After reading so many Mia Sheridan books, I saw this one on NetGalley and applied so fast, and I was so excited when I was approved for it. That's why it also makes me sad to not be able to give this book 5 stars. It just didn't meet my expectations that I had. Maybe I had set the bar too high? I know that Mia Sheridan writes amazing books, she's one of my favorite authors and I own almost all of her books, but this just wasn't at the same level as the others.

I really did enjoy the idea of the dystopian storyline. It's very unique, and not something that I often read about so I was very excited to give it a try. Parts of it were really done well, including a lot of the events throughout the book and the different plot twists that happen, like with Charlie and at the end of the book.

However, on the other side the story was really slow and drawn out and did not need to be this long. It was as if so many mini events were thought of and thrown in. The romance was a second chance, childhood friends to lovers romance, and there was a lot of build up/slow burn, but there was no tension, no likeable personalities, no excitement.

To clarify when I say that the characters were not likeable: Emily was so self-centered and just so stuck in her snobby personality that I didn't even care what had happened to her. Tuck was slightly more likeable, and his character had a little more depth and we got to see more of his past and what he had gone through, but that was really it. It was really hard for me to connect with the characters because of this. The emotional connection between the two was basically non-existent, and it reads more as the two never getting closure for their feelings from when they were younger, and now they've gone through traumatic events together and it brought those feelings back. We are told that this connection is there, but I never felt it.

Thank you to Mia Sheridan, Harlequin Audio, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. This is my honest review. Final rating 3.5 stars rounded up.

4.75⭐️

This is a review of the audiobook.

I went into this book totally blind (like I didn't read the blurb or know anything about this book prior to reading it) and I'm not sure what I expected but it definitely was not even close to what this story was actually about. That being said, I really enjoyed it. I was definitely expecting a cutesy, second chance romance based on the beginning of the book but it took an interesting turn into an almost post-apocalyptic world where they're just trying to survive while getting to know each other again.

I'm always down for a dual POV book, especially a dual POV audiobook. Both narrators were great and gave this story exactly what it needed. I would definitely love to listen to these 2 in another audiobook together.

Tuck is an ex-felon looking for a second chance. Emily is a singer on the rise getting ready for her first tour. Childhood friends seperated by grief. When Tuck feels he has no where else to turn, Emily’s mom convinces Emily to hire Tuck as her body guard. Both Tuck and Emily are apprehensive for what this new job could entail.
During a flight all systems become unresponsive due to a solar flare and the plane crashes. Tuck leads Emily across the country to journey back home to what they hope will be safety. The two have to face internal conflict and dangers which force them to address the past and any potential future.

I enjoyed this one! I was gifted the Physcial arc and alc from Harper Collins so I did listen to this one. I think the premise was super catchy & there was great character development. The slow burn was amazing as was the tension! I do think there were some threads left untied as it just ended slightly abruptly but this was a great audio book & the narrators were incredible! Thank you so much for sending me this ARC. I had such a great time listening & it really did point out the strengths we have as humans and our will to survive for those we love

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for my advance audiobook copy of Heart Of The Sun by Mia Sheridan in exchange for my honest review. This one has me wanting to start doomsday prepping!

Mia Sheridan does not disappoint in this dystopian-esque tale where we have childhood friends finding eachother after years apart. Tuck, who is recently out of prison, and Emily, an up and coming popstar, find eachother thanks to Emily's mom who encourages Tuck to reach out to Emily to apply to be her bodyguard.

Emily has the movie star boyfriend and the beginnings of a fancy Hollywood life. Tuck is a little surprised with her choice of boyfriend, but does his duty as her bodyguard. They are on a private flight across the country when a solar flare hits and they crash, leaving them in survival mode. Tuck, who gets involved a slight mistrust, does his job to keep her safe, even if she doesn't necessarily want him to.

They do everything they can to make it back to California to check on her parents and get home to where they think they can be safe. They encounter a lot on a the way and the scary part of this book is that one major solar flare or nuclear attack in our atmosphere and BAM, this is reality.

This is a slow burn that checks off so many boxes. Childhood friends. Enemies to lovers. Bodyguard romance. Second chance. I absolutely loved and adored this!

4 stars. It's a fantastic dystopian romance that will have you unable to put this down. I absolutely could NOT stop towards the end of the book and I just loved how Sheridan ended it. This truly is an absolute gem that also has me doomsday prepping now, so, thanks for that, haha. This is one to add to your collection immediately, it's out tomorrow, May 20th!

Thank you to the publishers for an early copy of this book. I realized pretty early on that this book wasn’t for me. I thought it was going to be more of a romance and it ended up being more of a survival novel with very little romance. I didn’t care about the characters at all and didn’t find them very well developed. I wasn’t very invested in this and this was just a bit of a miss for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Canary Street Press, and Harlequin Audio for gifting me an audio ARC of the latest novel by Mia Sheridan, perfectly narrated by André Santana and Annalee Scott. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Tuck and Emily grew up together, sharing a bond they thought they would always share. Until life intervened. Now over a decade later, Emily is a pop sensation, and her mom convinces her to let Tuck, an ex-con in need of a fresh start, be her bodyguard. But then the world is thrust into darkness, and they must work together to survive.

I listened to this on audiobook and was drawn into the story of Tuck and Emily and was rooting for them throughout the book. This is an intriguing mix of romance, survival, and dystopia, making for a compelling read. It’s a good look into how humans behave when faced with disaster.

Loved it!! It was an emotional rollercoaster from the very beginning all the way to the very end. Would highly recommend it!!

I don’t know what I was expecting this book to be (because I don’t read blurbs or reviews in advance of reading), but I did not expect a dystopian, second chance, slowburn romance. I am NOT disappointed. This was fantastic! I could not get enough.

Thank you Net Galley for a ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Heart of the Sun was such a great read. I already love dystopian fiction, so the post-solar-flare setting pulled me in right away, but what really hooked me was the slow burn romance between Emily and Tuck. The second-chance, childhood-friends dynamic gave the story a lot of heart, and I liked how their relationship developed slowly and realistically—especially with everything falling apart around them.
The popstar/bodyguard setup felt fun without being too over the top, and the survival element added just enough grit and tension to keep me turning the pages. Tuck's character was a standout for me—flawed but solid, and easy to root for.
Definitely recommend if you're into emotional romance with a touch of chaos and grit.

*I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

I had really high hopes for this book after hearing a snippet of the audiobook it pulled me in right away. I did immersive reading, listening and reading at the same time, and initially, I was hooked. The beginning set the stage beautifully, and I was genuinely excited to dive in.

But once the FMC was introduced, things started to unravel for me. I just couldn’t connect with her, and honestly, I felt like the MMC deserved someone better. Despite that, I stayed invested… until the dystopian twist hit. That’s where it completely lost me.

What started as a promising story became a confusing mix of too many plotlines, a slow burn romance that felt more forced than natural, and a tone that just didn’t land. It felt like the book was trying too hard to be unique or meaningful, but it ended up feeling flat. I was disappointed, especially after such a strong start.

Apparently I’M in the minority here, but I loved this one!

Emily and Tuck were the best of friends growing up. Their parents owned neighboring farms, and although they wanted to kill each other, as kids, as they grew up they became very close.

And then, things changed…

Emily became a pop star, with the voice of an Angel.
And Tuck well, he went to jail…

When he finally got out, he went to Emily’s parents looking for work on the farm. Unfortunately, they were looking to downsize, but said Em needed a bodyguard…. And so it begins….

To say that things were NOT good between them would be a huge understatement …. But that’s only just the beginning of it. Because, the world as we know it was about to change… and not for the better.

So now, it seems that some of the skills Tuck learned in jail, just might be very helpful to them…

This one brought so much to the table…

Friendships. Family. Romance. Natural disasters. Food shortages. Turf wars. And… so much more. But through it all, we got to experience, through each page, that even when the world around you is FALLING APART, there are still some good people out there in the world!!

5 big, sunny 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 for me!

#HeartOfTheSun by #MiaSheridan and narrated beautifully by #AndréSantana and #AnnaleeScott.

*** RELEASE DATE is on 5/20/25 ... SO LOOK 👀 FOR IT SOON!!! ***

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HarlequinAudio for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.

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I loved this book! I have always loved Mia Sheridan thrillers and am not usually into romance but this was so so good I loved it!

This audiobook blew me away.

André Santana and Annalee Scott are an incredible narrator duo. They brought Tuck and Emily to life with such emotion and nuance that I felt like I was in that sun-scorched, chaotic world with them. Santana captured Tuck’s guarded pain and protective warmth perfectly, while Scott infused Emily with strength, vulnerability, and spark.

Their performances elevated every moment—from the quiet, aching conversations to the high-stakes chaos of a society unraveling. The emotional beats hit harder, the tension felt sharper, and the romance? Swoony and intense.

Mia Sheridan’s writing already delivers so much depth and heart, but this audio production turned Heart of the Sun into a cinematic, fully immersive experience. I didn’t want it to end—and honestly, I’ll probably listen to it again just to relive those performances.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan was my first read from her—and it definitely won’t be my last! I was completely drawn in by the blend of dystopian world-building and heartfelt romance. The second chance love story at the core hit all the right emotional notes, and Sheridan’s writing is just beautiful. She captured so many facets of human nature—love, loss, hope, resilience—and wove them together into a story that stayed with me long after I finished. Bravo, Mia Sheridan!

I read and listened to the audio, simultaneously, and it devoured my life for 2 days. How can one finish this book unscathed? My mind is still hungover and I just know that I will never forget this epic love story.

Ok. Wow. I don't know what I was expecting but that wasn't it. However, I loved it. I loved the characters, except Charlie. What a jerk. The pace was good, the plot was great. It really just makes you stop and think....what if? Loved the narrators. Just excellent.
Mia Sheridan is one of my favorites and this book didn't disappoint me at all.

Thank you to the Hive for the E-Arc and ALC of Heart of the Sun. This is my first book I have read from the author and I definitely see some potential here! I gave this rating a 3.5 stars for the book but I did like the ALC which was a 4 star for me. I enjoyed the focus on how others would react to a disaster. This definitely reminded me of vibes of The Last of Us and The Walking Dead. I think those who enjoyed those shows would appreciate the vibes this book brings.

This definitely felt more YA and a little rushed in my opinion of the love focus on Tuck and Emily. I wish it felt more organic and not rushed. The narration was nice! It felt easy to engage with the narrator and was easy to follow. He really set the scene for you as you listen!

This was not like Mia Sheridans other books, I made it almost 50% and I couldn’t do it. I had the eARC and the ALC. I usually don’t mind immersive reading and push through. Just was not for me but might be for you.

I grabbed this without reading the synopsis so shame on me. I have loved a lot of Sheridan's books but this one was not for me. It was totally Walking Dead without the zombies.

I like how the story shows how people react to natural disaster. I didn't buy the love story between Emily and Tuck, they were thrown back into major catastrophe and there was no time to develop love. It felt like forced proximity and reach for comfort.

I sort of wanted to know what happened to Charlie as well and he just drove off and nothing.

I enjoyed the dual POV and André Santana and Annalee Scott's narration.

Thank you Harelquin Audio and publisher for a copy of the book.