3/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️
ARC from

Tuck and Emily grew up together on their family farms but lost touch as they became adults. Emily is a famous pop star who goes by Nova and Tuck just got out of a 6 year prison sentence. Emily hires Tuck as a bodyguard but he doesn’t like who she’s become in LA, especially since he can see glimpses of the girl he once knew.
While they’re flying to New York, a solar flare takes place and their plane crashes. The entire world is plunged into darkness and they can only rely on each other to survive.

I LOVE a good dystopian story but this was supposed to be a love story? And honestly, Tuck and Emily has zero chemistry in my opinion. The downfall of society kept me on my toes though!

I don’t know what I was expecting when I was granted the opportunity to read this book but it wasn’t that but in the absolute best way. I LOVED the post apocalyptic/dystopian feel of the book. In all honestly, we wouldn’t be prepared in the event of being cut off from all electronics/power which is such a daunting realization. But back to the story at hand; Tuck and Emily are amazing. Childhood friends turned into lovers but not without a lot of bumps along the road. Emily struggled in school but excelled in music which made her make it big in the industry throughout life. Tuck wanted nothing more than to carry on the family legacy with the farm but that went out the window with an unexpected loss. His decisions landed him some time in prison and he’s looking to start over when his paths cross with Emily again.

I love the healing. The hard talks. The survival in the midst of chaos. The support of Emily’s parents, especially her mother. It goes to show that yet again family isn’t always blood and no matter your path, you’re always of value.

I feel super lucky to have been granted this ARC. Thanks NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing

While I was excited to dive into Heart of the Sun by one of my favorite authors Mia Sheridan—especially given its blend of second-chance romance and a post-apocalyptic world—I have to admit that I found the book to be less captivating than I had hoped.

There were several aspects of the story that left me wanting more, particularly when it came to the action, suspense, and post-apocalyptic elements. The story felt meandering and often repetitive, with long stretches where not much seemed to happen. The tension that should come from survival in such a harsh environment just wasn’t present enough to keep me fully engaged.

When it came to the romance in this book, I was highly disappointed. One of the biggest issues for me was the lack of chemistry between our two main characters, Tuck and Emily. I understand that they shared a childhood friendship that eventually soured into resentment after a falling out in their teenage years, but the intensity of their mutual hatred throughout the book felt unbelievable. Given their history and the context of their situation, I struggled to see why they held onto so much animosity for each other, especially considering how much time had passed.

I had a hard time feeling the emotional weight of their connection, even when they began to reconcile. The evolution from hatred to something deeper just didn’t resonate, and I never truly felt the spark that should have made their second chance compelling. I wanted to feel the tension and the pull between them, but in this case, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the post-apocalyptic world-building and the tension it created, the romance aspect felt underdeveloped and slow to materialize. It took until almost three-quarters of the book for any real sense of romance to surface. Ultimately, while the setting and premise were intriguing, the romance failed to deliver, making it difficult to fully invest in the characters' journey.

Spice: 1/5
Plot: 3/5
World Building: 3/5

I read Archer's Voice and struggled to connect to it, but after hearing so many good things about her other books, I decided to try again. I've unfortunately concluded that it's just not my cup of tea. I wasn't a fan of the writing style and struggled to get through the book's first few chapters. I ended up DNFing at 20%.

Second chance romance, friends to enemies to lovers in a dystopian world? Yes please! I have read a few other books by this author and really enjoyed them. I was hesitant on reading this one only because I wasn’t confident the dystopian story would be told well. But I am so happy I was wrong! Told in way that makes you feel like this could happen to us tomorrow, which is scary but so entertaining.

Emily & Tucks story was told through dual POVs. They grew up together, and grew apart through tragedy. 13 years later, they are back in each others lives when the unthinkable happens. Now they are counting on each other to survive. Tucks story was so sad. I think if Emily had just taken a step back and focused on what he had gone through instead of only thinking of her own heartache a lot of the turmoil could have been avoided. Emily had a lot of growing up to do and at times came off very immature and selfish. Thank goodness for character growth!

I don’t always enjoy dual timelines. This book isn’t necessarily dual timelines because there are only sprinkles of the past throughout the book after the initial chapters.

I wish we gotten a little more closure with some of the other characters, especially Charlie.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this Advance Readers Copy ebook in exchange for my honest review

Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan

This book was not at all what I was expecting but Mia Sheridan always delivers. She can write just about anything and make it sound so enthralling.

The story is of survival and redemption wrapped up in a post apocalyptic love story. Childhood friends Emily and Tuck had a falling out 20 years ago. Now, Tuck is out of prison and Emily is a pop star. They are involved in a plane crash that leaves them stranded. As they travel to find help they find the world is without power, phone signals and the world is not as they once knew it.

Thank you NetGalley and Mia Sheridan for the chance to read this arc.

Two things you should know about me…
One - if Mia Sheridan wrote it, I will read it.
Two - if Mia Sheridan wrote it, I will love it.

This story follows childhood friends Emily and Tuck as they navigate finding each other and themselves in a world that has been hit with disaster. Tuck had a rough time in early adulthood and has learned to grow and learn from it and he gets a second chance at proving his worth when he starts working for his childhood friend and crush, Emily. Things take a turn and the world falls apart around them, along with Emily’s boyfriend Charlie. Through their travels we get to watch Tuck take care of not only Emily, but her horrible boyfriend, and we get to see just how much he truly loves her. Along the way they meet amazing people and horrible people and have to learn how to survive and grow.

From the very beginning I was sucked into this story, and I loved Tuck from the moment we meet him. Emily I loved, then I hated, then I loved her again. Her growth along with the relationship between her and Tuck made this story amazing.

Charlie, I hated you from the moment we met.

Emily and Tuck survived a plane crash miles away from California when the lights went out in the world. Together they traveled through a crumbling society by foot meeting some friendly people while also encountering some dangerous people. Nevertheless, they bonded during a chaotic period of time when it was essential to protect each other by uniting.
…
Emily and Tuck were neighbors sharing property lines that divided orange tree farms. As children they shared time together in the fields. As the years trudged on Tuck began to develop feelings for Emily. Emily noticed the changes in his reactions towards her, but only in the way that made her feel ignored. Then Tuck experienced loss altering his path in life. Desperate for a second chance he calls upon the second family he’s ever relied on. Emily now a famous singer hires him as her bodyguard. During a flight to New York the plane crashes leaving them to survive this strange new world.
…
Mia Sheridan gives readers alternating points of view between Tuck and Emily. The world goes dark and Emily’s reality is shaken like she is living in a fever dream and only Tuck could bring her back. Heart of the Sun gives me Walking Dead vibes not in the zombie sense but in the survival aspect where the world is dangerous and traveling by foot is difficult.
…
This story is about survival and as three characters navigate the world they struggle to identify themselves as they lose track of who they once were. In the beginning it was surreal to believe that they survived a plane crash yet still had more dangerous situations to face. The lives they were living seem meaningless when faced with the need to protect themselves. A singer, an actor, and a criminal set out in search for a way back to their family. When you strip away those identities who are they when the world offers very little in the way of hope? I enjoyed how Mia Sheridan incorporated both a slow-burning love story into a dystopian world.
…
Mia Sheridan writes with visual clarity, my mind conjured images of Tuck and Emily in every scenario they faced. I was transported to each moment with picture perfect clarity. This dystopian story gave me chills setting my nerves aflame with this scary possibility. This could be a reality.

4 ⭐️ I really enjoyed this book! It was different than what I typically read and I’m so glad I read it. It got me out of my reading slump!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book. This book is a dystopian romance. This book follows the story of Emily and Tucker, two childhood friends who end of crossing paths again in their twenties. The setting of this book seemed very different for this author but the overall story of the main characters made this book a very good read. This story has action, danger, romance and some spice. I enjoyed this book.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

This is the first Mia Sheridan book I've read, and I don't think it will be the last!
This story follows Tuck and Emily, as they find their way after a solar flare knocks out power to the world. Some part fell a little under developed but overall a wonderful read!
Second chance romance
Slow burn

3.5 ⭐️

Heart of the Sun follows childhood friends Tuck and Emily, reunited after 13 years when society collapses after a solar flare. As Emily, now a pop star, and Tuck navigate survival, the story explores themes of second chances, slow-burn romance, and adapting to a dystopian reality. While the unique setup and Tuck’s character were compelling, the romance felt underdeveloped, and Emily’s character lacked depth for much of the book. The chemistry between the leads didn’t fully land, but fans of tropes like childhood friends to lovers and pop star x bodyguard might enjoy this. A creative premise, though it didn’t completely work for me.

Heart of the Sun was unfortunately a miss for me. I found the characters overall unlikable, and I struggled with caring about the romance in the midst of the national emergency that was occurring. I feel like there were too many implausible plot points to come together cohesively - Emily & Tuck’s history, Emily’s superstardom, Tuck’s criminal past, the solar flare & societal destruction, etc..it was just too many things! The dialogue often felt cheesy and very unnatural as well.
I appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC, it just wasn’t for me!

Mia has done it again! Whether it’s a contemporary or a romantic thriller, she brings something new to the table each time. I found this to be very unique but also quite familiar and comforting. Highly recommend!

*2.5 stars

I can now say I have an irrational (but slightly rational) fear of solar flares now.

I will preface by saying Mia Sheridan is always either a hit or miss for me. Either I love her books so much I’ve reread them a dozen times or I want to toss the book in frustration (I’m looking at you Becoming Calder and Finding Eden). This book…it had its ups and downs.

I really enjoyed the start of this novel and getting to know Tuck. He was the only character I really liked in the novel. While his personality was still somewhat surface level and I could never tell what he was thinking, he was a true hero and made the storyline progress.

Emily was just a blah FMC. Honestly, I thought she was so shallow for the first 75% of the novel. She was constantly swooning for Charlie and treated everything he did like he was a god. It just got old, and I found myself wishing Tuck would leave them both behind (of course he’s too good of a person for that).

As for the plot, I would have enjoyed this more if 1) it was marketed as more of a post apocalyptic novel and 2) if the romance was just cut or not the main part near the end. I’m sorry, but this was described as a love story, and the chemistry was greatly lacking. I did not believe it for a moment. Now, if Emily and Tuck kept traveling and developed a friendship, I could see an epilogue where they are safe and a love connection is blossoming. I almost think your survival instincts would overcome your primal urges (but maybe that is just me, or maybe I’m wrong).

As for the love story…I think it could have been improved by seeing more of Tuck and Emily interacting as children/teens. We only see one interaction and Emily is acting like a brat to Tuck. It further ingrained in my brain that he is too good for her. However, they both somewhat bring up times when they were kids and closer friends. I know this is already a long novel, but taking out one of the many farm scenes and including these flashbacks would have really built on the chemistry.

Now, I will say the overall plot for what the heck is going on during a solar flare is absolutely amazing. I would have given this book more stars if it was just a survival story minus the romance element.

Mia Sheridan is such a diverse writer, and while I didn’t 100% enjoy this novel I will continue to read books from her in the future.

*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐

*+:｡.｡𝓲𝓽’𝓼 𝔀𝓲𝓼𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓻𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓼𝓽 𝓼𝓲𝓭𝓮𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓹𝓮𝓸𝓹𝓵𝓮 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓼𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓮..｡.｡:+*

How every time I read one of Mia's books I'm left in awe?? She can write characters that you can love and empathize with even if they pissed you you'll end the book loving every character

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

𝘛𝘶𝘤𝘬 (𝑀𝐿): OMG! He's THE PERFECT HERO to fantasize about he's every bit loving protective and so so selfless. He should be protected at all costs

𝘌𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 (𝘍𝘓): In the beginning she was so pretentious and self centered but she'd grow out of it -albeit so slowly. Once she figure out the truth I'd started to warm up to her

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

𝕊𝕜𝕚𝕡 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤: 𝟛𝟜, 𝟛𝟝

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕿𝖗𝖔𝖕𝖊𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
🌸 𝙲𝙷𝙸𝙻𝙳𝙷𝙾𝙾𝙳 𝙵𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙽𝙳𝚂 𝚃𝙾 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚂
🌸 𝙿𝙾𝚂𝚃 𝙰𝙿𝙾𝙲𝙰𝙻𝚈𝙿𝚃𝙸𝙲 ?
🌸 𝚁𝙾𝙲𝙺 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁 𝚇 𝙴𝚇 𝙵𝙴𝙻𝙾𝙽
🌸 𝚂𝙴𝙲𝙾𝙽𝙳 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕱𝖆𝖛 𝕼𝖚𝖔𝖙𝖊𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

<blockquote>It felt like she’d not only invaded my personal space, but somehow crept into my private thoughts as well.</blockquote>

<blockquote>“Your first love is the hardest to get over, huh?” I looked over at Hosea, who’d come up next to me. “Emily?” “No, the hairy dude in the corner. Yeah, Emily. You told me about her in the joint, remember?”</blockquote>

<blockquote>underneath them was the deepest attraction I’d ever felt for any woman and the knowledge that I’d loved her my whole life, and no matter what she did or who she was with, I always would.</blockquote>

<blockquote>“You always did wear sunshine well.”</blockquote>

<blockquote>“In a nutshell. It wasn’t just our marriage that needed saving though. It was we as individuals. We had everything society had told us would make us happy, and yet we were miserable.</blockquote>

<blockquote>Because the world needed heroes now and their motivations didn’t much matter.</blockquote>

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

Did I just get approved for an eARC of a book by one of my favorite authors? Yes, yes I did 🥳 thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing 🩷

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tuck and Emily were childhood best friends, but haven't seen each other for thirteen years. Now, Emily is a rising popstar in need of a bodyguard which is how Tuck comes into the picture again. When their flight crashes as society is plunged into chaos, they both need to adapt to their new reality and learn how to survive.

This was so different from anything I've ever read! and i loved this so much. This book had everything - slow burn romance, angst, heartbreak and chemistry between the main characters. Seeing the character development, especially for Emily, was fantastic and they were both very well-rounded characters that I really enjoyed getting to know.

Heart of the Sun comes out on May 20, 2025.

Thank you Mia Sheridan, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review❤️

This is for you if you love these tropes:

🩷childhood friends to lovers
🩷popstar x bodyguard
🩷slow burn romance
🩷second chance
🩷dystopian

Whatever I was expecting from this book with a beautiful cover...This. Was. NOT. It! I was completely Gobsmacked. If you love stories with grit, action and danger,this is your book!!!.

"Where were you when the lights went out?"

Even though I didn't expect this much verity from Mia Sheridan AT ALL. This is a BRILLIANT BOOK kept me glued for hours on end. Delicious slow burn, heartbreak, tension, angst and grumpy anti-hero, all essential ingredients to make it an immersive read are in perfect measure. Emotional depth of characters gives them multi-dimensional personalities. Every person is endowed with contrasting traits, making them believable and relatable all at once.

"I’d heard once—somewhere—that on any given day, New York City had less than a week’s worth of food for every man, woman, and child."

But be prepared to question your realities, your choices, and sometimes your surroundings. When the prose comes alive and jumps off the pages, so much that multiple times I had to check my house for power, water, food, check up on my loved ones, I knew this book was a phenomenon in itself. I don't know whether I'm glad or more scared than ever, that my life term might be an active participant in such contingency. The eerie, raw recount is chilling yet hope shines through by well placed twists. Stripping the farce, Mia creates Alpha man as God designed Adam to be. A Braveheart warrior.
Mia is a bankable author. We know when we pick up her book, 1)- it won't be a typical, formulaic story. And 2)- we get to peek into a different aspect of human psyche that we haven't seen before from her. Mia has thoroughly researched scientific aspect of solar glares or EMP eventualities in great detail. Through a fictional account, she manages to entrance and scare us at the same time as we get a glimpse of a definitely-probable future. I closed the book and let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding since I opened it.

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.”

The story starts with childhood friends Emily Swanson and Tucker Matice, whose happy-carefree innocent times are interrupted with progress encroaching their safe haven orange groves. Ripped apart, their fates catapult in opposing heights. She attains fame and popularity as a popstar. He gets incarcerated on felony counts. Fate gives them a second chance as Boss-employee. The strictly professional setup soon changes in a solar flare induced crash.

“The world’s gonna be different for a while,” he said. “You either adapt, or you die.”

The book changes course pretty early on. A crash, a wilderness and world gone haywire sets Nova, her boyfriend Charlie Cannon and Tuck on a hike spanning thousand miles across apocalyptic country.
Heroes change places with villains, humanity shakes faith, grace appears from in unexpected quarters. When technology becomes millstone and currency trades places with food, you know you're in deep, deep trouble. Government machinary has failed, violence dances on city streets, people hunker down in compounds and create their own sovereign parameters.

"there were a thousand unknowns and too many maybes that were bigger than us."

I'm shook by the probability of such a reality which might be just around the corner.
Anyways, there's so much to say, so much to warn about. If covid year hasn't taught us anything, then is what Mia imagined and wrote comes true, we are Royally Fucked.
Out of characters, Tuck stands out with backpack full of guilt and shame. Penance for redemption, to the point of self sacrifice drives him in danger everyday. His love for Emily /Nova is what is keeping him alive. She is a girl who lost her path for a while. Trading plastics for realism, the accident strips her artificial veneer away and resets her to original compassionate self pretty soon.
Charlie is every person in the world.
I can ramble on, but trust me when I say. Read this book in may, hold on to your thumping hearts, it's one hell of a ride!!
5 stars for Eternal Dawn, Forever Sunrise

Mia Sheridan pens a brand new dystopian romance standalone that reads like a movie and feels like a dream. Heart of the Sun follows Tuck Mattice and Emily Swanson, who were once childhood friends sharing their first kiss with each other until a tragic incident occurs that separates the two of them. In present times, Tuck is four months out of prison and struggling to find work. Emily is a rising pop star who eventually hires Tuck to become her bodyguard. While on the plane traveling from California to New York for Emily’s tour, Tuck and Emily, along with Charlie, Emily’s boyfriend, get hit by a solar flare, causing their plane to crash, leaving them stranded. From there, the three decide to travel on foot back to California. But the journey back causes tensions to rise, feelings to reemerge, and lessons to be learned.
 
This novel was so enthralling and captivating! From the characters to the plot to the suspense to the romance, everything kept me immersed in Tuck and Emily’s journey back home. Tuck was the main star of the book. He was the greenest flag in a field of green flags and protective of Emily. He was passionate, brave, and honorable, and despite everything that has happened to him, he remains selfless, persistent, and resilient, putting others before him and ensuring that everybody is safe. Emily, on the other hand, took a while for me to warm up to her, but reading her character development was gratifying and made up for it.
 
Heart of the Sun is a second-chance romance that focuses on redemption, love, and resilience. It’s a story of learning how to accept and learn from past mistakes and learning how to not be burdened by guilt and fear. It’s about two people overcoming their vulnerabilities and becoming strong as a result of it. But most of all, it’s a story of love and forgiveness and allowing oneself to accept love instead of running away from it in fear of having it taken away.
 
I loved this book, and this could easily be reimagined into a movie with the way Mia poetically wrote this tender and heartwarming novel. The ending was so wonderfully written and had me tearing me up. I always love Mia’s writings, and I’m excited to see what she writes next in the future.
 
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
 
This review will be posted on 12/25/24 at Goodreads.