3 stars. A genre-bending apocalyptic romance. While Mia Sheridan's skilled writing shines through, readers should note this is not a traditional contemporary romance. Instead, it ventures into survival territory, blending elements of romantic suspense with post-apocalyptic themes.

The story follows an unlikely pair navigating a doomsday scenario, featuring a complex male lead with a troubled past and redemption arc. While the apocalyptic setting may not appeal to readers seeking pure contemporary romance, those who enjoy cross-genre narratives combining survival elements with romantic tension will find much to appreciate here.

Sheridan demonstrates her versatility as an author by crafting compelling characters and maintaining tension throughout. Though the apocalyptic elements may surprise readers expecting her usual contemporary style, the emotional depth characteristic of her work remains present. Recommended for fans of romantic suspense who don't mind darker themes and high-stakes scenarios.

I personally did not particularly enjoy this one, but that’s mostly because I don’t think this genre is for me. I did like both narrators and though this audiobook was great!

Thank you to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of this book!

Childhood friends Emily and Tuck went their separate ways after Tuck's mom passed when he was a teen and his dad sold their farm. Years later, Emily is now a pop star about to disembark on her first tour, and Tuck is getting his life together after getting out of prison. Em's mom pitches the idea of Tuck being her bodyguard after a few close calls. Shortly after being hired, Emily, Tuck and Em's boyfriend Charlie are headed to her first tour stop when the plane they are on suddenly goes down. They manage to survive the crash, only to find a solar flare caused damage to the grid and they are now living in a post-apocalyptic world.

Honestly, this book terrified me. The premise of the book was waaaay too real to think about, and it freaked me out. As for the characters, I had a really hard time liking Emily, even later on in the book. She just came off as too prissy and annoying for Tuck. I am glad she was redeemed in the end, but man it was hard to like her for the first 70% of the book. Tuck definitely had a difficult time, and I can see why he was the way he was. It was nice to see the "bad guys" being redeemed throughout the book too!!

Annalee Scott is one of my favorite female narrators, and I thought she did a great job narrating Emily. Andre Santana did great as Tuck as well!

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

Heart of the Sun was an interesting and action-packed read that took me by surprise in the best way. I wasn’t expecting so much intensity and survival drama, but I really enjoyed following Tuck, Emily, and Charlie’s journey after a devastating solar flare causes a nationwide power outage—leading to a plane crash and an unexpected alliance as they fight to make their way back to California.

The chaotic, high-stakes trek kept me invested for the most part, though there were a few slower sections that lost my attention a bit. I appreciated that the story was told from both Tuck and Emma’s perspectives—it added emotional depth and helped ground the story—but I found myself wishing we also got Charlie’s point of view. He often felt like the odd one out, and I think his perspective could have added something unique to the group dynamic.

One thing that didn’t quite land for me was the shift in the final quarter of the book. The themes of fate and the heavier religious undertones felt somewhat out of place compared to the rest of the story and took me out of the narrative a bit.

I listened to the audiobook version and thought the dual narration was very well done. The performances really brought the characters to life and made it easy to stay immersed in the story.

Overall, this was a solid mix of survival, action, and emotional connection—with just a few bumps along the way.

I love a Mia Sheridan book and this one was a bit different than others. A post apocalyptic type love story. Second chance. The audio was wonderful with two narrators and it was engaging and exciting.

Years after growing up next door to each other, Tuck and Emily are throw together during an apocalyptic world event.

Wow! This one is so unique! Here's what I liked:

The premise: Sheridan is so good at writing romances set in unique ways. Here, she has a pop star/bodyguard, former childhood friends set during the aftermath of deadly solar flares. The world is in chaos but Tuck and Emily are not only trying to find a way home but are finding a way to love each other. Because of this, the book is an action along with the romance. Neither is overdone; the book has a great balance.

The MCs: I really liked Emily and Tuck. They have a lot of things to get over and get through. But at the end of the day, they are perfect for each other. Tuck in particular, I really liked. His backstory broke my heart but it was also so realistic.

The narration: The duet narration works well in this one. Both narrators do an amazing job with these characters!

All in all, a great, and spicy, natural disaster romance!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

Phenomenal, as always! Mia has such a way with words! She outdid herself with this book. All characters were relatable and I enjoyed learning more about them.

4⭐️ 2🌶️ 5🎧

- Dystopian/Post Apocalyptic
- Second Chance
- Friends to Enemies to Lovers
- Pop Star/Body Guard
- Slow Burn

I am not typically a fan of dystopian/post apocalyptic books but I am a huge fan of Mia so I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this book. I couldn’t put this book down! I was hooked from the beginning and couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

I loved the emotions of the book. This book showcased the best and worst of humanity. I loved watching Emily and Tuck find their way back to each other. It was fascinating and terrifying watching the world as we know it end. For Emily and Charlie looking down on Tuck for being a felon to being completely reliant on him for his knowledge and protection.

Where I feel like this book fell a little short was in the details. It didn’t really make sense why some electronics worked and others didn’t. While I can appreciate that given the circumstances it makes sense for certain events to lack some closure and yet I couldn’t stop myself from disappointed when I didn’t see some characters get the karma they deserved. Both good and bad.

The audiobook was great. André Santana and Annalee Scott did a wonderful job bringing these characters to life.

I really enjoyed this one by Mia Sheridan. I’ve read quite a few by the author and always know I can count on her to leave me with a thought provoking story. This dystopian scenario was very interesting, especially when faced with so many recent events of disasters and seeing how people respond and wondering what if. Tuck and Emily’s story plays out in a situation that is the absolute worst of everything you can imagine and somehow they manage to retain their humanity despite the adversity they face. I switched between a digital copy and audio version of this book - I enjoyed the dual narration that swaps between Tuck and Emily. It was easy to get into the story with their style of storytelling. Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, Harlequin Audio, and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC.

I'd like to send a huge thank you to Harlequin, Canary Street Press, and Harper Audio for both the audio and digital early listener & reader copies of this book! The audio for this book was told in a dual POV, and it was absolutely fantastic!

In this book, we get Emily (aka the pop-star Nova) and Tuck (former ex-con and now her bodyguard) and follow them after their plane crashes from (multiple) solar flares. We get to see what they experience through their trek home.

Have you ever thought about how you would act if the world/society as we know it crumbled?! Yikes, I sure know that I've thought of it (looking at you zombie tv shows....NO THANKS). Well now think about who you would want to be with you in the event of everything going belly up. Every time I read dystopian stories I always wonder if anyone goes to the libraries to get books on survival? I'd think some of the information there could prove crucial to help with agriculture, MAPS, and basic knowledge of plant-life. I'd also go to a garden center and grab all the food seeds I possibly could find. (All of this to say that - honestly - I'd be in a gigantic panic haha!)

All of this to say, that I really enjoyed their story and wished I got to see more in the epilogue =]

If you enjoy these tropes, give this book a try:
- Bodyguard x Popstar
- Former childhood friends
- Slow burn romance
- Second chances

Dystopian/ survival road trip tale with a little bit of second chance romance. I’m not sure how I feel. I liked it enough to finish. The audiobook was the best part of the book & the narration on the audiobook kept me invested but the story overall was just missing more heat, more passion, more survival, more action.

I did not vibe with this book. I did enjoy the narrator. But this just wasn’t for me personally. No shame to the author at all because the writing really was gorgeous.

Mia Sheridan has done it again—but this time, she’s taken us on a second-chance romance journey that crackles with tension, tenderness, and a gritty speculative twist I did not see coming. And let me just say—the audiobook experience? Utterly phenomenal.

Tuck and Emily’s story is one of aching nostalgia, smoldering chemistry, and redemption that cuts deep. He’s a brooding ex-con turned bodyguard. She’s a pop sensation trying to keep her world from falling apart. When society crashes after a solar flare takes out the grid? All they have left is each other.

The narrators breathe life into every beat of the story—from the snarky banter to the quiet heartbreak, and the moments of raw vulnerability that made me feel every second-chance pulse. You could hear the history between them in every line, and I was completely hooked.

I WAS NOT PREPARED. the angst! it took me awayyy. I started this one with my eyeballs but switch to audio and loved every bit of it. body guard x celebrity will forever be a trope I’m weak for, but throw in Mia’s second chance angst AND dystopian suspense?! glued to the pages and unwell.

audio notes: the narrators were PERFECTION for these characters! it was so easy to lose myself in the story.

To be honest, I chose this book because of it’s cover and sprayed edges. The mockups of the book are gorgeous, and I can’t wait to get a physical copy. I really didn’t know anything about the story, but that is common for me. I love choosing books by their covers. This was one a success and I can’t stop thinking about it.
I pretty much went into this book blind, and it was a little confusing at first. I wasn’t exactly sure where it was going. However, once it got to the main event I couldn’t put the book down. If you like The Walking Dead, but aren’t a huge fan of zombies, this book is for you.
I think Mia did a great job showing all of the facets of humankind during a crisis. I loved how we got to see people’strue colors and realize that our world has a lot of grey in it. It isn’t all as black and white as some people like to think. I also appreciated that she showed some people originally viewed as “bad” could be some kind of hero.
I will say it is touted as a romance, but I feel like that is a very small part of this book. It is more of a dystopian novel that slightly touches on romance in the last quarter of the book. Once it gets to the romance part there is a decent amount of it, but I didn’t feel like there was a huge build up to it. However, I did enjoy Tuck and Emily’s story. It was sweet and a little bit tumultuous. There was some angst and longing, but I would have preferred more of a burn in the first three quarters of the book.
I love a book that makes me think and ponder what I would do in a situation like the one the characters were placed in. My husband can be a little bit of a conspiracy theorist and talks about things like solar flares and what would happen. I have never given much thought to such a thing happening…until now. Would I be able to survive? What skills do I have to offer? Would I do what needs to be done in case of an emergency? Would I drop everything to get to my loved ones? Should I start a garden? Should I get some chickens? These are some of the questions that I have been thinking about since I finished the book. I think this book is going to stay with me for quite some time. 
I do wish we knew what happened to some of the more influential side characters and the rest of the world. I feel like I was left with loose ends when I finished the book, which drives me crazy. I really would have liked some closure and knowing their destinies. However, the ending does make sense not knowing what happened to all the characters.
I listened to the ALC and the narrators did a great job. Annalee Scott reads with so much emotion. She really brought Emily to life for me.
If you like dystopian novels that will make you think this book is for you. If you are wanting a book with a slow burn and lots of romance you might want to skip this one.
Tropes:
🧡 Dystopian novel
🩷 Second chance romance
🧡 Popstar
🩷 Childhood friends

I have been a fan of Mia Sheridan's for many years. This novel surprised me in the best way. Not only is this book very good, but it also makes you think , what if? A great novel.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Harlequin Audio for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. This book had me holding my breath from the first sentence to the last. Ms. Sheridan always tells a good story, she always arranges her words in an inimically beautiful style, and she never fails to create a love story that grabs your heart and doesn't let go. Heart of the Sun displayed all of this plus a frightening glimpse of what might occur at any moment should extreme solar flares take out the power grid world-wide. Emily and Tuck loved and taunted each other as children, shared a tentative first kiss, and then drifted apart due to crappy circumstances beyond their control. When they reunite years later, they have nothing in common. But when the world goes dark, Emily gradually comes to realize that the man she unwilling and disdainfully welcomed back into her life may be more vital to her happiness than a working cell phone or hot shower. A terrific, timely tale.

Ａｕｄｉｏｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ
🌟🌟🌟
This is my first Mia Sheridan read. I have heard good things about her books. This book, "Heart of the Sun," was good. I think my biggest problem was that I hated Emily's character; she is extremely unlikeable and not redeemable at all in my eyes. Honestly, she doesn't deserve Tucker! She is a horrible person. How could you know Tuck your entire life but not believe what he is telling you? Or treat him like he was below you because he hit a rough patch in his life? Yes, I hated her character so much. I almost DNF'd this book. Tuck was an amazing person who deserved a second chance; he was really dealt a rough hand in life. And honestly, he saved this book for me.

The audiobook was good; it's dual narration! The narrators did a good job telling the story. It was easy to listen to and understand. I started at 2x speed and increased to 2.5x speed around 70%, but the book started to drag for me.

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

Thank you, NetGalley, and Harlequin Audio for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I ended up stopping this book around 70%. I am not coming with the story at all. Marketed as a romance but there isn’t much chemistry there. I was really intrigued the first few chapters but once the apocalypse happens I felt I was reading two different stores as they didn’t mesh well together. This is more dystopian than romance. I was hoping for more chemistry between Tuck and Emily with the way the book started.

This dystopian romantic suspense book by childhood best friends offers unique settings, plot twists, and characters overcoming challenges and trauma. The flawless narration in the audiobook kept me engaged, bringing the characters to life and evoking their emotions and intentions.

Mia Sheridan's novels have been a little hit-or-miss for me, so I was a little nervous to start reading Heart of the Sun despite a premise that sounded fantastic. I should not have worried, as this novel has it all, childhood best friends, adult enemies who now work together, a natural disaster that creates a new world order, and romantic tension that is off the charts.

This novel had me questioning my own ability to survive if the grid went down. The idea of what would happen to societal norms if suddenly our way of living was disrupted with no solution and no authorities assisting was mindboggling. I must have asked myself a hundred times what I would do in a situation, and unfortunately, I am not sure I would survive! Tuck and Emily are a wonderful romantic duo, and I definitely was rooting for them to find their way and to realize their feelings for each other. The plot dragged a little in parts, but overall the tension was wonderfully suspenseful throughout.

I listened to the audio version of the book, narrated by André Santana and Annalee Scott. Audio was a great choice for the book, as the story is told in alternating POV between the two main characters, and their voices made it easy to keep track of who was telling their story.

Thank you to Netgalley, HTP books and Harlequin Audio for the digital and audio ARCs of Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan. The opinions in this review are my own.