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.

Mia Sheridan already breaks me and I don't know if I ever recover after one of her books. Audio is a whole new ball game cause wow do the narrators just make you FEEL. Just incredible and all the applause that can be given.

I was intrigued by this book's premise, but it just didn't work for me. Most of the story was slow and I never connected with the romance. The ending was lacking for me as well. I thought some of the disaster descriptions were realistic and the end-of-the-world element was freaky. The story itself would be a good miniseries, but the book wasn't my thing.

I listened to the audio for this. I am a fan of dual narration and these narrators were fine.

2.5/5 stars. Took a while of backstory to get to the dystopian part, and yet I feel I retained nothing at all. A long, drawn out “romance” - the slowest of burns it seemed, with honestly very little burn. I didn’t feel much between these two MCs and therefore didn’t care much about the progression of their relationship. I also wish there was more information about the solar flare incident and more instances of chaos. The “dystopian” part of this novel was definitely lacking, just mostly traveling and noting the emptiness around them.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big Mia Sheridan fan, but this one was not it for me. Some of my issues were unreliable / annoying narrators. I didn't feel any chemistry between the childhood friends / romance. It just kind of came together, didn't have much banter or passion there, which makes it hard to like the book. The action in this book also just felt off and didn't really connect together. I didn't enjoy this one..

I went into this book completely blind. Let me explain. I’ve never read anything by this author so when I requested this part, and I actually got the audio for it I was pleasantly surprised.

This book was definitely a 4.5 stars for me. Was about second chance romance, survival after a tragedy. Emily and tuck were childhood friends, unfortunately a tragedy happened to separated both Emily and tuck. Years later the reunite, this story has some really twist because I would have never imagined this story going in the direction it did. A plane crash, the world, shutting down and trying to get back home. I will definitely will be picking up more of her books asap.

I went into Heart of the Sun expecting something completely different and was pleasantly surprised about 10-15% in. If I could give this book 10 stars I would. As a diehard fan of The Walking Dead and The Last of Us, I love a good survival story. I also crave romance in those stories and a good slow burn, enemies to lovers with forced proximity. This book delivered on all fronts.

At first, the story unfolds like a classic second-chance romance, with childhood best friends turned estranged borderline enemies, but once the world goes dark, the stakes skyrocket. If the beginning feels a little slow, keep reading—the plot thickens fast. Mia Sheridan weaves together emotional depth, heart-pounding suspense, and sizzling tension between Tuck and Emily. Their dynamic is fiery and complicated, making their journey all the more satisfying.

This was my first Mia Sheridan read, and it definitely won’t be my last! If you love intense, high-stakes romance with a “post-apocalyptic” twist, Heart of the Sun is a must-read.

Before I dive into my review, I'd like to disclose that I tend to gravitate toward romance and fantasy ready and rarely or never read apocalyptic and/or dystopian themed books. This was also my first Mia Sheridan read (but definitely won't be the last)!

With that being said, Heart of the Sun was absolutely PHENOMENAL to me! I really could not understand the mixed reviews I read for this book. Did I can understand that I had the advantage of not reading any Mia Sheridan books prior therefore I really did not have any expectations based on prior reads. But did we read the same book?! Because I was blown away! To those who had a challenging time connecting to the story line I say, listen to the audiobook! The narrators did a fabulous job in bringing the story to life! You can feel all the emotions as they navigate the disastrous event they are living in. And to those who could not see past the theme to see the romance, I say view it from the lens of fate, tragedy, and, first loves whose lives separate them when they are destined to be together.

This book is not your typical celebrity/bodyguard romance. There is so much depth in the love between Tuck and Emily. I enjoyed the glimpses I got from their childhood and how they loved each other as kids do. He picking on her and making it seem he disliked her when he couldn't stop thinking of her and she clinging to any attention he would give her loving him just as much back. But neither of them ever told each other. Life's tragedies took their lives in different directions until destiny brings them back. It took navigating an apocalyptic event to get to know each other and themselves again and understand that they are worthy of each other and willing to fight for the love and life they know and deserve.

Thank you to Negalley and Harlequin Audio for the opportunity to read Heart of the Sun Audio ARC by Mia Sheridan, Pub Date 05/20/25.

3.5⭐️
I requested this arc solely because of the author. I've loved her books in the past and I'm always a sucker for a second chance romance, dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction... not so much!
Mia Sheridan's storytelling will never be questioned though- her books are always compelling and captivating. This book, however, wasn't at all what I expected- the storyline was intriguing, but I just never felt a connection to the characters despite tons of backstory and development. Definitely not my favorite MS book, but if you love a slow-burn, second chance romance that really isn't a romance and scares the crap out of you because you see what humans could be capable of if desperate enough- you’ll love this one!

Also- the audiobook was a great way to consume this one! The narrators did a good job bringing the story to life!

Anyone going into this book expecting something similar to Archer’s Voice will likely be surprised to find Mia Sheridan wrote an entirely different kind of story. This is a childhood friends-to-lovers dystopian survival novel that does not have the soul crushing impact of Archer’s Voice.

HEART OF THE SUN starts off strong. There’s an interesting storyline developing between Emily and Tuck whose lives have gone in different directions since their childhood days on their respective family farms. Sheridan does an excellent job telling their backstory and alluding to feelings simmering below the surface. Then the sun blinks and all hell breaks loose. Literally.

I found myself actually more interested in the survival aspect of this book. The world building is well done and the slow realization that everything has changed is interesting. My quibble is that it felt a bit drawn out and slightly repetitive and ultimately led to an ending that seemed rushed.

This is a good book; a solid book. It’s just not the “live in my heart” forever kind of book. The narration was well done and kept me interested through the slower parts.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I just finished Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan, and I am absolutely blown away! This was my first time reading one of her books, and I can already tell she’s going to be a new favorite author of mine. The story was powerful and emotional, with complex characters that felt so real and raw. The romance was beautifully written—tender, passionate, and full of depth. I was hooked from the very first page.

Sheridan’s writing is gorgeous and immersive, drawing you into the characters' world and making you feel every emotion they experience. The themes of healing and personal growth were so moving, and I found myself thinking about the story long after I finished reading it.

I’m already excited to dive into more of her work. If you haven’t read anything by Mia Sheridan yet, Heart of the Sun is the perfect place to start!

Wow wow wow! I can’t stop thinking about this book! I couldn’t put it down once I started. This is definitely the best book I’ve read all year. I loved the characters and the storyline. Everything about this book was amazing. I have nothing negative to say only positive things. The narration was good and the ending was just incredible.

I was excited for this one but was super disappointed that it left me feeling bored and disinterested about 1/3 of the way through. I ultimately stopped at 57% but am officially deciding to throw in the towel.

I was genuinely curious at the start and invested in the possibility of a friendship-turned-love-interest, but the plot quickly lost me. I'm not into dystopian reads so if that's your jam, maybe this one will work. I saw it described as a 'slow burn' but I thought it was just slow.

Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing & Harlequin Audio for the ALC!
#harlequintradepublishing #harlequinaudio #netgalley #heartofthesun #ARC

Thank you to Mia Sheridan, Harlequin Audio, and NetGalley for an ALC of Heart of the Sun!

This book wasn't for me. I thought the narrators did a great job, but found the love story between Tuck and Emily lackluster and many of the plot points unbelievable for an "end of the world" book. I love a good cheesy romance novel, but the writing in this book took it about one step too far for me. There were too many moments of reflection, contemplation, and coincidence. I found myself struggling to get through it even though I was interested at the beginning.

Though it wasn't for me, it might be a good read for someone else. Personally, I give it 2 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Harlequin Audio for the eARC and ALC of Heart of Sun.

While the book had an intriguing premise blending sci-fi, adventure, and romance, it ultimately didn’t meet my expectations. Sheridan’s world-building is strong, with a vast yet personal universe full of mystery, and the plot starts off promising, but it eventually feels drawn out and repetitive.

The story is marketed as a romance, but the relationship between Nova and Charlie didn’t feel like a love story for most of the book—they seemed to despise each other.

Additionally, Charlie’s character felt underdeveloped and unclear.

The audiobook narration for Tuck also didn’t fit the character well, which detracted from the experience.

Despite its potential, Heart of Sun fell flat for me, and while others might appreciate the mix of genres, it just didn’t resonate with me. I’m giving it 3 stars—there were elements I enjoyed, but it wasn’t quite what I was expecting.

(I debated between 3.5 and 4 stars, but eventually decided on 4)

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Harlequin audio for the eARC/ALC!

I read about a quarter of this on ebook, then switched to the audiobook for the rest. I really enjoyed the audiobook and the story! I feel like the narrators did a great job portraying the tragedy and emotions of the characters.

At first, it did take me a while to warm up to the book. I didn’t feel attached to any of the characters, and Nova/Emily was irritating me. Then, I got to the dystopian/survivor part of the story, and I was hooked. The romance was a bit bland, but I honestly cared more about the survival aspect of the book. I was so eager to know what would happen next that I read the last 75% of the book within two days, when it had taken me wayyyy longer for the first 25%.

I really started to warm up to Emily about halfway through the book, and I feel like her character was very well-rounded towards the end. All in all, if you’re debating on physical/ebook vs. audio, I’d recommend the audio! It adds so much more depth to the characters and the story, and I think that’s what made me land on 4 stars over 3.5.