I’m not sure why I decided to break my own rules when Char came into my emergency room that night. Knowing she was there because of her ex somehow flipped a switch in me to want to protect her and her little girl.
At any cost.
What I didn’t know was that my self-appointed guardianship would transform into something deeper, stronger, unshakeable.
But when my ranch is threatened, and her past comes back to haunt her, will what we’ve built be enough to stand up to the onslaught, or will we both fall to ruin?
Ma has done it again. Once again I have fallen hard and fast for another MMC who is simply perfect.
We get a tragic tale of a single mom trying to recover from DV trauma and make it day to day and recognize her worth. We get a man who is looking for his missing piece, his purpose, and end to his monotonous existence.
Fate entertwines their paths for the better. Dixon teaches Char what it’s like to be truly cherished, to SEE herself as the strong woman, great mother, and perfect person she is. Char teaches him what it means to love, to want more, to be apart of something bigger than yourself.
Ma once again gives us a strong female friendship, in Libby, a spitfire that I adore. She continues to weave the main plot through a cowboy romance that was a beautiful slowburn with a fantastic “F*ck moment”. We get angst, innuendo, push & pull until the dam breaks in the best way.
We get complexities in characters with emotions that have you reeling with almost every chapter. On the flip side there are these tender moments with Char’s daughter Paisley that pull at your heartstrings.
🎀If you love cowboy romance, found family, healing spice, and age gap… look no further. Add this to your TBR, trust me you’ll be swooning for Dixon in no time.
𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼: 🔥Cowboy Romance 🔥Grumpy-Sunshine 🔥Age Gap (24/39) 🔥Single Mom 🔥Found Family 🔥DV survivor FMC 🔥Brєє∂ιиg 🔥Touch her and ☠️ 🔥Revenge Plot 🔥Forced Proximity 🔥Slow Burn
Not the usual tropes I like to read, but this series has been on my TBR for such a long time and I really enjoyed this book! I loved the main characters and there was just enough suspense to keep me interested in the plot. I’ll definitely be continuing this series!
Sub/Genre: Contemporary Small Town Storyline Rating: 5/5 ⭐️ Spice Rating: 3/5 🌶️ Tropes: Small Town, Cowboy/Doctor MMC, Divorced Single Mom FMC, Age Gap, Found Family, Insta-attraction, Who Did This To You, Touch her and ☠️ Triggers: Abusive EX, Animal Cruelty Ending: HEA!!
Charolette has spent her marriage in pain. So she wasn’t surprised when her jerk of an ex showed up after their divorce to dole out more. What she wasn’t expecting was Dr. McCullough to take such a role in her safety after patching her up.
★. I am disappointed. There were a lot of things that went wrong in this book. I think my biggest pet peeve was that a woman who just got out of an abusive relationship and that relationship has traumatized her whatever year old child immediately trusts a man because he’s a doctor who sleeps outside his truck to keep her safe. I don’t care if he was a bodyguard, the immediate trust in letting him care for your daughter was done way too fast.
The sex was not good. BDSM shouldn’t have happened here or when it did it should’ve been properly discussed and they should’ve known each other better. The fmc even makes a comment about them knowing each other for two weeks and half that time they weren’t even talking. The relationship went from one meeting to married with twins on the way in the span of five minutes.
The daughter was either 15 or 2. She was in diapers and in a crib yet she was talking perfectly fine except for when the author wrote in those words she couldn’t pronounce randomly. She was present but also not? Whenever Dixon was around, the daughter was there. But if he wasn’t it was like she was….gone. Her trauma also was tossed aside until the last chapter where her nightmares are going away yet no therapy was needed because she’s now Dixon’s daughter?
Another reviewer wrote how Dixon had a hero complex and Char was just someone he happened to take as a patient and that drew her to him and I agree. He was so hellbent on saving her he morphed this “im in love” in his mind. All his thoughts were mostly sexual and when they weren’t he was still getting hard. Char…I don’t know. She didn’t heal herself. She healed dependent on Dixon.
For my safety people, safe. Char got out of an abusive relationship so there’s drama with the ex. No info on Dixon but not a virgin
Agh!!! I loved this book so much!!!!!! Char is trying to move on with her life from her ex, but he keeps showing up and hurting her, to the point where she ends up in the hospital and meets Doctor Dixon (aka Daddy Dixon!!!). Dixon immediately wants to protect Char and her daughter Paisley (he never feels like this with a patient) and tries to keep her ex Matt away. Oh how much I want a Dixon in my life!!!! This man has me swooning!!! I can’t wait for the next book!!!
MA Cobb does it again, another emotional roller coaster, definitely check the trigger warnings in this one, the MFC is a domestic violence survivor, where her x husband Matt isn't finished with her, he has the attitude 'If I can't have her no one can' Where as Daddy Dixon has a touch her and die attitude. Needless to say, Char has serious trust issues along with a lot of self-doubt whether she's good enough. She also had to think about her little daughter Princess Paisley. Luckily, Dixon isn't letting that stop him. He's patient with her and doesn't push too hard. Plus, he likes it when Paisley calls him Daddy Dixon, not as much as when Char does. This is the second book in the Black Gulch Ranch series
Troupes: *Breeding kink *Bdsm *Age gap *Grumpy sunshine *Touch her and die *Dominating MMC *Tortured past *Second chance romance *Cowboy romance
🌶🌶🌶🌶
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read from beginning to end in one sitting! I couldn't stop before finishing story. It was sooo good. Would definitely recommend and I can't wait for the next in this series!
I want to start off by saying that although my followers know that I mostly read dark romance and topics of horror or taboo, this particular book does not fully fall in those categories.
I do, occasionally, venture into lighter stuff and I've, of late, been in a cowboy romance era. This book definitely fed all of my expectations and then some. There were a few notable dark themes/tropes that would be good for those wanting to dip their toes into darker categories but not "fully submerge".
Stables is book 2 in a series of standalones featuring a family of hardened, rough and tumble cowboys of Black Gulch.
Stables tells the story of Doctor Dixon McCullough, a near 40 yrs old doctor that still maintains his home base at the family ranch.
His story begins when Char, a young, newly single mom comes to his emergency room after having a horrible and painful run in with her ex.
Although their romance is slow burn, the angsty build up between the two is electrifying. Their situation, one of forced proximity and a growing possessiveness that Dixon finds himself hopelessly drawn into. The push and pull was very realistic and I loved the dynamic of Char's toddler daughter, Paisley (especially her nickname "Daddy Dixon").
There's a secondary plotline that carries through each book in the series and although this couple has a HEA, there's also a bit of a cliffhanger for the overall storyline.
As for the romantic plotline, we are not only drawn into their slow building of trust but also their continual conflict with Char's ex husband. It all comes to a huge climactic finish.
Tropes and other elements:
Small town romance Montana summer Doctor x patient Age gap Single mom Found family Forced Proximity Slow burn Pregnancy kink Praise Possessive MMC Darkness scale 🌖 Spice rating 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️
Quotes:
"I need him to get rid of the exhaustion in my soul. To patch over the holes in my heart. To help me forget the pain."
"At first it was about keeping her safe. Now, it's just about keeping her."
"I might be large, but I'm not as big as a baby. Now, just relax and let me put another one in you."
" Go on, my rodeo queen, get a taste of how impressed I am. Then you're going to climb on top and show me how well you can ride."
Imagine walking into an ER with your life falling apart, only for the attending doctor to fix more than your broken arm—he fixes your whole existence. That's Dixon for you. Char's ex leaves her battered, bruised, and disillusioned, but Dixon? He takes one look and says, "I can fix her," in the most swoon-worthy cowboy way possible.
She has a ribbon of steel beneath the porcelain.
Plot-wise, it's classic small-town drama meets "Daddy Dixon is here to save the day." Char waltzes into Dixon's ER after her ex's latest bout of awfulness, and Dixon, being the man we all deserve, decides she's his. Cue forced proximity, angsty glances, and the kind of slow burn that makes you yell, "Just kiss already! Paisley, Char's daughter, is peak cute kid energy, with a side of "accidentally spilling all mommy's secrets." The whole book feels like a warm hug, interrupted by Dixon threatening to rearrange people's faces for even thinking about hurting his girls.And let's not forget Libby, Char's chaotic bestie, who's out here ready to commit crimes with zero hesitation.
"those noises make me wish I was a morsel of your favorite food.”
Stables by M.A. Cobb had me swooning, sighing, and side-eyeing my boring life choices. It’s a perfect blend of emotional healing, spicy moments, and just the right amount of cowboy brooding. If you’ve ever wanted to see a man fall so hard for a woman and her kid that he essentially becomes their human shield, this book is for you. Thank you for the ARC opportunity M.A. Cobb
This is book 2 in the Black Gulch Ranch Series and Dixon did not disappoint. Book 1, Spurs is all about Mason and book 2 is about his brother Dixon, and are these 2 different!!!!!
My cowboy era is one I will stay in!
You want a cowboy who is also a doctor? One who sees you and just wants to give you the world? This is the book for you.
Dixon can say and do No wrong because everything he does come the sweetest place, even when he takes control, or better yet loses control!
Charlotte’s story is heart wrenching and as a single mom, this woman is strong! She is so use to the struggle that she fights everything she deserves tooth and nail. Until she gives in! And does Dixon give her everything and more!
I loved the suspense/thrill aspect to the plot for I am also in my romantic suspense era. And MA Cobb has added another book to my list of why ai will not give up on slow burns!!! The build up, the tension, the fire!!!! And then when the spice hits…..
Let’s just say HEAD ON OVER TO THE STABLES AND SADDLE UP🤠🔥
What to expect: 🐴Age gap (15 years) 🔥cowboy and doctor MMC 🐴single mom 🔥slow burn 🐴DV trauma/survivor 🔥revenge 🐴forced proximity 🔥touch her and ☠️
Book 3? Come to mama! I am ready for FORD! I am calling it now he will be my favorite🫠
Thank you @m.a.cobb_author for allowing me the opportunity to read this as an ARC💛
MA you made me fall in love with another cowboy with a dirty mouth. I loved this book so much I need more of them. I was giggling kicking my feet the whole time. This book show cases how trauma affects people and how much it’s affects them to move forward. This is a slow burn and MA ofc executes it beautifully as always. Dixon is my favorite man so far in this series. He was so attentive to Charlotte and her needs. He wanted to make sure she was comfortable and trusted him. And god the mouth on that mannnnn had me blushing. I love when the MMC is a complete ass to everybody but the girl he wants and that was Dixon to a T. Charlotte is such a strong FMC and such a good mother to her little girl. She has such a difficult time trying to accept Dixon’s help. When she finally sees his intentions are positive she slowly starts opening up. The way their relationship flourishes and builds is so beautiful. This book was truly so good one of the best cowboy romance series I’ve read.
*please read trigger warnings this book does have some heavy topics. 18+*
Tropes 🩺 Grumpy / Sunshine ☀️ Age gap 🩺 Br33ding ☀️ Forced proximity 🩺 Touch her and die ☀️ Single mom 🩺 Slow burn ☀️ DV survivor FMC 🩺 Revenge plot ☀️ Alpha hole MMC
Stables by MA Cobb is book 2 in the Black Gulch Series. You don’t have to but I highly recommend reading book 1, Spurs first. It is fantastic and enhances the reading enjoyment of book 2. Stables is an intense, slow burn with angst and sexual tension and all the deep emotions that build up to the most ultimate payoff. Dixon and Shar’s moments together are written just beautifully and the passion is a full-blown dream. Dixon is so swoonalicious in all of his grumpy possessive yet kind, devoted, sympathetic ways. Ma has a way of developing characters with so much heart and soul the emotion of their stories are deeply felt. There’s no way to not fall hard head over heels in love with them. Both Dixon and Charlotte allow themselves to open up, be vulnerable, trust and take a chance at a future, filled with found family and happiness. The slow burn is perfectly paced and gives way to the most tender moments of healing and emotional growth. I really love the ultimate ride or die, family first relationship with all the characters. The underlying story with the rest of the family adds a bit of suspense and mystery. Definitely leaving us with a serious cliffhanger desperately waiting more.
These McCullough men are made different! They are obsessed, possessive and will protect what is theirs!! Family is everything!
This is Dixon’s story. He meets Char in the emergency room after her ex does a doozy on her. He cannot stop thinking about her. And when she calls for help he steps in to help her. When he realizes how alone she is he starts to protect her. Soon he cannot seem to see her as anything but his.
He is falling for Char and isn’t mad at being Paisley’s Daddy Dixon. In fact he is proud of it. But can Char overcome her ex’s abuse and move forward with Dixon? And will her ex let go?
I love these books! The found family and spice just hits so right!! I love a good age gap but through in the cowboy and WOW!!
Stables is book 2 in the Black Gulch Ranch Series. Once again, I devoured this read within 24 hours and can't wait for book 3. I fell in love with Dixon!
Dixon is Mason's younger brother and a doctor. He is a bachelor and had put his career first, not thinking about love or a relationship. Until Char w shows up into his Er, and he goes straight into protection mode over her and her daughter, Paisley.
Char has a pscho ex that keeps hurting her and puts her in danger. Dixon can't help but fall hard for Char and won't stop at nothing to keep her and Paisley safe, even breaking his own rules. Yes, she is a lot younger, but the attraction makes one hell of a spicy read. Love how these MFC know how to get their man and keep them happy.
You will fall in love instantly with Dixon, Char, and Princess Paisley. The suspense will have you clinching to each page, and the spice will have you melting. Once again, the style of writing will have you feeling the emotions and the sense and true meaning of family and friendship.
From the night Charrlotte showed up at the emergency room battered by her ex husband, Dixon can’t get her out of his head. He finds himself infatuated with a desperate need to protect and care for both her and her daughter, Paisley. Charlotte becomes more than just a patient he is sympathetic toward, something deeper.
💛 Cowboy 💛 Age Gap 💛 Grumpy/Sunshine 💛 Single Mom 💛 Br33ding K!nk 💛 Touch Her & 💀
This book went by way too quick for my liking (in the best way, like if I could live in Black Gulch it wouldn’t be enough). Daddy Dixon was everything you could want in a broody moody MMC. I love an MMC that’s sweet for her and in this case Paisley too. The way Dixon instantly took on the role of their protector after meeting, was everything. The slow burn spice in this book was perfect for me and didn’t leave me climbing walls, it gave me all the feels and anticipation for more. I can’t wait to read more of the Black Gulch p
Stables is a fantastic, age-gap, single mom, grumpy-sunshine, cowboy romance! M.A. Cobb knows how to draw you in. She has you laughing, crying, swooning & gasping in shock! Char & Dixon meet after Char's ex hurts her and she ends up in Dixon's clinic. Dixon feels an instant pull towards Char & her adorable daughter Paisley and he decides to step in to help them. I loved the slow-burn build up and the SPICE between Char & Dixon. And Char's relationship with her best friend Libby. She is a spitfire who needs her own book! The heartwarming moments between Paisley and "Daddy Dixon" are adorable. This was just overall a amazing read that I could not put down, and can't stop thinking about these McCullough men! After the little cliffhanger MA leaves us with I am even more excited for the rest of the series.
I was so excited to have Dixon’s story after reading Mason’s in Spurs. The yummy but stoic brother Dixon well he finally met his match. The book as always with M.A. had me hooked from the beginning and my emotions all over the place. I would be mad, giggling and laughing so much.
Char is a D-V survivor but her ex will not leave her alone and she ends up in the ER where she meets Dixon. And she fights her attraction to him, not sure if she can trust him.
Dixon is the ER doctor who treats Char and can’t seem to shake his attraction to her. At first he wants to just believe he is doing everything to make sure she is safe as well as her daughter. He comes to realize it is more than that.
If you love an age gap, cowboy romance, with a sprinkle of darkness this book is definitely for you!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Stables by M.A. Cobb (Black Gulch Ranch Book 2) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️~Stars 🥵🥵🥵~Spice
Tropes: • Cowboy/Doctor MMC • Age Gap • Single Mother • Touch Her & Die • Dual Pov
🖇️ Char doesn’t know it, but I’m in this for the long haul. Every moment that goes by makes me want to stay longer.
🖇️ She’s too late. I’m fully addicted. Sweeter than any chocolate, and more refreshing than any tea, I’d die a happy man if this was my last meal.
▪️This series just keeps getting better and better! Wow what a book Dix got with his Char🥹🥰 Poor Char was treated like crap by her first husband (see TW) and then she meets her prince charming and the love of her life❤️ The road there is tough but WOW how beautiful it was also in the end. Their love for each other was truly something completely out of this world. So go ahead and enjoy this amazing book now😘
You'll want to save a horse and ride a cowboy after reading this tender romance.
When her abusive ex-husband lands Char in the ER, her unreasonably hot doctor, Dixon, feels the need to protect her and her young daughter. He sleeps outside her house in his truck to stop the abusive ex from returning and we spend the rest of the book watching Char come back to her former self with the support of Dixon and the community around her.
MA's writing is so compelling and the plot moves quickly. If you read Elliott Rose's Chasing the Wild and now you need another cowboy romance in your life - this is it!
This is the second in an interconnected standalone series. You can read out of order.
Read this if you love ️🔥 Single mom ️🔥 Grumpy/Sunshine ️🔥 Breeding ️ ️🔥 Seriously, breeding ️🔥 ️🔥 Age Gap ️🔥 Slow burn
This book is best read in a stable, while waiting for your unreasonably hot doctor to take care of you.
This was okay. The first book was so much better in my opinion. In this one it felt like their connection was too forced, the way he was with her when she came into the hospital injured felt like he would have been like that with anyone and it wasn’t special to her. He just wanted to save someone.
I enjoyed the story though and seeing the characters from the first book and setting up for the next ones, I’m looking forward to continuing. I just didn’t really connect with the h and H in this one.
Age gap h24 H39 Single mom with an abusive ex Insta obsession but slow burn There’s zero owd 👏 Omd- her ex husband hurts her and then causes problems with her ranch No third act breakup Pregnancy right at the end HEA- married & pregnant with twins Epilogue- she’s halfway through the pregnancy and H adopts the h daughter Paisley. And then it sets up for Fords book next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
My first read from this author... thank you for the chance for the arc.
Dixon comes Into char life at a low point, her ex has beaten her physically, mentally and emotionally, once our doc fixes the physical side,he finds he is so drawn to protect her and her little girl... Paisley is so damn adorable. Her love language was Def food😁
I loved seeing the journey our fmc took, to heal and learn to trust and depend on someone for help. She was incredibly strong and a fantastic mama bear.
This was an awesome quick read, letting us see how this delicious doctor and cowboy (holy yummy combo) fights to pull down her walls and show her what she is worth.
Absofriggenloutley loved her friend... yes, she should have just shot him🤣
When Char walked into Dixon’s ER that night, he knew he couldn’t let her and her little girl face danger alone. What started as protectiveness turned into something deeper—and hotter. 🔥 But with threats to his ranch and Char’s past reappearing, can they stand strong or will everything fall apart?
This book had EVERYTHING: a fiercely protective cowboy, found family vibes, and a perfect mix of steam and heart. Dixon McCullough is the kind of hero you can’t help but swoon over, and let’s be real…we all need a Dixon in our lives. 😍
I’m not usually a cowboy romance girl, but Stables has me OBSESSED. The McCullough men are a breed of their own—possessive, obsessed, and utterly devoted. Add this one to your TBR ASAP! 🐎
Whatever M.A. Cobb sprinkles into these books, I need more!!
Stables was a delicious treat to read. The age gap, protective she’s mine tropes are 🥵. Also the breeding kink, is either a love or a hate. I do love it, it’s an instant selling point for me. Dixon makes me want to say yes Daddy.
Char is so sweet, I loved how much she cares about her daughter and puts her above herself. Her love for animals and just her whole demeanour. she’s had a hard life, but she’s no doormat which I appreciate.
I thoroughly enjoyed Spurs ( Book 1 in the Gulch Ranch Series) I think Stables just might be my new favourite. M.A. Cobb really amped up the spice factor. I am so happy to see that more will come from this series *jumps up and down* I can’t wait.
M.A. Cobb has done it again! I love a good cowboy romance and this was the perfect read! I loved Dixon's character in Spurs, I thought that he would be a little more grouchy in his own book but he wasn't and I just loved how easy and natural his feelings for Char developed. From the moment he sees her, there's no doubt, he will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.
Char has had a really hard life and I love how she is so determined and resilient. She is the best mother to Paisley and that little girl is the absolute sweetest. I loved how Paisley instantly loved and trusted Dixon. I loved Char's healing journey, after what her ex-husband has put her through, it was really beautiful to see her start loving herself and trusting Dixon!
The plot was great! I love some suspense in a romance. I love that we actually get to go back to Black Gulch Ranch and that all the characters from book 1 were such a big part of this story! There's a mystery from book 1 that is brought over into this book and I loved how flawlessly it was done! I cannot wait to get to Ford's book! I think it's going to be my favorite one yet and maybe we will finally get some much needed answers!
I loved this book. Dixon and char have such good chemistry. Char has a heart breaking story, but Dixon is so good with her. Char is doing her best as a new single mother. Paisley is absolutely adorable. They raise men different out on Black Gulch, that is all I can say. These books just keep getting better and hotter. Dixon is so sweet and kind, but he also has a filthy mouth, it made me blush and cackle the whole time. It was nice going back to Black Gulch and seeing some of the past characters make an appearance again. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
Tropes: 🤠Cowboy Romance 🥰 2nd in a series ☀️ Grumpy-Sunshine 🖤Age Gap (24/39) ♥️Single Mom 🫦Alpha-hole MMC 🤠DV survivor FMC 🖤Breeding Kink ♥️BDSM
This was amazing coming from someone who has spent the last two years rebuilding and fixing and putting back together my life and my son's life after getting out of a relationship like that you represented every emotion every feeling every inner dialogue that char had perfectly so thank you for representing it the way that you did also daddy Dixon is perfect he was so compassionate so patient and the way he was with not only char but her little girl was beautiful and he has a way with words like he's spicy also I love Libby she deserves her own book and she was like the best friend anyone could ask for plus I enjoyed seeing Side characters from Spurs and I loved how interconnected it was and you still it's like almost like Spurs story never ended because you got to see a lot in this book as well just in my opinion plus I cannot wait till Ford's book because that man I feel like it's going to get me because he's just so dark and brooding but I love men like that so once again you outdid yourself it was perfect round of applause.
Dr. Daddy Dixon is in the house!! If you want a big, protective, broody cowboy who falls hard and fast for a single mom, but you also want a slow burn - then this is the story for you! Not only does it have men who will make you swoon and drool, but it also has small town charm, found family vibes, and strong female friendships. Libby was hilarious and is the type of bestie everyone needs, but the star of the show for me had to be Princess Paisley, who is the funniest and most adorable kid ever! It's really no surprise Daddy Dixon got so broody - who could resist those cute little "uppies"? I can't wait for more of the series. These McCullough men are something special!
I really enjoyed the first in the series but this one didn't quite deliver.
I really liked both Dixon and Char. I'm not sure how old her daughter was, I'm guessing around 18 months. So I guess her daughter behaved like a typical 18 month old.
Even though I liked both characters, the story dragged in several places especially the beginning. The beginning was a bit repetitive. I still will continue the series because I think Ford's book will be pretty interesting. The spice in this story was ok but I don't think better than Spurs.
Overall, it was ok and I look forward to the next book.
A slow burn, age gap, spicy cowboy romance. Char & Dixon meet when she ends up in the hospital thanks to a no good abus!ve ex & Dr Dixon treats her. They both fight their attraction for each other, but the more time they spend together they of course, slowly fall for each other. I love how Dixon wants to help, Protect Char & her daughter & helps Char learn to trust again as it's not easy after all she's been through, while all the time she makes him realize she's what's been missing in his life. Book 2 in the Black Gulch Ranch Series. If you love Cowboy romance then don't miss out on this series