I really enjoyed the fact the book is based in a wild west theme park! Its such a fun spin on a typical small town cowboy romance that I found really refreshing.
I love the fact that the beginning of each chapter gives you little snippets of the park so you can really feel submerged into Bravetown itself.

I found the chronic illness representation for the FMC Ezra really well done and loved the acceptance she instantly got from MMC Noah. It was beautifully presented. It wasn't too heavy but helped explain why Ezra is the way she is.
It has some great banter between the characters and some of my favorite tropes.

-Brothers best friend
-City girl x Country boy
-Small town romance
-Grumpy x Sunshine

I would totally recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a small town romance and really enjoyed reading this.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin books for providing me with an ARC of this book for my honest review. I had already pre ordered this and can't wait to get my physical copy.

Wow. I wasn’t sure about this trope at first but I absolutely loved it. The fun fair setting was genius. The excerpts at the beginning of each chapter were so well devised. I loved Noah and Esra. The perfect mix of sweet and spice. Loved the enemies and grumpy tropes. EDS representation was brilliant to read. It was good to learn more about it. The therapy horses was a lovely touch also. I really liked the character role play and the 7 minutes in heaven. Brilliant spice. Would recommend.

A sizzling cowboy romance like no other!

The Brave and the Reckless is a wildly unique blend of forbidden romance, enemies-to-lovers tension, and colleagues-with-benefits chaos—set in a surreal, immersive Western-themed role-play amusement park. Yes, you read that right. This isn’t your typical cowboy love story!

Ezra, a former med student suddenly cut off financially by her parents, ends up taking a temporary job alongside her brother in this bizarre alternate reality park. There, she meets brooding ranch owner Noah—and sparks fly immediately, though not the friendly kind.

From clashing egos to undeniable chemistry, Ezra and Noah’s journey is packed with sexual tension, witty banter, and a fair share of kink (new mask kink unlocked!) Their transition from enemies to lovers is full of fiery moments and heartfelt growth, with the spice written to perfection.

The concept was fresh, the characters compelling, and the heat? Off the charts. If you’re looking for a bold, adventurous take on cowboy romance, this one is definitely for you.

Big thanks to Dilan Dyer and Michael Joseph (Penguin Random House) for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

📚 Follow me on TikTok: @LacedInLit for more romance recs!

Okay, so I’m gonna need a Bravetown season pass IMMEDIATELY. This book was so much fun right from the beginning. Cowboys and villains (in the same man?!) Dilan said “get you a man that can do both” right from the beginning.
Esra was so funny and smart and messy and I loved watching her explore this new adventure on her own being nothing but herself. Noah was so perfect for her and from their first interaction the chemistry and banter and tension was perfect! Dilan really knocked it out of the park with this book. I could not put it down. The slow burn loathing to lovers was KILLING me but worth so worth it because once these two started getting together it was stupidly hot. I loved the characters, the world-building, the characters and the ones they played at Bravetown. I especially loved the communication between Esra and Noah, whether they were bickering, opening up to each other, fighting or making up they were so communicative. I love that in romance, especially when the spice is a part of that too. I love seeing characters grappling with their own issues, and being imperfect falling in love but growing and opening up all at once. They were still completely themselves at the end but crazy about each other and starting a new chapter together (with the same banter - DELICIOUS) I cannot think of a single thing I did not like about this book. 10/10 no notes!!!!

I had so much fun reading this book. The Wild West amusement park set was really original and made Esra’s « fun summer » very well named.

I loved Esra’s character, she’s strong and proud and I found her very relatable in how she fights to be more than her disability, both in herself and what she can or cannot do but also in how others around her treat her. Her relationship with Noah felt very natural, we can clearly see them slowly falling for each other as the book goes. He was the perfect character to match her personality and offered her exactly what she needed as she was figuring out what she was going to do in her life. And the way Esra kept making him go crazy was hilarious!

DNF at 46%
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. I’d seen some great reviews so was excited to jump into this one but it’s taken me 3 days and I’m not even half way yet- it’s just too slow for me. Barely anything has happened, I’m not convinced I like or care about either main character and I don’t feel any chemistry between them. Planned to keep pushing through to see if it got better but I don’t think it will at this point. The theme park idea is cool and original but the rest of the story just isn’t working for me.

DNF at 60%. I think this just wasn't for me. The book and story weren't bad, but I was here for the romance and it didn't really work for me. It's enemies to lovers, but where they hate fuck over admitting any feelings, at least the part I was at seemed that way. I also can't stand a MMC who just constantly looks down at the FMC and that's the feeling I got from this one. I thought the setting was fun and liked some of the side characters, just not enough to stick with it.

Thank you NetGalley for the E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I thought the setting of this book sounded really interesting - a Dollyworld-esque Wild West theme park with the main characters acting within the park - that sounds so unique and fun! I loved the romance between Esra and Noah, they had great chemistry together

This was such a fun and fresh take on a very popular genre! I really enjoyed exploring Bravetown with our wonderful FMC. I loved the disability rep, and I will always root for the FMC that's portrayed as "unlikable" to a large number of people (readers and fellow characters alike). They are my babies. And boy was she fun to root for! What a lovely traditional debut from Dilan.

I was lucky enough to read an early copy of this and everyone's in for a treat!

Dilan Dyer lets theme park nostalgia take the reins in this fresh take on cowboy romance. Packed with delicious tension, feet-kicking banter and stolen moments that’ll get your heart racing, The Brave and the Reckless hits the bullseye.

Dilan can write anything. And I will read it.

Esra and Noah are so hot together.
I love them so much.

Thanks penguin and Netgalley for an advanced copy.

I seriously loved this book! Noah was so swoony and I loved how messy Esra was too. This book hits so many beats, from cowboys to workplace romance, to brother’s best friend and masked men… TBATR has it all! Obsessed!

They say don't judge a book by its cover but boy did that cover suck me in (definitely the pink)! I was even more interested when I read it was based at a Wild West theme park and included chronic illness rep.

I loved that it was dual POV and we got to see from straight laced Noah and wild side Ezra. Literally grumpy X sunshine! With some very spicy moments and a lovely interest with a smart talking mouth 😏

Although at times I have to say I was not Ezra's biggest fan with how childish she acted for her age but I gave the benefit of the doubt given her experience growing up. I've IST/POTS with hyper mobility so it was very interesting to see EDS on the page. I feel like more could have been done to beef out some side characters (loved Adriana but her brother and his fiancée needed something more). I hope book 2 is Adriana.

I have to begin by saying how much I love this cover, it's gorgeous!
This was my first time reading a book by Dilan Dyer, but it definitely won't be my last. I am fully in my cowboy romance era and this had everything I love - steamy enemies-to-lovers that had me wanting to go to Bravetown immediately and become besties with Esra! Absolutely loved it.

Another gem for cowboy season. The chemistry between Ezra and Noah was so well portrayed and flowed well. I’d definitely recommend this for a summer read

My God—this was PHENOMENAL. I’m not exaggerating when I say The Brave and The Reckless has launched itself into my favorites of the year (and possibly of all time?). This book had everything: delicious banter, sizzling chemistry, a refreshingly original setting, and characters so lovable I’m already mourning being finished.

Let’s start with the setting—a small town Wild West-themed amusement park called Bravetown. HELLO??? I want to visit. I want to live there. I’ve never read a book set in a theme park quite like this and it made for such a fun, immersive backdrop. The little snippets at the beginning of each chapter, giving backstory to Bravetown’s residents, added so much depth and charm. It felt like I was being welcomed into a living, breathing place.

The story itself hooked me from chapter one. The banter? Hot. The chemistry? ELECTRIC. Esra and Noah had me giggling, kicking my feet, screaming internally—and externally. The sexual tension was off the charts, and the slow build from enemies to lovers was perfection. Also: PROP GUN PLAY?! I wasn’t ready, but I was so here for it.

Esra was a standout FMC—funny, sarcastic, strong yet vulnerable. Her chronic illness was portrayed with such authenticity, especially in those everyday “mental gymnastics” moments. As someone who related deeply to that, I felt seen in the most unexpected and welcome way. And the fact that she and Sanny sign to each other?? I’m obsessed. Noah, with his layered “good guy playing a villain” vibes, grump exterior, and soft heart? Say less. He’s the blueprint.

The supporting cast? A+ across the board. Vivi, Adriana, Lukas, Zuri, Sinan, and TORNADO (yes, Tornado!!) were all such well-developed, lovable characters that I desperately need spinoffs for. The whole world Dilan Dyer built here feels alive and real, and I’d happily buy an annual pass to Bravetown if I could.

The spice? Chef’s kiss. The roleplay? Gasp-worthy. The pacing? Absolutely flawless. I read it too fast and now I miss them all.

This book is the epitome of a grumpy x sunshine, enemies-to-lovers romance. Watching Esra learn to take care of herself—while Noah learns how to let go of control—was beautiful. Their growth felt organic, their struggles were deeply human, and their story? Completely addictive.

This is my second Dilan Dyer read and I can confidently say she’s a master at writing messy, real characters who leap off the page. Her books never feel formulaic—each one brings something unique to the table—and The Brave and The Reckless is no exception. You can feel her love for these characters and this world in every chapter.

If you’re into witty banter, high-stakes chemistry, incredible disability rep, and the most charming setting imaginable, add this to your TBR NOW. It pulled me out of a brutal reading slump and I already want to reread it. This is the book I didn’t know I needed, and I’ll be shouting about it until everyone picks it up.

Preorder it. You can thank me later.

Welcome to Bravetown, the theme park that is dedicated to ensuring their guests experience the full Wild West cowboy filled town... and secret seven minutes in heaven.

I absolutely LOVED the concept of this book, I haven't read anything like it before and I've read my fair share of cowboy romances, there was so many amazing parts to this book.

Esra & Noah were perfectly written, really felt like you got to know them, would have loved for Noah's backstory to be slightly more padded out but that may have brought the tone down too much.

Tropes
🐴 Dislike to lovers
🐴 chronic pain
🐴 costumes
🐴 doing it in front of the mirror 🪞
🐴 miscommunication trope (not my fave but short lived)

Many thanks to NetGalley & Michael Joseph Penguin roundhouse for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I loved it. 4.5 🌟

Living my cowboy era and this book was a very fun steamy read. Good character arcs and plot that had me needing to more

I enjoyed this but didn’t love it as much as I expected to from the blurb or how I felt when I first started. I did think Esra and Noah had good chemistry but it was when it came to the more that it fell a little flat for me.
It’s also a very personal thing so not so much rating as my pov but when I saw there was chronic illness rep I expected there to be some sort of caretaking. (As someone with a chronic illness who lives alone I am desperate to be taken care of so I love when it pops up in books) Now Esra tends to resist this because she was so sheltered growing up however when it came to the 3rd act conflict I felt it was a little forced. It was understandable for her character that she would be upset but the way she reacted felt out of character for her, and we didn’t gain anything from that interlude that she wouldn’t have learned had she not run.
I liked the side characters so maybe I’ll enjoy future books more.
3.5-4

I had some high hopes for this book, especially after Dilan's other books that I loved. I honestly don't think I would categorize this as a cowboy romance. It just felt weird. Some of the plot felt very rushed at times, and I would have loved for us to get a deeper explanation of Noah's backstory so we could really get to know him. This was cute but definitely not a favorite of mine from Dilan.