The Brave and the Fearless

Bravetown #2

by Dilan Dyer

An up-and-coming musician and a retired country music star find themselves entangled in a fake engagement that begins to feel all too real. . . until life comes crashing in—from the bestselling author of The Brave and the Reckless .

Small-town girl meets country music star. Let the show begin.

Making music was always meant to be Adriana Banks’s ticket out of her small town, Wild Fields. But almost two years ago, her music career went up in flames. With one hit album under her belt, a half-finished tour with country legend Brooks Monroe, and a chart-topping song about never going back to her hometown, she’s forced to return with her tail between her legs. Now she bartends in the saloon at the local theme park, Bravetown. Unfortunately, Wild Fields doesn’t forgive and forget easily, so Adriana sends a desperate email to Brooks, cashing in a favor for a one-night-only show.

Brooks put his music career on hold three years ago to raise Skye, the daughter he never knew about, after her mother’s death. Now, facing a custody battle with Skye’s maternal grandparents, he needs to prove he can provide a stable home. When Brooks sees how happy Skye is at Bravetown, he figures settling down as part-owner of a theme park will be enough to prove his stability. But when that doesn’t work, he asks Adriana for a favor of his to pose as his fiancée, putting on a show as the picture-perfect, small-town family.

The longer Brooks is in Wild Fields, the more it feels like home—and the longer he and Adriana keep up the act, the more real it feels. But with Brooks fighting for his family and Adriana longing to return to music, can they find a way to stay on the same track?

Genres: Westerns, Romance, Cowboy Romance

400 pages, Paperback

Expected publication June 9, 2026

About the author

Dilan is the bestselling author of the Princess Crossover series. Constantly on the move, she has lived in countless cities across five countries and dreams of a camper van to take her life on the road. She just needs to find one big enough for her pets, her vintage tea cup collection and her staggering TBR.

Having outgrown her slut phase, Dilan now channels her thirst in spicy romance novels with swoon-worthy HEAs.

Reviews

[Persephone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

I am stuck between rating this a 3.5 or 4⭐️

I did enjoy it, I felt like it could of been a little shorter and I felt myself almost getting into a slump. I liked the writing and I did enjoy the characters, but I did feel that Addie was a little over dramatic at times. And I didn’t like the fact that she told Brooks that she will never go down on himbut that she wants him to go down on her lol it was ridiculous and she did say that it was one sided, but still. I personally love when an FMC expresses that she loves doing it lol

I did love Brooks, no complaints. He was such a sweetheart and sexy and really loved his daughter and understood what she needed with being autistic.

overall I liked the storyline the banter and the spice! It just slightly fell a little short for me. Would I be interested in reading more of series? Yes.

[jenny reads a lot]

| IG | TikTok |

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

[Aiysha]

So damn excited for this 😍 absolutely loved reckless 10/10 and can’t wait for the next story

[lucialeelibros · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you netgalley for this and Ballantine!
It was a little denser than I expected, and although it was nice and had some beautiful scenes, I feel like I didn't really like the pace of how the book was directed. Maybe I feel like the conflicts weren't resolved in the right way, or I don't know if it's just the style of writing in the book that I didn't feel so comfortable with. However, despite the negative aspects, it was a cute love story

[Kimberlyyyreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.25

Dilan Dyer, you are my western romance queen!

The Brave and the Fearless is a Small Town Fake Engagement Romance in a Wild West Theme Park. This is your new favorite single dad romance between a up-and-coming musician and a retired country music artist. Dilan Dyer gives us a passion filled romance with the yearning and tension building chemistry!

Adriana, the FMC is someone who is hardworking and driven, she like many women has built walls to protect not only herself but the people she loves and cares for. She has been let down by so many people, and for that reason she is guarded. She would give you her shirt off her back if you asked for it. I truly admire her growth throughout the novel, you can feel that her character was written with so much vulnerability.

Brooks is one of my favorite male leads, his caring nature and love language is one that I admire. Brooks is autistic and has a daughter who is also autistic, the representation of different autistic traits. Brooks seeks sensory seeking things, well versed in all things music, and was diagnosed very later in life. He is unlearning a lot of autistic prejudice that he faced when growing up while ensuring that his daughter grows in an environment that is loving and reaffirming.

Adriana and Brooks share an age gap that is heavily discussed in the book, He is older than her and they both have some history. I think Dilan did a really great job at distinguishing their relationship timeline that felt appropriate to their relationship. Their relationship is much more than just attraction but one that is built through their love of music, towards each other, and Skye, Brooks daughter.

I had such an amazing time reading this. I just know that the single dad readers will eat this book up. Make sure to tune in!

[Anouk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 17-year age-gap? Plus, he's a retired country star turned single dad? Raw(r) 🫣

Firstly, a huge thank you to the author and Ballantine for sending me a copy of this book and trusting me with her work. Having loved Esra and Noah's book, and after seing the teasers we got at the end for Adriana's story, I couldn't wait to dive into the sequel. Imagine my excitement when I was sent an early copy of said story.

Friends to lovers is such an underrated trope - I've been saying that since day one. Adriana and Brooks starting out as friends before developing any romantic feelings felt so fitting 🧡 Their friendship gave the relationship a strong base and sparked a deeper connection than simple physical attraction.

Brooks is such an attentive person - he notices every little detail about her and remembers everything. He's caring and protective when needed, although he does sometimes mess up by saying the wrong things. Luckily, he makes up for it by having the DIRTIEST mouth. Who knew music history dirty talk could be so hot?

Adriana has a hard time being vulnerable, but she works her way through it with Brooks' help. Her character development was beautiful to witness, and her bond with Skye also played a big role - it was so wholesome and sweet 🍿

Since they're both musicians, there are bound to be some song lyrics included 🎶 Usually I'm not a huge fan of that, but here it really worked.

I have a feeling that we're not done with Bravetown yet… do I sense a Lucas book coming soon? 🫣

4.25 ⭐️ ARC Review

[Kelsie Bowler]

I'm starting to accept that I am a sucker for a single dad MMC. Brooks, you delivered for me in that department. The Brave and the Fearless's heart was in the relationship Brooks has with his 12-year-old daughter, Skye. His desire to ensure he has custody of Skye amid the custody battle he is in with Skye's maternal grandparents drives 95% of his actions, causing him to proposed a facade engagement to Adriana to help him look better on paper for the court.

Brooks and Adriana's facade engagement quickly pushes them into authentic romance. It doesn't take them long to rekindle their friendship and move towards romance after being apart from each other for a few years. They support and care for each other in a genuine way, though it might not come across through some of their actions.

I loved the autism representation through Skye and Brooks. Adriana's mental health story also helped to create an authentic character.

The end and the conflict's pacing was too quick for me. I needed it to have a bit more meat to it, especially because if was based in miscommunication, which is always a struggle for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Victoria Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy!

I love a small town romance and was so excited to read this book but it fell short. The chemistry felt forced and I didn’t feel like the character evolved. Overall this one was a miss for me.

[jay]

pre read:
I GOT A COWBOY ARC RAHHHHH

Thank you to netgalley, Ballantine | Dell, and Dilan Dyer for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Sam Pleasant · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had such good potential…. But I didn’t really care for it. First off, it was really slow at times and then got kinda interesting and then got really slow again. I could never tell what the actual conflict was between Brookes and Addie. Was it their age? Was it that she thought he was using her? Was it that she wasn’t ready to be a mom? Was it that she wanted to be her own person? There were so many things, and then there was her being upset with her mom about having another kid. I was just a little confused at times and didn’t understand what the problem was and it seemed liked it came out of nowhere and then wouldn’t be mentioned again for another 20-30 pages. I will say, I loved the relationship Brooks and his daughter, Skye, had. It was so cute and you can tell he really cared for her, and I loved the theme park, small town vibe. But the conflict(s) and Addie as a character kinda annoyed me

[Kelsie ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Massive thanks to Dell Romance for letting me read and review this book early. All thoughts are my own!!

The Brave and the Reckless was one of my favorite reads of last year, so I’ve been dying to get my hands on The Brave and the Fearless!! I don’t even know which one I like more after finishing it. It’s rare to have an author write in a specific sub-genre and bring something new to it, but Dilan Dyer does it every time!!

This series is set around a Wild West themed amusement park in a small town. Addie was a famous musician who had to take a step back from the limelight, and she ends up back in her hometown working as a bartender. The town hates her for some of the things she said about it in her music. So, one day when she’s had enough, she cashes in a favor from country music superstar Brooks Monroe. He comes to town to play a gig at the bar she works at, and they rekindle their friendship. He ends up needing her to be his fake fiancée to help him maintain custody of his daughter, and well, this is a romance novel, so it doesn’t stay fake for long. They develop feelings for each other, and I really loved how it all played out.

This book talks a lot about what women go through when it comes to autonomy over themselves and their work. Addie is hiding from the music world after the fallout of her canceled tour with Brooks when she was subjected to a lot of sexual harassment from men in power over her, and she decided that she needed to go back home. She’s angry, and she should be. Her journey back to her music and the joy she gets from writing songs and being a musician was one of my favorite parts of this book. Music is healing in many ways, so it was very sweet to see her come back to it.

Her reaction to most things is to run away from them, emotionally and physically, which helped keep her safe before. Now, though, she doesn’t need that defense mechanism as much, and I really loved watching her realize that she needed to stop running from things and face them head on instead. Addie is so special to me, and I love her DEEPLY.

Brooks is autistic and a father to Skye, who is also autistic. He’s fighting her grandparents for custody during this book because her grandparents don’t treat her the way she deserves to be treated. They have good intentions, but ultimately, they aren’t equipped to support Skye the way she needs. His relationship with his daughter was really special, and I enjoyed watching them interact. He didn’t know her until she was nine years old, so it was really interesting to see how close they had grown in just a few years.

I always love a single dad story where the FMC ends up a safe adult for the child involved, even if there’s conflict between the couple. Audrey and Skye are very special to me, and I loved watching them build a bond. Audrey always knew how to support both Brooks and Skye in ways that they deserved, and I couldn’t get enough of it.

I could on and on about the romance itself, but I’ll just say a few things that I really enjoyed. I love how well they read each other, always knowing what the other person needs even without saying it out loud. He always asked for consent to touch or kiss her in public because of her trauma, and she knew he needed sensory help from touching her. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!! He’s obsessed with her singing voice, her curves, and her snarky attitude. She loves his graying hair, his daughter, and his music. I love that even when they were fighting, they always came back and were willing to talk it out like adults and communicate with each other in a mature way. I really appreciated how, when confronted abut his male privilege within the music world, Brooks was willing to acknowledge that he would never know what it was like for Addie and was ready to support Addie as much as he could. Their relationship may have started off as fake, but their feelings were very real. I loved watching them fall in love with each other.

I loved seeing Noah and Esra again!! I really enjoyed seeing them after the end of their book and seeing where they are now. I’m really hopeful for another book in this series because there were some hints as to who could be next, and I’m really excited about it. The length of this book really helped flesh out every aspect of this story, and I’m always happy when I get to read longer romance novels. I will be reading Dilan Dyer’s indie books soon because I cannot get enough of her writing.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

-Black Cat x Golden Retriever
-Fake Engagement
-Age Gap
-Single Dad
-Small Town with Wild West Theme Park

Rounding up from 4.5

Thank you so much NetGalley, Ballantine and Dell for the eARC!

I loved The Brave and the Fearless. I had some expectations going into this book after reading The Brave and the Reckless, but they were honestly surpassed.

Adriana is strong and independent but also trying to win back her hometown of Wild Fields. She has a difficult time asking for help, but breaks down and asks Brooks Monroe, retired country music star, to put on a one-night show at the bar she works at.

Brooks is a single dad trying to win custody of her 13-year-old autistic daughter. He is doing everything he can to make himself look like the most capable and reliable option, even impulsively asking Adriana to be fake engaged to him.

I really liked these characters and how Dyer portrayed them.
Adriana struggles to communicate her needs and let her walls down for others, but between Brooks and Skye, they easily wiggle their way through her defenses. Adriana leaving her promising career in the music industry is what caused these walls, but she has always trusted Brooks.

Brooks didn’t know he had a daughter until a car accident four years ago left her in his custody. He immediately retired from his music career to take care of his daughter, Skye, whose needs helped Brooks realize he is also autistic.

I really appreciated the neurospicy representation in this book. While Adriana isn’t autistic, her past has made her close off and she does not really enjoy physical touch. Brooks is the opposite; physical touch grounds him. I think this added a layer of consent that was important to Adriana as well as a plot device to bring our MCs closer.

I also loved Skye. Like most kids in romance books, she adds more depth to each character and another plot device for our MCs to get together. I loved seeing her obsession with Bravetown grow, scenes where she was stimming right out of her body and watching everyone around her accept her as she is.

For the romance, I honestly loved every part of it. There were no cringy scenes and even though Adriana calls Brooks cheesy constantly, I found it adorable. I loved how he kissed her three different ways and how she was upset he dyed his salty hairs above his ears. I loved her accepting his physical touch knowing it comforted him even though she wasn’t comfortable with it in the beginning (the hands squeezes). I loved him wanting to be “perfectly clear” with her because grey area made him uneasy and the playlists he made.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It surprised me in a good way ❤️

[Lauren (lololovesthings) · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the surface, "The Brave and the Fearless" by Dilan Dyer has all of my favorite elements: it's a small-town age-gap romance between two former friends who have to enter into a fake engagement, with a hefty side of drama for good measure. Unfortunately, this book didn't always work for me. I found the pacing to be very, very slow, which made the book feel a lot longer than it is. At the story's most critical moments, however, the pacing becomes way too fast, almost as if the important parts were glossed over! Adriana and Brooks, the main characters, did not have great chemistry with one another. I barely believed them as friends, let alone more. Their friendship felt forced at best, especially when Adriana asks Brooks for a favor in the early portion of the story (which kicks off their reconciliation). We barely knew anything about their friendship or why it imploded, and she's asking him for a favor after years without contact? Hmm. I did not get a tremendous sense of yearning or longing between them despite Brooks harboring these supposedly massive feelings for Adriana for years before they had a falling out and subsequent reconnection. Because of this, my attention flitted elsewhere from time to time and I struggled to remain engaged. I usually don't have much of an issue with age-gap romances. In fact, some of my favorite books have romances with an age gap between the main characters, but I think the 17-year gap between the older Brooks and the younger Adriana didn't work. He felt his age, sure, but she was waaaaay too young (and written as such). I didn't really believe she all of a sudden wanted to be Brook's daughter Skye's new mom?? It didn't feel authentic or natural to me. It's not all bad, though. I loved Brooks's daughter and his relationship with her. He was such a great father! I loved the autism representation. I loved how hard Brooks fought for his daughter's health, mental and otherwise, and even in the custody battle between himself and Skye's grandparents. Other readers will probably enjoy this one more than I did.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dilan Dyer, Ballantine, and Dell for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Brave and the Fearless is doing a lot of heavy lifting, and for the most part, it carries the weight beautifully!

While this is a romance, the standout element for me was the relationship between Brooks & Skye. Watching Brooks navigate fatherhood while discovering his own neurodivergence was *chef’s kiss* — you can really feel how badly he wants to get parenting "right."

Speaking of Brooks, he is OBSESSED with Adriana in the best way. He is soft, steady, and shows a level of emotional competence that is so refreshing. However, because the book is so heavily character-driven and juggles about five different major storylines (custody battles, music careers, small-town politics, fake engagement, and real feelings), the romance felt like it was sharing too much of the spotlight. At times, the chemistry felt a bit buried.

While I loved the overall plot points and characters, what kept it from being a 5-star for me was the execution. As someone who hasn't read the first book, I felt a little lost when some characters were mentioned. I think a bit more "on-ramping" would have helped.

Additionally, the writing style felt a bit disjointed at times. There were several abrupt transitions where I had to go back and reread paragraphs to make sure I hadn’t missed a scene change. A smoother flow would have really helped maintain the emotional momentum.

Despite the choppy transitions, I genuinely enjoyed this book! It’s a thoughtful exploration of second chances and chosen family. If you love a hero who is a devoted father and a heroine finding her voice again, this one is worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Dilan Dyer, and Dell for the eARC of this book.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed my second visit to Wild Field and Bravetown, the beautiful but sadly fictional cowboy theme park Dilan Dyer has built her world around.

I loved watching the FMC, Addie, find her footing again in her hometown that has turned their backs on her, and the MMC, Brooks, navigate life as an autistic man and fatherhood to an autistic daughter. Addie and Brooks shared the road on a tour that came to a quick end when he received life-changing news, but their then almost-romance is finally finding a chance to bloom in what starts out as a fake engagement. Addie shows Brooks how easy it is to accept those that are “different” from “the norm” and Brooks, in turn, shows Addie how to properly accept help and be loved.

The world has done each of our MCs dirty and foul in different ways, but it redeems itself by showing each of them just how much kindness there can be in the world too. There was a fair balance between the romance and the subplots, which is nice to see because life sometimes does get in the way and it’s refreshing to see an author acknowledge that.

Dilan also spent so much time delicately showing the readers what the inner thought processes look like when you’re autistic and that having specific needs does not inherently make you any harder to love. I cannot thank her enough for the representation in this novel. Reading this healed me in a certain way, to be quite honest.

Also also also, Dilan included a character with the last name Nguyen and I rarely, if ever, see the Vietnamese representation in romance so thank you thank you thank you for that.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[ama · Rating 5 out of 5]

With how much I loved Dyer's first book– a five star read I smashed through in two days– I came in with high hopes. I'm happy to report the follow-up absolutely held up! Dilan Dyer's disability representation (EDS in the first, neurodivergence in this one) is so well done. I'm both EDS and AuDHD, and these books are amazing representation without infantilization.

**note** this does not read well as a standalone, highly recommend reading The Brave and the Reckless first or you'll probably be lost.

Brooks in particular, on his adult journey to autism diagnosis, felt so similar to mine. I loved his relationship with his new-to-him daughter, how fully in he was on her comfort and safety, while also being down HARD for Adriana. I will always love a 'he falls first' story, especially with a man who has a high emotional IQ. He tries SO HARD and is SO GOOD.

Adriana has had a hard time of it back in her hometown after going away and doing the stuff you do as a young person. I hate how she's treated as a pariah, something I also have a bit of experience with, but girl WILL NOT LET IT GET HER DOWN. Her redemption is wonderful, because she does it while being completely true to herself and never compromising.

The theme park is as goofy and fun as it was the first time around. 10/10 would visit.

*single parent
*custody battle
*neurodivergence
*small town
*SMALL TOWN POLITICS
*fake engagement
*friends to lovers
*second chance romance (but weren't ACTUALLY together before)
*music industry
*wild west theme park

Mad props to Dilan for Addie never caving on her "I don't want to touch 🍆 it." We love a girl who sticks to her sexual boundaries!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have conflicting feelings about this story. Let's start with the positives. Firstly, Dilan Dyer is a great writer. She knows how to write characters. Secondly, it was good to see the representation of an autistic parent and child. Thirdly, I adored Adriana and Skye's characters. Adriana is such a strong character who has been thrown the ringer. The discussions of how women are seen as more objects than people, specifically in the music industry, were heartbreaking but not shocking. This is represented in most jobs, not just the music industry. I loved seeing Skye come into her own. The strong network of people supporting her not wearing a mask was heartwarming.

So the things that bothered me when reading this book were Skye's grandparents and Brooks. Skye's grandparents were hard to read about, or the conversations they had with Brooks. They don't know anything about autism or the needs specific to Skye. That was frustrating to me. It was nice that the grandmother came around, but the fact that the grandfather was still traditional and judgmental felt like a toxic environment. I appreciated how Adriana constantly stood up for Skye. But it should not have been necessary. Brooks made many mistakes that I felt were hard to forgive, given the circumstances. He had good moments, but I was confused about him in the end. Overall, I think this is a solid romance, but not my favorite from Dilan Dyer.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dilan Dyer, and Dell for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Reba A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out June 9, 2026

The Brave and the Fearless by Dilan Dyer is one of resilience, understanding, and forging new paths.

Adriana (or Addie) bartends at the Rattlesnake Saloon in a town that doesn’t like her after the songs she makes about the small town. To help win them over, she calls up Brooks, a beloved country singer whom she toured with, to see if he would come and perform. The performance turns into something more which leads to a fake engagement, learning more about the old west, and finding more about one another.

Addie is a strong FMC who slowly comes out of her shell throughout the book. Her past is difficult with some traumatic events, but as the story progresses and she learns to accept help from others, she blossoms and flourishes.

The relationship between Brooks and Addie is one that is grounded in being honest and respecting boundaries. They truly shine when they are together and on their own as well.

One thing that I really appreciated in this book is the autism representation. Addie stands up for Skye, Brook’s daughter, against anyone who diminishes her and her special interests. Both Addie and Brooks break things down for Skye and never talk down to her. They help her understand/ process things in her unique way. The way that Dilan uses her characters to break down stigmas is beautiful and impactful.

I strongly recommend this one and if you heaven read the first installment of the Bravetown novels, you should!

Thank you to Dell (through NetGalley) and Dilan Dyer for sharing the opportunity to read this eARC!

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW — The Brave and the Fearless by Dilan Dyer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️

Fake engagement, small-town drama, and a romance that slowly feels real.

Adriana Banks thought music would be her way out of her hometown. Instead, she ends up right back in Wild Fields after her career crashes, trying to rebuild her life while facing a town that hasn’t forgotten her past.

Then Brooks Monroe reappears.

A retired country music star turned single dad, Brooks is trying to prove he can provide a stable life for his daughter during a custody battle. His solution? A fake engagement with Adriana to create the image of the perfect family.

Simple… until it’s not.

The more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to separate what’s fake from what’s real. Their connection builds naturally, and you can feel the shift as both of them start wanting something more than the arrangement.

✨ What I loved
• the fake engagement trope
• single dad representation
• the small-town setting
• the mix of music and romance
• the emotional growth of both characters

💭 Overall vibe
A sweet, emotional romance about second chances, family, and finding your way back to love when life doesn’t go as planned.

If you like
• fake dating / fake engagement
• small-town romance
• single dad trope
• music-related stories
• heartfelt contemporary romance

[Reece Andriese · Rating 5 out of 5]

The brave and the fearless
I absolutely positively loved this book! Addie and brooks are so good together! I loved skye as well that girl had my heart from the very start! This is book two of this series I unfortunately did not read book one but with that being said I read the brave and the fearless as a standalone. I’ll admit I do want to read the first book now.
Addie is a young singer who is daring, strong, smart, kind, witty and loving in her hearts of hearts.
Brooks an older celebrity, singer, single dad, handsome, sweet, loving, kind and autistic.
I fell in love with them both. Brooks has a tween daughter skye whom is autistic, sweet, smart, loving and so kind. This all takes place in an old western themed park.
The love between Addie and brooks is evident even if they may have entered into a fake engagement to help maintain a wholesome family environment for skye they actually are just that and it wasn’t fake it was all so real all along.
This book will have you giggle, laugh so hard, smile, cry, and blush. And yes for all those gals wondering this book is spicy. There are so many heartfelt moments you can’t but help root and cheer for Addie and Brooks.
⭐️/ 5 stars across the boards.
🌶️/ 3 these two were hot!
💜/ 4 (my own rating) the heartfelt moments were too sweet.

[Books With Bananas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute country style romance.

The fmc, Adriana, is a down-and-out former country singer who is back in her hometown, slinging drinks as a bartender to the townsfolk who hate her.

The mmc, Brooks, is a 40-something country music star legend who retired to raise his daughter who he'd just learned about three years prior, when her mother died in a car accident. Brooks and Adriana were touring together when he suddenly quit.

We do find out later in the story exactly why Adiana is so disliked by the townsfolk and why her music career fizzled out. And it's not what you initially think.

Adriana asks Brooks to play a one-time concert in her town to get everyone to like her. He drops everything to come and help her. Then a few weeks later Brooks is back with a favor in return: he needs a fake fiancee to help him look like a traditional father figure to gain custody of his daughter.

The pair slowly realize they truly do love each other. The pacing is a bit slow. There are 4 spicy chapters that I would rate maybe a 2.5 🌶️

I like how this story touches on the subjects of neurodiversity, misogyny, and female empowerment.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC for my unbiased review.

[Nicole (NicoleIsBooked) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Addie and Brooks met when she was a singer who opened for him. They are both country singers, and they became friends as they bonded over their love of music. When he finds out that he has a daughter, he does everything he can to be there for her and gain custody. When Addie reaches out to Brooks to come play a concert for her, they reconnect and agree to become fake engaged.

She is now living in her hometown which is also a Wild West theme park. He is really supportive of Addie as he finds out how she was mistreated in the music industry.

Brooks and his daughter are autistic, and I loved how their stories felt so realistic. I loved the rep, and it was great to see how supportive he was of his daughter. Addie was amazing with both of them too. I love how Addie knew he was autistic before he did, and she was able to understand him.


Their age gap- (she’s 24, he’s 41) added to the story. He let her ride his mustache, and he loved to take care of her. They had spicy scenes on a piano too! She also washed his hair, and he was very touchy feely with her- he liked to have his hands on her all the time.

The story handled heavy topics with care, and it was all very well written. Brooks and Addie made each other happy, and their story brought me joy too.

[Stacey Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This is some of the best autism rep I’ve ever read.

I absolutely loved Brooks’ relationship with Skye. The way he just jumped right in the minute he found about her and learned to navigate parenting a neurodivergent child while also discovering his own neurodivergence was so well done.

I also really loved how Addie interacted with Skye and how she knew to always meet Skye where she was.

I love how strong willed and independent Addie is, and this story is a great example of how hard a road women have it in an industry as predatory as music. She made mistakes, and she learned and grew from them. The development of her and Brooks’ relationship from fake to real felt natural.

There were times this dragged a bit for me, and there was at least one plot point with Addie and her mom that seemed out of place and unnecessary (I can’t divulge what it is without a spoiler). However, that didn’t take anything away from this being a great story overall. I really enjoy Dyer’s writing style and I’m looking forward to the rest of this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine for the advanced reader copy.

[Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Dilan Dyer, and Ballantine Books for the ARC of The Brave and the Fearless—I had such a great time reading this.

I devoured this.

This was such a fun, fast read and I absolutely blew through it. The setting was so immersive, and the autism rep with Brooks and Skye?? So well done. Like genuinely some of my favorite rep I’ve read in a minute.

Brooks owns my entire heart. I love that man BAD.

I really liked Addie too—she has such a big heart—but I do wish we got a little more growth from her. She has a lot of trauma and emotional hangups from her past, and it didn’t fully feel like she worked through them in a meaningful way.

Also… I’m not gonna lie, Addie and Brooks’ story felt a little unfinished to me. I was left with some questions and wanted just a bit more closure.

This was my first book from Dilan Dyer and I’m already planning to go back and read Esra and Noah’s story because I need more of this world immediately.

BUT overall?? I had such a good time with this. It was easy to get lost in, emotional in the right places, and just really enjoyable to read.

I will absolutely be buying a physical copy because she earned her spot on my shelves.

[Lillian Diaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for this eArc!
I thought this was a good read. The plot was interesting and kept me engaged. I do love the age gap and loved the way it was talked about. I'm usually not a fan of age gap romances especially this large of a gap but I think the author did amazing with making the boundaries clear (liked this a lot with how young Addie was when she met Brooks).
Addies story was extremely sad and it was able to bring up the topic of how much female singers go through in such a male executive dominated field. I also just loved her character and how self assured she is and how much she advocates for her feelings. Her gentleness with working with Brooks and Skyes diagnoses was refreshingly beautiful.
Brooks is a complicated character who is obviously going through a lot of stress throughout the book with fighting for custody and dealing with his feelings for Addie. The author did amazing with his personality and showcasing how his autism affects the conversations/fights he has with Addie.
Overall I liked this book. I did think it went on a bit too long but was very enjoyable.

[T.S. Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

DILAN DYER YOUR BRAIN IS MAGNIFICENT.

I was given this ARC through NetGalley, but am lucky enough to know Dilan also, and she never ever disappoints. Dilan is the type of writer I wish I can one day be: strong, intelligent, hard working, kind, utterly human and containing multitudes. And she puts all of that into her characters too.

Addie and Brooks have a beautiful romance, built on complex dynamics, shared trust and genuine love and the way they have been written to compliment and challenge each other is so effortless and captivating. Their strength lies in their willingness to show weakness to one another, and their journey from friends, to fake fiancée’s, to more had me giddy and giggly the whole time.

Skye and Brooks are written with such clear voices and such care, and the neurodiversity representation within Dilan’s work is always so precise and balanced. It feels real because it is real, and I am in awe of the way she writes without pandering to the neurotypical framing of this modern, digital world.

I cannot describe how much I love this book and the world of Bravetown, but I will be sending Dilan my unhinged notes app reactions now.

Urgh, I just love this!

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a book! I’m so grateful to NetGalley and the publishing team for giving me an advanced copy of this book. I’ve always loved Dilan Dyer’s books and her representation of neurodivergence, particularly in adults. While reading this, I realized I could not recall a time I’ve seen an autistic adult male character. Genuinely loved the story and how she portrayed the various characters here. Their relationships and development was realistic and beautiful. My only caveat is I do think the impact could have been similar even with a smaller age gap. I love a good age gap romance, they’re some of my favorites, but I do think 17 years was a little too much and I would not be upset if the final version does shorten this. I do think it was handled well, it was just a little too much of a gap for me when the FMC is just so young and closer in age to the MMC’s daughter and he’s closer in age to her own mother. All in all, great book and great world building, I cannot wait for what’s next in store for this series and Dilan’s writing in general.

[delusioanal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ate this book UP! Filled with all the tropes I love. Small town cowboy romance featuring a single dad who’s also a country singer (loaded asf) in need of a fake engagement with his much younger ex touring partner??? YES, PLEAASEEEE

Brooks and Adrianna’s relationship from page one had me hooked. Needing and wanting to know why they hadn’t seen each other in years. Finding out why and falling in love with the two. One of my favorite characters was honestly Skye. I loved the way the author represented the fact that she was autistic. The way her dad loved her, advocating for her and eventually Adrianna doing the same. Such a cute little family. This story was sweet but also heavy at times. Had me feeling all the feels. Love the town and the amusement park. Will definitely be coming back to Bravestown if there’s more in this series.

((Also, realized too late this was book two in this series. Will definitely be going back to read Esra and Noah’s book ASAP.))

Thank you, NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my review!

[Peek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one had all the ingredients I usually love—high stakes, emotional tension, and a story centered around resilience—but it didn’t fully come together for me.
The Brave and the Fearless leans into themes of courage, survival, and pushing forward in the face of fear, and I appreciated the intention behind it. There are definitely moments where the writing shines, especially when it slows down and lets the emotional weight of the story settle in.
But overall, I found myself wanting more.
The pacing felt a bit uneven, with some parts dragging while others moved too quickly to fully connect with. I kept waiting to feel that deeper emotional pull or that moment where everything clicks—and it just never quite got there for me.
The characters had potential, but I struggled to fully invest in them. I wanted stronger development and more chemistry in the relationships to really make the story hit the way it was aiming to.
That said, this might work better for readers who enjoy more introspective, message-driven stories rather than plot-heavy or romance-forward ones.

[Maddie Corder · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars ⭐️

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I loved the single dad aspect & the fact he was a retired country music artist who gave up his career to be a father.

I loved the fact that our FMC was his tour opener and that’s how they knew each other as second chance is one of my favorite tropes. Overall I thought the romance was wonderful, the spice was tasteful and not overdone and added to the story rather than dragged it on. I also loved the autism representation & how each character treated it with the love and care it deserves, really well done.

The only thing that took away from this book was that I was bored for half of it, there wasn’t a ton that held my attention and made me not want to put the book down, in fact it wasn’t until the last 20% of the book that I felt like I had to keep reading.

I also wish we saw a little bit more of them before he found out he was a dad rather than a lot of them reconnecting, I feel like that could have made me feel a bit more connected to our characters and their love story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to arc read!