received an Advanced Listener Copy of the audiobook for Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan. This was my first book by the author and I liked it a lot.
The audiobook is performed in dual narration by André Santana and Annalee Scott. The length is14 hrs and 47 mins. The narrators did a very good job. I could feel so many different emotions in their voices.
Which brought the book to life for me.
I would describe this as a second chance romance, with a HEA. Childhood friends to lovers. And a slow burn.
If you are a fan of dystopian fiction, you will like this.
Reminds me of some of the storylines from shows like The Walking Dead or The Last of Us.

second chance is usually my bread and butter but tuck and emily fell a little flat for me. I LOVED archer’s voice and was so excited to start mia’s newest book, but unfortunately the pacing and lack of character development made it really hard for me to buy into this story completely. the dystopian setting was fun and the action scenes we did get were exciting.

thank you to harlequin trade publishing for the arc and chance to read this early!

This book had a lot of strong aspects. I really enjoyed the dystopian setting and seeing how different people across the country were surviving after the event. However, the story spent a lot of time focusing on the journey home, and then rushed through everything that happened afterward, throwing in some twists that didn’t feel necessary. I liked the book overall, but I wasn’t blown away. Honestly, I would have preferred a different ending.

I WENT IN BLIND! 😆🫣🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

So I had zero clue what was going on. Zero. I forgot that Mia Sheridan flexes and just writes all kinds of genres (got tricked into a horror by her once) but damn, this was unputdownable! I’m not generally into post-apocalyptic/end of civilization but I could not stop listening to this book.

Expect 👉🏼 Post Apocoliptic/EMP/End of Current Civilization, Secondish Chance, Slow Burn, Travel, Danger, Survival, The Best and Worst of People

Emily hasn’t seen her childhood best friend, Tuck, since long before he went to prison. Now that he’s out, he needs a job and Emily needs a bodyguard. When a sudden cataclysmic solar flare destroys the power grid, society dissolves and it’s everyone for themselves. Tuck is Emily’s best chance at survival even if she no longer trusts the person he has turned into.

I was just along for this terrifying ride. And what I’ve taken from this? I need a bunker 😆🫣😅 and to move out to the country. And buy old af cars without electronics 😆😆 this ish was terrifying but in an electrifying way. I was completely invested in Tuck and Emily’s reconnection while simultaneously horrified at just how bad an even like this would be in real life. Oh! Solar batteries. I’m adding that to my prepper list 😭😭😆 I woke up my poor husband this morning with the demand that he dig me a well because my book scared me 😆😅😆

The audio was so well done. André Santana and Annalee Scott were wonderful.

Thank you Mia, for sufficiently thrilling and terrifying me while also giving me hope to cling to.

Thank you Hive for my gifted ALC.

Heart of the Sun offers a unique narrative that intertwines a dystopian setting with a second-chance romance. I was captivated by the emotional journey and realistic world-building, but I also found the pace and character dynamics lacking slightly. If you're intrigued by a story that explores love amidst societal collapse, this novel may resonate with you.

EᗰIᒪY ᗩᑎᗪ TᑌᑕK

☀️ Dystopian Apocolypse
☀️ Friends to Lovers
☀️ Second Chance
☀️ One Bed
☀️ Popstar + Bodyguard

Emily Hires her childhood friend and crush Tuck to be her body guard He recently was released from Prison - So Emilys Expectations of him Are Low....

During a flight with Tuck, Emily and Her boyfriend Charlie, the Plane crash Lands Killing the Pilot and the three venture off into the world in the Midst of a cataclysm - Trying to return home while searching for information to what has actually happened.

A Different Kind of read from Mia Sheridan - but she still manages to portray the Beauty of Humanity amidst the Chaos of an apocolypse, And how hope and Kindness are rewarded and received.

Format: Audiobook - Dual narration by Andre Santana and Annalee Scott
3 stars for story / 4 stars for performance
Tropes: Dystopian, Enemies to Lovers, Bodyguard/Popstar

There are a lot of pros and cons to the story. I went in blind to this and had no idea what to expect but here is a quick breakdown.

Pros: I did really enjoy the post-apocalyptic storyline. Right from the opening scene I was intrigued with where this was going to go. The base of the plot was really good and my favorite thing about the whole book was getting to watch the breakdown of society on a systematic level. That part of the plot was believable and a bit scary to imagine. Tuck was a great character. His backstory provided a strong basis to his emotional intelligence and ability to navigate the aftermath they face throughout the book.

Cons: I really did not like Emily (Nova) at all. Even during the flashback scenes, I didn't find any redeeming qualities and it was hard to root for her. I wanted Tuck to take off and leave Emily and Charlie to their own devices. The coincidental run-ins were a stretch, and I found myself just shaking my head at some of them, but I was able to brush it off as creative licensing and continue on. The romance aspect was lacking for me and I think if it was billed as a drama without the romance, I would have enjoyed it a bit more.

The narrators were really good. There were times I wanted to put it down and take a break but the performances allowed for a bit more interest and I was able to get through it in a couple days. The differing inflections of each narrator made it easy to distinguish between the multiple characters, no matter whose chapter we were on. I definitely recommend listening to this if you are going to pick it up.

Thank you to Harlequin for the early copy, all opinions are my own.

I really enjoy dystopian apocalyptic books so I signed up for this as soon as I could. The idea that a solar flare can take out the entire power grid instead turned this into a horror story.

We start with Tuck and Emily, neighbors and frenemies. They part ways after Tuck’s mom suddenly dies. After a few bad decisions, Tuck lands in jail. Once getting back out, he reconnects with Emily’s family and ends up being her bodyguard since she’s a budding superstar. After their plane crashes, including Charlie, Emily’s boyfriend, they must find their way back to California from Indiana.

This book was a little too real with how the world is going.

I really enjoyed the narrators as I bounced back in forth between ebook and alc, they did a great job bringing the emotion of the story to life.

Heart of the Sun is difficult to review without spoiling too much. I went into this fully expecting a romance and while there is a romantic aspect to it there’s so much more. This turned out to be something I never would have picked up but overall a thought-provoking and decent read.

At times the pacing of the book felt off. It dragged in places and at times I was bored. It did turn around and by the last quarter I was on the edge of my seat and my mind was racing with “What would I do in this situation?” thoughts.

Overall, a fun read if you know what you are getting into. If you like end of the world, sci-fi vibes if would be a good fit.

This was definitely a ride! I’m not totally into apocalyptic stuff but I do love a second chance! Not my favorite of hers but worth the read if thats your thing. Narrators were great!

Warning. This is a love story but also….a dystopian? Emily and Tuck are together again after going their separate ways years earlier. A plane crash had them trekking across the country trying to get back home. And boy was it a long trek. For the story being told, i definitely feel like this was way too long. Otherwise, I liked Tucks background and growth. Emily, I don’t know that I was a fan of hers.

Emily and Tuck grew up on adjacent citrus farms in Southern California. As the enter adulthood Emily's star is on the rise as she gains fame as a singer, while Tuck's life seems to be falling apart. At the behest of her mother, Emily gives Tuck a job as her bodyguard. As they are traveling to an event, they run into plane trouble. When they land the world has changes. As Emily and Tuck navigate this new world and try to get home, their feelings from the past start coming back.

I really enjoyed this one. It had a great love story, but was full of action and adventure as well. The narrators did an excellent job. This was a pleasure to listen to and kept me listening late into the night.

Book Review‼️
Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan
Format: Audio 🎧
Release Date: 20 May, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5
2/5 🌶️


Thank you Netgalley and the author Mia Sheridan for the early access audiobook of Heart of the Sun.

☀️Bodyguard x Popstar
☀️Slow Burn
☀️Second Chances
☀️Dystopian
☀️Childhood Best Friends
☀️Enemies to Lovers

Synopsis:
💫In the golden fields of California, childhood pals Tuck Mattice and Emily Swanson had a bond that couldn’t be broken. But life had other plans. Thirteen years later, Emily, a rising pop star, calls Tuck back into her life after he gets out of prison to be her bodyguard. Their playful banter and undeniable chemistry come back to the surface, but neither can ignore their lingering attraction. But then, a solar flare hits, causing chaos across the globe and their plane to crash. Emily’s fame fades, while Tuck sees a chance to prove himself. As they face their losses, they must find their way back to each other and build a new way of life together.💫

My thoughts:
💫I didn’t absolutely love this book, but I also didn’t hate it. The FMC was a bit annoying to me. There’s so much that happens after the “incident” which causes all the power to go out and their plane to crash that the romance didn’t really fit well in the storyline. 💫

Absolute Perfection!

Most romance books have the same generic happily ever after but Mia Sheridan knows how to bring some thing new to the genre. The end of the world aspect created a unique experience making this the best romance I've read this year!

I enjoyed this so much!! It is a beautifully written, emotionally layered and INTENSE story. The haunting post-apocalyptic world with the MCs doing everything they can to survive life in a new world kept me so engaged. The setting is so immersive and raw and I felt that sense of urgency in every scene.

Tuck was a standout from the very beginning and I loved instantly! He was so misunderstood but quietly powerful in the way he cared for Emily and those around him. Watching his journey toward redemption and forgiveness was immensely gratifying, and his growth was perfectly done and felt authentic.

Emily’s character arc was equally compelling. At first, she seemed swept up in the glitter of fame, but as the world changed, so did she — revealing a resilient, compassionate woman who used her music not just as a comfort for herself, but as a beacon for others. Although their reunion starts out so rocky, her bond with Tuck was evident. I thought the build up to their relationship was tender and well paced, making their second chance romance feel effortless. This story hit all the right emotional notes while offering hope and healing in the midst of devastation.

Content: one open door (end ch. 34-beginning ch.35)

Thank you to Canary Street Press and Harlequin Audio for the gifted copies. My thoughts are my own.

I don’t think anything will ever compare to Archer’s voice.

But also, it felt like a romantic realistic, walking dead with no zombies …. And I wanted the Male main character to be more like Darrell Dixon, and like he kind of was and wasn’t…

I’m still working on my feelings about this book but ehhh at the moment. It didn’t give what I thought it was going too

Emily and Tuck are childhood friends who grew up and grew apart. Years later, they reconnect when Tuck is down on his luck, and Emily needs a bodyguard after her music career takes off. When a solar flare disrupts the plane they are on, they crash land and are forced to put aside their differences in order to survive.

Thoughts 💭
I went back and forth between the audio and digital book while reading this one, and both versions were a treat! The audio has two narrators who each read the dual points of view from Emily and Tuck. This book starts off with a pop star needing a bodyguard to keep her safe as she rises in popularity. An extra twist was that they were childhood friends who always seemed to clash. I loved the tension between the two main characters that started when they were children and carried over to the present day. This alone would have been an amazing story, but then phase two hits. Their plane stops working, as all electronics seemingly cease to work. What I thought would be a light romance turned into a fight for survival and a slow burn romance instead. I really liked this dystopian world and the journey that both of these characters went on. Tuck was a sweetheart, I'm glad he found his footing after having it rough in the beginning of the book. I couldn't put it down!

I've read Mia Sheridan books previously and was really excited for this! Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC.

A popstar and an ex-con rekindle their childhood friendship in this dystopian romance. Embarking on a journey home after their plane goes down due to a solar flare, they must learn to trust each other to survive the aftermath.

This is a slow-burn romance - after reading some other reviews saying this isn't really a romance, I have to say I don't really agree. While it is not the entire focus, if you're paying attention to clues and dialogue, Mia paints beautiful character depth that continues to grow throughout the story.

The reason for my 3.5 rating is because I felt that for how long and detailed the book was, it ends so suddenly. I did not feel enough closure in regards to the following that could have been mentioned in the epilogue or could have come full circle:
1. Did it impact the entire globe (my assumption is yes, but this was never verified)?
2. Any sort of update regarding Hosea? Or the percentage of how much of the population had survived so far? The statistic was repeated a few times so I expected to learn something further later in the book.
3. Tuck had seen the article about the solar flare early in the book, but when it was happening it didn't seem to ever dawn on him. So I don't quite understand why this was mentioned, unless just to have the reader feel it's what is happening?

The audiobook was really enjoyable with both of the narrators! That is a definite plus!

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a slow-burn love story with some action!

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. In true Kelsey fashion, I started reading this book with no idea what it was about simply because I recognized the author. Imagine my surprise when I figured out it was not only a love story but was set in a post-apocalyptic world with the main characters struggling to survive. After that initial shock, it was good!

Ok I liked this way more than I thought I would by the end 🙌🏼

It says heart of the sun, a love story. And that’s what it really is at the heart of it- a love story. It was so sweet, made me tear up at the end.

Tuck and Emily grew up together, but eventually life takes them in different directions. Emily is now a super music star, and tuck lost his mom long ago, recently released from prison, and trying to get by. He gets a job through word of Emily’s mom, to be her BODYGUARD 😂 my gosh the luck. Anyway, something wild happens and they have to work through getting home together.

I was intrigued by this book from the dystopian vibes and while it was slow to start, once we got there I was like cool this is exactly what i like reading/watching in these types of stories. The world going to shit and seeing how everyone acts/responds 🤣 there’s one thing I wish we got but it’s okay if you focus more on the journey/love story.

Another thing I enjoyed was how this was set in the US so I can imagine them traveling all over. I’m not sure how people living outside of the US would appreciate it as much. But at once point they’re even talking about SoCal, where I am so I was able to imagine all the places they go.

This is my first Mia Sheridan book but I can’t wait to read more! ESP Archer’s voice as I always see people rave about that one.

Thank you to The Hive for this ALC!