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.

3 stars

I've seen Mia Sheridan's books all over TikTok and thought I'd give one a try. I should have read the description better, because I was not expecting a dystopian romance.. That's on me. We seem to be living in a dystopian novel these days, so reading about a devastating event on Earth is not my personal idea of enjoyable. Again, I take full responsibility for not reading the description more clearly and only going by the pretty cover.

That being said, I found it hard to suspend my disbelief that Tuck, Charlie, and Emily were able to survive all they did. I also found that the author is a little too fond of descriptors. Sometimes less is more. Then by the last twist at the end, I thought "Really? Haven't they gone through enough?" lol

One thing that really took me aback was that in the acknowledgments, the author stated that she did not create this story - she was given an outline by her publisher and asked to flesh out the details. I found that unusual, but maybe I'm naive and many books are written this way?

All in all, it wasn't a bad book, just not my genre and not my style. I'm sure there are many people out there who will enjoy it.

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in return for an honest review.

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.

This may be one of my favorite books I’ve EVER read!!! 😭🔥 Mia Sheridan is and will ALWAYS be the QUEEN of love stories 👑💖 — I’ve loved her thrillers too, but nothing compares to how she writes romance that absolutely wrecks you in the best way 🥹💕 #myromanempire 🙌🏼

This story had EVERYTHING: post-apocalyptic ish suspense 🌍⚡, survival and chaos 😱, and a beautiful second-chance romance between childhood friends who found their way back to each other under the craziest circumstances 🫶. Tuck and Emily’s journey across the country was filled with fear, violence, heartbreak, and SO MUCH HOPE for humanity💔❤️. They fought for each other, and I felt every emotion throughout this whole book 😭🔥. {One scene had me in TEARS!} The slow burn was REAL 💨 and the spice was minimal yet perfection and oh so romantic and sweet ☺️.

I am SO grateful to NetGalley for letting me read this early 🙏✨… and YES, I pre-ordered this book months ago and I cannot WAIT to hold this beauty in my hands in just 2 short months!!! 🤩📚 COUNTING DOWN!!! ⏳ {I may have to do a video review when it releases}

The cover of this book says "A Love Story," and honestly, I’m not sure I completely agree with that.

The Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan IS technically a childhood friends-to-lovers and second-chance romance. But at its core, the main plot is a dystopian almost horror/thriller/suspense-feeling book about survival...about what humanity becomes when pushed to the brink. I wasn’t expecting that. Emotionally, it threw me into a black hole I had a hard time crawling out of. I went in anticipating an emotional, second-chance small-town romance as a bit of a palate cleanser, and I got the complete opposite.

That said, I love love stories that are driven by a bigger plot, and this one had me hooked from the start. It's been a while since I read a romance that wasn't driven by the relationship between the two characters. Mia Sheridan did an incredible job setting the scene - not just with the relationships and emotions, but also with the sheer horror of what they were facing after a solar flare wiped out electricity, throwing the world into chaos.

The book did feel overly wordy at times, and I don’t think it needed to be quite so long. But overall, I was gripped. I needed to know where these characters would end up and how the world would heal after such a traumatic event. I just wish it had been marketed as more than just a romance so I could have emotionally prepared myself. Still, it was unforgettable—and it shook me. This is not for the weak of heart.

3.5 stars for My Queen and Paragon who is so gifted, I don't think it's possible for her to write a bad book. I reserve my 4 and 5 star ratings for those books that I will definitely read again, so to be consistent with myself, I can't rate this one above a 3-star. Although I enjoyed this read and finished it in two sittings, it ultimately fell short for me for one reason: I really disliked the FMC.

Heart of the Sun has all the ingredients of a 5-star Mia Sheridan romance, and I love dystopian fiction. I didn't know until the acknowledgments at the end that the plotline was actually developed by Temple Hill Publishing (https://www.templehillent.com), and that Mia was contracted to write it as a novel. This might explain why the FMC doesn't feel like a Mia creation. Tuck, the MMC, does, though, and that's why I was compelled to keep reading.

Tuck is honorable, strong, tender, and devoted, and I spent most of the book feeling frustrated because he deserves way more than Emily offers. As much as I tried to see Emily through Tuck's eyes, I found her to be an unsympathetic character, and even unlikeable for a good portion of the book. Tuck has loved Emily since childhood, and has put her on a pedestal based on his fond memories. In reality, she has grown up to be absurdly self-centered without any real strength of character or sense of self. She pales in comparison to Tuck in terms of her emotional intelligence.

While it is sweet that their mutual pining and unrequited love has stood the test of time, I wasn't particularly invested in the slow-burn romance, although it was well done. Mia is a master storyteller, and building exquisite and aching emotional tension is one of her true gifts as a writer. So I really hate to say that by the halfway point, I was kinda hoping Tuck would meet someone new along the journey and build a new life, while Emily went off to do the same elsewhere.

The novel is, of course, beautifully written, paced well, the characters are well drawn, there is a great climax, and the use of setting as Tuck and Emily traveled across the US helps tell the story effectively. Mia is just so, so good with angst, and I was in tears when the first act began and the twist about Tuck's adult life was revealed. I was not expecting it whatsoever, and I think it was brilliant.

I also love the art design, and the sprayed edges of the special edition are gorgeous. Although I doubt I will revisit this one, I want to buy a copy just because it's so pretty and would look amazing on my book shelf.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin/Canary Street Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publication. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated in any way for my review.

thank you for the arc!

Gave it a 1.5 but rounded up.

Have read several of Mia’s books and loved them. This one fell short and it made sense why once I read the acknowledgments, it wasn’t her idea. It was hard to get through and was not my kind of book.
The second chance friends to lovers was just weird and didn’t come off as them having chemistry

Soft dnf
I’m not sure if this just isnt for me or if I just need to come back to it! I’ll try again after reading something else!!

This book was just beautiful and one I really enjoyed. I will for sure will be sharing this with others and hope people read this because the story was so well told and written. It flowed perfectly and I didn’t want to put it down.