Mia Sheridan is a beautiful storyteller no matter the genre. This new one is simply amazing. Will be back with full review closer to publication

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trading Publishing for this ARC.

This was an enjoyable dystopia read with some friends to lover romance in between. It had just enough drama and action to keep me engaged to find out what happens next.

Mia Sheridan’s Heart of the Sun is an engaging read with strong writing and emotionally compelling moments. However, the timeline throughout the book felt unrealistic, with events unfolding too quickly or too conveniently. This was especially evident in the epilogue, where an entire year had passed, yet an overwhelming amount of significant developments had occurred, making it difficult to fully believe in the story’s resolution. While the characters and romance had their strengths, the pacing and unrealistic progression of events took away from the overall impact. A decent read, but one that requires a lot of suspension of disbelief.

That being said, I still enjoyed the read and appreciated Sheridan’s wonderful storytelling. Thank you to Canary Street Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I really enjoyed this novel. My first read ever by Mia Sheridan was “Archers Voice.” So I knew this was a very different direction. I thought the premise was original and thought out. The main characters were great. I was happy to see them get their HEA after going through so much! Will definitely recommend!

I loved Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan and I was SO intrigued after reading the description of this book! So many of my favorite tropes but in such a unique story. I feel like romance books can feel very formulaic and predictable but this was so creative!! Dystopian storyline meets second chance romance? 10/10.

Set in a Dystopianish time that has second chance romance and friends to enemies to lovers...definitely not something I've read before. But I loved every minute of it. I was immediately sucked in and couldn't put it down. When I got to the last pages, I was so sad that it had ended! I need more!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. I was sucked into this book immediately, and drawn into the complex personalities of Emily and Tucker. Told from an alternating perspective, the book flows nicely and is easy to follow between the two characters. I had a really difficult time putting the book down, and was satisfied with the dystopian theme. It was like watching a movie, and found the ending to really wrap the book up nicely. I would absolutely recommend this book!

“Like a shooting star speeding through the galaxy—hot and dazzling—but destined to burn out. Something told me I needed to relish every blazing moment.”

✔️ bodyguard
✔️ forced proximity
✔️ a tense history
✔️ opposites attract
✔️ apocalyptic romance

The aftermath of a solar flare forces you to confront not only the fragility of human life and society in dire and unparalleled circumstances but also the strength and power of connections. Emily and Tuck are a testament to the power of those such connections in Mia’s apocalyptic romance, Heart of the Sun.

As Tuck and Emily navigate their new world, surviving as much as they can with what scarce resources they have, will their forced proximity to each other help clarify where they stand with each other, given their history, or will it complicate it further?

“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.”

Heart of the Sun is a deep story about the depth of human connections, the power of love and hope, and how even on the brink of collapse, empathy and understanding will persevere. Mia has crafted a beautiful novel that explores how perceptions can be harmful, that second chances can be warranted and how actions speak louder than words. With Emily and Tuck, we see their past bleed into their present, challenging times forcing them to depend on each other when there is so much lost time between them. Set against the backdrop of a society in the weeks following a devastating apocalyptic event, Heart of the Sun is so unique in what it shows and how it develops for Tuck and Emily as they fight to survive.

“And to face it all again, brief respites were necessary.”

I’m a massive lover of apocalyptic movies but am also a fan of romance books, so to see my favourite author combine these two genres in such a seamless and fitting way for Tuck and Emily shouldn’t come as a surprise and this surpassed every single expectation I had.

“And right then, it felt like a form of magic. It felt like—together—we could find that moment if it existed at all.”

What I loved is how seamlessly Mia intertwines both their past and their present, allowing us to experience Emily and Tuck’s first friendship and how it originally developed, and now into the present as they are thrown back together by perhaps fate or happenstance. Mia explores concepts that underpin society, our views of those in entertainment, and those who have been incarcerated, and how these perceptions can be prejudiced or glaringly incorrect. We, as members of society, view the world through our own lens, our own perspectives, but Mia opens our eyes and lets us experience other lives and other journeys which is something I’ve always admired about her characters and stories.

What stood out to me, that made me pause and take it in again and again was Mia’s lyrical prose. Not only beautiful but profound in the sense that it makes you contemplate the depth of her words and their meanings (to be expected) but to even be introspective. “The night had descended and a trillion stars blanked the sky, the moon sitting on Emily’s shoulder as though it too was leaning in to listen.” You can’t tell me this prose doesn’t make you feel so deeply and introspective about our place in the universe. We are but a speck of stardust in the galaxy. The universe is vast and we are so small in comparison, and even still, love and connection prevail—it makes you contemplate what you value and hold dear and prioritise.

Emily’s character is strong but also flawed, but I adored seeing her interact with Tuck after so long, and how she’s influenced by those around her. Tuck is trying to start his life over after being released from prison. The stigma of society is a barrier in his way to creating a new life for himself. But how Emily and others view Tuck because of this truly hit me and made me question my own initial and first impressions. And it’s not just me who questions this. Emily, after witnessing the true character of someone she holds dear, begins questioning her own perceptions and slowly starts to make amends and reevaluate how she views and treats others—and the importance of giving people a chance to show you who they are. Her character growth is not linear, but it shows that she cares enough to want to change—and then to follow through and change. Tuck’s character development is also so special to me but for a different reason. I love a tragic hero, and witnessing Tuck challenge his own perceptions of himself and his worth is hard to watch but also so powerful.

“If I could go back, I’d find you in the dark.”

The imagery of the sun is stunning and breathtaking and powerful and so fitting for Emily and Tuck. Nothing is more perfect and representative of them and the journey of their relationship. From dawn til sunrise. The beginning, their childhood or learning and thriving, and their present, their adulthood, their surviving and healing—their happiness together, once again. And while their connecting again and learning of each other was in such desperate times, “it’s been the best thing we ever did.” Tuck and Emily need each other like the world needs the sun— “I wanted her with a desperate aching neediness.” The yearning. The tension. The passion. Gah, gimme, gimme, gimme.

Mia writes: “It was we as individuals. We had everything society had told us would make us happy, and yet we were miserable.” Clearly an insightful commentary on contemporary society and the never-ending search for happiness.

I really enjoyed how Mia explored second chances, about how life can change people, about guilt and redemption, even when you don’t feel worthy. I truly connected with Tuck and Emily as individuals, and loved them even more fiercely as they found their way back to each other.

Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan is a beautifully written and emotionally captivating novel that draws readers into a compelling world of love, pain, and self-discovery. Sheridan's trademark ability to create rich, layered characters is on full display here, offering a slow burn romance that tugs at the heartstrings.

The story centers around two characters whose journeys of healing and connection are deeply intertwined, and Sheridan’s skill in portraying vulnerability and strength creates a poignant narrative that feels both raw and inspiring. The book touches on themes of redemption, the power of love, and the resilience of the human spirit, making it not only a love story but also a tale of personal growth.

The pacing of the story is deliberate, allowing for an emotional depth that unfolds gradually. While the romance is central, the novel also explores deeper emotional layers, such as overcoming past trauma and finding one's true self. There are moments of tension and heartache, but they are balanced by moments of sweetness and tenderness.

Sheridan’s prose is lyrical and evocative, creating a vivid atmosphere that enhances the emotional beats of the story. The chemistry between the characters feels authentic and intense, and while the plot may follow familiar tropes, the way Sheridan delivers it makes the journey feel fresh and impactful.

If there is one small critique, it would be that at times the pacing can feel a bit slow, especially in the middle sections, but it’s a minor issue in an otherwise engrossing read.

Overall, Heart of the Sun is a beautifully crafted story that will resonate with fans of emotional contemporary romance. Sheridan's writing continues to impress, and this book is a solid addition to her body of work. I’d give it a solid four stars for its emotional depth, strong character development, and the way it lingers with you long after the final page.

"Heart of the Sun" by Mia Sheridan is a captivating blend of second-chance romance and post-apocalyptic survival. Emily, a pop star, and Tuck, an ex-con, reunite in a world ravaged by a solar flare. Forced to rely on each other, they confront their past and rekindle their love amidst the struggle for survival. Sheridan's writing beautifully captures their raw emotions and the intensity of their relationship in this changed world. A compelling story about second chances, love, and the resilience of the human spirit, perfect for fans of emotional romance and post-apocalyptic fiction.

A solid romance with a dystopian twist featuring child hood friends - strangers - lovers trope. I liked this but didn’t love it, the characters were on a journey and there wasn’t too much else happening..

5⭐ 2🌶️

Mia does it once again! Emily and Tuck’s story is gut wrenching, tragic, and tear filled…but it is also full of beauty, destiny, strength, fate, and hope. Very few can tug on my heartstrings quite like Mia can and when you mix it with her poised writing, attention to detail, and ability to chameleon into a multitude of settings without losing her voice (uhm, hello, I would have never expected dystopian to be her lane and it was INCREDIBLE), you get something as magical as Heart of the Sun. This is an absolute must read.

Emily and Tuck are what second chance romance and enemy to lovers dreams are made of. While they never had their “official” first go around, it was always there underneath all the pent up angst and hate that I love you vibes and when they get their chance this time, there’s no way it’s slipping through their fingers again. I loved the interwoven narrative of their childhood into the beginning of this book and seeing them reunite and the sparks start to fly once again? Everything.

The worldbuilding kept me just as invested in this one and I really enjoyed the dystopian aspects and the solar flare plotline. The subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) commentary on how people react when all hope seems to be lost and it’s coming down to kill or be killed felt so relevant and real. There were so many moments of heartache woven in with anger, forgiveness, and acceptance…I was on a rollercoaster of emotions the entire time but I truly never wanted it to end.

I loved these two and their development throughout their journey and I’ll be thinking about this story for a long time coming.

I was so intrigued by the premise of this book. A post-apocalyptic romance sounded incredibly interesting, but unfortunately I felt that the execution fell flat in several areas. Firstly, the pacing of this book was brutal. A large part of the book was backstory, but I didn’t feel any more connected to the characters from it. It just felt like it had dragged on and I was struggling to push through to the part where things began to happen. The romance took a back seat to the apocalypse, and I couldn’t find myself caring too much about the characters at all. Every predicament they were in felt like a slightly altered version of the one before, and they were happening constantly.
I will say that once the story took off, I was very invested in the plot and how they were going to survive. If this had been marketed more as a post apocalyptic/dystopian book with a subplot of romance, this might have been a 3-3.5 star. However, because this shown as primarly romance, I don’t feel as though I can rate it any higher.
This book had a lot of potential in the idea, but unfortunately just did not work for me.
Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Mia Sheridan for providing me the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was such an addicting and action packed love story I could not put it down if I tried. We start out in Tuck and Emily's childhood and we see where they started to jump to years later, Tucks life has taken a turn in the years since we’ve seen him last and he’s ready to move forward in life with the help of his childhood best friend he left years ago. Emily has finally reached her dream headlining as Nova but things aren’t always as they seem, getting swept away in the LA limelight. When their plane comes down.

I love the tension Mia created with the tension between them burning so bright even from their first scene together. We watch Tuck use his skills of survival and do what it takes to keep Emily safe. Emily has the biggest character growth in this book starting as Nova the LA pop star and finally finding herself and who she’s meant to be.

This book was so fast paced and action packed I had to devour it in less than 24 hours. I love that we get to see them slowly warming up to each other and opening up about what has happened to separate them all those years ago. I love having a character hate and the “villain” of this story. There was so many plot twists and really shows the grit of the end of the world. Such a beautiful story that only Mia could have made with equal parts heart break and heartwarming. Showing the dirty and gritty parts of society but reminding us of the good that can still be found.

Loved!! This author just gained a new forever reader. There wasn’t anything I direct love about the story. The writing was impeccable and the story completely drew me in. I will be voicing this one out loud to all my socials for a while.

Mia Sheridan books are always page turners for me! This story flew by and I enjoyed every bit of it, her take on romances are so different from the norm

I loved this dystopian story so much. You get flashbacks to when the main characters were younger to now. You follow Emily and Tuck, who were childhood friends and almost lovers. Emily is now a pop star and Tuck is an ex convict. She hires Tuck as a bodyguard and the story goes on from there. This reminded me of the walking dead in a way, with its post apocalyptic feel. Now I need to know more about solar flares!

This one I don't think was for me. I had a hard time getting into the book and staying captivated in the story. I did finish it though and it was decent, just not my vibe.

Very unique plot. Not what I was expecting at all but it was good. Tuck and Emily journey back home is filled with so many unexpected scenarios and it’s interesting to see how they get through it. Their love story was the best part for me. Very sweet 🩷

I loved this!! It was such a quick read but I ate this upppp. I’ve been wanting to get into more romance this year so this was so perfect!

Def would recommend & would read again!

Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins for allowing me read & review this book!!