty-something’s whose lives are overly dramatic and full of angsty whining. Those are the books of hers that I skim through or skip. Sometimes she has great romances that are engaging and full of great plot and character. Those are the books I really enjoy. Heart of the Sun is the former, and aside from the whiny, unlikable Emily in the first half of the book, the brief allusion to a solar flare and speculative situation did not really correctly reflect the whole collapse of civilization and survivor storyline. That’s not my typical go-to, but I forged ahead because I thought surely there would be some redemption. This book could’ve been 20% shorter with less whiny introspection and it would’ve been so much better. Sadly, it’s a miss for me.

Reviewed for A Wanton Book Lover Blog

Heart of the Sun is quite a bit different from Mia Sheridan's previous books. It still has romantic elements, and the story of a second chance at love, but the setting is in a post-apocalyptic world at odds with each other, focusing on their own security and survival. Tuck and Emily were close growing up. Although Tucker was a little older, he and Emily lived on neighboring orchard farms and were good friends due to location and the fact that their parents were best-friends too. But when death trickles into Tuck's life, poor choices are made, and Tuck's own willingness to help anyone out, results in him ending up in the jail, gone is the boy that once had hopes and dreams and what is left is a jaded, cynical young man desperate for a job which is how he ends up back in Emily's life. Emily always had a beautiful voice and loved to sing. Her career is beginning to take off, she is dating one of Hollywood's leading actors, and the crazy fans are starting to come out of the walls, so she needs security: enter Tuck as security. Emily is not fond of this older version of Tuck but when she finds herself in what is quickly looking like the "new" world is, there is no other person she'd rather be with.
As I stated, this isn't what I think of as Mia's typical romance story. Yes, there is some romance and attraction between Tuck and Emiy but there is also a lot of focus on the rebuilding of their relationship, how Tuck is navigating this new world in which they find themselves in the middle of (and how he learned these things). This story also focuses on how the world would function and how people would respond when the normal life as we know it is no longer how it is. A very eye opening story. It took me a while to get into it but once I did, I enjoyed it enough to see where this journey was going to take Tuck and Emily and their relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for Heart of the Sun!

In some way I connected deeply with the male main characters upbringing. Tuck held on to the story of his grandfather and the idea that he was to follow in his steps. After a tragic loss a domino affect causes Tucks future to go downhill once the dominos pause so does his futures certainty.

The plot was oh so sweet and daunting I couldn’t get enough of it. I got to scratch a dystopian itch in my brain that I didn’t know was in need of my attention. If you enjoy a good romance with spice and an absolutely gorgeous plot and a some unexpected action packed please pick up Heart of the Sun!!

This one was so-so for me. It was an interesting combo of romance and dystopian, which I don’t think I’ve really read together. Looks like lots are loving it, which is great, but I don’t think it was really my style.

You can never go wrong with Mia Sheridan. She knows how to captivate an audience and tell a story in such a beautiful way. This book was absolutely perfect.

I love this author, which is why I requested this book. While I typically do not read this genre often (dystopian), I found this author was able to intertwine a love story that could be viable, with the reality of a desolate "new world." As an environmentalist and true Taurus, this book further inspires my journey to become more self-sustaining and increasing our abilities to live off the grid if necessary. Hear of the Sun allowed me space to delve deeper into humanity, while it can certainly be dark, I was hopeful and thankful for the positivity that was found amongst some of the travelers in the book. The book made me question, who am I? What would I do under similar circumstances? Who would I feel safe with amongst my company of friends and/or family? Would I be able to survive? How would I protect and save my family? I loved this book for the fantasy aspects, but appreciated the true nature of what could someday be a reality. I would recommend this book! Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review it!

I give this book 3.5 stars and rounded up. My word of advice is to not go into this book expecting a romance. The romance aspect of this book does not start until about 70% of the way through. This is more of a post apocalyptic world where solar flares destroyed all the power grids, and the characters journey home after surviving a plane crash.

I really enjoyed the beginning of the book and the last 30% of the book. The middle got a little repetitive and boring for me. It was just the same thing, different place on their journey home across the country. It is well written and enjoyable. I would recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy.

Honestly not my favorite mia Sheridan book. I feel like this should’ve been two separate books cutesy romance & then a dystopian novel. I did enjoy both the cutesy romance parts and the dystopian parts but I felt like they didn’t mesh together. I do LOVE Mia Sheridans writing and am excited for books in the future by her. I probably still will purchase this book for my shelves because although it wasn’t my favorite I still had a fun time reading!

This is not your "normal" romance book.

We start off seeing Emily and Tuck's childhood, and slowly start to see how their personalities are shaped.
Right when you're wondering "how is this going to develop" BAM. dystopian society. It quickly turns from a romance book to almost like science fiction.
Personally, I loved seeing the aspect of seeing them develop their childhood friends-ish, to enemies, to lovers all while the world is chaos around them.
Do not go into this book thinking it is anything like Archer's Voice (my personal favorite), this is a completely different universe but I love the characters all the same. These characters are well thought out because even though one is a famous celebrity, it for sure makes you think "how would a "normal" person handle situations like these"
There were moments where my heart was racing, where I was stressed, and moments I even teared up. If you like science fiction or "end of the world" type of scenarios this is FOR SURE a romance you need to get into. It has so much plot with romance, but this is a slowwww burn.

Thank you to Netgalley and The Hive/HTP Books for the ARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I could not get into this book. It felt long, dramatic and I did not connect to any of the characters. I thought this story had potential but I didn’t enjoy the writing. I was bummed because I have LOVED all of Mia’s other books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC copy of this book. I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I honestly did not read what it was about just saw who the author was and wanted to read it because I loved her book “Archer’s Voice”. This book is very different from that but so well written. It is an amazing reminder of how much we rely on things like electricity and grocery stores and everything around us to survive. A lot of us would be completely helpless if there was an actual solar flare like this in real life. The characters in this book faced a lot of struggles and hardships. But I feel like this book gave a pretty accurate description for what would actually happen in this situation, unlike a lot of similar types of stories have extremely unrealistic things happen. It is a long read but definitely worth it, I will be recommending it to friends!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I do feel this book can be misclassifed as romance. It does have hits on romance, but this book includes sci-fi themes. I have never read anything by this author but this one has caught my attention.