I usually really love second chance romances and books about survival and overcoming hardships but unfortunately I just couldn't connect with the characters and it made me not really care for the characters

I did want to like this book but unfortunately I just couldn’t get into it. The first thing I would say is the apocalypse was very unnecessary and threw me off the story. I was not expecting a ‘Man vs. Wild’ romance story. I just feel like the pacing was off and Book couldn’t decide where it wanted to go. The main characters had a lack of chemistry which left me not being connected to them and it didn’t help that I found the FMC annoying and the MMC bland.

It's been a while since I've read a Mia Sheridan title, a fact I'm regretting now. Heart of the Sun, in all of it's dystopian glory isn't my "normal" genre of reading but I really enjoyed this book so much so that I found myself sneaking chapters any spare moment I could find throughout the day. The second chance coupled with enemies to lovers tropes for the main romance were engaging and full of chemistry, longing, wistfulness and mystery. Add of all that to the on-going plot being unraveled and the book turned out to be a real page turner. I enjoyed every character and setting for most of the duration of the story. The last 10%'ish up until the epilogue got a little wonky and disjointed for me which kept me from rating this a full five stars but it's a great read for fans of this author and this type of story. If you're looking for flat out romance you won't find it here. Instead it's a slow burn mysterious kind of romantic that gets its hooked in you from the beginning and doesn't let up. A great story that I'm glad to have been given the opportunity to read.

Not going to lie--this would've been five stars if it had given me more of a look into the future and also what caused the "flare". Otherwise, it was perfect and almost had me prepping a go bag. LIstened via audio as well, and loved the narrators.

4.75 ⭐️
.5 🌶️

The plotline for this book was an absolute 10/10 like???? I didn't realize how much I needed a dystopian/post apocalyptic romance until I started this.

The slow burn between these two??? This was absolute *chefs kiss* and I adored this story, especially Emily & Tuck from start to finish.

Now the narrators???? They were both new to me narrators and I'm an instant fan of these two and the way they brought the story to life. I really enjoyed Tuck the most and the emotion he brought forth with his parts.

Thank you again Harlequin Trade pub for the arc & alc *all thoughts are my own*

sadly, this one was not for me. i thought it started out great but the whole plane crash and power outage thing kind of threw me...? i really couldn't get back into the story once that happened.

Took me by surprise. Went in blind and once the power went out it kinda lost me. Realized at that moment I don't think I'm into stories like that.

I wanted to like this one. But I couldn’t get myself to connect with the story. It lost me when the power went out and it became apocalyptic. It felt so out of place and out of the blue and so unrealistic I just couldn’t get past it. It felt like there was a hidden agenda behind the plot line.

Heart of the Sun is not a typical love story. It begins with Tuck and Emily, childhood friends and neighbors growing up in the San Fernando Valley in California. As Tuck and Emily begin to enter adolescence, their constant fighting begins to develop into something new as unexpected feelings develop. However, before they can explore this new change in their friendship, tragedy strikes and they grow apart. Now adults, their paths cross again when Tuck agrees to be Emily’s personal bodyguard on her first tour as a professional musician.

During a routine flight across the country, a cataclysmic solar flare occurs and their plane crashes, throwing them and the rest of the country into chaos and uncertainty. With no electricity and no way to communicate with the outside world, Tuck, Emily, and Emily’s boyfriend Charlie begin to make the long journey from the Midwest back to California. Experiencing the best and worst of mankind along the way, Tuck and Emily learn to trust each other again as they fight to survive, heal their inner wounds, and move forward into an unknown future.

This was unlike any love story I’ve read before. The apocalyptic nature of this book is terrifying, and the author does a fantastic job of outlining the fallout of a catastrophic solar flare event, from the very first hours to days and months later. I didn’t realize just how much of our livelihood would be halted immediately and how little we are prepared for such an event. There is a lot of death, destruction, and violence as Tuck and Emily make their way back home. But the author does highlight the good in humanity as well. There are glimpses of hope, survival, and community in the midst of chaos.

Tuck and Emily’s relationship grows throughout their experience, and I enjoyed watching them work together and ultimately find their way back to each other in the novel. As I mentioned before, this is not a typical love story, and some parts were hard to read because the reality of this happening feels a little too close. While the middle did drag a little in pacing for me, it ramps up towards the end. Overall, I’m glad I read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this gifted eARC, in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars rounded up

This book was such a wild ride.

I went into this book completely blind and after a few minutes I was like oh it’s a cute second chance romance between a bodyguard and a popstar! but plot twist!! It is so much more than that.

This book has honestly unlocked a new fear in me, and made me realize how incredibly unprepared I am for a disaster. (But in a mostly enjoyable way?) hahaha

I enjoyed this book, and it was also a little bit all over the place plot-wise. I got slightly overwhelmed at certain points from the amount of plot points.

Thank you harper collins & harlequin for the earc!

This novel started strong but quickly lost me in the plane crash scene. I hadn't connected with the characters yet, so throwing this significant event in the book's first quarter made it difficult for me to care about them being stranded. Fortunately, I have the audiobook, so I might try to continue through the audio, but if I only had the physical ARC, this would be a "DNF" for me. I made it through 40% before deciding to stop.

I will not be rating this title on my Goodreads. Thank you so much for the opportunity; I am sad this one was not for me.

I received this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion and review. I didn’t really know what I expected when I learned this was going to be a dystopian, but for the first half I was super into it. I loved the “world building” and how everything was set up, but the longer I got in the more it fell flat. I think I just didn’t like how real it felt, how much violence and murder there was. I just know this would be realistic if this were to truly happen to us now.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this arc! All opinions are my own. I gave this book three stars because I feel that the plot was unique and one that isn’t seen too often but I personally felt like I could not connect with the characters as well as I would’ve liked to. I enjoyed the romance aspect as well as the slow burn. I also feel at times there was a little more filler than necessary. I would still probably recommend to individuals who enjoy a plot type like this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book was a wild ride that kept me on my toes. The second chance, slow burn romance was sweet and endearing. The plot felt unique and different. The only reason I gave it 3 stars was because it’s not my preferred genre in some ways and I didn’t always feel sucked in. That’s a reflection of me and not the book or writing though.

I really enjoyed reading this book! I enjoyed both the main characters - especially Tuck. Emily did take me a little while to warm up to, but once I did I found her a great FMC and quite entertaining. I will say, I don’t believe this book is for everyone, but as someone who is really intrigued by post apocalyptic/dystopian novels I really enjoyed that plot and have never read anything like this. I found this to have great pacing and enjoyed the flashback chapters and that this was dual POV! I think Mia Sheridan is a super talented writer and love the emotion she’s able to evoke from her writing.

I went into this book blindly not knowing the storyline. I was surprisingly happy to find out it was a dystopian/post apocalyptic world. It’s a type of romance novel I haven’t seen written before and was happy to explore.

The good:
Tuck. A love able, down on his luck guy. Just trying to find his place in the world.
The suspense, A story of love and survival is a great twist for a romance novel.

The bad:
Emily. I get she was a character who was ever changing, but at times was a bit grating, borderline annoying.
A few plot and timing issues for sure as well.

Overall I did enjoy this book It gave The Last of Us/Walking Dead vibes and was a nice change of pace from a “normal” romance.

I forced myself to finish this dystopian/second chance.
The writing was disjointed and fell flat and the characters were 2D. There wasn’t much character development and I found the FMC to be annoying for more than 60% through.

It felt like the first 60-70% was written by someone else; writing and pacing changed the last half of the book.

This didn’t feel like the voice or writing of Mia Sheridan. It felt juvenile and under developed.

To be honest, I wanted to DNF and I don’t believe I’ve ever DNF’d an ARC from NetGalley.
This had the potential to live out like Lost and have a beautiful storyline like The Last of Us, but it was more like Last Man on Earth without any of the comedy.

I wouldn’t say this is a romance novel. The romance is not front and center, despite being a slow burn.

2 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Canary Street Press for this eARC.

Mia Sheridan takes a unique turn with Heart of the Sun, blending romance with dystopian survival in a story that feels different from her usual works. Set against the sun-drenched landscapes of California, the novel follows childhood friends Emily Swanson and Tuck Mattice, whose lives have taken vastly different paths—Emily into the world of fame, and Tuck into a troubled past. When fate brings them back together, their rekindled connection is tested not only by old wounds but also by a catastrophic solar flare that plunges society into chaos.

While the romance is present, it often takes a backseat to the survivalist and dystopian elements, making this feel less like a typical love story and more like an exploration of resilience and redemption. The pacing is uneven—some sections drag while the ending feels rushed—but Sheridan’s talent for emotional depth still shines through.

For fans of her signature heartfelt storytelling this might not be a favorite, but those open to a genre-blending tale of love, loss, and survival may find it an intriguing read.

Title: Heart of the Sun

Series: n/a

Author(s): Mia Sheridan

Genre: Romance/Second Chance/Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Publication Date: May 20, 2025

Publishing Co.: Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Publishing

Length: 464 pages/ 53 chapters

Rating: 4⭐️ / 🌶️



Trigger Warnings:

*Death
*Murder/Mayhem
*Parent Loss

Tropes:
* Second Chance Romance
* Friends/Enemies to Lovers
* Slow Burn



Whoa! I was thrilled to obtain an advance copy of Heart of the Sun in exchange for an honest review since, first and foremost, I love Mia Sheridan's books. If you want the vibe of Archer's Voice this isn't the vibe you're going to get. 

Emily (FMC) and Tuck (MMC), childhood best friends, find their worlds intersecting after 13 years apart in Heart of the Sun, a post-apocalyptic novel featuring Walking Dead-like elements. Emily is a rising pop artist in California, while Tuck has served time for a crime he didn't commit. Emily needs a bodyguard, while he needs a job after being released from prison.

The world falls dark as an EMP crashes their airplane. Realizing they aren't the enemies that they've convinced themselves they are but rather that they were destined to be, Emily and Tuck fight for their lives in order to reach their loved ones.


I'd like to thank Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Publishing for an advanced copy of Heart of the Sun in exchange for an honest review.


*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*

This one was just not my style and not for me! There is nothing wrong with it at all! I’m sure there are many readers out there who would love this one!