Wow! This story was very well done and was a realistic account of a post-apocalyptic type situation.
Emily is a rising star named Nova who is about to go on her first major singing tour. She is in need of a bodyguard on the tour when her mother calls and says her childhood best friend and crush should have the job. Emily reluctantly agrees because she feels guilty but is weary because Tuck just got out of a six-year prison sentence after pushing her away.
While on a plane for the tour, they lose all communications and their plane crashes with the pilot, Emily, Tuck, and Emily's hot shot actor boyfriend.
What ensues takes a look at humanity, perseverance, and love.

Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan is the kind of book that grabs you by the heart and doesn’t let go. It’s raw, emotional, and brimming with that signature Sheridan angst—but this time, with a dystopian twist that adds even more intensity to the romance.

Emily and Tuck were childhood best friends, the kind of soul-deep connection that should have lasted forever. But life (and heartbreak) tore them apart. Now, Emily’s a popstar, and Tuck—broody, protective, and freshly out of prison—is the last person she expects to be guarding her body and her heart. Their tension is electric, their banter sharp, and the slow-burn chemistry? Off. The. Charts.

Then, just when you think you’re getting a classic second-chance romance, the world literally falls apart. A solar flare wipes out the electrical grid, and suddenly, it’s not just their past haunting them—it’s survival. Emily’s fame means nothing in this new world, but for Tuck, this chaos might be the redemption he’s been searching for.

This book is a perfect mix of angsty romance, survival drama, and deep emotional healing. If you love enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and bodyguard tension—all set against a gripping, apocalyptic backdrop—Heart of the Sun is going to wreck you in the best way. Fans of The Last of Us and slow-burn, high-stakes romance won’t be able to put it down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Wow! What a unique storyline!
I enjoyed the origin story of the two main characters, Emily and Tuck, and the tumultuous evolution of their friendship that brought them to present day. But what I enjoyed the most about this book is that it really made me think and put myself and my family in their shoes.
This book unlocked a new level of anxiety I’m not sure I was ready for…
The situation the characters find themselves in is fascinating yet terrifying. My husband and I went down a rabbit hole researching solar flares as I would lay in bed at night making him read excerpts asking him, “wait can this really happen?!?!”
As for the romance aspect, it is predictable but sweet. If you are looking for any kind of spiciness, you won’t get it here.
I’m still thinking about this one a week later, so for that alone it deserves ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ in my book.

Mia Sheridan’s Heart of the Sun is an emotional, gripping romance that completely pulled me in. The story follows childhood friends Tuck and Emily, who are reunited years later—Emily as a rising pop star and Tuck, an ex-con, as her unexpected bodyguard. Just as they begin to untangle their complicated past, a catastrophic solar flare throws the world into chaos, forcing them to rely on each other in ways they never imagined.

I loved how Sheridan weaved deep, emotional character development with the urgency of a survival story, making every moment feel raw and real. Tuck’s struggle for redemption and Emily’s journey of self-discovery made their slow-burn romance all the more powerful. The post-apocalyptic setting added an intense layer of suspense, but at its heart, this book is about love, second chances, and the resilience of the human spirit.

If you enjoy stories that blend heart-wrenching romance with high stakes, Heart of the Sun is an unforgettable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harleyquin Trade Publishing for providing me an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC for this book and it was just ok. I think it was more of a dystopian fiction book than an outright romance bc the slow burn was obvious but still felt like an afterthought. The FMC is annoying until about 75% of the way through and the MMC is a tortured hero- a bit cliche. The dystopian plot saved the book from being boring and if it had been developed more instead of leaving room for the angst I think this book could’ve been fantastic.

You will like this one if you love the tropes
Enemies to Lovers
Childhood Best Friends
Slow Burn Romance
New Adult Dystopian Romance

My Review
This book is the first arc I have finished for @htp_hive and @htpbooks. I was absolutely hooked from the beginning. I assumed this was going to be your normal pop star/bodyguard childhood friends to lovers story, but boy was I wrong! This had a dystopian element when a solar flare knocks out the power grid. Tuck and Emily really had to rely on one another more than ever. Emily finds out that her status doesn’t matter in this new world and Tuck has a chance to prove himself while they run into those willing to help them And those willing to harm them. Who can you truly trust? You will have to read to find out. With the state of our country today and hearing about solar flares and our power grid, this one was so thought provoking. It really had me wondering how would we handle something like this? Either way this one was an easy 5 stars for me. I want more like this for sure! Mia is a new to me author and I will definitely be reading more of her books as well !


Thank you so such for this exciting opportunity @htp_hive , @htpbooks, @netgalley, and @miasheridanauthor. #hiveinfluencer

SPOILER ALERT
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5-Star Review | Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan

I went into Heart of the Sun completely blind, not knowing what to expect—boy, was I in for a wild ride. The story starts off strong, pulling me in and making me fall in love with the main characters. Just when I thought I had a sense of where things were going, BAM 💥—a twist I never saw coming. A plane crash. The world falling apart. I was hooked.

Tuck and Emily’s banter and love story immediately drew me in, but their journey back home was what truly captivated me. Every challenge, every triumph, and every moment of hope felt so real, like I was right there beside them. And the ending? It was exactly what I had pictured—deeply satisfying and heartfelt.

Beyond the romance and adventure, Heart of the Sun made me reflect on the fragility of our world. It left me rethinking how to prepare for the unexpected while also appreciating the beauty of a simple life at home. A powerful, unforgettable read that lingers long after the final page!

Rating: 2.5/5

Tuck and Emily were best friends growing up in California, but life pulled them apart. Thirteen years later, Emily is a famous pop star who needs a bodyguard, and Tuck, who used to be in trouble with the law, is looking for a fresh start. When they meet again, Emily hires Tuck to protect her, and they end up arguing like they used to, but there's also a spark between them. When a big solar flare messes up the world and everything changes, they both have to figure out how to move on and find their way back to each other.

I wanted to DNF this book at 50%, but I really wanted to know how the book ended.

I really liked the premise of this book. However, it fell flat and was extremely boring. Each chapter was a day of them walking back home across the US and some days were better than others. The bad days were not very climatic.


I didnt mind the characters. The MMC, Tuck, was constantly feeling bad for hmself. Throughout the book and I wanted to shake him and say "Look what is going on around you. Stop moping around. You were given a second chance. Suck it buttercup!"

The ending was HEA but not in the sense you were hoping. The ending was somewhat realistic in a way, but I was hoping the epilogue would have been like 5 years later instead of 1 year later.

Overall, if you enjoy a dystopian and childhood friends- second chance - to lovers, than this book may be for you.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and Mia Sheridan for the ARC.

4/5 Stars ⭐️

I want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this eARC.

This was nothing like I've ever read by Mia Sheridan. Heart of the Sun is an adult dystopian love story through and through. This story takes you on a wild ride that has many twists and turns with a slow burn like no other. You get dual POV from Tuck (MMC) and Emily (FMC) on their journey from childhood to the present day when the world went dark. Mia Sheridan does an amazing job detailing how humanity is tested when faced with no world order.

I found myself thinking about should something like this happen today, what would I do if I were in these character's situation, and it's a very scary and dark thought because it absolutely felt like something that could actually happen.

I recommend understanding the trigger warning(s) in this book. Death and violence is a major factor in this story.

2.5⭐️

The premise of the story was very intriguing, and the book started off strong. The main characters were friends/crushes growing up, and are now a rising pop-star (Emily) and ex-con bodyguard (Tuck). Their plane goes down while flying across the country when a solar flare takes out the grid and breaks down modern society. They must make their way back across the country, trying to make sense of this new world they find themselves in.

I loved the idea of the second-chance romance presented in this book, taking place in a somewhat apocalyptic setting. However, I felt like both plots weren't fully realized.
The book starts with a dual timeline, but that format ends after only a few chapters. I feel like we could've identified more with Emily and Tuck's "second chance" if we had been given more depth in their backstory. Instead it felt like we were supposed to really understand and care for these characters when we had very little information about them.
For the current timeline, the plot felt very repetitive until it was rushed at the very end. This made for a somewhat dull reading experience. Again, I did find the premise of the story to be good as we watch this new world unfold day by day, where the disaster leveled the playing field and who you were before no longer matter, everyone starting new.

4 ⭐️ I really liked this book but don’t get me wrong, I have a lot of problems with it too. For starters, it is not really a love story, at least not the main story. This at its core is a dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction with a side love story that finally heats up at the 70% mark. I do think the marketing is all wrong and if you expect a past Mia book like Archer’s Voice you are going to be severely disappointed.

This book is about Emily and Tuck, childhood best friends and neighbors and through tragedy they lose connection. In present day, Emily is a rising pop star by the name Nova and Tuck is a recently released ex-convict who gets hired to be Emily’s personal security guard. Their plane crashes when all electronics fail (in an unknown solar flare or EMP) and they have to make it from middle of nowhere Illinois (I think) back to California in a changed world where the worst in human nature is exposed due to rapidly dwindling resources. This book is long and is all over the place in terms of pacing and tropes BUT I loved the dystopian America parts, I need to read more of that genre. It is truly terrifying to read about what could happen to this country with the lack of electricity and modern technology. I could vividly see that part of the story come to life like a movie and I loved it. Their slow trek across the country and running into the various personality types from loathsome to compassionate were done well, even when there were times I rolled my eyes at the plot conveniences. I definitely got The Walking Dead and The Last of Us vibes at times and I love it all.

The love story is second chance, sloooooooooooow burn and I can’t even believe it says a love story on the cover because it plays second fiddle most of the time. I absolutely loved Tuck, he was written to be the hero and so perfect, kind and caring but also super rugged and sexy. Emily was a hot mess, giving her character the grace to grow and change through the ordeal, it was all very prescriptive. She even had the egomaniac actor boyfriend nearly the whole time to boot. This was also not a fast read for me, I managed to read about 10% of the book a night over several weeks. All the negatives aside, this one will stay with me for a while, so it gets a higher entertainment rating from me.

Also, some interesting information in the Author’s Note was that this is not Mia’s original story, she took the idea and concepts from others and fleshed it out into a book. So if it feels different from all of her other books, that is probably why. I just don’t want diehard Mia fans to be disappointed.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Mia Sheridan for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is set to publish on May 20,2025.

I have read one Mia Sheridan book prior to this and loved this one just as much as that one if not more.
Childhood friends-enemies-lovers is a fabulous troupe. second chance romance., Dystoopian.
This book was different that most of the romance books I have read. It has an interesting spin i guess i would say.
It hooked me in within a few pages. I just had to know what was coming in the next chapter.
Story has a lot of emotions within it and survival plays a role.
Overall it was a very good read.

4.5/5 stars

I was expecting a romance novel with a little bit of suspense. What I didn't expect was a novel about survival in a post-apocalyptic society with the romance aspect taking a backseat. With that being said, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it.

The story follows childhood friends, Emily and Tuck, who reconnect as adults. Emily is a famous singer, and ex-con Tuck is hired to be her bodyguard. After surviving a plane crash in the middle of the US, the two find themselves in a country that is much different from when they took off.

The entire society cumbled in just a few days and I found myself questioning how my own family would survive. What choices would I make in that situation and could that ever really happen to us?

At times, I felt like the story dragged on and some parts were unnecessary. By the last few chapters, I was ready for them to be "home."
I still want to know if the county ever returns to normal?! 😆

Overall, it was a good read that held my attention and got me thinking. Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Dystopian romance? Count. Me. In!

To fully enjoy this story, I had to suspend disbelief.

Equal parts terrifying and equal parts unrealistic, Heart of the Sun shows the wide array of human emotion in times of desperation. Sheridan is able to capture the rawness of what it means to be human - to love, to protect, to survive. Reading this book was terrifying in the sense of “what if”. What if this happened today? How would humanity react? How far would we go to protect ourselves and those we love? We saw those questions play out and saw how true colors would come to the forefront throughout this book.

Sheridan’s writing style made it so easy to visualize the story unfolding in my head, which was super fun. The character development of Emily/Nova and Tuck were great.

So, the part to suspend disbelief. A lot of this book is highly unrealistic. In a solar flare, I found it hard to believe the lack of people and panic within the first few days. The way the story was written made it seem more like humans just disappeared and there were a small number vying for survival rather than billions of people trying to fight for survival. People were just kind of walking around asking for rides and looking for food. Some of the obstacles that our main characters ran into were so outlandish (horse and buggy scene, I’m looking at you). The ending and “hope” for the future was so irresponsible given the circumstances. Some things were just so unlikely to happen, even in a fiction book, that the suspension of disbelief is needed to have fun with this one.

Overall, this book was quite the adventure though it did drag on at times. A good book leaves the reader thinking and questioning even after it’s finished, and this book did just that.

Thank you NetGalley, Mia Sheridan and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for the advanced reader copy for my honest thoughts.

This was a very interesting and entertaining read! Think Station Eleven mixed with a second chance romance. I really enjoyed the glimpses into the beauty of humanity mixed with the chaos / fear in losing all you know. There was great action, thought-provoking issues, and character development.

Thank you Mia Sheridan, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Netgalley for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This is a very interesting dystopian romance that is seen through the eyes of childhood friends Tuck Mattice and Emily Swanson in the midst of a cataclysmic solar flare that changes the world! This book is expected to release on May 20th, 2025!

➼ slow burn
➼ childhood best friends
➼ enemies to lovers
➼ semi apocalypse
➼ bodyguard x popstar

Trigger warning(s): death, lots of death

This is only the third book I've read of Mia's, and it was NOT what I expected at all. I absolutely adored the two other books I've read of hers, but this one didn't reach the expectations that were set. While I did enjoy this book, it just wasn't to the same levels as Archer's Voice and Unwanted. I saw another reviewer say that this book felt Wattpadish and that is the most accurate way to describe it. I was definitely intrigued by the dystopia/apocalypse genre/trope throughout the book, as it is something I've never read before, but it was lacking something in the story. I needed more action and fights, this is the apocalypse after all!

Tuck Mattice is an ex-con, but not in the way you're thinking, turned into temporary bodyguard. He is offered up a position to be a bodyguard for his ex childhood friend, Emily/Nova, and he performs the job well until the solar flare hits. I think Tuck is a great character, and you can see that he has great character improvement throughout the book, but I didn't relate to him in any way. He seems like he could be a great guy, but I just didn't feel the attachment to him as a character.

Emily Swanson is farm girl turned mega popstar. She is in need of a bodyguard after a media situation, and what better solution than her ex childhood friend Tuck! It also took me quite a bit to even like Emily and her character, she also had some improvements with herself but she was very bratty in the beginning. I did enjoy however the flashback to when Tuck and Emily were kids and how Tuck stepped up and took the blame for the car incident.

Book boyfriend? No. I would love a protective man, but that was about all he was and honestly I could find a better man for me!

Also, wtf happened to Charlie? Even though I didn't like him AT ALL, I at least wanted a final update on what happened to him.

★★★.5
🌶️🌶️ but not until almost the very end
0/5 💧

Emily a rising pop star singer and writer falls for Ex-con/bodyguard Tucker. They get into a plane crash which leads them trying to fight their way back home To California. Between trying to find food and places to sleep to for bedding. It reminded me of the Walking dead TV without the Zombies it. Where they had to fight to survive the whole time. Tucker and Emily having to split up is so hard on both of them. It did keep thinking about what was going happened next in the book.❤️

Ooof this was a dnf for me. I’ve read some of her books before that I just loved. But this felt weird and wattpad-ish. I just felt myself cringing a lot. Maybe I’m just not the right audience.

I adore Mia Sheridan. Her words always take me on an emotional rollercoaster ride, and there were moments during this narrative when my emotions did get the better of me.

The beginning of Heart of the Sun started well. The plot was revealed and I was intrigued. Sadly, however, the journey that Tuck and Emily take, albeit what I imagine would happen in real life, just didn't work for me on the pages of a novel. I found the repetitiveness did not hold my attention, and I struggled in all honesty.

The closing few chapters were worth persevering for. I absolutely love Tuck - he's incredible in every way, and I needed to know that all was well for him in the end. I hurt when he hurt and those moments when he was happy brought me joy.

I quickly grew to dislike Charlie, and enjoyed witnessing Emily's realisations not only about Charlie, but her feelings for Tuck too. As I’ve said, I felt Tuck deserved happiness, especially after what he had been through and his subsequent actions.

I wish I had enjoyed this story more than I did. I know that not every story can please every reader and sadly this book is not for me. I felt it just needed something more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a like not a love for me. I really liked the second chance romance aspect of the book. I wasn’t expecting the trauma they encountered when the whole country shut down and all of the horrific obstacles they faced. I felt like their journey was long and dragged at times. I loved the ending and the development of the characters throughout the book.