This is the first book I have read of Ms. Sheridan’s that I haven’t absolutely loved and devoured. I’ve thought long and hard over what the reasons for that could be. All the mechanics are still there - an interesting set-up for our main characters, and the promise of a riveting and somewhat unique plot. So what exactly didn’t work? Well, nothing specific really, it’s just that the richly deep and emotional aspects I have come to love in Ms. Sheridan’s writing aren’t present in this story… And that’s the very thing that I love about the author!

The story begins by showing us a bit of the childhood of both Emily and Tuck - two best friends growing up in the idyllic world of Southern California’s orange orchards. Then, it fast forwards to present day. Tuck is now recently out of prison and Emily has become a famous singer. This part is done beautifully. The writing expertly shows both the good and the bad in both worlds. Tuck is now hardened and can’t catch a break, Emily is surrounded by sycophants and has become as self-centered yet insecure as celebrity can cause. Emily’s mother sees Tuck’s struggles to overcome his past and strong arms Emily into hiring him as a bodyguard. The friction between the two is palpable in a sad way, as both see the other through the eyes of judgement and blame.
And, to add insult to injury, Tuck has to deal with Emily’s movie-star boyfriend!

The true conflict in the story hits, when a catastrophic event happens (trying not to spoil here), the plane they are on goes down and they all discover life as they know it is no more. From there we follow the characters as they must travel from Indiana back to California through various apocalyptic experiences. It’s interesting… just not riveting. I never really connected with the feelings and emotions beneath the surface. We are told they exist but never really experience it with them. That goes for almost every aspect of the story from then on, as well. It all rides the surface but never really gets under the skin enough that we are truly invested in the outcome and in their relationship.

So, while it is an interesting read, it really doesn’t rise above the average. And that lack is made more obvious because of the talent this author is truly capable of.

Imagine the 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 is ending (yikes) because of a solar flare that basically fries all tech in southern CA. Now picture two people—stuck together in the chaos trying to survive… and maybe 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 in love? I 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 the idea. It gave 𝑩𝒐𝒅𝒚𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒅 meets 𝑫𝒂𝒚 𝑨𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑻𝒐𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘 vibes. ☀️🌅

But here’s the thing: 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭… 𝐨𝐟𝐟. Like when your fave artist drops a song and you 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 to love it, but it just doesn’t hit like their old stuff. That’s how this book felt to me. The writing didn’t have Mia Sheridan’s usual 𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑐 and emotional pull. The pacing was kind of uneven, the plot felt like it needed more polish, and honestly… the FMC didn’t vibe with me at all. She was cold in ways that didn’t feel layered—just distant. 😩😩

I 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡 Mia for trying something new—genre blending is so bold—but this one read more like a rough draft than the final product.

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞!
• ☀️ Friends to strangers forced together
• ⏳ Slow burn (like, really slow)
• 🌍 End-of-the-world vibes

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝:
• ✨ The concept was super original
• 💞 A few sweet moments + tender connections
• ❤️‍🔥 The idea of love as a lifeline during chaos

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐇𝐚𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭:
• ✂️ Needed 𝑡𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔
• ❄️ More depth in characters, especially the FMC
• ⌛ Not enough chemistry to carry 500 pages

Still, if you love experimental stories and post-apocalyptic romance with stakes, this might totally be your jam. Mad respect to her trying something new! Other readers might love it more, it just wasn’t the Mia Sheridan story 𝐼 fell in love with. 💖

Crossing my fingers for a comeback with her next one!🫶🏼🫶🏼

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫, & 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 💖

This book was a wild ride! I thought the dystopian theme was something that really differentiated this book from Mia Sheridan's other novels as well as your standard "contemporary" romances. I honestly think I would have enjoyed this book more if I wasn't constantly considered if I would survive each situation that they were put into! It definitely was a more stressful read than I was anticipating but it kept me reaching for my kindle to read more and to see what happens. I thought the childhood friends to lovers trope was also done very well but did feel slighlty rushed in the epilogue. Overall, it was a good read and I would recommend if you are into dystopian romances! Thank you to Harlequin Trade for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade publishing for access to this ARC! This is my second Mia Sheridan book (Uneanted was my first). I like the unique story lines that this author provides. Unfortunately this book fell a little flat for me. I didn’t have a large interest in the characters or the story line. The apocalyptic pieces were kinda fun but not enough to keep me engaged. I will still continue to read Mia Sheridan though!

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.

pretty good romance with some strong aspects but it felt a bit rote, and the side characters especially were a bit flat. 3.25 stars, rounded up. tysm for the arc.

When I say you need to be prepared to read this book, I mean that you need to be prepared to read this book!! The story starts with a sweet prologue between childhood friends , Tuck and Emily. Things take a turn and we fast forward several years where the main story takes place. Emily is a famous pop star and Tuck, recently out of jail, is hired to be her bodyguard. Then, I kid you not, a NATURAL DISASTER (while they're on a plane, no less) takes place and Tuck and Emily have to survive in a world that is vastly different than the are used to.

The reason I say that you need to be prepared to read this book is because I could TOTALLY see this happening in real life. It was absolutely eerie and I think Mia Sheridan did a really great job depicting the different kinds of people and their actions in crises. I loved the book but honestly, it stressed me the hell out because it felt TOO real. That's the mark of a great author.

Thanks to Canary Street Press via Net Galley for an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Tuck & Emily grow up on neighboring farms. After Tuck’s mom dies, he moves in with his uncle and they lose touch, Tuck gets in with a rough crowd and finds himself in prison. After getting out, he has trouble finding work and returns to the one place he called home. Emily’s parents suggest she employees him. She is a pop singer and looking for security. While they’re out of town, the electricity goes out… a solar flare, effecting the entire country. Tuck, Emily and Emily’s actor boyfriend Charlie, begin their journey home, experience how the world has changed in the absence of electricity. As resources dwindle, chaos ensues.

I went into this blind, thinking it was more of a second chance romance. The electric grid/solar flare caught me off guard and I just… didn’t vibe with it. The entire thing felt unrealistic, uneventful and forced. The horse and buggy thing? Like come on… and who is walking across the country in only 2 weeks?! The characters were unlikeable, there was barely any romance for a romance novel, and the action was not there either. I felt like it left me with unanswered questions at the end and was just not my cup of tea. 1.5 stars rounded up, solely because I didn’t completely dread picking it up like I do with my 1 star books.

Thanks for NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve really enjoyed other Mia Sheridan books but maybe it was my mood when starting it or that I was in a reading slump but this one just didn’t capture my attention as much as I would have like and as much as past books by the same author has.

Thanks for the opportunity to review! I’m unable to review because my copy has an issue with formatting and it’s difficult to read.

I expected this one would be a 3.5-4 star read, hence the rating.

I just want to say that prior to reading Heart of the Sun, I have never read a Mia I didn't love. Unfortunately, this one just was not for me. The premise of the world ending and the tropes I knew I'd find made me believe this was going to be a HIT for me, And tbh, I think the bones of the story were there and they were solid. It was just missing the meat - the story and the characters just lacked depth and felt a bit two dimensional.

I am still a Mia fan and will continue reading her future work <3

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for my review!
Emilee

I dnfed this book. I didnt like Emily at all. She was insufferable. I also just didn't feel any real connection between the characters.

After reading this, I immediately checked for an audiobook, so I’m currently listening to that now and it’s just as good man. She really knows how to tug on your heartstrings.

Tuck had so many layers and such depth to him.
The Emily / nova aspect was so interesting/intriguing

The twist and turns were pretty shocking and I absolutely love this. Mia Sheridan really has a way with words. It’s not often Author’s are as good as she is at painting a picture for you. Making you feel like you’re really there.

I just started the audiobook, but it’s really doing the characters justice so far this is the first time that I’m going to be listening to an audiobook after reading the book. It’s just that good and I highly recommend.

3.75⭐️ This dystopian/post apocalyptic romance was so good! So many curve balls and shocks. Very slow burn romance!

Mia Sheridan enchants readers once again with *Heart of the Sun*, a stunning second-chance romance infused with gritty realism and speculative elements that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Set against the backdrop of sun-drenched California orange groves, the narrative follows childhood friends Tuck Mattice and Emily Swanson as they navigate the complexities of love and loss after being torn apart by life’s circumstances.

After 13 years apart, fate conspires to reunite Emily, now a rising pop sensation, and Tuck, a brooding ex-con seeking a redemption arc. Emily brings Tuck into her world, hiring him as her bodyguard amid the dangers that come with fame. Their fiery banter and palpable chemistry rekindle the bond they once shared, creating an engaging interplay that is both nostalgic and fresh. Sheridan’s ability to craft relatable characters makes their journey of rediscovery feel authentic and heartfelt.

The story takes a thrilling turn when a cataclysmic solar flare plunges society into chaos. This dramatic shift sets the stage for both characters to confront their pasts and redefine their futures. For Emily, the loss of her glamorous life serves as a painful awakening, while Tuck seizes this harrowing reality as an opportunity to prove his worth and protect the woman he loves. Sheridan expertly balances the romance with the extreme circumstances, captivating readers as they witness how love can flourish amid uncertainty.

A particularly striking quote from the novel beautifully captures its essence: “In the heart of darkness, we find the light we never knew we needed.” This sentiment resonates throughout the narrative, highlighting how Tuck and Emily’s shared struggles lead them back to each other, illuminating the path to healing and acceptance.

*Heart of the Sun* is a masterful blend of emotional depth, suspense, and romance. With its intricate character development and the stakes raised by an extraordinary plot twist, this book keeps readers engaged from start to finish. Mia Sheridan’s ability to evoke powerful emotions while intertwining hope with grit makes this novel a standout read.

For fans of heartfelt romances that challenge characters to confront their pasts and fight for their futures, *Heart of the Sun* is a must-read. With its beautiful prose and a compelling narrative that lingers long after the final page, it solidifies Sheridan’s place as a powerhouse in contemporary romance. Pre-order your copy today and prepare to be swept away by this unforgettable story of love, resilience, and rediscovery!

I loved this book. I honestly wasn't expecting it to be a dystopian romance because I don't remember reading anything like this from Mia, but it definitely kept me caught up in the story from beginning to end.

It was amazing to read this second chance romance unfolding in the midst of all the chaos. I loved Tuck and Emily.

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!

A really well-written dystopian novel with romance crafted throughout. I'm not gonna lie to you, my Amazon "preparedness" list grew tenfold while reading this book. The scenes depicted in this very realistic story are not for the easily spooked. The story definitely encouraged me to consider "what would I do in this scenario?" on more than one occasion while reading and any time a book makes me stop and think and imagine, it's well done in my opinion. While the romance isn't the focal point, I really enjoyed it. A slow-burn second chance romance with great characters and a surprise twist I didn't see coming. This book felt real to me. It triggered real emotions and was thought provoking on every level. Highly recommend!

Mia Sheridan has a way of writing stories that pull me in so much that I forget where I am. So much so that I read about a plane crash while flying and didn’t even care cuz all I cared about was Tuck and Emily. The story had all kinds of twists and turns. There was one smalll thing that I wish we got closure on but otherwise it was a perfect book!

"Heart of the Sun" by Mia Sheridan offers readers a blend of dystopian survival and rekindled romance. The story follows childhood friends Emily Tuck, as they navigate a world thrown into chaos by a catastrophic solar flare. Their journey from estranged friends to close allies forms the emotional core of the story but leaves much to be desired on the romance front.

The slow-burning romance between Emily and Tuck is barely there and really doesn't pick up until the last quarter of the book. I didn't love the pacing of the story, and some areas dragged on and felt repetitive while they were making their way across the country,

I enjoyed the suspense, some situations felt a bit like the "The Walking Dead" without the zombies. Additionally, the balance between the romance and survival elements was not so balanced as the romance was far less prominent than I had anticipated from a Mia Sheridan book.
The book had a compelling premise with well-developed characters, but its execution left me wanting more cohesion between its romantic and dystopian themes.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin/Canary Street Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.