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.

OB-F*CKING-SESSED. To me, this book is Westworld meets Legally Blonde. You have Esra, who is the strong-headed main female character. She's been watched and taken care of her entire life, and she's finally taking things into her own hands and spending the summer in the small town where her brother resides. Because she can do hard things!!! She knows her limits and she's ready to live her life to the fullest without her parents breathing down her neck.

But when she's cast as the damsel in distress, there is a certain grumpy masked villain (who also happens to be her brother's bff) that she can't stop thinking about! I mean, girl, same. Let's be honest.

The character arcs of both Esra and Noah are incredible, from the first page to the very last. It was a PAGE TURNER and I didn't want it to end.

A MILLION STARS. Recommending to EVERYONE.

I usually reach for a romance book when in a slump and need something light, fun and fast to break up heavier, longer reads. The Brave and The Reckless is just that, and more - it surprised me in the best ways and really enjoyed it!
I must admit, it took a while to connect with it and didn't think I was going to enjoy it at all for the first part. Esra, our main character, is a med school dropout and rather than communicating with her parents that she needs space and time to figure things out in her own way, runs away to join her brother at a wild west theme park for the summer. One of her key ways of rebelling against her overbearing, but well-meaning family, seems to be... wearing snarky, almost derogative to herself, slogan t-shirts? Give me a break. She turns up to this new lifeline of a job with the choice of two of these, and nothing plain, let alone professional? Come on, really? She seems smarter than that.
The cast members having thirst trap social media presences was another small hurdle: as someone who has worked in theatre, it's not at all surprising to me that cast would have side hustles and heavy social media presence but for them to be thirst-trappy was a bit tacky. However, once I accepted it as the norm in this place, and just threw on my suspension of belief hat, it kind of added to the offbeat charm. I would love to visit Bravetown and it's immersive meta-theatre shows!

I adored Esra and Noah together, and would love more of them! I really wish the book had given them more space to breathe. Their banter is funny, and as the relationship develops they become truly adorable and I was in love with their love by the end. However, a lot of the conflict happens as inner thoughts, not even between them which was frustrating as a lot of things would be sorted if they just *communicated* and it felt like there were perhaps too many reasons for why they shouldn't be together - the family baggage, being at work, career uncertainty, unresolved personal issues, and him being her brothers best friend. As the book is fairly short, so while they were all there but not explored to the full potential, and resolved in a very quick round up way.
Also, on the note of him being brothers BFF - if it's such a big deal, why were they hooking up in his ensuite at his birthday party? Hooking up during work hours was also a big oof moment, can't say I'd risk it myself in their positions but hey it was hot!

The real standout for me in the entire book was the unexpected darker content. I was not expecting it in the slightest from the description or the pastel, bubble-gum cover. The way they lean in to their costumes and end up giving us masks and (prop) g*n play were not on in any way crossing my mind when I picked it up, but it was perfect. Chefs kisses all around.

Overall, the read was more layered than expected and a little ridiculous at times. However, it's also playful, very spicy and a really enjoyable ride once you get into the right mindset for it. I really would recommend it for cowboy-adjacent fans, and will 100% shout about it to fans of masks and mischief.

Cowboy with a twist! This was such a fun and original way of adding to the cowboy romance scene. It definitely stands out!!!
Lots of tropes that I enjoyed like brothers friend and can I say, a brother that didn’t act like some strange A hole!!! What a gem.
The pacing flowed and I was super interested in the chronic illness representation!
Wooo go girlie!!!