I just couldn’t lol. The storyline was typical dystopian, but even so the characters were painfully shallow w/ 0 chemistry at all.

The times I cringed every time Em opened her mouth.
Like she fr thought promising a girl tickets to her future concert was an equivalent to setting an injured boys arm? That she wasn’t entirely useless ‘cause that gave the girl comfort… Like 🙃 Nah babes, you & crackhead are still useless. Since the beginning… I would’ve been left them by the plane lol. Her constant outbursts are too childlike & a game of who’s better, when Tuck clearly doesn’t gaf who’s better… Just when they were gloating about how they’re above Tuck for being able to repurchase all their name brand stuff 👁️👄👁️

Charlie was your typical cookie cutter cocky celeb, & Tuck is just… He’a just there🧍🏽‍♂️Even after the disrespect. I don’t know, he’s better than me ‘cause I am not sticking around ✌🏽

Overall… Is this a bad book? Or is it a good book for making me feel a type of way lmfao. I have no clue, but I stopped at 46%. Right when they were talking about how it’s gonna be crazy on the outside & proceed to go up to two random men who clearly broke into a diner on horses… *Maybe I’ll finish it when I have enough patience lmfao. ‘Cause I clearly cannot right now w/ their airhead shenanigans.

Mia never lets me down, so I didn’t do much research into what the book was about and I think that helped. I was so open minded and wasn’t expecting anything. This is my first dystopian romance and the author did a great job painting what a world would look if an event like this occurred. I enjoyed the character’s background stories and how they were tied together. They were moments where I was screaming inside for them to run, hide or maybe not trust someone.

It has a super intriguing premise but the romance felt so disjointed, the plot pacing was inconsistent (slow for the majority of it and then way too fast towards the end), & the ending was a little underwhelming. It was lacking a little something. The whole story felt 2 dimensional.

Maybe this would be better as a movie or show. I actually got some “the walking dead” vibes from this (minus the zombies) with the whole end of the world element to this story. The parts which described how people were affected by the solar flare & collapse of society affected me most, because it felt like it could be real. Some scenes were borderline horror/thriller, and of course that got a reaction out of me. But I was bored with the majority of the book.

I still love Mia and will continue reading her backlist and taking a chance on her new releases, but this one wasn’t it.

Is it an accidental plane crash that Tuck Mattice and Emily Swanson miraculously survived? Or was there more to it? Tuck, Emily, and her boyfriend Charlie managed to escape the crash and are determined to walk as far as necessary to find help. Despite their history together, Emily and Tuck’s history together clearly prove that Charlie is a liability. But they press on.

Survival becomes paramount for the trio, especially when it seems that every mile they take leads them nowhere. As they grapple with the aftermath of the crash, they gradually comprehend the magnitude of the situation and their uncertain futures.

From the very beginning, I was captivated by this story. The sense of urgency was palpable, and the narrators delivered fantastic performances. Another intriguing aspect of the narrative was the alternating points of view between Emily and Tuck. It was fascinating to witness the profound impact of the sudden changes on their lives.

Although dystopian novels aren’t my preferred genre, I occasionally find myself drawn to them based on their intriguing descriptions. In this case, a world plunged into darkness, offering little hope of finding their homes, captivated me. Meanwhile, Emily and Tuck are forced to confront their past and reconcile it with the present, all while being accompanied by Charlie. This thrilling story boasts excellent character development and an intriguing plot. I highly recommend it.

Many thanks to Canary Street Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. I do want to say if youre expecting something like Archers Voice, then you may want to reassess your expectations. BUT if you’re looking for an angsty, childhood friends, second chance, bodyguard/famous singer, dystopian with a slow burn romance then this one is it. I had peeked at some of the reviews prior to reading this book, and then while reading I was completely confused on why the ratings were so low. Then I remembered that Archers Voice is a very emotional, and angsty book (While I havent read the others in that world yet, I assume they would be emotional, and angsty as well). Archers Voice isnt super suspenseful, thrilling, and definitely doesnt have a ton of action (or survivial scenes. Whatever you’d prefer to refer to them as). So if people are going into this book expecting that book (or rather something along those lines), I can see how they are disappointed. If you take away those expectations, and look at the book for what it is, I think it is great. This book for me was good. This book has a lot of action, and is exciting. Which is to be expected with a dystopian romance. I like the character development of Emily. l love how her, and Tucks relationship builds. The dystopian world is set in contemporary times, but has the “real world” feel of what if this happened. I actually loved that aspect. The story is actually great.

I did do the audio version of this book as well.

This book is a gripping Contemporary Dystopian Romance. The romance is this book is a slow burn, and second chance. The book does have some mild spice, and the spicy scenes are descriptive. The book moves at a steady pace following Emily, and Tuck as their world implodes. Emily, and Tuck are childhood friends who have grown apart, and are recently reacquainted. When their plane crashes they learn the world as theyve known it has changed forever. Both Emily, and Tuck want to get home. Getting home is going to be harder than they ever expected. Especially with Emilys movie star boyfriend in tow, and the dangers lurking. This is a gripping story of survival when disaster strikes, and romance all in one book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Emily and Tuck were once childhood friends, their properties side by side and their parents' friends with a dream for their community. Life doesn't happen the way these two imagined as children though and several years go by before they meet again. Tuck is looking for a second chance at life, Emily is looking for a bodyguard, they couldn't be at more different places, but their needs align. The two hold harsh judgements against each other, but a solar flare finds them relying on one another in desperation. As the realities of their situation sinks in, the two find that the chemistry that once burned between them is still there, burning just as the world is.

I had the absolute pleasure of getting to listen and flip the pages at the same time, which found me totally immersed in Heart of the Sun. It was novel I usually wouldn't have picked up, but as a longtime obsessive fan of Mia Sheridan I am so glad I did. I'm a huge fan of romantic suspense and major angst, but wasn't sure I'd be into a more modern dystopian romance. Sheridan proved me wrong though, as I fell in love with this second chance high stakes romance.

Emily and Tuck are both relatable, while being totally unrelatable. Their childhoods so idyllic and their adult lives so different, but a catastrophe brings them together in a way that only a crisis can. They've both been hiding themselves for so long, but as they band together to survive, to get home, their true selves come forth. I love a good second chance romance, especially one where the characters have a bit of enemy drama. The storyline was so different for me that I couldn't predict what was going to happen next, which found me flipping the pages as quickly as I could to know if these two would ever admit they carried feelings still. This wasn't just a pop star and her bodyguard romance, this is a book of survival, with excellent detail into the new dystopian they are dropped into and a complex study of two characters discovering themselves again.

The narration was excellent, I was totally thrilled there were two narrators and their voices became one with the words on the pages for me. Truly popped off the page like I was watching a show. I read in 1.5x speed and it never got roboticy.

I went into this book thinking that I would love it. Honestly it was okay but not my favorite for sure. I listened to this and switched between the audio and kindle version. I felt wanting for more. The story starts with Tuck showing up to his old family farms needing a job. Emily’s mom thinks this is the perfect opportunity for Tuck to work as security for Emily, an up and coming singer. Next thing we know, there’s a plane crash. Everything was decent until this happened. I genuinely could not stand Emily. I felt stuck did everything from then on out. But other than those few things the books was good!

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, Canary Street Press, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Mia Sheridan for copies of the arc and alc!

This was my first Mia Sheridan book. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this one. I didn’t realize it was going to be an apocalyptic romance. I don’t think I’ve ever read one before. It took about 60% of the way in for me to start liking the story and feel invested enough to continue but once I got to that point, I really wanted to know how it would all come together. That being said, it was less about the romance for me and more just wanting to know how they’d survive.

I listened to this as an audiobook. It was dual narration which I hate. I did not like the male MMC’s voice. If you don’t mind dual narration, you’d be fine. I wished it had been duet style.

Overall, 3.5 stars rounded up for 4.

The beginning of this book was strong, I enjoyed the narrators voices (especially Tuck's). Childhood friends reunited after one gets out of jail and needs a job and the other is a pop star who coincidentally needs a bodyguard. Tuck was trying to assimilate himself back into society after prison, and Emily is chasing her dreams of being a singer.

As a dystopian survival novel I was hooked, the survival as they slowly hiked across the country to get back to California had me constantly turning the page. As well, as a romance I kept waiting for Tuck and Emily to discuss their relationship more as i wanted to see growth between. The romance felt very very slow burn and almost stood out as unnecessary in the world that was built. I also wasn't the biggest fan of Emily, her attitude and judgement of Tuck was hard to put up with as long as it continued. I did start to really enjoy them together as a couple the longer I listened.

I did enjoy what the author attempted to do here but unfortunately I just didn't enjoy the blend of the two, I wish I could have just read Tuck and Emily's story as a popstar + bodyguard romance (as I enjoyed that dynamic), or separately read a dystopian fiction novel about the power grid being completely knocked out. But the combo of the two just didn't really blend or work as well for me.

Mia Sheridan delivers yet another emotionally gripping and thought-provoking story, but this time, she ventures into dystopian territory—and does it with remarkable realism and heart. Heart of the Sun is unlike anything I’ve read before. The premise is terrifying in its plausibility, yet Sheridan grounds it in humanity and hope, making the journey feel both urgent and intimate.

Emily is a pop star, glamorous and adored, while Tuck is freshly out of prison, trying to rebuild his life. When Emily’s mother suggests hiring Tuck as her bodyguard to help him reintegrate, both are hesitant. Old wounds and lingering tension resurface—Emily, still caught in the emotional echoes of their youth, and Tuck, quietly ashamed yet determined to move forward.

Their dynamic shifts dramatically when the two—alongside Emily’s celebrity boyfriend—survive a plane crash. From there, the novel becomes a survival story, but more importantly, a story of rediscovery and redemption. As they navigate a world suddenly thrown into chaos, stripped of fame and status, Emily and Tuck are forced to confront who they truly are and what they mean to each other.

Tuck’s quiet strength and level-headed heroism shine, while Emily slowly unravels the emptiness of the life she thought she wanted. Their connection, forged in shared history and rekindled through hardship, is beautifully developed. Sheridan doesn’t rush their romance—it unfolds with tenderness, respect, and emotional authenticity.

Admittedly, the middle of the book dragged a bit as the survival encounters began to feel repetitive. Around the 70% mark, I was ready for the journey to progress toward resolution. Still, the emotional core of the story kept me invested, and Sheridan’s character work carried it through.

Though dystopian fiction isn’t usually my genre of choice, Heart of the Sun felt grounded and plausible enough that I didn’t have to suspend disbelief. The themes of resilience, forgiveness, and self-discovery resonated deeply, and the narration brought the characters vividly to life.

While it may not be Sheridan’s most unforgettable novel, Heart of the Sun is a powerful, hopeful story of two people finding their way back—to each other, and to themselves.

The narrators truly brought these characters to life. Their performances added depth and emotion, especially during tense and vulnerable moments. While the middle portion dragged a bit with repetitive survival scenarios, the emotional payoff and character growth made it worth the ride.

Not my usual genre, but Sheridan made it accessible, raw, and surprisingly hopeful. A solid, well-performed listen.

This audiobook was amazing to listen to! The narrators did such a good job and I was interested the whole time! I think the voices matched the characters perfectly and the narration went smooth. I was able to stay captivated the whole time and also imagine what was going on in the book.

This was an interesting one! I was really into the story and then it kind of dragged on for me towards the end. I thought it was a tad longer than it needed to be but I still enjoyed the overall redemption story as well as the second chance. Even more interesting to see it set in a kind of dystopian type world. So scary to actually think about!

Rating: 4.25⭐️ | Spice: 2🌶️ | Audio: 5🎙️
What to Expect:
Childhood Best Friends
Enemies to Lovers
Second Chance
Popstar x Bodyguard
Slowburn
High Stakes / Survival Romance
Dystopian

Thank you so much @canarystreetpress and @harlequinbooks for the free ALC & ARC!

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

Review Title & Vibes:   
What an absolutely wild ride! I’m notorious for going in completely blind on a book… definitely should have at least read the blurb!

On the outset - I thought this was a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers rockstar-bodyguard romance. I mean - it does kinda still have that theme, but it took a hard right turn into an extremely realistic dystopian/apocalypse storyline.

Tuck and Emily have such a complex history - neighbors in a family-owned orange grove in California. When tragedy happens, Tuck moves away and self-destructs. Years later Emily is at the top of the (proverbial) ladder living her best life as “Nova” a highly synthesized pop star version of the singer song writer she longs to be. She gives Tuck a second chance as her body guard.

But when the lights go out… the tables turn. No longer are societies elite at the top, but those with knowledge, experience, and muscle. Their fight to stay alive and make it home is brutal. Lots of beautiful human moments - sharing what you can, but also the reality that life threatening situations can turn society to its worst.

Audio Notes:
{dual} wonderful performance. I was captivated and dialed in the entire time. Some characters were meant to annoy (and succeeded to drive me insane) I would highly recommend!

Recommended to...  
All the high stakes romance readers who crave a tension filled slow burn.

Narrated by @andreonthemic @soundslikeannalee
Produced by @harlequinbooks

Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan is a beautifully written novel that had me completely hooked from the beginning. As always, Sheridan’s prose is immersive and emotionally resonant—she has a rare talent for drawing readers in with her characters and storytelling.

I want to be upfront that I went into this book blind, and while I was initially captivated, the story eventually shifted into a dystopian direction that just isn’t my personal preference. This isn’t a reflection on the writing—Sheridan’s skill shines throughout—it’s simply a matter of genre not aligning with my tastes.

That said, for readers who enjoy dystopian fiction with depth and heart, I absolutely recommend this book. Mia Sheridan brings a unique voice to every story she tells, and Heart of the Sun is no exception. While it wasn’t quite right for me, I still rated it highly because of the quality of the writing and my continued appreciation for this author’s work.

Fans of Sheridan and dystopian tales alike will likely find much to love here.

Im not a huge Mia Sheridan fan, but I loved this. I’ve read many of her books, and this is easily in my top three.

I loved the characters and the tension and connection was just there. It all made sense and nothing felt forced.

1.5 Stars

This one follows Emily and Tuck. They were childhood friends many years ago until Tuck's life took an entirely different path than Emily's. Now, Tuck is fresh out of prison and searching for a reliable source of income. In talking with Emily's parents, Tuck is hopeful to get a job working for her as a bodyguard. Emily has risen to fame as the popstar, Nova. Nova dates a well known movie star, Charlie. Nova is gearing up to hit the road for a tour and needs extra security. Emily begrudgingly offers Tuck the position even though she can tell he's out of his comfort zone, but she finds it in her heart to help an old friend out. Once they take off on a flight from California to New York, things will never be the same again.

On this flight, Emily, Tuck, and Charlie start to notice a strange image outside the planes windows. It looks like there are fires everywhere on the ground. Just as they see this terrifying imagery, they start to get bad turbulence that ends in a crash landing. The three survive, but find themselves stepping out into a world unlike any they've known before. It seems that a solar flare has taken out the electrical power grid. Nothing works and there stuck trying to walk or hitchhike back to California to their families. They cling to one another in this odd time when Tuck takes the lead of the group and works on getting them back to safety.

---

This one was an utter flop for me. It was marketed as a new adult dystopian romance and doesn't do either of those themes very well. At the beginning, we got a small glimpse of life when Tuck and Emily were kids and their friendship dynamic before we time jump to Tuck getting out of prison. It felt like the childhood scene was far too quick to really feel the connection between the pair and how they care for one another. Presently, I was starting to get invested in the messy dynamic of Tuck getting integrated back into Emily's life with the addition of her boyfriend Charlie. I was instantly wanting to know what had happened to Tuck and why he was in prison, which we eventually learn but not until far later in the book.

Once the airplane crashes, this really starts to lose steam. It becomes a repetitive narration of how they are walking, hitchhiking, and foraging to stay alive while trying to get back to California. The amount of dialogue about them being miserable and hungry in this apocalyptic scenario was mind-numbingly boring. The romance aspect of the book has been completely forgotten about at this point. It was too bogged down by the environmental aspects and the fact that Emily still had a shitty boyfriend.

Emily didn't even come to the realization that she didn't like Charlie anymore until 52% through the book. It wasn't until 60% that they actually called it quits. Things continue drudging along until Emily and Tuck start having inner monologue about how much they want the other one, and yet they never have any open communication with each other about it. Not until their "tension" just bursts and they must have one another right then and there. And to be quite frank, the sex scene gave me the ick. It just felt unnecessary and forced. I didn't feel any connection between the two characters and it felt more like an adrenaline/trauma fuck. Then there was the conflict of those two splitting up to go different ways and then trying to make it back to one another once they both figure out separately that they love one another. *eye roll* I just truly did not care about them, nor did I feel like they belonged together. Why I insisted on finishing this? I have no idea. It felt like there were so many good possible plot points that could've been developed into something better, but they became too jumbled and lost where it was going.

*Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for my honest review.*

One of my favorite reads of 2025! 🌞

Heart of the Sun is a love story wrapped in dystopian adventure. The tension, sparks, and smoldering between Tuck and Emily were next level. With the end of the world (as they knew it) looming, it was an emotional rollercoaster ride.

Mia Sheridon’s eloquent storytelling is highlighted with the dystopian event, memorable side characters, and character growth. At times there was a bit too much internal dialogue, but it was easy to overlook when the yearning was SO WELL DONE. 😮‍💨

The narrators were wonderful. Their inflection and emotion added to the drama and fueled the fire of an already dramatic book.

🔥Tropes You’re Going To Get:🔥
Slow Burn
Second Chances
Enemies to Lovers
Childhood Best Friends/Friends to Lovers
Pop star/Bodyguard (kinda)
Bad Boy/Good Girl (…maybe a stretch)
Dystopian

Thank you @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for the audiobook!

I didn’t finish this book… and believe me, I tried.

I gave both the ebook and the audiobook a fair shot, but I just couldn’t get into it. Where was the romance?!

I know it’s supposed to be a slow burn—but there was no burn. Not even a little smoke. I was 60% in and still waiting for something—anything—to happen. And unfortunately, the rest of the plot wasn’t compelling enough to keep me going.

4.25 ⭐️

Tuck and Emily grew up together on a small farm in southern California, but their lives took them in opposite directions. Emily became a rising pop star and Tuck became a felon. When Tuck gets released from prison and is in desperate need of a job, Emily reluctantly hires her estranged childhood friend as her body guard. However, the playing field levels out when a solar flare hits Earth, knocking out the entire power grid. Tuck and Emily are forced to work together and reconcile their differences in a new changing world where humanity is on the brink of collapse.

Mia is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. While this didn't compare to Archer's Voice or Unwanted, I was still addicted to the pages. Emily really annoyed me for the first half of the book, but she's supposed to. We see so much character growth from her. Tuck is selfless and was the sole reason they survived. This is told as a second chance romance, though we barely got a glimpse into their past. I wish their "young love" was more fleshed out so that them coming together as adults made more sense (other than there being no one else amidst an apocalypse). This read more as a dystopian novel with a splash of romance, since that wasn't the main focus. If you know that going in, I think this book is powerful and addictive.

I switched reading this between the audio and ebook because I seriously couldn't stop reading (typical Mia Sheridan for me). The narrators were perfection 10/10.

oooo this book was so good! The world needs more dystopic scifi romances. The romance just hits so hard when the world is ending and people can come together in the end!

In the beginning I'll admit that I didn't care for Emily, but I really loved Tuck. I appreciate how we had so much of Tuck's point of view. But by the end I liked Emily a lot more and I think she really grew throughout the story.

The audiobook was super well done. I thought the narrators portrayed the characters very well.