
Member Reviews

Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan fell a bit flat for me, landing somewhere in the middle of the road. Despite its title, I wouldn’t categorize it as a romance; the romantic elements are sparse and don’t truly materialize until the end.
The story centers around Emily, now a famous music star, and Tuck, recently released from prison. Their connection is rooted in a shared past spent together on their families’ orchards. When a catastrophic global event occurs, the two are reunited and must navigate their journey to safety together.
While the premise held promise, I found the execution lacking. As a devoted fan of Mia Sheridan’s work, I missed the emotional depth and signature writing style that typically make her stories so compelling. This book deviated from her usual strengths, and the absence of romance for most of the story only added to the underwhelming experience.
That said, Heart of the Sun still offers a unique backdrop and explores themes of resilience and survival, which some readers may appreciate. However, for those seeking the romance and heart-tugging intensity Sheridan is known for, this one might not fully deliver.

3.5 stars
This book is a lot to unpack. Coming from the romance category and reading other Mia books, I expected a bit more in the romance department. Especially when given keywords such as enemies to lovers, second chances. A slow burn was definitely the right word to use, and definitely more on the slow side. Also not your typical enemy standard, more ex-friends, growing apart/different paths.
Tuck + Emily are former neighbors who took two different paths in life and are reunited when Emily, turned Nova pop star, was in need of security detail. Before the plane crash and throughout the first part of the road trip journey, I felt Emily to be almost unbearable-entitled to be more exact. As the book went on, I did find my opinions changing and rooting for her. Tuck took the ex-con, misunderstood boy role well and used his past to want to right wrongs helping others on their trek to finding home.
Throughout this book, I found myself often thinking what would I do in these situations, if the world basically shuts down-how am I to survive. While this wasn’t my favorite read of 2025, I did enjoy the storyline and playing the what-if game.

“Do you think there’s such a thing as creating a moment that rights everything that’s gone so horribly wrong? If one moment can ruin everything, maybe one moment can fix it too.”
Wow, this story is complex and dives into a lot of challenges.
We are first introduced to Emily and Tuck as children and the bond they share growing up together as neighbors. When tragedy strikes and Tuck has a falling out with his father, he leaves everything behind and falls into some trouble. One moment, one decision, changes everything for him. He feels he must seek retribution and doesn’t feel as if he should be happy, that he must spend his life trying to make up for his wrongs. Emily becomes the famous singer she always hoped to become. Years later they are brought back together and from here, everything changes. Life as everyone knows it transforms in an instant when a solar flare knocks out all civilization. The events that ensue are heartbreaking, fearful, and terrifying, yet hopeful and endearing.
This story hits you hard as you are struck by the realization this could very well become a reality. What would you do with no food, water supply, electricity, fuel, etc. and having to start over from scratch? Having to fend off gangs and people pillaging, trying to keep your family fed and safe and having to survive day to day? Watching Emily and Tuck evolve is heartfelt and beautiful. It’s a slow burn you feel in every interaction.
This story sheds light on a harsh reality filled with danger, sacrifice, hope, and love. It’s thought provoking, gripping, and captivating. What a story!

This was not my favorite read by her but apocalyptic storylines have never been my favorite. The build and the backstory were done well and I did like the second chance part of the story. I did enjoy the story I just personally struggle connecting with the dystopian part.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you to Harlequin for the early copy, all opinions are my own.
I really enjoy dystopian apocalyptic books so I signed up for this as soon as I could. The idea that a solar flare can take out the entire power grid instead turned this into a horror story.
We start with Tuck and Emily, neighbors and frenemies. They part ways after Tuck’s mom suddenly dies. After a few bad decisions, Tuck lands in jail. Once getting back out, he reconnects with Emily’s family and ends up being her bodyguard since she’s a budding superstar. After their plane crashes, including Charlie, Emily’s boyfriend, they must find their way back to California from Indiana.
This book was a little too real with how the world is going.

I went into this very excited. I've heard great things about this author and her books, and the synopsis for this was intriguing. But this was a bit of a mess. My biggest issue was that it couldn't seem to decide if it wanted to be a romance or a dystopian book. While both can exist within the same book, usually you find that it's a dystopian book with a romance subplot or vice versa, but this one wanted to be both at the same time.
I actually think this would've been better as just a romance novel. The setup for the dynamic between the characters was good and not something I've seen before, but any sort of chemistry build up between them or chances for character development was squashed by the almost random-feeling inclusion of the solar flare/dystopian plot line that happens at about 25% of the way through the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC!

I went into this one not knowing anything about it, other than that is was written by Mia Sheridan. I really liked Asher's Voice. I read romance, but have never read a dystopian romance, but I really enjoyed this!
Emily and Tuck knew one another when they were younger, so this is a second chance novel. Emily became a famous singer, and Tuck became... Well, a felon. Emily's mom talked her into hiring Tuck to be security for her.
Emily, Tuck, and her boyfriend, Charlie, were flying to New York. Mid-flight, all of the electrical components of the plane went down, and so did the plane. They miraculously survived, and soon found out that all of the electrical devices had also stopped working.
They were somewhere in Illinois, and had to make it back to California, and manage to survive as people started to realize that the grid wouldn't be coming back anytime soon.
While this was not my chosen genre, I was entertained, and couldn't wait to find out what happened next. It's a bit dark, but not so dark that I struggled.

Thank you to Canary Street Press of the advanced E-ARC of this title.
Mia Sheridan sucks me into every story she writes! This is a dystopian novel about childhood friends who both went completely separate ways, one a pop star, the other recently released from prison.
The dynamics of this were perfectly executed, highlighting their completely different walks of life after they last saw each other. The initial distrust of the person they have become, but the memories of who they each were.
The story takes a path towards desperation where humanity is tested, and true heroes emerge. I found myself smiling at the lack of survival skill of the celebrities. When push comes to shove, the Louis Vuitton purse isn't going to save anything.
As a reader you start to put yourself into the scenario, and I would 100% be Charlie. Throwing a fit with zero survival instincts. Leave me behind.
I did feel like the story lulled about 50% and it was losing the firm grip it had on me in the beginning.
However, Tuck and Emily have a fire in them and a palpable chemistry that was enough to keep me invested.

Thank you for the ARC.
This is not my favorite Mia Sheridan read. I have read her other works and loved them. This one feels like a copy of One Second After by William R. Forstchen meets a second chance contemporary romance which was not executed well. Besides the MMC, the other characters are not very likable. The general survival plot is not really unique to this specific story. With One Second After, you are enlightened to how the country would respond in a disaster. In this book, the story and romance feels incomplete.

Heart of the Sun is difficult to review without spoiling too much. I went into this fully expecting a romance and while there is a romantic aspect to it there’s so much more. This turned out to be something I never would have picked up but overall a thought-provoking and decent read.
At times the pacing of the book felt off. It dragged in places and at times I was bored. It did turn around and by the last quarter I was on the edge of my seat and my mind was racing with “What would I do in this situation?” thoughts.
Overall, a fun read if you know what you are getting into. If you like end of the world, sci-fi vibes if would be a good fit.

Title: Heart of the Sun
Author: Mia Sheridan
Genre: Romance, fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5
When the world is plunged into darkness, who would you turn to?
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.
Thirteen years later, Emily is a rising pop sensation in need of security, and Tuck, a brooding ex-con, is in need of a fresh start. When fate brings them together once again, Emily hires him on as her new bodyguard. They butt heads and bicker, just like the old days—yet neither can deny the heat rekindling between them.
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.
I enjoyed this read, although the childhood scenes did not make it seem like Tuck and Emily “shared a bond that seemed unbreakable.” It just seemed like the barely tolerated each other. I generally like dystopian novels, so I enjoyed that part, although Tuck and Emily seem much more trusting of people they meet than I would have been. This was a solid read, but I never really felt the characters were in danger.
Mia Sheridan is a bestselling author. Heart of the Sun is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Canary Street Press in exchange for an honest review.)
(Blog link live 5/22).

This was definitely a ride! I’m not totally into apocalyptic stuff but I do love a second chance! Not my favorite of hers but worth the read if thats your thing.

I loved going into books blind and this one was a complete RIDE!
This book was so hard to put down, the suspense aspect of it, kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.
There was a lot of growth of Emily and Tuck in the book, along with this sense of thinking about how humanity would really react if the entire electrical grid failed. It’s definitely something that will stay with me for a long time.
Both of these characters had these moments of really thinking about their purpose in that kind of world, what they could do for the betterment of everyone.
Emily and Tuck have something of a second chance romance, though they never acted on feelings they had for each other as children. The romantic aspect of the book was definitely slower than the chaos of the rest of the book, and I did appreciate that they respected each other’s goals, and supported them.

Heart of the Sun is an emotional ride that blends romance, survival, and second chances. It starts in sunny California with two childhood friends—Emily, a famous pop star, and Tuck, a former bad boy (swoon) turned bodyguard (SWOON). They haven’t seen each other in over a decade, but when Emily needs a bodyguard and Tuck needs a job, fate brings them back together.
Their dynamic is everything — snarky, sweet, and full of tension (give me alll the angst). You can feel their history in every conversation, and the chemistry between them had me sweating at times. Then the unexpected hits (no spoilers!) and Emily and Tuck are plunged into a world that is entirely unrecognizable to them and the reader.
I think where I struggled the most is with that aspect of the story — mentally and emotionally I'm just not in the space for a dystopian world right now, where modern life as you know if falls apart in a blink...mostly because it feels too entirely believable (and something tells me it *wouldn't* end with me falling in love with a hot body guard and getting an HEA). But if you're still feeling mentally stable enough to read about a post-apocalyptic world, carry on.
What makes this story really work is how the chaos strips everything down to what matters. Emily has to let go of her superstar image, and Tuck finally has a chance to prove he’s more than his past. Watching them find their footing together in this new world is a huge part of the journey. It's very classic Mia Sheridan, and reading their dynamic was like slipping back on a comfy old hoodie.
There’s a great balance of romance, action, and emotion, and even with the world falling apart, the story never feels too heavy (even in a year like 2025, but still proceed with caution). It’s more about rebuilding—lives, relationships, and trust.
If you're into stories with complicated pasts, great banter, and a dash of end-of-the-world drama, Heart of the Sun is definitely worth checking out. It’s heartfelt, a little wild, and surprisingly hopeful. I mean, after all, it is Mia Sheridan. If anyone could get me to pick up a dystopian book right now, it's her.

Absolute Perfection!
Most romance books have the same generic happily ever after but Mia Sheridan knows how to bring some thing new to the genre. The end of the world aspect created a unique experience making this the best romance I've read this year!

I desperately wanted to love this one and to a point I did enjoy Sheridan's prose, but I did find Emily very, VERY grating. I understand the general subplot of her character but there were moments in the general survival aspect of it that I just felt she was far too out of touch and Tuck had to deal with her as if he was dealing with a petulant toddler. I love dystopian landscapes and I appreciate the nuance of how humanity can spiral when things get out of hand, but I do wish there were more exploration into rebuilding from the storm after the fact.

Popstar x bodyguard? Second chance romance? Say NO MORE!
I sincerely enjoyed this one. I think Tuck and Emily were such interesting characters. I loved both of their arcs! And the post apocalyptic storyline was SO fun to read about.
Pick this one up if you love the second chance romance, childhood friends to lovers, post apocalyptic, and popstar x bodyguard tropes!

I enjoyed this so much!! It is a beautifully written, emotionally layered and INTENSE story. The haunting post-apocalyptic world with the MCs doing everything they can to survive life in a new world kept me so engaged. The setting is so immersive and raw and I felt that sense of urgency in every scene.
Tuck was a standout from the very beginning and I loved instantly! He was so misunderstood but quietly powerful in the way he cared for Emily and those around him. Watching his journey toward redemption and forgiveness was immensely gratifying, and his growth was perfectly done and felt authentic.
Emily’s character arc was equally compelling. At first, she seemed swept up in the glitter of fame, but as the world changed, so did she — revealing a resilient, compassionate woman who used her music not just as a comfort for herself, but as a beacon for others. Although their reunion starts out so rocky, her bond with Tuck was evident. I thought the build up to their relationship was tender and well paced, making their second chance romance feel effortless. This story hit all the right emotional notes while offering hope and healing in the midst of devastation.
Content: one open door (end ch. 34-beginning ch. 35)
Thank you to Canary Street Press and Harlequin Audio for the gifted copies. My thoughts are my own.

I don’t think anything will ever compare to Archer’s voice.
But also, it felt like a romantic realistic, walking dead with no zombies …. And I wanted the Male main character to be more like Darrell Dixon, and like he kind of was and wasn’t…
I’m still working on my feelings about this book but ehhh at the moment. It didn’t give what I thought it was going too.

This was not like what I've come to expect from previous Mia Sheridan reads. I really didn't enjoy this at all.