5⭐ 2🌶️ 5🎧

Mia does it once again! Emily and Tuck’s story is gut wrenching, tragic, and tear filled…but it is also full of beauty, destiny, strength, fate, and hope. Very few can tug on my heartstrings quite like Mia can and when you mix it with her poised writing, attention to detail, and ability to chameleon into a multitude of settings without losing her voice (uhm, hello, I would have never expected dystopian to be her lane and it was INCREDIBLE), you get something as magical as Heart of the Sun. This is an absolute must read.

Emily and Tuck are what second chance romance and enemy to lovers dreams are made of. While they never had their “official” first go around, it was always there underneath all the pent up angst and hate that I love you vibes and when they get their chance this time, there’s no way it’s slipping through their fingers again. I loved the interwoven narrative of their childhood into the beginning of this book and seeing them reunite and the sparks start to fly once again? Everything.

The worldbuilding kept me just as invested in this one and I really enjoyed the dystopian aspects and the solar flare plotline. The subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) commentary on how people react when all hope seems to be lost and it’s coming down to kill or be killed felt so relevant and real. There were so many moments of heartache woven in with anger, forgiveness, and acceptance…I was on a rollercoaster of emotions the entire time but I truly never wanted it to end.

I loved these two and their development throughout their journey and I’ll be thinking about this story for a long time coming.

Audio reread: I loved this even more than the first ebook read through! The narration was perfection and both André and Annalee did an incredible job bringing some of my all time favorite Mia characters to life!

“You always did wear sunshine well.”

I absolutely adored this story! You have a second-chance, bodyguard romance meets post-apocalyptic world.

Tuck is the sweetest male lead. His backstory is so sad, and he is just getting out of a stay in the slammer. However, when their plane goes down in smoke, he is the person they all look to, I love how protective he is - of everyone.

Emily is a singer/star that slowly starts to realize what really matters in life is not the fame, or the hair, or the nails, but the music and the people that actually matter.

Together, they will navigate a world that is totally upended by a solar flare - will they make it?

While I did enjoy this book, I do have a couple of caveats. First, I wish the characters and even side characters were a bit more developed. Charlie made it too easy to hate him, and his character was super flat and boring. Second, navigating through a world without electronics, cars, or literally any way to get more food would be way more challenging than the author made it out to be. While she mentions them being hungry, you don't "feel" the hunger with them. It did need a bit more development, but I guess they can get away with this as a famous author of Archer's Voice, etc. Did I have fun? Yes. Was it better than her other books? No.

Mia Sheridan will continue to be one of my favorite authors. I'm convinced she can write just about anything she sets her mind to. With this book, she handily gives us what felt like an apocalyptic romance and she did it well.

Our two main characters, Emily and Tuck grew up as neighbors with their parents as best friends so they always knew each other. They both had a crush on the other person but both had been nervous to pursue it. Just when they were starting to figure out that they might have something there, tragedy struck and threw Tuck's world sideways. When his world changes, he doesn't respond well and ends up getting himself into trouble. In the present day, Emily is an up and coming singer who is still holding a grudge against Tuck for how he behaved years before. Tuck is disappointed with Emily for "selling out" in his viewpoint and not singing her own music but rather doing whatever her label tells her. When something happens and most electronics stop working, Tuck, Emily and her current boyfriend are stranded after a plane crash. When they start trying to work their way back to California across the country, it will show everyone's true colors. Over the course of the trip, Emily and Tuck will both remember things about the other person that made them friends before. And gradually they both open up about that time and what happened.

I would have probably liked to see a little bit more about the apocalyptic side of things although I felt the author had definitely done her research about solar flares and so on. However, I did love the storyline around salvaging their relationship.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I was also fortunate and received an early copy of the audiobook. It's really enjoyable with good, solid narration which keeps you immersed in the story. I was so caught up in the audio version that I listened whenever possible.

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the audiobook and ebook.

This is not my first Mia Sheridan book. I've read several others by this author and enjoyed them. I have to say, Heart of the Sun didn't really do it for me. Certain parts of the book were good and kept me listening, but overall I found the characters dull, and the main character Emily was just flat out annoying. I loved the idea of a dystopian survival story. This book had potential, but unfortunately didn't deliver on that.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harelquin Audio for this ELC.

2 stars! 🌟 Huge thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for the eARC & Harlequin Audio for the ALC! 💌

Oh boy. Where do I even start? This was my first Mia Sheridan book, and let’s just say... it did not go well. I came in with expectations—after all, people rave about Archer’s Voice—but yeah, those expectations? They crashed and burned harder than the electrical grid in this book.

Let’s talk about the romance (or lack thereof).
This was supposed to be a second-chance, childhood-friends-to-lovers romance, but I swear these two had the chemistry of two wet socks in a washing machine. I didn’t feel anything between them—no tension, no passion, nothing. Like, was I supposed to believe they were in love? Because I didn’t. At all. And since I didn’t believe in the romance, I didn’t care about the relationship, which meant I didn’t care about the book. Oops.

The characters?
Everyone was either unbearable or just straight-up bland. Emily, our pop-star FMC, was insufferable for most of the book. And Tuck? I wanted to like him, I really did, but he was just... there. No depth, no personality beyond “brooding ex-con.” And the side characters? I already forgot their names. That should tell you something. 🤡

The pacing was a mess.
This book could not decide what it wanted to be. Was it a romance? A dystopian survival story? A road trip novel? A guide to how to properly saddle a horse? Because there were way too many descriptions of that. The apocalypse was more like an inconvenient roadblock than actual chaos, and the “action” felt like someone was making up problems just to give the characters something to do.

Now, the narrators.
I switched between the eBook and audiobook, hoping one would make the story more tolerable. It did not. 😩 I didn’t vibe with the narration at all, and that only made an already frustrating read worse.

Final thoughts?
This book was just not it. ❌ Boring characters, unbelievable romance, slow plot, and an overall lack of emotion. And then I read the acknowledgments and found out the idea wasn’t even Mia Sheridan’s own?! 🤯 It all makes sense now. Maybe I’ll give Archer’s Voice a try someday, but as of right now? Yeah, no. 🚪➡️

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for an ARC of this book.

I have loved Mia Sheridan’s writing for years, ever since reading Archer’s Voice. I’ve loved both her thrillers and contemporary romances. This was a new genre from her, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

We have two childhood friends who have been distanced by various circumstances. The story starts with Tuck and Emily as kids, and then we flash forward to the present. Now, Emily is Nova - a pop star, and dating another celebrity. Her mother talks her into hiring her childhood best friend who has just been released from prison. He accompanies her and the boyfriend on her tour as a bodyguard. Their plane goes down during a cataclysmic solar flare that affects the electrical grid. The world goes dark, society becomes desperate, and Tuck and Emily fight to survive while finding their way home.

I thought this book was fascinating, and a good contrast to every other romance being released lately. If you ARE looking for a bodyguard/pop star trope, you might be left disappointed. The first part of the book delivers but the survival/dystopian trope really takes over for most of the book. This was a great story with characters I ended up caring a lot about, who are challenged to fight for their survival.

I believe both narrators were new to me, and I thought they did an excellent job.

Hmm, this was interesting read. I will say my love for Mia Sheridan started with ‘Unwanted’ so this was an immediate read for me. The 2nd thing that peeked my interest was the plot. A dystopian second chance romance sounds right up my alley. While I did enjoy this book as well as listening to the audio - it was just okay in my eyes.

Heart of the Sun is the first book I’ve read by Mia Sheridan, and it definitely won’t be my last. I was completely drawn in by the unique dystopian twist on a love story, which is something I didn’t know I needed until now. The world-building was immersive, the romance was emotional and gripping, and the characters had so much depth. I loved Tuck. If you’re looking for a love story with a fresh, unexpected setting, this one is worth picking up!

no
This didnt work
It struggled wanted to be a romance apocolyptic, friends to enemies to lovers, body guard romance etc
Because it tried to tackle so many subplots none of them worked.
I get end of the world is a lot of walking city to city.. but did we need 15 chapters of walking?
I didnt actually connect to any of the chracters
I will say I was really into the begining of this book all the way until the plane scene and then I was bored.
I would rate this 2 stars but when i tested skipping 10 chapters and realizing I missed nothing.. It made me feel the author was chasing page length over plot.

I was immediately hooked by the premise of Heart of the Sun. As a dystopian fan, the comparison to The Last of Us drew me in, and the book delivered on that front—trekking across a collapsed America with unfamiliar companions, braving an uncertain future. Stories of societal collapse always fascinate me, and this one was made even better by compelling characters that brought the world to life.

Tuck and Emily were standout protagonists—lovable, memorable, and continuously evolving throughout the story. childhood friends-to-lovers can be a tricky narrative to execute without feeling awkward, but this story balanced it pretty well, intertwining their romance with a strong second-chance theme. Tuck's ironclad morals made him an especially strong character, and his unwavering integrity added depth to his journey, both past flashbacks and current time in the narrative.

The audiobook narration, performed by ____ and Annalee Scott, was solid. Admittedly, Tuck's voice took some adjusting—his "tough guy" persona led me to expect a deeper tone—but after a few chapters of adjustment, I found it worked well. The narration didn't detract from the experience, even if it took a moment for my brain to recalibrate.

My biggest issue with the book was its consistent pacing. The early chapters following the world's collapse felt slow, while the latter half raced ahead at breakneck speed. Given the dire circumstances, I also would have liked to see more gritty realism—more action, more conflict, more of the brutal side of a collapsing society. While the portrayal of kindness and humanity was heartwarming, a bit more balance between hope and hardship would have made the world feel more authentic.

One thing I personally would have loved? A deeper dive into the cause of the solar flares—maybe a peek into a scientist's projection map or insight into whether the government had prior knowledge. There were speculations in the narrative, but nothing concrete. There's definitely room for a prequel or sequel exploring this—and I would absolutely read it!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!

I really enjoyed this! I wouldnt say it was a second chance in my opinion because they never started before, BUT its a really wonderful old connection romance.

I loved the dystopian touch. I actually hadnt read a dystopian story before and this one was good. It felt very true to how those types of changes would affect people’s psyche and dynamics.

Another hit for Mia!

So good!!! The ups and downs in this book were perfect!! I love a book that makes me feel all the emotions and this one did just that!!

I went into this book blind, which I do normally. And I enjoyed this book. This book is considered to be a romance book however I probably would categorize it under YA. The characters and the plot just seemed more YA. However, if you are going to read this book, even though I would characterize it as more, YA, there was some spice in the end. The narrators really enhance this book. I loved their ability to enhance each character and give more depth to the character characters. All in all this book was a solid three stars the narration I would give a four star for.

I have to admit that I like reading books without knowing what it's about...I was expecting a love story.... the book started strong, promising, then it took an unexpected turn but it was still intriguing...unfortunately, the last 10% lost me...I had to increase the listening speed because I just wanted to finish it. It ends well but I could have done without Emily going with her manager and leaving Tuck behind.

thanks for the ARC! The narrators were great!

I enjoy a good survival story and i also enjoy a good romance so it is no surprise that I enjoyed this book so much! I'll be 100 % honest, I didn't read the description when I saw this audiobook on Net Galley, I just knew I love Mia Sheridan so I was excited to check it out. The way this books starts had me thinking this was going to be a complete different kind of book than it actually was which is also something I love. Going in blind makes books better for me, I have no expectations about the story and I think that made this one even better for me too.

I always love a MMC that is just genuinely nice and wants to help so Tuck was right up my alley. I knew from the very beginning I was going to love him. Emily on the other hand took me a little time to warm up to since she was pretty clueless living in her famous bubble but she grew on me and I was rooting for her in the end. The romance was sweet and not very steamy and of course we get a HEA in the end.

The narration was great too. Both new to me narrators that I thought did a fantastic job for these characters.

Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan is marketed as a dystopian romance however, the romance is definitely a slow burn/subplot. I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobooks and narrators (listened at 1.5x for my preference in speech cadence).

Tuck and Mia are childhood friends who are separated by a parent’s death and bad choices. They are reconnected when Tuck is released from prison only to have their plane crash and the world changes in an instant. No electricity, food or safety.

The dystopian world was very well done. Incredibly eerie, haunting and felt incredibly accurate for how humans would react. The romance was still a part of the story. The friends to lovers trope was really important for character growth through this story.

Thank you NetGalley & Harlequin Audio for this ARC!

This is a review of the Audiobook.
Dual narration - André Santana and Annalee Scott

Second chance romance
Childhood friends to lovers
Slow burn
Only one bed
Forced proximity

The narrators did a great job bringing life to these characters. Giving each character depth.

The store was enjoyable.
Futuristic and Apocalyptic vibes.
The world is crumbling around them. Tuck and Emily are reconnecting as adults when a solar flare happens taking down all communications. This causes forced proximity, survival instincts, and love.

Very interesting and fun read/listen. Keeps your captivated and interested in the story. Definitely a slowwww burn.

Thank you NetGalley, Mia, & her publisher for the advanced audiobook! I truly enjoyed this story! I definitely want to start prepping for the end of the world or a catastrophic event. Two friends grow up together, & end up growing apart after a tragic event that sends one friend down the wrong path in life. The friend who went down the wrong path, gets out of prison & needs help getting a job. & gets a job as a bodyguard protecting his old friend who is now famous. They end up traveling across the country together during an event that takes out the whole USA. The story continually makes you want to know what happens next & how the story ends. Easy, bingeable read! Would recommend, especially if you love old friends, to enemies, to lovers, with the add of a lot of adventure & lingering mystery.

Not my favorite dystopian novel. Not my favorite love story. But I do appreciate what Mia was trying to do. It was quite a long book for the lack of depth in both character development and storyline. Very introspective. It was almost like two different stories were being told and could have both been completely independent. The loss of the electrical grid caused forced proximity, but it seemed like it could have been replaced with anything else that caused forced proximity.

I do appreciate the new fear of solar flares

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this ARC. Publication date is May 20, 2025.

this was so so so good. As to be expected by Mia Sheridan. if this was a TV show, id watch it. i loved it so much. I thought it was so interesting the whole collapse of the world without electronics. How correct it would be. people without electronics would decline quickly into primitive ways. I definitely need a part two to this book or for this to be some sort of series it was that good. I am obsessed and not even because we have the same name.