Rating: 4.5 Stars (Rounded up to 5)

Mia Sheridan delivers a compelling and immersive experience with Heart of the Sun, a novel that masterfully blends dystopian fiction with slow-burn romance. Despite not being a major fan of dystopian themes, I found myself completely captivated by this story, a testament to Sheridan’s skillful storytelling and character development.

The novel starts by laying a strong foundation with Emily and Tuck’s childhood history. Their dynamic has always been filled with playful, sometimes sharp, banter, making their interactions feel authentic and engaging. Tuck’s backstory—six years in prison—is well-developed and adds depth to his character, while Emily is on the brink of a promising music career, dating an A-list actor and preparing for a tour. When circumstances demand she hire security, her mother reconnects her with Tuck, setting the stage for an unexpected and thrilling journey.

The narrative takes a dramatic turn when an apocalyptic event plunges the country into chaos. Power grids fail, communication ceases, and society collapses into lawlessness. A harrowing plane crash marks the beginning of an intense survival story as Emily, Tuck, and her boyfriend embark on a perilous trek from the Midwest to California—on foot. Sheridan’s execution of this journey is seamless; the pacing remains engaging, and the encounters along the way feel strikingly realistic, heightening the tension and urgency of their plight.

One of the standout elements of the book is its believability. Sheridan paints a vivid and eerily plausible picture of societal collapse, making it easy to imagine such a scenario unfolding in real life. Each challenge they face feels authentic, and the stakes remain high throughout.

The romance between Emily and Tuck is a slow burn, but it unfolds naturally within the context of their shared struggles. Their banter is more than just snark—it’s layered with history, mutual understanding, and evolving respect. Emily’s realization that Tuck is still the person she knew growing up, despite his past, adds emotional depth to their relationship and makes their connection all the more compelling.

Overall, Heart of the Sun is a gripping and well-executed novel that seamlessly combines survival, romance, and thought-provoking dystopian elements. Mia Sheridan’s storytelling prowess shines through, making this a must-read—even for those who don’t typically gravitate toward dystopian fiction. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for my ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

ARC of this book provided by NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

Heart of the Sun is a second-chance romance, childhood friends to lovers, pop star x bodyguard, and much more, but with a twist! It's a slow burn with elements of suspense and mystery as our MCs, Emily and Tuck, travel around the country in a post-apocalyptic setting. Confused and scared as society falls apart by the second. Together, they must survive if they want to make it back home to their families.

This book was an emotional roller coaster and I enjoyed every second of it! It hooks you in right from the beginning and grabs on till the very last page. I connected with the MCs Emily and Tuck, feeling deeply for them as they struggled both physically and mentally. Both are flawed, but as the pages pass they're eager to grow and better themselves.

Heart of the Sun is a beautiful book. A stunning one that not only showcases a love story but the strength and power that love for another can have. It shows the good and the bad, the ugly and the beauty, in the hearts and souls of others.

Classic Mia Sheridan! I was skeptical at first cause sci fi genre isn't my usual go to but I was intrigued and so glad I went in blind!

If you like a childhood friends to enemies to lovers with a mix of kinda road trip where the world is ending trope , pick this book up now!! I must say I m in a runt because of this book now but it was so worth it! I m intentionally not revealing anything else because you should go in blind!! For safety, there's a Lil OM drama, but I don't think you have to worry about it cause our ML steals the show!

Classic Mia Sheridan! I was skeptical at first cause sci fi genre isn't my usual go to but I was intrigued and so glad I went in blind!

If you like a childhood friends to enemies to lovers with a mix of kinda road trip where the world is ending trope , pick this book up now!! I must say I m in a runt because of this book now but it was so worth it! I m intentionally not revealing anything else because you should go in blind!! For safety, there's a Lil OM drama, but I don't think you have to worry about it cause our ML steals the show!

I first fell in love with Mia Sheridan’s writing when I read Archer’s Voice. She so beautifully writes about relationships and all the messiness that comes along with them. When I saw Heart of the Sun available on NetGalley, I immediately requested it.

Heart of the Sun is a story of two childhood friends that were separated by circumstances but reunited as adults. Tuck, a former convict, is looking for work when his former friend Emily, who is now a singer, hires him as her security guard. A series of tragic events leads them to learn to work together and realize their true feelings for one another. This story line is very different than her other books, but I actually really enjoyed it. In a world that is falling apart, she was still able to write a beautiful love story and remind us that people are good.

Mia Sheridan is one of my favorite authors, and if she writes it, I’m definitely reading it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The theme resonates with many people today, and rightly so. In an instant, we could be thrown back in time, stripped of modern conveniences, facing the chaos it brings. While evil may seem to prevail, the goodness in people can triumph and emerge victorious. Amidst all this, childhood friends, separated by different tragedies, find their way back to each other. Their love grows anew and develops deeply as they navigate their way through this new world. This book will prompt you to take a hard look at your current way of living and reconsider your choices.

Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan is a gripping, emotional journey that blends second-chance romance with an intense post-apocalyptic adventure. With themes of childhood friendship, first love, grief, death of a loved one, slow-burn romance, and a bodyguard-pop star dynamic with dual POV.

Tuck is a self-destructive character who has been broken by the loss of his mother and the collapse of everything he once knew. He is an ex con who is not the same boy Emily once knew and loved. They lost touch over the years and finds himself working for her after he gets out of prison. His journey is one of survival and protectiveness over Emily. He is reactive and often closed off, yet always willing to put others' needs above his own. He is the hero and is so selfless that he seems to choose doing the right thing over his love for her. He just can’t forgive himself for what landed him in prison. His deep connection with Emily, though strained, is something you feel building beneath the surface. I couldn’t wait for Emily’s boyfriend to get out of the picture. So they could confront their feelings for each other that obviously never went away. It was a little too slow burn for me waiting for them to work through their issues and for Emily to break down those walls he put up.

“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.”

I couldn’t help but wish there was more romance between the two. After some intense thrilling chapters at the end, the story wraps up a little too quickly, leaving me yearning for a bit more between Tuck and Emily. I think this story would be perfect as a movie.

I initially read this book, and then I listened to the audiobook so I could compare the two. I think both were equally amazing and truly tugged at my heart. Tuck had so many layers and depths to his character, I loved him. It was intriguing to see about Emily/Nova. Seeing her true self and the difference of her and "Nova." I'm all for celebrity/famous characters, so it was intriguing to see both aspects of that character. I was shocked by the turn of events and the twists along the story. I absolutely loved it, though. The author has a magical way with words that make you feel like you're there, experiencing it along the characters. The narrators in the audiobook truly did these characters' justice. I felt the depth of Nova more in the audiobook than I did reading from the book. I think the narrators were amazing at providing that depth for the characters but also portraying the emotions of those characters. I loved both the ebook and audiobook so much!!

I received the ebook from NetGalley and Canary Street Press. I also received the audiobook from Harlequin Audio. Both formats were given to me to read/listen and review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book and listening to the audiobook.

THIS STORY!!!!! Was totally different from what Mia Sheridan is used to writing and I’m all here for it. We go into a childhood friendship and as time goes by they drift away and once adults they find there way back but in a tragic whereabouts that have them questioning there sanity and wellbeing. When the world is ending and people show there true colors, it’s what really matters to them is that they never got over each other. They are willing to protect and stand by each other till the end.

Thanks to Mia, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing both an ARC and ALC of this novel.

I was very intrigued by the premise of this book. However, I really struggled to get into it. It says it is a romance (Mia’s typical genre) but it just felt much more dystopian/sci-fi than romance. I applaud Mia for trying something new and I definitely think there’s an audience for this book, I just don’t think it’s me.

I was hooked, at first I was a bit hesitant because of the dystopian vibe the summary gave off, but it was so good. Obviously Mia Sheridan does not disappoint, the characters go through an obstacle of challenges and emotions that captured my heart. The romance was a second chance very slow burn because she had a boyfriend and realizes during this traumatic event that he’s not a great guy. As soon as he leaves the romance between Tuck and Emily begins to heat up.

I've been a big fan of Mia Sheridan for awhile and was excited to read her newest!

It was definitely a detour from the normal romance genre, hanging loosely on the cliff of sci fi with a bit of futuristic craziness mixed in. I've got to admit, this book had me thinking about what the world would look like if everything turned into the Earth's version of the Upside Down (Stranger Things for those that don't know).

I'm giving this a solid three stars. It was a good read but took me a bit to get into it. There were some parts that I felt dragged a bit and I put the book down a few more times that I normally would but I am glad I stuck with it. Honestly, sometimes it is a good thing to step out of your reading comfort zone.

Thank you to Net Galley and Mia Sheridan for the advanced copy.

I really tried to get into this book, but I just couldn’t.
I would categorize it as dystopian rather than a romance.
The beginning was interesting, but then the pace became so slow, I quickly lost interest. I was disappointed because I have really enjoyed other books by Mia Sheridan.

Thanks to netgalley for this eArc for my honest review.

mia did it again! i found mia after archer’s voice and have been obsessed since. i went into this book blind and it was so well written and made me feel all the feelings!!

I was absolutely blown away by Heart of the Sun—it's unlike any romance I’ve read before! The dystopian backdrop was a perfect setting for this emotional rollercoaster. The book follows Emily and Tuck, childhood friends who almost became lovers, but life and circumstances tore them apart. The way the author weaves together their past and present is done so beautifully, with alternating timelines that slowly reveal the deep history and feelings they share.

The relationship between Emily and Tuck is truly compelling. It’s a slow-burn romance that is perfectly paired with the dystopian world they’re navigating. There’s a palpable tension between them, especially as they reconnect as adults, and I found myself rooting for their second chance every step of the way. The emotional depth in their characters was stunning, and I loved watching their relationship evolve.

However, while I thoroughly enjoyed the story, there were moments where the pacing felt a bit uneven. The constant shift between timelines made the beginning a bit hard to follow at times, though once I adjusted, I was hooked. I also felt that Emily’s character could have been developed a bit more, as there were moments when her actions seemed a little inconsistent.

Overall, Heart of the Sun is an unforgettable read that combines romance, nostalgia, and the thrilling elements of a dystopian world. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a deep, slow-burn romance set in a beautifully crafted world. If you’re a fan of second-chance love stories and dystopian fiction, this book is definitely worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve read a few Mia Sheridan books, but this one just didn’t do it for me. Definitely a very different, unique plot for a romance book. Makes you think about the world in a different light and how the world would go on should something like this happen. This was more of a plot for a movie rather than a book, and I think it would be better as a movie.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I was very interested in this book because of the premise. A second chance romance, but with a dystopian twist? Sign me up!

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this one the way I thought I would. I was lucky enough to receive the audiobook and eBook, so I switched between both for this book. The book had a lot of potential but unfortunately was not one of my favorites. I found the main characters a bit frustrating, I was loving the beginning of this book, but after getting to the middle I found myself finding the story repetitive. While this one wasn't my favorite, I can see how others may love it! 2.5 stars

I first came across Mia Sheridan's work when I was still in school. I really enjoyed her book Archer's Voice. So, when I saw this book on NetGalley, I decided to apply for it without hesitation.

Tropes:
• Enemies to Lovers
• Childhood Best Friends
• Slow Burn Romance
• Second Chances
• Popstar + Bodyguard
• New Adult Dystopian fiction

This book tells the story of childhood friends who were separated by circumstances and reunited years later to help each other. Emily is a famous singer in need of protection, while Tak is a former convict in need of a job. As the world begins to crumble, they must work together to survive.

I appreciated the theme of second chances, and it's not about love but about a new life for a former convict. The doubts about this were well conveyed in the book. However, I felt that in this story, second chances should be earned by all characters, not just the MMC. The FMC's behavior really annoyed me, and I couldn't quite grow fond of her. The plot had a bit too much going on, but I think it could work well as a book adaptation.

Fans of The Last of Us might enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited for this ARC because I’ve read a couple of Mia Sheridan books but I just did not really enjoy this one. It starts off slow which I didn’t mind because it does end up picking up. I didn’t feel the romance between the FMC and the MMC. I honestly felt like the book was a bit too long. The story as a whole is great but I just don’t think it was executed well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this arc.

I am a Mia Sheridan girly. She is a must read for me.

This book, was just not it for me. It felt very different from her other books, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing in general but I was looking forward to a bit of a romance and there wasn’t much of it. I found the post apocalyptic aspect to be intriguing but got bored of it quickly. The FMC was also awful. I did not enjoy her character and anytime she was on the page- cringe.

3.5 for me but rounding up to 4 for the review.