First, let me say I loved this book and haven’t been able to get it out of my head since the minute I finished. The characters and their situation felt so real, I’m struggling to process that it was just a book. Also, I am now hoarding water bottles.

Other than that, I don’t know how to review it without seriously spoiling it, so I’ll keep it short and highlight the most important things to know when deciding whether to read or buy this one:
- Heart of the Sun is an apocalyptic work of speculative fiction that was 5% what I expected and 95% “WTF”. While it features a love story and some romance elements, labeling it a romance is misleading.
- Read the TWs — there’s a lot of violence in this book.
- The middle dragged a little and could have been tightened without losing impact.

That said, I really enjoyed it and do recommend it to those who enjoy apocalyptic stories.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

As a fan of second-chance romance, I was excited for this book—it promised childhood best friends torn apart by life, only to be thrown back together in an intense, high-stakes setting. And while there were some aspects I really enjoyed, I ultimately found myself wanting more from both the romance and the plot.

The setup was compelling: Emily, now a famous pop star, needs protection, and Tuck, a former convict trying to rebuild his life, becomes her unlikely bodyguard. Their history is palpable from the start, and I enjoyed their fiery banter and the push-pull dynamic between them. The tension of their unresolved past, mixed with their undeniable chemistry, made for some great moments of slow-burn romance. However, while their rekindled connection had potential, I felt like their emotional development was somewhat lacking. There were glimpses of deep feelings, but the story often glossed over key moments that could have made their journey back to each other feel richer and more impactful.

The twist with the solar flare taking down the electrical grid added an interesting survivalist element to the story, shifting it from a standard second-chance romance into something much bigger. However, this aspect felt somewhat underdeveloped. The book introduces a post-apocalyptic scenario but doesn’t fully dive into the chaos or stakes of such a drastic shift. Emily’s struggle with losing her fame and privilege had potential, and Tuck’s ability to navigate the new world could have been a great way to showcase his growth, but I felt like these elements were touched upon rather than explored in depth.

I also wished for a stronger resolution between Emily and Tuck. While I enjoyed the second-chance romance aspect, their transition from past hurt to present love felt rushed in some places. There was plenty of tension, but I wanted more meaningful conversations and deeper emotional moments to make their reunion feel truly earned.

Overall, this was an interesting mix of second-chance romance, childhood friends-to-lovers, and survival drama. While the premise was engaging and the chemistry was there, I found myself wishing for more depth in both the romance and the world-building. Fans of slow-burn romance and forced proximity tropes may still enjoy this one, but it didn’t quite hit the emotional highs I was hoping for.

I am a sucker for a survival/dystopian/post apocalyptic story and when you add romance into it? I'm sold. I was intrigued with this story right from the get go and I could not put it down. Tuck was amazing right from the start and I really loved him throughout the book. Emily grew on me over time and I think her character progression was done very well. I personally think that the ending was rather quickly done but I was happy with it in any regard. I really wish there were more dystopian love stories on the market but this one was just what I have been searching for!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I unfortunately dnf’d this read…I felt zero connection to the characters and story. This is such a different genre than her other books so I think I expected more of a love story rather than survival. Maybe I will try it again another time!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Heart of the basin by Mia Sheridan features Tuck and Emily, who are neighbors growing up in sunny California. Life rips them apart and they meet up again over a decade later. Tuck is security for Emily, who now goes by Nova when she performs as a singer.
A solar flare occurs one day while Emily and Tuck are mid-flight to New York City, rendering all electrical systems disarmed.
Surviving the plane crash was the least of the challenges they would face as they make their way by foot from Illinois back to Emily’s parent’s house in California.

We first get to know Tuck and Emily as childhood friends. Then years later after not seeing each other, Emily is a famous pop star and Tuck is hired as her bodyguard. They bicker and argue as time has changed both of them from who they used to be when they were younger. When a solar flare destroys the electrical grid, they lean on each other trying to survive in this new world.

What an incredible journey into the unknown. This book was so different from anything I've ever read before. I never knew what was going to happen next. It made me feel nervous at times yet it was also thrilling. I just kept thinking, what if this ever happened in real life? There was an intensity to it just wondering which direction the author was going to take things.

The progression of Emily and Tuck's love story was a slow burn. There was so much to navigate with their lives being completely different from what they could have ever imagined. But even still, that connection that formed when they were kids was always simmering. It grew into a passionate love and deep devotion to each other that I felt in my core. It was so beautiful how Emily's singing captured Tuck's heart.

Tuck would do absolutely anything to protect Emily. He was an honorable and strong man. I loved how Emily was fearless and determined to fight through anything that came their way. Deep down they knew each other in a way that no one else did.

I have read many Mia Sheridan books and unfortunately this did not hold my attention. While I loved Emily and Tuck finding each other again, the story line was extremely predictable.

Loved these characters and this plot! Definitely an enjoyable read!

Thank you NetGalley and Mia Sheridan!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Mia Sheridan, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Canary Street Press for this eARC!

I'll be honest - I was not expecting this book to be about a 3 week cross-country adventure through alarming dystopian landscapes and events. Overall, I enjoyed the story. I never knew quite what sticky situation was going to present itself next. Definitely a SLOW burn romance story - Tuck and Em are so cute! You-know-who was completely insufferable and I enjoyed the story much more after he was no longer around.

A couple favorite quotes
-"I wanted to keep those feelings in place because underneath them was the deepest attraction I'd ever felt for any woman and the knowledge that I'd loved her my whole life, and no matter what she did or who she was with, I always would."
-"But then, you see the boy you used to dream about, and even though you're years older and everything about you has changed, and even though you're in a town full of the most beautiful people on the planet earth, he still makes you feel the same way you did back then - even more - and part of you hates it so much, and part of you doesn’t at all."

3.5 stars!

This book was very different than your typical romance novel. I was excited to read it based on the synopsis: two childhood best friends are reconnected as adults, bodyguard (MMC) x popstar (FMC) trope, and then add in an apocalypse type event (solar flare) that adds in a dystopian element to your typical romance book. When the electrical grid in the US is destroyed and everything goes dark, our MCs are on a plane and end up crashing. When they stumble out of the woods, they are outside of Springfield, IL and spend the rest of the book trying to make it back home to LA.

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy it. The MMC was really the only character I enjoyed. The popstar FMC was pretty insufferable and I really dislike when the FMC is narrow minded and rude. By the end, there was some character development but not enough to make up for all the mistakes and actions she made in most of the novel.
The romance was sub-par at best, I felt absolutely no connection between the main characters. This was marketed as a second chance but they were only childhood friends/neighbors and by the time they were teenagers, they hated each other. I would’ve loved to see more flashbacks from their childhood relationships but unfortunately, we only received a handful of flashbacks in the beginning, not enough for me to form any real connection with the characters. To me, the flashbacks we received did not enhance their relationship in any way. This was also marketed as a slow burn (which i typically love), but this was just slow, there was no burn.

Since we barely received any romance or flashbacks, the author did spend a majority of the story focusing on the dystopian aspect. Again, I was excited for this, I love a good dystopian concept. However, this plot was also disjointed and boring. The survival aspect was boring and felt wannabe Walking Dead/Last of Us (sans zombies). As someone who loves The Walking Dead, I could only keep seeing plot holes with the author’s concept of the “end of the world”. For as much time as the main characters were forced to spend together, you would then think the romance would make sense, but it just felt forced.

I have read Archer’s Voice by this author and it is one of my favorite novels....this feels like it was wrote by a completely different author. Which after reading the acknowledgments, I saw that this was not even her idea and was provided the outline/concept of the story from Temple Hill. Overall, I was disappointed with this "love story".

Thank you to NetGalley, The Hive, and the author for the eARC!

I read this ARC through NetGalley. This is a wonderful story about childhood friends who reconnect later in life where Tuck has a chance for redemption from the mistakes he’s made in his life. Mia Sheridan does a great job describing the different types of people there are in the world and how they’d respond to a catastrophic event. I highly recommend!

Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan 3.5 ⭐️

Tuck + Emily

Second chance slow burn romance
Sci-fi
Dystopian
Apocalypse
Dual POV


“Where were you when the lights went out?”

Tuck and Emily have history. Childhood neighbors are turned adult coworkers after years apart. Emily is a singer/songwriter. Tuck is on parole after a 6-year stay in prison. Emily hires Tuck as her personal bodyguard before her first major tour. Before the tour can even begin, a solar flare takes out the North American power grid-possibly the entire planet’s power grid. Tuck, Emily, and her boyfriend Charlie are stranded in the Midwest after their plane crashed due to the plane’s system failure. Faced with of obstacles all kinds, the trio has to trek back to their home in LA.




There were a few REALLY good moments:

“We enjoyed an incredible dinner of vegetable stew and bread baked over the firepit, and for a brief few hours, the world felt almost normal, if a bit primitive. I’d spoken to Tuck earlier about appreciating the quiet. And the simple but delicious dinner with Tom and Jane and their boys made me realize too how little time I’d made to slow down and enjoy what was now so precious: good food, kind people, a feeling of safety, and later, a warm bed and walls surrounding me.”

“And I was surprised that that girl with the glamorous nails and luxurious hair extensions already felt so distant, the false parts of her dropped piece by piece on lonely back roads and in dewy fields as I was both lost…and somehow found.”

“This odd feeling of disbelief overcame me to know that so much healing could happen when you weren’t even paying attention. And I had this sudden appreciation for my body that I’d never had before. Not because of the way it looked or performed, but because of the way it could heal.”

This was unlike anything else I’ve read by Mia Sheridan. A romantic dystopian novel and honestly liked it more than I expected. I instantly gravitated towards Tuck and his story. But I have to admit for about 60% of the book I found Emily insufferable. The book focuses on the their journey back to Emily’s parents. I loved how Tuck stepped up and took care of Emily and made it his mission to get her home. Along the way she started to notice that Tuck was still the same person she fell in love with as a kid. The journey lead them to realizing how they always felt for one another.

I LOVEEEE Mia’s books. Literally such a big fan. Had the pleasure of meeting her twice at signing events. She’s sweet as pie, and a really talented writer. I was so excited for this, and I’m so thankful NetGalley approved me for the arc, but this was a bit disappointing. It didn’t even feel like Mia wrote it.

It has a super intriguing premise but the romance felt so disjointed, the plot pacing was inconsistent (slow for the majority of it and then way too fast towards the end), & the ending was a little underwhelming. It was lacking a little something. The whole story felt 2 dimensional.

Maybe this would be better as a movie or show. I actually got some “the walking dead” vibes from this (minus the zombies) with the whole end of the world element to this story. The parts which described how people were affected by the solar flare & collapse of society affected me most, because it felt like it could be real. Some scenes were borderline horror/thriller, and of course that got a reaction out of me. But I was bored with the majority of the book.

I still love Mia and will continue reading her backlist and taking a chance on her new releases, but this one wasn’t it.

I did read in the acknowledgment that she was given the idea for this story from Temple Hill Production Company, so maybe that’s why it doesn’t feel like her writing, because it wasn’t of her creation. It was lacking that heart and passion that’s in her other books that I love so much. This was fine though, just not great.

I loved what this book could have been. The premise was so interesting and I really liked the romance. Unfortunately, this book had huge pacing issues. Some parts of the story were so dragged out while other parts felt extremely rushed. I tend to struggle with “journey” books so it could be partially a me issue. I really wish we cut out some of the journey and had more flashbacks of Tuck and Emily when they were younger.

I will say I loved Tuck and Emily’s romance when it finally began. I totally bought into them. I was also satisfied with how we left them at the end.

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an arc

This book took me on a wild adventure I was not expecting! I was completely captivated and loved every bit of this book!! Heart of the Sun is a journey of friendship, hope, and the power of love.

The story weaves past life with present and how Emily and Tuck have been connected over the years. Their journey takes them from the middle of Illinois through various states back to California. Along the way they are piecing together the possibility of what might have happened when their plane crashed. They meet some interesting characters along the way and I loved the way these interactions shaped their character as they continued on their journey. It was filled with many action packed moments but also sweet tender moments in the inbetween. Tuck was such a softie and just loved his endearing moments with Emily.

Dystopian/post-apocalyptic with a subplot of romance? I don’t know if the marketing is off or I was just thrown in the deep end lol
I actually enjoyed this book but did not expect this! The character development was top notch but the situations felt like they were just repeating.

Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan is a great book! I really enjoyed the plot and the romance a lot, very nice story.

I went into this basically blind. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Little did I know that this would be perfect for the mood I was in. I did an immersion read I had the audio and the ebook. First I loved the narrators. I thought they did an amazing job. I highly recommend getting the audio and doing this one that way if you can. It is a dual narration so they switch off when it is their characters chapter.
It really drew me into the story even more and I sometimes have a harder time with romance audiobooks. This one just worked for me.

The story. It is a post apocalyptic a solar flare happens, and now they have to figure out what to do and kind of like you would in a fantasy book. They have to go on a journey and that’s just you know my kind of book minus this isn’t a fantasy. They were childhood friends now it’s enemies to lovers. He’s an ex-con. She is more of a famous singer. There is one character in this book that I found absolutely annoying and I believe that was the authors intent because it is not a main character so good on Mia Sheridan. You will know exactly who I mean when you met them. I thought the pacing was great. I read it in one setting and could not put it down. I thought the characters showed development throughout the book. This is definitely what I’m going to have to get a physical copy of when it comes out.
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced review copy!

This wasn’t what I was expecting. I like to go into my books blind, and I wanted the ARC of this because I love Mia Sheridan’s work. I was expecting some cute love story, and this was not it. However, I enjoyed it! I don’t usually gravitate towards dystopian novels, but this was intriguing and kept my interest the entire time. I felt that the ending was a bit rushed, but apart from that I had a good time.