I had high hopes for this story as the beginning started off with a bang that captured my attention. Estranged childhood best friends Emily and Tuck come together in a romance with a dystopian twist. Tuck, an ex-con, is hired by Emily, a rising popstar, to act as her bodyguard while touring. However, a freak electromagnetic event causes their plane to crash and the story becomes one of survival where the duo, along with Emily’s movie star boyfriend Charlie (who is a self-absorbed prick), are forced to figure out where they are, survive the elements, and make their way to California in hopes of reuniting with civilization and their families. Along the way, Emily and Tuck grow closer as they realize what matters most in life. Like I said, I had high hopes for this story, but it fell flat for me. I appreciated the struggle for survival elements, seeing the desperation of strangers come out as they fight for their lives in a world unknown, the goodness in the few characters that helped Emily and Tuck, learning to forgive past mistakes, and the characters finding happiness after their world as it once was ceased to exist. However, as I kept reading, it felt more and more like I was on the Oregon Trail with just a dash of romance and a rushed ending. I have yet to read other of Sheridan's works like Archer's Voice, which I've been told is heartwrenching and wonderful; however, this story just didn't hit the right chords with me.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, for this eARC in exchange for my thoughts.

This was such a unique and interesting story! So very different from other romantic books, this one takes place during an apocalyptic event! Emily and Tuck, childhood friends who are no longer friends as adults, must work together to survive! I enjoyed this story, and it had me on my toes the entire book! It was so much more than a romance, and really makes you think about what you would do in a similar circumstance.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this story!

The plot of this book sounds so good. I was ready to dive into a natural disaster love story. However, it just didn’t grab my attention to keep reading. I DNF at 56%. I was tired of Charlie being annoying and I feel like Emily was repeating herself as she tried to define herself. I felt no connection between Tuck and Emily. The feeling shown feels kinda forced. Like cause they were childhood friends, they needed to fall in love as well. This was my first Mia Sheridan book and I just didn’t connect with it like I want to.

Such a rollercoaster of a story!

You wouldn’t be able to tell by the cover that this story will basically turn into a natural disaster movie where all hell breaks loose.

The start was a little confusing, as we meet the two MCs as teenagers and find out a little bit about their childhood and family dynamics. The story then jumps several years ahead: Emily is a thriving popstar and dating the hottest new actor in Hollywood, whereas Tuck is freshly released from prison and struggling to find a job.

Cosmic intervention means they cross paths and what could’ve been a cute popstar x bodyguard romance turns into a grim study of humanity when society rules no longer apply.

Once I understood where the story was heading, I really enjoyed the book and the group dynamics. This was a true slowburn romance that was painstakingly build up by making sure it made sense for these characters and their different backgrounds.

I did wish that the ending would’ve been elaborated a little bit as I was so swept up in the mechanics of this new world and wanted something to hold onto.

This was my first MIA Sheridan and I thought it might be my last until I read some other reviews. I guess this is a new direction for her, but it wasn’t for me. I was bored, and I found the characters frustrating

ARC review. 2 Stars! I have read and enjoyed Mia Sheridan works in the past. This feels different from her previous works being more fiction opposed to romance. I went in expecting a romance, and instead got a fiction story of survival. I really enjoyed Tuck’s character and character depth. I found myself annoyed with Em’s character at times due to her inconsistent feelings. I think as a fictional story of survival with some romance, this story delivers. I believe readers going into this with expectations of swoon worthy romance will be left disappointed.

Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan

This was so not what I was expecting but I was hooked and couldn’t stop.

It has dystopian survival vibes that takes our main characters on a journey to trek across country after their plane crashes. Our FMC must survive with help of her ex childhood best friends, who now happens to be her bodyguard…and her movie star boyfriend.

If you love:
❤️‍🔥Childhood friends to enemies to lovers
🎤Pop star body guard romance
🆘Dystopian survival
🔥Slow burn
🦸🏻‍♂️Hero MMC
🚙Road trip forced proximity
✌️Second Chance redemption

Unfortunately at 35% in, I had to DNF this one.. the premise sounded really good, however the story was falling flat for me and I was extremely bored reading. I also found Emily and Charlie to be insufferable to read about as they’re both entitled and ungrateful celebrities who sit back and let Tuck do all of the work.
Thank you so much HTP for the copy to read, but this one just wasn’t it for me sadly.

Wow! I didn’t know that I needed to read a post-apocalyptic love story, but I’m so glad that I did!

Short Synopsis:
Tuck and Emily grew up on neighboring farms. They were friends who enjoyed verbally sparring with one another and were one another’s first kiss. When a family event leads them to go their separate ways, they didn’t think they’d see each other again. Years later when Tuck needs a job, he becomes the security detail for Emily’s pop star persona Nova. Their private plane crashes in the middle of nowhere, but finding safety or a way home becomes even more complicated when no electronics will work. Can they figure out what happened and make it home to their families?

My thoughts:
This was my first Mia Sheridan book and I went into it completely blind. I’m so glad that I did! I may not have picked this one up had I known the full synopsis, but I don’t regret it and will definitely be reading more books by this author! The entire story was captivating from start to finish! Tuck’s caring and protective nature was evident throughout the story, and his chemistry with Emily was beautiful.

Read this one if you like:
🎤 Childhood Best Friends turned Enemies to Lovers
🎤 Slow Burn Romance
🎤 Second Chances
🎤 Popstar + Bodyguard

Thank you to Canary Street Press / Harlequin Trade Publishing and the author, Mia Sheridan, for providing a NetGalley e-arc. All opinions are my own!

❤️‍🔥 I went into Heart of the Sun expecting a romance—but what I got was a full-blown apocalyptic rollercoaster with emotional depth, survival grit, and one unforgettable second-chance love story. 🌞💥
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Set against the chaos of a solar flare-ravaged world, childhood frenemies Emily and Tuck are forced together after a plane crash strands them in the middle of nowhere. What follows is part survival thriller, part slow-burn romance, and part gut-punching reflection on humanity, fame, and forgiveness.
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The dystopian vibes were strong (seriously considering a bunker now), and while some pacing issues popped up in the second half, I was completely hooked. Tuck might just be the book boyfriend of my end-of-the-world dreams, and Emily’s character growth had me rooting for her by the end.
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This was my first Mia Sheridan novel, and I’m officially intrigued—her writing is vivid, emotional, and cinematic. If you like your romance with grit, action, and a side of existential dread, this one’s worth the read.
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Thank you @htpbooks and @miasheridanauthor for the ARC and ALC! @netgalley @htp_hive @htpbooks_audio
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#HeartOfTheSun #MiaSheridan #DystopianRomance #SecondChanceRomance #BookReview #BookRecs #RomanticSuspense #PostApocalypticReads #EndOfTheWorldVibes #Bookstagram #ARCReview #SlowBurnRomance #BookishThoughts #RomanceReaders #TheHiveInfluencer #HTPBooks

I did struggle to get into this, the pacing was a bit off. But I pushed through because the dystopian romance kept me interested!

Mia Sheridan's Heart of the Sun presents an intriguing premise: a second-chance romance set against a post-apocalyptic backdrop. The story follows childhood friends Emily, a rising pop star, and Tuck, a brooding ex-con, who reunite when a solar flare disrupts society. While the concept holds promise, the execution falls short.

The characters, though likable, lack depth and development, making it challenging to fully invest in their journey. The romance, central to the narrative, feels forced at times, lacking the emotional buildup that would make it truly compelling. Additionally, the dystopian elements, while present, don't significantly enhance the story, leaving the plot feeling somewhat disjointed.

Overall, Heart of the Sun offers an interesting concept but doesn't deliver the emotional depth and narrative cohesion expected from a Mia Sheridan novel. Fans of the author may find aspects to appreciate, but others might find it lacking in substance.

Heart of the Sun by Mia Sheridan is another fantastic read!
The story is packed with twists and unexpected turns, keeping me constantly on edge. Just when I thought I had things figured out, the author threw in another surprise, keeping the intrigue fresh and making the story all the more gripping.
As always Sheridan’s writing skills were truly remarkable. The author's gripping plot that immediately grabbed my attention and kept me engaged throughout.

I will always love childhood friends meets second chance romance! By far my favorite trope, and I will eat it up every time! However, the romance dystopian fiction was not my fav.

This book nails the perfect mix of apocalyptic survival and slow-burn romance. Tuck and Emily’s story—from childhood friends to navigating a world turned upside down—is honestly so gripping. Sheridan’s writing just pulls you in and doesn’t let go. If you love emotional twists and real character growth, this one’s a total must-read!

Mia Sheridan delivers yet another emotionally gripping story with Heart of the Sun, a beautifully layered tale that blends romance, suspense, and emotional recovery with her signature tender prose and deep character work.

This book starts like it’s going to wreck me in the best way. The world is gritty—more soft dystopia than full-on apocalypse—but there’s a real sense of danger lurking behind every locked door. And the idea of fame being dangerous in a crumbling society? So cool. Emily has big popstar energy and this core of quiet resilience I really liked.

Then there’s Tuck—her bodyguard, her ex-best friend, the guy who left her behind when everything fell apart years ago. That’s catnip for me. Unfortunately… the angst payoff never fully hit. They kept almost getting emotionally messy, but then backing off before the wounds could really bleed on the page.

This story had all the right ingredients but didn’t quite cook them long enough. It’s a gentle, slightly bruised love story with flashes of deeper emotion, but if you came in expecting sharp angst, feral slow burn, and full throttle trope exploitation—you might leave a little hungry.

Still, the writing is solid, the characters are likable, and the emotional undertones are there. If you want a low-stakes, healing-forward dystopian romance with familiar tropes done in a soft-focus lens, this will work for you.

Just maybe don’t expect it to break your heart in half or leave you screaming into a pillow. I liked it. I didn’t feel it.

This is (kinda) a post apocalyptic bodyguard romance that follows our main characters trying to survive the days and weeks after a solar flare has caused an EMP that has wiped the United States (at least) of all electricity.

I was really hooked in the beginning of this book when we are getting the back story of the main characters and also learning where they are now but as soon as the apocalyptic element of the book kicked in I started to lose my interest. This almost felt like two completely different books stitched together. Also, there is a third character that is tagging along with the FMC and the MMC throughout a good chunk of the story and he was insufferable. I know the role that he was playing the story but it felt like too much and I was just eager for him to get gone so that we could focus on the romance.

Now, the romance. There were definitely some cute moments between Tuck and Emily but the romance is definitely the element of this book that took a backseat. I also think that the marketing of this book as a bodyguard romance is a little misleading. Sure, Tuck starts off as Emily's bodyguard but once they are in survival mode he becomes less of her bodyguard and more of just the guy who is keeping everyone in the group alive. He's the survivalist.

Oh, and the ending?? That felt way too easy. I know that this is supposed to be a romance at the heart but the entire book reads like a post apocalyptic survival story and then everything wraps up so quickly and easily for our main characters? It didn't make sense. I was literally dumbfounded at how this book ends. It is a quick read though and the survival elements were pretty fun.

Love Mia Sheridan books so this was an immediate request for me. I was not disappointed by this one--I really need tor read her backlog to see more of her writing!

I had a really hard time connecting with these characters. I expected it to be more emotional than it was. I expected more from this author since I absolutely loved Archers Voice, Travis and falling for Gage.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC!

3.75 stars

This was my first book by Mia, and now I want to read her others. This story had a very unique blend with some of my favorite tropes such as: bodyguard, childhood friends, forced proximity, and suspense. I did not expect this story to make me so emotional. But the characters both have deep feelings that they have to work through and I was either tearing up or melting.

While I love suspense in romance, I needed more of the romance side in this one. The ending wrapped up quickly after the building momentum, but I felt a little bit missing from the romance between them.