This book was probably one of my favorites so far this year. I personally love speculative thrillers and combining that with a romance is perfection to me. I actually went into this one blind thinking it was just another romance. But I was pleasantly surprised by the turn of events when Tuck and Emily’s plane crashed during a solar flare. Once they realize what happened, they fight their way back home over thousands of miles, all while rekindling an old flame. This book gave me all the feels, knowing that the stakes were so high and rooting for them the whole time. This is for sure one that I will be recommending! I listened to this as an audio and loved the performance by the two narrators. I could feel the emotion in their performance as if they were in the characters shoes the whole time. 100% recommend the audio!

The biggest thank you to Harlequin Audio, NetGalley, and Mia Sheridan for providing me with the gifted audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

DNF at 20%

Try as I might, I could not connect to either of the main characters. I didn't find myself needing to know what happened to them. Maybe it was the ex-con/pop superstar dynamic? Maybe I needed to know more about how they moved from their childhoods to adult lives in order to maintain that connection? I usually like character-driven romance epics, but for some reason, this one was a miss for me.

Heart of the Sun is a second-chance dystopian romance that follows childhood best friends—Tuck, an ex-con, and Emily, a world-famous pop star—whose lives have taken wildly divergent paths.

This novel explores themes of trust and survival at the end of the world. We are swept into an unpredictable journey filled with chaos, danger, romance and mounting tensions.

The story masterfully depicts both the brutality and beauty of humanity in times of crisis. For fans of dystopian romance, this is a must-read.

🎧🎧🎧🎧
The audiobook, narrated by Andre Santana and Annalee Scott, was a revelation. Though new voices to me, both delivered exceptional performances that captured the emotional depth of the characters. Their narration added layers of vulnerability and strength, pulling listeners deeper into the story. It was a pleasure listening to them narrate this novel.

Unfortunately I did not get to listen to this audiobook before it was archived but I did listen with my Everand app so will include my review here and also, thank you for the opportunity.

I found this to be beautifully written and emotional. Instantly was intrigued when I read the synopsis and it stated orange groves of California because I am a California valley girl. This story wasn't just about a romance, and as much as I enjoyed the pop star x bodyguard dynamic of childhood friends getting a second chance. it was also raw, real and vulnerable. It delivers the message that even the most wounded hearts can still bloom and the narrators did an amazing job at capturing all the emotions and really making us feel it.

Well....I liked the narrators for this book, but I ended up DNFing it when Emily talked badly about Tuck. I know that it would change later on in the book, but her outlook on the loss of everything he knew.....I was just angry.

So, just know it was a me thing. You should give it a chance because the idea behind the story sounds really good. I love a good dystopian and romance anything, but I gave up before it reached that point. You continue though and let me know if I should try again.

I enjoyed this book and the audiobook narrators were absolutely perfect. The dystopian/apocalyptic aspect was different from other books I’ve read by Mia, but it definitely kept me on my toes. I went in not knowing what to expect, my favorite way of reading, and was pleasantly surprised!

Emily and Tuck are childhood friends that grew estranged when Tuck moved away and then ended up in prison. Now she’s a hot shot pop star with a movie star boyfriend and she reluctantly agrees to him being her new bodyguard. On a flight to an event, their plane crashes and suddenly the whole world goes dark. As they navigate their way back to California, the tension and old feelings come to surface when they’re forced to travel miles upon miles and stay close together to avoid the new dangers lurking around.

I was really hoping to see the devolving of Emily and Charlie’s relationship sooner as anyone with eyes could’ve seen from miles away that they were terrible for each other and the tension between her and Tuck was undeniable. The character development also occurs later in the story and I wish we got to see a bit more of those changes earlier on with as high stakes as the plot was. But regardless, the book was gripping and when Charlie finally dipped out, that’s when everything turns and starts to get really good!

Lastly, I enjoyed the survival aspect and the sense of adventure that comes with this type of story. It made it more interesting to watch how the characters responded, but also to put it in the back of my head to think of how I would have reacted in a situation similar.

If you’re looking for a sweet romance like many of Mia’s other books, you won’t find it here, but instead you’ll find a high-stakes, dystopian, adventure-filled novel with a slowburn childhood friends to lovers subplot!!

I ended up loving this unique dystopian romance way more than I expected. It starts off like a classic second-chance story—a painfully awkward reunion between childhood friends—then quickly shifts into an edge-of-your-seat survival tale you can’t possibly imagine living through. The storyline had me hooked the entire time, blending heart-pounding moments with a deep, thoughtful look at love, resilience, and connection.

The chemistry between the characters felt real, and I appreciated how much this story made me think about the “what if” scenario it presents. Mia Sheridan crafted a romance that’s both emotional and thrilling, and the narration by André Santana and Annalee Scott brought it all to life. A standout listen for fans of romance with a twist.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I loved how unique the plot was. It’s totally unlike anything I’ve ever read! Mia Sheridan is so good at writing situations that pull you in and get immediately hooked! This made me want to become a pepper for when the world crashes haha

I love a good dystopian novel. I actually liked that the romance was not the main plot, even though the author does romance well. It was developed well.
The narration worked. for this book.

Thank you Mia Sheridan for the arc copy of Heart of the Sun.

I truly love Mia Sheridan books but man was this one a little outlandish for me. This book felt like if you mixed Lost with a post apocalyptic world. Although that sounds like a great plot I felt as if there was almost no conflict. The two main characters have to be the luckiest people in the world especially in an apocalyptic world to run into so many people they know who have exactly what they need in that moment.

I usually enjoy that I can place myself within Sheridans romance books but this one had me constantly saying “yeah okay absolutely no way would that happen”.

Two stars because I still liked the story all around just have higher expectations at this point.

I am a Mia Sheridan fan- I absolutely loved Archer’s Voice. However, I made it 47% through this story before I ultimately didn’t finish it. It was interesting but it was dragging on and on. It gave me walking dead vibes but it just didn’t keep my attention.

I enjoyed this book even more than I thought I would. It brought all of the feels. I liked that it combined the post apocalyptic, walking dead survival type of story, as we saw our main characters come together to survive, and have feelings for one another. The tension between Tuck and Emily was brought together perfectly.

Mia you've done it again. There isn't a book that you have wrote that I haven't fallen in love with while reading. This is one of those that I could read over and over again without getting bored with the book. Everything was there for me. Thank you for allowing me to read.

This was such a interesting dystopian romance that really made think about how I would handle the challenges Tuck and Emily encountered as they fought to survive their unique circumstances. I enjoyed Tuck's ability to adapt and thrive, and Emily's growth as she learned from Tuck's example. It's horrifying to realize that something like this could actually happen and that adds another layer to the drama. The audiobook was a great way to consume this novel and the narration very well done.

This book didn't feel like a romance, it felt more like a dystopia with a side plot of romance. It was more about self discovery and survival. With that being said I did like the chemistry between Tuck and Emily.
Both characters have huge development throughout the book. Even though it was a good read, I find myself not wanting to pick it up. It didn't hook me but I did want to know how it ended, so I powered through.
Thank you to Net Gallery for sharing this ALC in return for my honest review.

Please, this was soooo good!! I went in blind, honestly - and I do not regret that! It was so unlike anything I’ve ever read, and I was obsessed the whole time. The audio, the narrators, everything was so good!

I didnt really know what to expect for this one. I was thinking this was a romance/suspense/dystopia type but I am still unsure. It was still a good story and kept me hooked, but I feel a little let down? This was a first for me with Annalee Scott and Andre Santana as the narrators. They did a good job keeping me in the story. Thank you Harlequin and netgalley for the ALC.

Thank you NetGalley & Harlequin Audio for the ALC!! 💖


2.75 ⭐️
This was my first Mia book, and I admit I may have had some hugh expectations after all the rave reviews on her other books!

"Heart of the Sun" isn't a book I would typically read, but I was excited to give it a shot!

It presents an end-of-the-world scenario intertwined with a second-chance, childhood best friends romance. While not entirely unenjoyable, the romance felt underdeveloped; the foundation was strong, but the romantic storyline could have been explored much further. The whole solar flares and total power outages were unsettling, tapping into a fear of events that feel eerily plausible in our current world - however, I also found that aspect of the book lacking as well. I think it would have been much more enjoyable had it stuck to either the romancantic storyline or life in a world of darkness.

I found the audio characters very hard to connect with as well.

3/5 stars

This is a beautiful cover and despite it stating "A Love Story" right on the front cover this book is so much more. This was defintely not what I was expecting from Mia Sheridan. When I first started this book I was blown away by the dystopian type world. This beautiful story is about childhood friends, Tuck and Emily, who are separated by life happenings. Thirteen years they are reunited and they quickly realize that they both had led completely opposite lifestyles. Emily is an up and coming pop music superstar and well Tuck is an ex-con who recently got released back into society. Tuck is serving as Emily's bodyguard when a dystopian/post apocolyptic event happens. They along with Emily's boyfriend are on a plane when the plane goes down. They surrive the crash but together they have to learn and work together to navigate this is unknown yet new way of life.
I really enjoyed the audiobook narrators, they did great putting a voice to these characters. Mia Sheridan, is known for her heartwarming books and this one is no different. There were in moments in this book that I wanted to holler at these characters, others where it had me laughing, and others that had me swooning.

A special Thank you to Harlequin Audio and Netgalley for the ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is in my words and are those of of mine and mine alone.

☀️ Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
Childhood friends. Second chance romance. A solar flare that knocks out the entire power grid. This book had me hooked.
Emily and Tuck are forced together when the world goes dark, and what unfolds is a tender, emotional journey of survival and reconnection. The chemistry is real, the stakes feel high, and the quiet moments between them hit just as hard as the tension outside.
Mia Sheridan balances romance with just the right amount of apocalyptic chaos. Tuck is everything you want in a second-chance hero, and Emily’s strength makes her easy to root for.
If you love emotional depth, forced proximity, and romance set against a crumbling world, don’t miss this one