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: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Fake Dating, Westerns, Marriage Of Convenience, Forced Proximity, Small Town Romance

400 pages, Paperback

First published 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

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much crying. But also hot.

This was utterly bingeable - I finished it in two sittings!

Loved the whole concept - their beginning, the reason that brought him to Bravetown, the reason he stayed, the fake engagement, all of it.

Their chemistry, their connection, the FMC with the MMCs daughter. gah all of it!

I even loved the age-gap, a trope that is notoriously hit or miss for me. This is a pretty decent gap and yet, I never for a second felt there was an uneven maturity dynamic or that age was relevant. The MMC has a quite spectacular dialogue session on the age-gap that was *perfect*

Whats to love…
- age-gap (24FMC / 41 MMC)
- second chance
- single dad
- autism rep (MMC + MMC’s daughter) 💕
- slow burn
- all of it. I liked it all

Something to note, not really a negative but if you read the first book and were expecting lots of spice (like the first) you might be a bit disappointed. This was definitely spicy - just less spicy than The Brave and the Reckless.

4.5⭐️| IG | TikTok |

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

[abby :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

when a man buys a small town amusement park for you (or for his daughter, distinction unnecessary) thats when you know its serious !

dilan dyer really surprised me in the first book in this series, i had such a good time falling in love with esra and noah that i knew i'd be back for whatever was next for bravetown! adriana is a "disgraced" country singer, unliked by the town she lives in and the men of country music. brooks is a megafamous country singer who stepped out of the limelight to raise his daughter. both of them need some help in this current moment of their lives so... they pretend to be getting married!!!

of all the fake marriage books i've read, this has to be the one with the least amount of time spent thinking over the decision to become "engaged." brooks shot that idea into the air and addie said yes in .5 seconds. i love him too girl but jeez, not even a bit of hesitation. these two met when addie was just starting in the music business, she was an opener for him and they have a bond because she was there the night he found out about his daughter and he's basically been in love with her this whole time. their past really messed with me, the book felt like it wanted to be a second chance romance but we got none of them when they originally met. well, we did get one chapter but it felt really out of place for me and i didn't fully understand its purpose so late in the book.

as i said, these two are already pretty close and have no issues getting fake engaged so the first forty percent of this book move pretty quickly. we lose a ton of tension because we never see them fight the attraction they both had four years ago and they just instantly begin acting like a married couple after their arrangement. that, coupled with the lack of conflict until the ninety percent mark (which was really dumb) made the book kinda lag. overall, i had a good time being back in this world, and i absolutely adored the relationship everyone had with skye, but this was pretty middle of the road for me.

*thank you netgalley and ballantine/dell for the copy!*

[Megan Coggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love a fun setting.
Give me small town but make it funky.
And Bravetown is definitely out of this time period.

I love the Wild West theme park.

Adriana
Our local saloon drink slinger
“Ex” opening act country music star
Town pariah

Brooks
The retired big time county music star
Single dad

They toured together years ago.
Age difference 24 x 41
Mustache daddy

Autism rep - Skye, Brooks daughter
Also Brooks

Fake dating x custody battles
Quirky characters

Netgalley arc review ✨

[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.

[Liz Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

The shining star of this story is the portrayal of not only children with Autisms but also adults who present with their own symptoms. I cannot recall a book that acknowledges the hereditary aspect of autism and how some of the feelings, sensory issues, etc. are present in the parents in some form as well. Kudos for the obvious care and research that went into those details.

Adriana and Brooks are old friends and tour mates who reunite in Adriana’s small town/Wild West reenactment amusement park. This quickly turns into a fake engagement to help Brooks retain custody of his child. The premise was fine but I just didn’t vibe with Adriana’s character. I didn’t have a problem with the age gap, but she wasn’t just young but incredibly immature. The pacing of this also felt off. Too fast and then too slow.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the advanced copy!

[Misty • booksplusplants · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Wow, I really am enjoying this series. A single daddy with a mustache?! Yes, please.

Adriana and Brooks were perfect together, I just loved them both. The way they understood each other SO WELL. The autism rep was done so well and I absolutely loved how Brooks connected and saw his daughter. I loved how Adriana seamlessly fit into their little family. She was so protective over them, and them her.

I just loved everything about this book!

ARC review

💙Single dad
💙Age gap
💙Western theme park
💙Autism rep
💙Small town

[S.A. Bierly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Country singer meets country singer turned angry. There are a lot of elements of this book that I liked. Brooks’ character is fun, the custody battle is very intriguing to experience, and the entire concept of Bravetown as a whole is really unique.

The only thing I didn’t like was the FMC. Adriana is angry at the world and sometimes that anger makes her seem childish, which is an age gap romance is BADDDD. There were times I’d be reading and think she’s 18 and not in her late 20s.

I think she grows a lot as a character throughout the book, but in all honesty I didn’t start liking her until after 50% of the book. Brooks is the one who kept me reading.

Overall the book was good for a plot line and everything that happened, it just can be hard to love a book when you don’t like the main character.

Would I recommend this to other readers? Yes. If you like the concept of country music singers or the concept of a theme part town, then this book could be for you. If you like books that explore complex topics like autism, sexual harassment, or custody battles, then this book could be for you.

[jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.
⭐⭐⭐
I was a bit apprehensive to start this read. brooks was a great mmc and seeing him deal with being a single dad and a retired country music star was so cool. i loved and adored the autism rep and thought it was done really well. adriana was nice, but at certain points she really pissed me off. the fact that they were both in the music industry was really cool to see and experience. it was a good book, but nothing stood out to me as i have read quite a few country music star romances now.

[Aiysha · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions!

This is the second book in this series but it’s completely standalone and can be enjoyed by itself!

After writing a hit song about never going back home, Adriana finds herself going back home and is absolutely miserable. She asks her old touring partner and country music mega star Brooks for help easing the transition back into small town life. He ends up buying into the theme park she works at and proposing a fake engagement to help him secure custody of his tween daughter. Since then engagement should also help the town forgive her, Adriana agrees.

I felt the beginning of the book was very abrupt in how quickly the initial conflict started but overall I enjoyed the story. There is a large age gap between Adriana and Brooks which is definitely brought up and addressed several times. Brooks and his daughter Skye are autistic and you can tell how much care and understanding went into making these characters totally authentic. The romance between Adriana and Brooks was sweet but also steamy, I’m glad these two were able to find their happy ending.

[caitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a review of an arc provided by NetGalley

Gah! This black cat was really black catting!!! This was amazing! And western theme park? Yes please! Also, just immediately, I adored our MMC right away! Something about him was so lovable!

There were definitely parts of Addie’s personality and things she did that I didn’t necessarily love, but that makes her more real.

Brooks was a treasure! Absolute sweetheart right away and always!

Their banter as a couple! Chefs kiss! Loved!

With the autism rep in this book, I’d assume our author has autism, is close to someone who does, or has done fantastic research and has great sensitivity readers because that was handled so well and with a very thorough understanding!

Definitely recommend!

[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

[Allie DeMars · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️

Bravetown is my favorite fictional place... I'm just in love with every person and thing there. haha
So getting book two in the series AND having an age gap, single dad, musician plus autism rep was just the cherry on top! I loved Adriana in book 1, The Brave and the Reckless, so this was a big hit for me.

I also enjoyed the pieces of very relatable drama thrown into the plot. From Adriana's experience and exile from the music industry, the sexual assault she endured at the hands of her producer, Brooks' custody battle with his daughter's maternal grandparents and very real detailed experiences that autistic people go through. It was just so well done.

And Dilan Dyer knows how to write a book with the perfect balance of tension, banter and humor. I mean... the swear jar made me cackle every single time.

My only gripe about this book was Adriana's mom. Her drama felt super random... like when she announced she's going to try to have a baby via IVF with her current husband (Adriana's stepdad) it felt extremely random and added nothing to the plot.

Overall I fantastic book! Thank you, Dilan Dyer and Dell Romance, for a gifted copy.

[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

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read this book for:
🎤 Black Cat x Golden Retriever
🎢 Fake Engagement
🎤 Age Gap (17 years)
🎢 Single Dad
🎤 Small Town
🎢 Wild West Theme Park

Synopsis
Adriana never planned to return to Bravetown permanently. The quirky Wild West theme park was supposed to be part of her past, not the place she ended up after her music career stalled.

Then Brooks Monroe rides back into town.

Three years ago, Brooks walked away from the spotlight and from Adriana when his life changed overnight. Now he's focused on being the father his daughter needs, and when he discovers Bravetown struggling to survive, he makes a bold decision to save it.

His next decision is even bolder.

To help protect his plans, Brooks asks Adriana to play the role of his fiancée. It should be temporary. Just a little pretending for the cameras and the town.

But between shared memories, growing feelings, and the magic of a place neither of them can seem to leave behind, pretending becomes harder than either expected.

Because sometimes the road back home leads straight to the person you never stopped loving.

My Thoughts
After reading the blurb, I was convinced that I was going to love this book, and honestly, for the first 50%, I absolutely did. I was completely invested in the story, the characters, and the themes it explored. Unfortunately, the second half had a few ups and downs for me, which made it harder to love as much as I expected.
The biggest issue for me was the way the age-gap relationship between Brooks and Addie was handled. At the start of the book, Adriana gave me strong, independent woman vibes. She seemed confident, driven, and capable of standing on her own. However, somewhere in the second half, her character started to feel much younger and more immature. Some of her reactions and temper tantrums made it difficult for me to connect with her, and it shifted the dynamic between her and Brooks in a way that did not really work for me.

Because Brooks was such a caring, nurturing single father, there were moments when it felt like he was taking care of two daughters instead of just Skye. That dynamic made parts of the second half difficult to read, especially because I had enjoyed both characters so much in the beginning.

That being said, there were still many things I really appreciated about this book. I loved the discussions about women in the music industry and the focus on female empowerment. Those themes felt important and were handled thoughtfully throughout the story. I also thought Skye’s disability was portrayed in a very respectful, honest, and realistic way. Her character added so much heart to the book, and I appreciated how her experiences were never treated as a plot device but as a genuine part of who she was.

Even though this book did not completely work for me in the end, I am still very interested in continuing the series. I have not read the first book yet, but after getting a glimpse of Esra and Noah in this one, I definitely want to go back and read their story. They caught my attention immediately, and now I am curious to learn more about them and their journey.

[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!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75-4⭐️ (I’m stuck between)

Thank you so much to NetGalley in exchange for my review

I loved the first book in this series so I was so excited to be approved for this one! Especially because it included some of my favorite tropes.

I loved Brooks, our MMC. He felt like a fully fleshed out character and his care for the people around him, though sometimes misguided, felt authentic.

Our FMC, Adriana, I go back and forth on. While I loved seeing her love of Skye, Brooks’ daughter, she often read as a little immature in some of her decisions, coming off as very hot or cold for reasons that weren’t always obvious.

I did enjoy the connection between Brooks and Adriana, and I really liked how much Adriana saw, and accepted, both Brooks and Skye for exactly who they are. Also, the steamy scenes were certainly steaming!

But something about this one felt just a little off to me. I’m not sure if I can exactly put my finger on it - perhaps the pacing. But still a very enjoyable read! Loved being back in Bravetown and can’t wait to see where we may go next!

[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.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is making me reconsider if I hate the miscommunication trope or not.

No, no, I hate it. But I don't hate it here.

There's a huge age gap here (also another thing I usually hate) but Brooks & Adriana are equal participants. Yes, it's a romance, but it's a lot deeper than that - it talks about sexual harassment and suicide attempts and neurodivergence in a healthy way. I want to call it "casual" but that feels underwhelming. It's not casual as much as it is frank, earnest. Neurodivergence is normal and is treated as normal.

Also, and I would be remiss without saying it, that this book is HOT. All caps.

Would I be miserable living at Bravetown? Absolutely. But I would love to hear excellent country music at the saloon.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dilan Dyer, and Dell for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Taylor Gonser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um?! Wow?! I think this just cured my reading slump. Thank you so so much to Penguin Random House for this ARC! Single-handedly saved my 2026 reading goal 🙂‍↕️ Brooks and Addie were so sweet! I loved that they didn’t deny their chemistry and it was slow burn enough without it being 0 to 100 with no chemistry to back it up. I loved the addition of Skye and how we got to see her autism manifest! I could keep reading their story forever.

[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.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most underhyped western romance series!! I’m obsessed with Bravetown!

After LOVING The Brave and the Reckless last year, The Brave and The Fearless was one of my most anticipated reads of 2026 and I was terrified it wouldn’t live up to my expectation but I absolutely ADORED Addie and Brooks’ story!

I went into the book expecting a fun, flirty, fake engagement story (all of which it delivered on) but I also became so emotionally invested in the characters.

Brooks?! What a man!! A sexy, neurodivergent, ex country singer turned full time single dad to an autistic preteen completely wormed his way into my heart along with his daughter, Skye.
As a neurodivergent girly, I felt like Skye’s autism was written perfectly, she instantly became my favourite character and the way Brooke cared for and advocated for her had me swooning.

Addie, our guarded, jaded, black cat FMC was always going to be a favourite of mine but I was pleasebtly surprised at the character growth she displayed throughout the story.

The development of the relationship between her and Brooks felt organic and the emotional connection between them felt real. Their flirty banter had me kicking my feet and the spicy scenes were incredibly hot!

I can’t wait to visit Bravetown again!

[Samantha Fabris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even better than book 1. This series is full of great characters, a super fun setting, spicey spice and is entirely way too bingeable. Forget about having plans once you pick this one up.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

[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

[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!

[E.K. Oakley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: The Brave and the Fearless (Bravetown #2)
Author: Dilan Dyer
Genre/Subgenres: Contemporary Romance, Western Romance, Small-Town Romance, Cowboy Romance

My Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐
Spice: 3.5/5 chili peppers

Tropes:
• Fake Engagement
• Single Dad Romance
• Age Gap Romance
• Small Town Romance
• Second Chance Feelings
• Country Music Star
• Found Family
• Forced Proximity
• Slow Burn with Spice
Content Warnings:
• Custody battle and family conflict
• Parental loss (past)
• Neurodivergent Representation
• Autism-related challenges and misunderstandings
• Emotional trauma (FMC & MMC)
• Public scrutiny and career setbacks
• Themes of rejection, self-worth, and abandonment
• Sexual content/spice

My Thoughts (mild character spoilers, no plot spoilers):
The Brave and the Fearless delivers a heartfelt blend of cowboy romance, emotional healing, and family-centered storytelling with an amazing neurodivergence representation merged into the storyline in wonderfully accurate details. Dilan Dyer created a romance for me that felt both tender and messy in the best way, allowing the characters to work through real life challenges while slowly building a believable connection.

Brooks immediately stole my heart. I immediately recognized a ton of similar personality quirks that I found extremely relatable. I often found myself wondering if in addition to ASD, he had ADHD as well because we were so similar. As a devoted single father trying to navigate a difficult custody situation, his love, understanding and acceptance for his daughter shines through every page.

Adriana's journey felt equally compelling as she struggled with the gap between the life she imagined and the reality, she found herself facing. I found her extremely relatable as a woman in a male dominated career that can have similar challenges that she faces. Also, from a neurodivergent perspective, she has ADHD. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind personally. I would have loved for this character to delve a bit more into learning about that aspect of her personality.

While the fake engagement trope is a trope that I've read many times, Dyer gives it enough emotional depth to feel fresh and engaging. I found that the main character romance developed gradually, allowing readers to invest in both the relationship and the individual character growth along the way.

The age gap romance was a non-issue for me, it perfectly represented because both main characters had that neurodivergent relationship that I hope we all experience. If you are ND (any flavor) then you know the one I am talking about, where you meet someone and they are your person, instant safe person/space. That was Brooks and Adriana, age didn’t matter, the acceptance and relationship did and I absolutely loved it.

The spice was plentiful but not overdone in the slightest. Brooks has a mouth on him and absolutely no shame. Adriana is mature for her age, and this doesn’t fall into the “daddy” trope with the age gap. I really appreciate that as it feels over done in a lot of aspects with age gap romances

Heat Description: Open-door, emotionally driven spice with strong chemistry. More "romantic and intimate" than "wall-to-wall smut." Readers looking for character growth, family themes, and a heartfelt cowboy romance will likely be satisfied, while readers seeking nonstop spice may find it a little lighter than expected.

What Worked for Me:
• Brooks as a Single Dad
Brooks is the kind of romance hero that's impossible not to root for. His dedication, understanding and acceptance for his daughter, Skye, added emotional weight to every decision he made, and his relationship with her was one of my favorite aspects of the entire book. I found myself wishing that I had had a dad like Brooks.

• Autism Representation
The autism representation was done right. The author clearly did research about the newer understanding and research being one of autism, and it felt thoughtful and human rather than stereotypical. “She is autistic, she does not have autism,” is a lie that will live in my head rent free forever. I plan to use it in my daily life. Seeing both Brooks and Skye represented as autistic characters added an extra layer of depth to the story and showed different ways autism can present in individuals. I think this novel could help a lot of people understand autism and neurodivergence better. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking?

• Emotional Depth
This isn't just a romance. It's a story about rebuilding a life after disappointment, learning to trust yourself again, and discovering that "home" sometimes looks different than you expected. It is learning about how to incorporate different people in your life and that it doesn’t always have to be “traditional” just what works for you. It shows you that there is always another way, which is a motto I have always lived by in my life.

• Small-Town Atmosphere
Bravetown continues to be such a unique setting. This was book#2 set in the world. The Wild West theme park backdrop gives the series a distinct identity that helps it stand out from other cowboy romances. Additionally, this book did not feature a single main character that could ride a horse, wrangle a horse, doing any stereotypical “cowboy” things, which I personally found unique to a western romance.

What Didn't Work for Me:
• Pacing in the Middle
There were moments when the story felt a little slower than necessary. Some emotional conflicts lingered longer than I expected, which occasionally affected the momentum. I do recognize that this tends to be my pattern with reviews (thank you AuDHD). While it could be due to my brain wanting the read to move faster, I have found that generally if pacing issues come to my mind, then they are accurate but does NOT in this detract from the story at all.

• Repetitive Internal Conflict
At times, Adriana's fears and insecurities circled back repeatedly, I felt myself thinking she would just move on, a little worried towards the end that she wouldn’t and was super bummed about it. I also felt it was an indicator at some points about this main characters unexplored ADHD and potential cPTSD. Overall, her fears and insecurities were understandable given her circumstances, I found myself wanting the story to move forward more quickly, so caution is advised if this kind of character annoys you. It did not detract me from the story, just didn’t always work for me.

Things to Consider Before Reading
• This is a character-driven romance rather than a fast-paced plot-heavy story.
• Emotional growth and family dynamics are central theme.
• The age-gap romance element may not work for every reader.
• The custody battle storyline adds emotional stress throughout the novel.
• While there is plenty of romance and spice, family relationships play an equally important role in the overall story.

Neurodivergent Thoughts
As a neurodivergent reader, I appreciated seeing autism represented in a way that felt authentic rather than reduced to a checklist of traits and stereotypes typically represented in the public. Brooks and Skye are allowed to exist as fully realized characters whose autism influences their experiences without becoming their entire identity.

I found myself relating to several themes throughout the story: feeling misunderstood, struggling with expectations from others, and trying to create a life that actually works for you instead of the one everyone assumes you should want. Those moments added an emotional resonance that went beyond the romance itself.

Readers who are AuDHD, autistic, ADHD, or otherwise neurodivergent may find parts of Brooks' journey particularly meaningful, especially his dedication to creating stability and understanding for both himself and his daughter, because he did not have it. I know that if I was a parent, I would do the exact same thing.

Final Thoughts
The Brave and the Fearless is a warm, spicy and emotional cowboy romance filled with a ton of heart, healing, and family. While the pacing occasionally slowed for me (it probably won’t for most), the strong character work, authentic emotional moments, and thoughtful autism representation more than made up for it.

If you enjoy fake engagement romances, single dad heroes, small-town settings, and stories that balance spice with genuine emotional depth, this is one to add to your TBR as soon as possible.

Rating: (4.5/5)⭐

Would I Recommend It? Yes, especially for readers who love emotionally driven cowboy romances with strong family themes and neurodivergent representation.

ARC Disclaimer
I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of The Brave and the Fearless by Dilan Dyer. All opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced by the author, publisher, or any third party. My review reflects my personal reading experience and may differ from the opinions of other readers. I am posting this review voluntarily.

[Nadja · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️|2🌶️

I had a really good time with The Brave and the Fearless, even if I don't think it quite captured the same magic that made book one an absolute obsession for me. There was definitely less of that small-town charm and "park magic" that I loved so much in the first book, but Dilan Dyer continues to prove that she has built such a unique world and cast of characters that I never really wanted to leave.

One thing I will always give Dilan Dyer credit for is that her books have this cowboy-country vibe without feeling like every other cowboy romance on the market. Nothing about this series feels copy-and-pasted. The characters, the setting, the relationships—it all feels distinctly hers.

Now let's talk about Addie.

I genuinely liked her at the beginning. I was invested in her backstory, loved her friendship with Brooks, and absolutely adored the way she immediately took Skye under her wing. Watching her be attentive and protective toward Skye was one of the sweetest parts of the entire book.

But somewhere along the way, Addie started losing me.

I appreciated that she was fierce, determined, and unwilling to make herself smaller for other people. The problem is that a lot of the time it felt like her determination crossed over into impulsiveness and overreaction. She would jump to conclusions, refuse to hear anyone out, and then get angry at people for not agreeing with those conclusions.

There were several moments where I genuinely couldn't understand why she was as angry as she was.

Like the paparazzi situation. Was she justified in being furious? Absolutely. Was physically going after someone probably not the smartest idea when Brooks is actively fighting for custody of Skye? Also yes. Brooks wasn't wrong for pointing that out. He wasn't telling her she wasn't allowed to be angry—he was pointing out that actions have consequences, especially when a child is involved.

And then somehow Brooks becomes the bad guy for saying that?

Girl.

What frustrated me was that Brooks wasn't even doing anything malicious. From his perspective, he was trying to protect Skye and make sure nothing jeopardized the custody situation. He wasn't dismissing Addie's feelings or telling her she wasn't allowed to be angry. He was reacting to the fact that she had physically gone after someone and created a situation that could potentially be used against him in court. Whether readers agree with him or not, his concern made complete sense.

Then we get the third-act breakup.

What frustrated me most wasn't even that there was a miscommunication. It was that Addie spent most of the book learning how to trust Brooks, understanding his communication style, learning about his needs, and receiving that same understanding back regarding her boundaries and panic attacks. It felt like both of them were growing together.

Then suddenly she threw all of that development out the nearest window.

She spirals, refuses to communicate, causes a public scene that could potentially impact Brooks' custody situation, and then completely shuts him out. Not just hurting Brooks, but hurting Skye in the process too.

Instead of listening to him, Addie immediately jumped to her own conclusions about what he meant and what he thought of her. Then she got angry at those conclusions rather than the things he had actually said.

And that's where my frustration really kicked in.

Because Brooks is autistic. Throughout the entire book, one of my favorite things about their relationship was how intentional he was about communication. He literally tells her he likes things to be "perfectly clear" because gray areas make him uncomfortable. If he doesn't understand something, he wants to understand it. He wants information. Context. Clarity.

So when Addie decides she isn't going to explain why she's upset because she doesn't want to have to justify her feelings to a man, it felt especially frustrating given everything the book had established about their relationship and her reaction completely ignored who Brooks was as a person.

It wasn't just a misunderstanding. It felt like Addie suddenly stopped doing all the things she'd been doing for the entire book. She stopped listening. She stopped communicating. She stopped giving Brooks the benefit of the doubt.

What made it even harder for me was the collateral damage. This wasn't just Brooks getting iced out. Skye was affected too. Brooks and Skye had both opened their lives to Addie, and Addie knew how important stability and consistency were for Skye. So watching her pull away from both of them without even attempting a real conversation felt incredibly unfair.

And because Brooks had spent the entire book proving himself to be thoughtful, attentive, and incredibly transparent, it became difficult for me to believe that Addie wouldn't at least hear him out before deciding the worst.

One of the realities of autism is that autistic people often don't automatically understand someone else's perspective or emotional reasoning. They need communication and they need context. And throughout the book Brooks constantly does the work to understand Addie's feelings, even when they don't come naturally to him. He listens. He learns. He adapts. So when Addie decides she isn't going to explain herself or hear him out, it felt like the relationship suddenly stopped being a two-way street.

I understood Addie's feelings.

I understood her fears.

I understood why her past would make her react strongly.

What I didn't understand was why she completely refused to hear out someone who had spent the entire book proving he was trustworthy.

The breakup didn't feel like two people missing each other.

It felt like Brooks was standing there willing to have a conversation while Addie repeatedly refused to let one happen. Which is a shame, because outside of that conflict, I absolutely adored these two together.

And what was the actual source of her anger throughout the book? Because she’s constantly angry and I just couldn’t pinpoint the core of it...

Was she afraid Brooks was using her? Was she scared of becoming a parent figure to Skye? Was she struggling with losing her independence? Was she upset about her family dynamics? Sometimes it felt like all of those things were happening simultaneously, and then they'd disappear for several chapters before popping back up again.

Even some of the conflicts outside of the romance felt oddly extreme to me. For example, her reaction to her mom wanting another baby felt completely out of left field. As someone around Addie's age myself, I just couldn't relate to that reaction at all. It felt less like a genuine issue and more like another example of Addie responding to situations at maximum emotional volume.

Despite all of that, Addie's backstory was genuinely powerful, and I loved seeing her reclaim her power by the end.

Now.

BROOKS MONROE.

My beloved.

My king.

My neurodivergent cowboy dream man.

No notes.

Absolutely none.

This man completely carried the book for me.

Brooks is an autistic former country singer turned full-time single dad, and I am here to report that he has permanently moved into my heart and refuses to leave.

The autism representation in both Brooks and Skye was one of the strongest aspects of the entire novel. You can tell how much care went into writing them. Brooks was diagnosed later in life and is actively unlearning the harmful messages he grew up with while making sure Skye grows up feeling loved, supported, and accepted exactly as she is.

Their relationship was easily the emotional heart of the story. Every interaction between them felt genuine. Every parenting decision felt intentional. Every moment where Brooks advocated for Skye instead of trying to "fix" her made me love him even more.

And Brooks notices EVERYTHING.

Every detail.

Every mood shift.

Every preference.

This man apparently has a master's degree in paying attention.

He's caring. Protective. Thoughtful. Sometimes says the wrong thing. Makes mistakes. And then immediately reminds you why you're obsessed with him by opening his mouth. Because who knew music-history dirty talk would be so effective? Brooks Monroe, apparently.

I also loved all the little relationship moments between him and Addie. The hand squeezes. The playlists. Him wanting everything perfectly clear. Her slowly becoming comfortable with physical touch because she recognized how much it comforted him. The three different kinds of kisses. Her being offended when he dyed the gray hairs near his ears. The hair washing scene.

The romance felt incredibly intimate in ways that went beyond physical attraction.

That said, the physical attraction was also very much there.

The spice? Excellent.

The banter? Funny.

The chemistry? Fantastic.

And I remain deeply grateful to Dilan Dyer for giving us a man who is simultaneously an attentive father, emotionally intelligent, touch-starved, slightly awkward, and filthy when necessary.

As a whole, Brooks and Skye completely stole the show for me. Their relationship added so much emotional depth to the story, and Skye herself was one of those child characters that instantly makes a book better. Watching Addie become protective of her was one of my favorite parts of the entire novel.

I also loved seeing Noah and Esra again. Returning couples are one of my favorite things in interconnected series, and it was so nice getting little glimpses of where they are now.

Overall, I didn't love this one quite as much as book one, mostly because Addie's character arc became frustrating for me in the second half and the third-act breakup nearly took me out. But Brooks, Skye, the autism representation, the romance, the humor, and Dilan Dyer's unique voice carried me through.

Book one still owns my soul.

But this was still a fun, emotional, sexy read that reminded me exactly why I love this world so much.

And if Dilan Dyer decides to write another book in this series? I will be seated immediately.

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let’s start with the obvious question. Did I read the first book, The Brave and the Reckless? Absolutely not. Did that stop me from diving headfirst into The Brave and the Fearless with the confidence of someone who absolutely knows what’s going on? Also no. Personal growth is recognizing you might be missing context. Personal chaos is ignoring that feeling and reading anyway. And honestly… I had a pretty good time.

So we open in Wild Fields, which is the kind of small town where people will absolutely smile to your face while remembering the exact moment your life derailed three years ago. Adriana Banks used to be on the brink of country music stardom. She had the hit song, the album, the tour with legendary country star Brooks Monroe. And then, like every tragic country ballad ever written, the whole thing went down in flames and she ended up right back home.

And by “back home,” I mean bartending at a Wild West theme park called Bravetown, which feels like the universe personally decided to lean into the bit.

Enter Brooks Monroe. Former country music icon, current extremely devoted single dad who put his entire career on pause after discovering he had a daughter, Skye, when her mother died. Now he’s trying to prove to Skye’s grandparents that he can provide a stable life so he doesn’t lose custody. His solution? Buy part of a theme park. Which honestly feels like the most chaotic version of “stable environment” I’ve ever heard.

But then the real romance trope chaos begins, because Brooks asks Adriana to pretend to be his fiancée. For stability reasons. Legal reasons. Emotional support reasons. Look, fake engagements are the bread and butter of romance and I will never get tired of them. Two people pretending to be in love while very obviously falling in love is the narrative equivalent of watching someone walk toward a glass door you know they’re about to hit.

Now here’s the thing. This book is doing a lot. And I mean that in a good way. There’s grief. There’s career burnout. There’s small town judgment. There’s a custody battle hovering over everything like a dark cloud. Adriana is trying to figure out whether her music career is actually over, Brooks is trying to become the dad Skye deserves, and the two of them are fumbling through this fake relationship while carrying enough emotional baggage to fill a tour bus.

But the real heart of the story is Skye. Brooks and Skye are both neurodivergent, and watching Brooks navigate fatherhood while also realizing things about himself is genuinely one of the strongest parts of the book. Their relationship is incredibly tender, sometimes awkward in the most realistic way, and very grounded. And the way Adriana slowly becomes part of that little family unit? Extremely cute. There’s a moment where she goes full protective mama-bear energy for Skye and I was like, okay yes, we are forming a tiny emotional cowboy family and I support it.

Also, and I say this with love, Brooks Monroe is down bad. This man is emotionally invested in Adriana in the most soft, steady, quietly obsessed way. He’s not loud about it. He’s not dramatic. He’s just deeply committed to supporting her and letting her shine and honestly that level of emotional competence in a romance hero feels illegal.

The romance sometimes feels like it’s sharing the spotlight with about five other storylines. The book is very character driven, which I respect, but there were moments where Adriana and Brooks were each doing such important personal growth separately that I wanted a little more spark between them as a couple.

Not zero chemistry. Just… slightly less sizzle than I expected from a fake engagement situation. There’s also the age gap, which is about seventeen years. The story addresses it and handles it thoughtfully, but there were definitely moments where my brain quietly whispered, “that’s… a lot of years,” while I did the mental math like a conspiracy theorist with a corkboard.

But here’s the thing. Even with those quirks, I genuinely liked spending time in this world. The Bravetown setting is fun, the emotional arcs are thoughtful, and the story really leans into themes of second chances, chosen family, and figuring out who you are when your original life plan explodes.

It’s warm. It’s heartfelt. It’s occasionally messy in the most human way. And sometimes a romance that makes you care about a small found family at a cowboy theme park deserves a little extra love for the emotional ambition alone.

So yeah. This one lands at a solid 3.5 stars for me. Not a full “scream about it in the group chat” read, but absolutely a “sit on the couch, get emotionally invested in a fake engagement, and quietly root for everyone involved” kind of book.

And a big, sparkly thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC. Y’all really said “here’s a fake engagement, a country music legend, and a cowboy theme park” and trusted me with that level of emotional responsibility. I appreciate the chaos and the feelings.

[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.

[cat (slow) · Rating 3 out of 5]

hmmmmm. This was one of those romances where I loved certain individual pieces WAY more than the romance itself. Which is frustrating because this premise had everything I would usually eat up immediately: smalltown romance, fake engagement, musician x musician, unresolved feelings, single dad custody battle drama… like this was basically built for me.

The setup was genuinely so strong too. Addie and Brooks meeting years earlier while she opened on his tour was SUCH a good foundation, and I loved the idea of Brooks quietly stepping away from fame after suddenly becoming responsible for his daughter. Addie returning to the hometown that resents her because of the music she wrote about wanting to escape added a lot of emotional potential right away.

But honestly? Brooks and Skye completely carried this book for me.

Every scene between them had so much emotional weight. You could feel how deeply Brooks loved his daughter in everything he did—fighting for her, advocating for her, paying attention to her needs instead of trying to “fix” her. Their relationship felt incredibly sincere and easily became the emotional heart of the story for me. I also really appreciated the autism rep with Skye, and some of the strongest scenes came from how Brooks navigated communication, stress, and parenting. 🫶🏼💙

Brooks himself was probably my favorite part overall. Even when the romance wasn’t fully working for me, he always felt emotionally genuine. Lines like ↓

“When I compliment you, I want you to hear every word. I say exactly what I mean,”

made it easy to understand why Addie loved him. 😌

Unfortunately, I kept waiting for the actual romance to emotionally wreck me and it never fully got there. For a friends to lovers story built around years of unresolved feelings, I desperately wanted more yearning and tension. I also struggled with Addie a lot. I understood her trust issues, but some of the conflict felt rooted in immaturity and poor communication in ways that pulled me out of the story instead of deeper into it. 😬🤦🏼‍♀️

The 17 year age gap was also pretty hit or miss for me. (i'm already so weird with age gap and this one is just soooo large) 🥲😬 I appreciated that the book tried establishing boundaries because of how young she was when they met, but emotionally she often felt much younger than Brooks, (which duh ik she is but like... it was so blatantly obvious) & it sometimes made the relationship feel uneven. And I’m sorry but him calling her “Addie baby” did NOT help 😭

There were also a few moments that completely took me out of the romance for me personally... like Addie basically admitting she’s more of a taker in relationships than a giver (major ick honestly), and I absolutely could not buy Brooks supposedly staying celibate for four years. 😭 The scene where he had her singing while he was going down on her also made me cringe like???? i'm sorry NOPE lol 😭

That said, there were still moments that worked for me emotionally.

“Every day I get to see you, I consider myself the luckiest man in the world. Just to be allowed to exist on your radar.”

Like that's genuinely so soft and sweet. I also surprisingly enjoyed the music elements and lyrics more than I usually do in romance books.

Overall, this ended up being a solid 3 ⭐️ read for me. I loved Brooks, adored Skye, and really connected with the family dynamics. I just never fully bought into the romance in the intense way I wanted to.

things to know about the book ↓

🎶 age gap (she's 24/ he's 41)
🎶 musician x musician
🎶 single dad
🎶 autism rep
🎶 custody battle
🎶 fake dating
🎶 dual POV

spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
swearing: yes

Thank you NetGalley, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.