5 ⭐ 2 🌶️ 5 🎧

This was such a fantastic story. I don't read much post-apocalyptic stuff, but I found Mia's take equal parts heartbreaking and fascinating.

Tuck and Emily were really interesting characters and I loved them to bits. Tuck's backstory was so tragic, but the way Emily (and the apocalypse circumstances) helped him through it was really beautiful.

Some of these authors are way less petty than myself... I want to see the utter carnage of revenge when it comes to certain villain character arcs, but alas, there wasn't much to be found here. Thankfully Tuck and Emily's story ended beautifully and had me smiling ear to ear regardless.

The audio was great. André Santana and Annalee Scott did a wonderful job bringing these characters to life and I really enjoyed this listen.

This book was a wild ride! I thought the dystopian theme was something that really differentiated this book from Mia Sheridan's other novels as well as your standard "contemporary" romances. I honestly think I would have enjoyed this book more if I wasn't constantly considered if I would survive each situation that they were put into! It definitely was a more stressful read than I was anticipating but it kept me reaching for my kindle to read more and to see what happens. I thought the childhood friends to lovers trope was also done very well but did feel slightly rushed in the epilogue. Overall, it was a good read and I would recommend if you are into dystopian romances! Thank you to Harlequin Trade for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I was curious to see how this book would go after reading the synopsis, and I read Archer's Voice prior, so I knew I liked Mia's writing, but this book was definitely wacky. I didn't particularly love it, especially because it took me a long time to really get into the book, but I did find myself getting more interested when Emily and Tuck were in the thick of things.

What I really didn't like about this though was that it felt like there was too much going on, and I wanted the book to focus on either the apocalypse/dystopian part of the book, or the romance. It felt like it switched back and forth between being a romance and a dystopian book rather than weaving the romance throughout. There would be a couple chapters where we learned more about Emily and Tuck yearning for each other, but then all of a sudden we just get plot heavy chapters without the romance, so I didn't really feel attached to Emily and Tuck as a couple at all. I think this would have probably interested me a lot more if it was purely a dystopian story rather than a romantic dystopian.

I also really wish there were some answers about other characters we met. I found myself asking a lot more questions throughout and after reading that I felt super unsatisfied by the end. All in all though, it was a fun read and definitely got me thinking about what would happen if we lost all electricity, but there were a lot of things that pulled me out of reading.

DNF @ 25%
This was my first romance with a FMC as a superstar, and I am realizing that it’s not for me.
Where I did enjoy the beginning of the story and getting to know the characters at a young age, the FMC as an adult didn’t sit well with me.
I don’t identify with this lifestyle and don’t find it entertaining to read. The seriousness of Tuck’s story feels so off next to the life of a superficial superstar, and where that might be part of the point, it makes me not enjoy the story.
I will not be finishing this book.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy! I am so grateful for the opportunity.

I am a huge fan of Mia Sheridan! This one was a bit different for me, but I still really enjoyed it and continue to think about it. I read the book in less than two days and could not put it down. There are definitely dystopian vibes-- this is much more than just a romance story. Even though the dystopian reality can seem far-fetched, Sheridan did a terrific job weaving it throughout the narrative and making it relevant to today.

In the chaos of a blackout, the story follows childhood friends Emily and Tuck as they’re thrown back into each other's lives after years apart. Emily, a pop star, and Tuck, a recently released ex-con, have both been hardened by life in different ways. Their reunion is full of tension, frustrations, and baggage, but there is also a love that never truly burned out after years apart. Tuck's journey is soul-crushing and beautiful as he seeks to find redemption and love. The novel explores personal and societal collapse, bringing attention to human connections in the midst of upheaval. The relationship between Emily and Tuck was layered with history and vulnerability as they face their pasts and present circumstances.

As I said above, Under the Sun is more than a love story; it about resilience, redemption, and rediscovering what truly matters when the world goes dark. I loved the characters and their emotional journeys. As one point in the novel, I felt the journey to get back to LA felt repetitive and difficult to follow, but then I was wrapped right back into the story. This is a definitely a slow-burn romance with real stakes, second-chance love, and just enough end-of-the-world suspense to keep you flipping the pages.

"How many times had I wished I could go back to those bright, beautiful days with her when life made perfect sense? It felt like I'd somehow miraculously managed to do that, even if this was the future, not the past, an astonishing paradox of time. "

"Only, falling in love with Emily had been like finding a shortcut that led back home."

"Is it really redemption you're seeking? Or is it love you're funning from?"

"It suddenly seemed so clear to me that redemption was everywhere, in every moment of every day. And so too... was mercy."

This was decent. It didn’t wow me but it also wasn’t bad. I didn’t feel like I wanted to keep reading when I wasn’t, meaning I had to force myself to pick it back up. The characters were okay with decent development but the story just fell flat.

3.25 ⭐️
This was definitely a very unique romance, unlike anything I’ve read before. I’ve read other Mia Sheridan books and really enjoyed them, so I was excited to get into this one. I only read the first bit of the synopsis because I prefer to go in kind of blind, which meant the whole apocalyptic/dystopian aspect was a complete shock to me. So if you’ve read her other popular books, know what you’re getting into and that this one is very different.

With that being said, the dystopian aspect of the story was interesting and quite heavy. Definitely felt realistic and a bit scary in that I could picture something like this happening for real.

I enjoyed Tuck’s character, but didn’t really like Emily. I also felt like the romance of the book was a bit lacking. I’m all for a slow burn, but I didn’t really feel the tension nor did I feel very invested in their relationship. Since they already had lingering feelings from childhood, we don’t really get to see their feelings develop or grow, they were always just there in the background, which took away from the whole romantic aspect of the book in my opinion. It was clear that they wanted each other, but it wasn’t super clear why. The focus was more on their attraction rather than the things they knew and liked about each other.

If you are looking for a unique romance book and don’t mind the focus being on the outside plot/journey rather than the romance and relationship between the characters, give this book a read.

Every time I read one of Mia’s books, I’m left in complete awe.

Pop star Emily is forced to rely on her childhood best friend, Tuck, for protection just as a massive solar flare plunges the world into chaos.

From the start, this story had me Emily’s growth was such a standout for me, I loved watching her change.

The second chance romance gave it that emotional punch I always love!

The whole vibe had this spooky, survivalist feel that reminded me of The Walking Dead.

If you love second chances and a little end of the world vibes, this one needs to be on your list.

Thank you Harlequin/ The Hive for the gifted copy!

Mia Sheridan's books are always a must read for me. I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC kindle copy of Heart of the Sun from NetGalley. While this is not my favorite of hers (Archer's Voice will forever hold that title), it kept me wanting to read more and I finished it in 2 days.

Heart of the Sun is a second chance romance/enemies to lovers story weaved into a dystopian/natural disaster tale of survival. The story takes place surrounding a series of tragic events that happen to Pop star, Nova (Emily), and her body guard, Tuck (who happens to also be her childhood best friend) while traveling across country. Emily and Tuck's story had me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put it down. Their slow burn romance seemed to be perfectly paced given the circumstances and heavy focus on survival. This is a must read for anyone who likes Mia's other novels, enjoys dystopian/end of the world stories, or romances with tropes such as second chance romance, childhood best friend, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, or slow burn romances. Fortunately, Heart of the Sun falls into all of those categories. I'm also not going to lie, this book made me think about survival preparedness a bit too. Definitely a must read!

Best friends to enemies and to lovers. A lovely reunion after so many years of a life hardship Tuck had, the reunion was well worth it because it’s what makes them come back stronger together again and what makes you think of the things that are worth it in life…really isn’t. This book was written really well and let’s you see how much you really don’t need certain things in life or how much you depends on the grid to live.

As someone who will skip the synopsis for an author I’ve read before and think I know what to expect…READ THE SYNOPSIS FOR THIS ONE! lol

This book was so shocking due to my lack of adventurous expectations. Once I realized what was going on, I was happy to be along for rhetorical ride. If you’re in the mood for an “end of the world” style romance with plenty of action, this is the book for you.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC

ARC REVIEW

Heart of the Sun
By Mia Sheridan

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 (4 out of 5)

Publishing date: 5/20/2025

I unexpectedly, really enjoyed this!

I've never read anything like this. It had a lot of action packed into it and it really did feel like an adventure which is not what I'm used to with romance. In fact, for a good chunk of the book I kind of forgot about the romance aspect and was more interested in the world's catastrophic events. It was pretty long, but it actually kept my interest the entire time. I couldn't wait to find out what caused the world to go off the grid. But honestly, it's a frightening thought. This book definitely made me question a lot of things.....let's hope this never happens!

The book centers around Emily and Tuck who knew each other from childhood. Emily is now a famous pop star and she hires Tuck as security, following his release from prison. And for some reason, when I envisioned Emily, I saw Tate McCrae 🤣🤣

I haven't read anything else like this and I'm glad I did! I think it was an entertaining story and different from most romance. But I'm not mad about it!

Big big thanks to @netgalley and @htpbooks for the early read opportunity. It surprised me, in a good way!!

3.5 stars

Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan is a dystopian fiction novel with a slow burn second chance romance.

Woof. This one was a heavy read - definitely as far from cozy fantasy as you can get. Set in modern day USA after a "solar flare" or something more nefarious... childhood friends Tuck and Emily survive a plane crash in Indiana and set out (along with Emily's horrible boyfriend Charlie) to get back to their lives in California by whatever means necessary. There's no electricity which means no cell service -- which means no answers to what the heck is going on. Various conspiracy theories circle around and society does what it has to do to survive...

This one is kind of depressing, because it feels like something that could potentially happen. It felt a little too real at some points, and there are some HEAVY themes that pop up throughout the story.

I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys dystopian fiction and is in a good mental state that won't spiral. The romance is SLLLOOWWW BURNNNN and there's a lot of unanswered questions at the end, but I did enjoy myself and appreciate the DUAL pov between Emily & Tuck.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Heart of the Sun is an intense dystopian romance set in a post apocalyptic world after a solar flare leaves the entire country without power. The story is depressing at times and shows the dark side of humanity, but it’s also hopeful and emphasizes the good that can come from helping others. I was held in suspense as Emily and Tuck traveled over halfway across the country mostly on foot while avoiding gangs and thieves and relying on the kindness of strangers.

I enjoyed the second chance childhood friends to lovers romance but I feel like the romance was actually less prominent than I thought it would be. Tuck and Emily weren’t necessarily my favorite couple ever, but I thought their story was sweet nonetheless and they had good character development. Everything I’ve read from Mia Sheridan so far has been really unique and I’m looking forward to reading more.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mia Sheridan is one of those authors where I have to read everything she puts out. So when I saw she had a sci-fi/fantasy book, I'll be honest, I was a little hesitant. It's not usually my go to genre.

But I was so pleasantly surprised! While it might not knock my all time favorite Sheridan book (Archer's Voice) off its pedestal, I liked it way more than I anticipated.

The main characters, Emily and Tuck, were just lovely. The underlying romance that simmered throughout the story definitely kept me invested. The sci-fi and fantasy elements were interesting and definitely held my attention, although there were a few moments where the pacing felt a tad slow.

So, if you're already a fan of sci-fi and fantasy, I think you'll really enjoy the journey this book takes you on. And if you're a romance lover like me who's maybe a little unsure about dipping your toes into sci-fi, the romance woven throughout will definitely keep you hooked.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars

While this one might not be my absolute favorite from Mia Sheridan, I still really enjoyed her writing and the characters she created. It was a fun and engaging read!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved Archer’s Voice so I requested an ARC for this and was so excited to get to read it early. Anyone that likes The Last of Us or really any media with a post apocalyptic setting will most likely enjoy this.

Most of the book is centered around the main characters traveling across the US on foot and trying to survive as society crumbles due to massive solar flares. It’s stressful and dark but throughout the journey these two estranged childhood friends work together to try to make their way home after surviving a plane crash on the other side of the country.
Inevitability, the crushes the main characters used to have on each other as kids start turn into much more as they travel and trauma bond but it’s a sloooow burn, so be prepared. I like a slow burn and all the tension it brings with it, so I wasn’t complaining ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I do think that someone going into this book expecting a lot of romance might be disappointed. Maybe that’s part of the reason there’s a few low star reviews. I liked it though, even if it stressed me tf out lol.

I don't really like apocalyptic books, so this was not a favorite of mine. I found the story hard to get into and the characters not well developed.

Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan is an emotional, slow-burn romance set against a backdrop of survival and second chances. With her signature heartfelt storytelling, Sheridan delivers a story that’s equal parts tender and intense, exploring the bond between two people brought back together in the most unexpected way.

The chemistry between the main characters simmers throughout, and the stakes—both emotional and external—keep you hooked. It's a story about love enduring through chaos, and what it means to find hope when the world feels like it's falling apart. Quietly powerful and deeply romantic, Heart of the Sun is one that lingers after the last page.

I am a fan of Mia sheridan but sadly this book wasn't for me. this book is sci-fi dystopian plotline but for me it was a lot dependent on the character arc to built a story but for me even that felt flat. I loved Tuck but overall this story wasn't for me.

This was an average romance read for me. I wish there was more to the storyline. I had to convince myself to continue reading to finish the book.