Brands

Black Gulch Ranch #4

by M.A. Cobb

I didn't know when one of my best friends asked me to meet him for a drink, that it would change everything.
Clay cried into his beer when he told me the devastating news, and begged for my help.
It was time to liquidate his dairy herd.
Everything seemed straightforward, until his daughter decided to get involved and bring in the Black Gulch Ranch.
Will working towards a new solution be the rescue she insists it to be?
Or will this fire building between us burn down everything her father tried to build?*Please note this portrays dark themes

Genres: Westerns, Forced Proximity

403 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 7, 2025

Reviews

[Crystal Emerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

꧁ARC REVIEW꧂

★ ᗷɾꪖຖᎴ𝘴★
𝘉𝘺: 𝘔.𝘈. 𝘊𝘰𝘣𝘣

I think Blue has stole my heart. Believe me I do not say this lightly, Ma writes her MMCs like no in other and they are guaranteed to make you swoon. Blue is no exception, his best friend Clay is going through it with his health and needs help settling expenses with his dairy. Of course he turns to Blue for help and the last thing he expects is for him to fall for his daughter, Libby.

"𝓘 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓵𝓸𝓼𝓽 𝓲𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾."

That’s right, Libby gets her very own hot cowboy. Our favorite spitfire from book 2 is back with vengeance. The banter in this book is off the charts. The push & pull is balanced perfectly and the spice is immaculate. Libby is fierce, independent and knows what she wants. A force of nature she blows through Blue’s path and forces him to wake up and make a choice or lose her forever.

"𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽'𝓼 𝓲𝓽, 𝓶𝔂 𝓵𝓲𝓽𝓽𝓵𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓫𝓮𝓵. 𝓖𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓲𝓷."

Just one taste of her and Blue is an addict, weak knees, imagining a life ahead with babies, a future with her. This is rare for him and you’d think that would be scary but he feels so sure, like losing her would end him. It’s an awe inspiring kind of love between the two of them, he sacrifices so much so that she smiles, to see her happy, even if his friendship with her father is on the line and that’s how you know it’s forever.

“𝓘 𝓭𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓲𝓽 𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮𝓼, 𝓸𝓻 𝓱𝓸𝔀 𝓶𝓪𝓷𝔂 𝓭𝓪𝓲𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓬𝓸𝔀𝓼 𝓘 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓾𝔂, 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓲𝓷 𝓶𝔂 𝓪𝓻𝓶𝓼 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝓷𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓶𝔂 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮.”

Libby & Blue challenge each other with witty banter, spicy romanticism and playful humor. They love fiercely and fight for what they want most. A journey filled with mutual pining and reckless abandon that ends in the happiest moment. Ma doesn’t disappoint with this one.

🅣🅡🅞🅟🅔🅢
🔥Dad’s Best Friend
🔥Age Gap
🔥Feisty FMC
🔥Guitar playing MMC
🔥She falls first/He falls harder
🔥Touch him/her and ☠️
🔥Virgin FMC
🔥Banter as foreplay
🔥Orange Cat x Golden Retriever

✧ ꪮꪜꫀ𝕣ꪖꪶꪶ: ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
✧ ડ℘ⅈᥴꫀ: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

🐮𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜: 10/10 would read again. I love this series and this world Ma has built. Escaping to Black Gulch is a favorite past time of mine, I just wanna live there forever. With book 4 Ma proves once again that her range is extensive, she can write it all from rom com to erotic horror and we will still be begging for more.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating: 🌶🌶🌶
HEA: 🌟🌟🌟/3
❗️Safety and Small Spoilers Below❗️


📌 Triggers: Loss of a loved one (Mentioned) Animal Death (on-page; not graphic) Violence (on-page)

📌 No Cheating/Sharing

📌 No OWD: MMC is a manwhore and his past is mentioned. He hadn't been with anyone in a couple of months prior to FMC.

📌 No OMD: Virgin FMC

📌 No Separation/Third-act Breakup

[Samantha Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

M.A. has done it again! This book had me cackling so much with their banter. The spicy 🌶️ scenes yessss please! The plot and twists mannnn I’m hooked and need it all!

Blue is best friends with Clay and he needs Blue’s help when he find out he has c@ncer. He meets Libby again and he cannot stop thinking about her.

Libby is upset to find out that he father is sick and that he intends to sell the farm. She goes to Blue for help in saving it. The attraction she has for him she does not try to fight, she shows Blue exactly what she wants despite being a v*rgin. Blue was in for one h3ll of a ride.

Someone is out to get the farm and hurt Black Gulch…

If you like:

Age Gap
Dad’s Best Friend
V*rgin MFC
Cowboy Romance
Banter

This book is for you!!!

Favorite Quote -

“So Clay, does this mean I get to call you ‘daddy’ too?”

[Shelves_by_sim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, Cobb has done it again and all I can say is I. EAT. THESE. BOOKS. UP. Firstly, I love the overall mystery that stays in the background of this series, we know that ranches and farms are being targeted by a group of people - possibly even a syndicate - but we don't know who they are or why and I love how this ties in to each and every story.

I really loved Blue in this one, aside from his playboy reputation, I love how once he met Libby, there was nothing but her! The tension was on point and while this book was probably the least high stakes out of all of them so far, there was enough family drama to keep me interested and hooked. Plus, not only is this an age gap trope, it's also a best friend's daughter trope and I was like yes, give it all to me!! I liked Libby, I really liked her teenage brother alot too! What a sweety.

But gosh, her father was a real piece of work and I found myself literally wondering "what on earth is wrong with this man???". See, more than enough drama 😂. As always, the spice is spiceyyy and I love how easy these books are to read. They literally just fly by! I cannot wait for the rest of this series because these cowboys are everywhere! 🤠

[Bianca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Blue and Libby. I loved their banter and flirting. Libby is a spitfire and Char's best friend we meet in Spurs. Their book is a 180 from Ford and April's story.

Blue is friend's with Libby's Dad and tries to resist Libby and her charm while helping her Dad sell some cows. He then switches and works to help Libby keep her family's dairy farm.

Tropes:
Cowboy romance
Virgin FMC
Dad's best friend
Age gap (41/21)
She falls first
He falls harder
Touch him/her and die
Banter as foreplay
Orange cat X Golden retreiver

I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Catheryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though an improvement from Ford's story, this one was ok.

I liked Blue from the previous books. This romance developed better that Ford's for sure but I didn't like that Libby did most of the pursuing. I did like how supportive Blue was of what Libby wanted to do. I wasn't sure about Clay's character, I think we were supposed to feel some sympathy towards him at the end. I almost wished Cobb left that part out.

Overall, this one was pretty fun but not my favorite of the series.

[Grace Machuca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brands is book 4 of the Black Gulch Ranch Series. M.A. Cobb never disappoints with this series. This read is about Blue and Libby.

Blue is Libby's dad, Clay, best friend. When he finds out Clay has cancer, he steps in to help Clay sell off his cattle to help pay for medical bills. He doesn't want to be tied to the dairy farm anymore, and he doesn't want his children to live the life he had to while struggling.

Libby loves her life and the dairy farm. When she finds out about her father's health and his plans for the farm, she jumps in, trying to come up with a plan to save it and prove to her father she us more than capable of running not only the farm but also her life.

Blue has had an attraction for Libby ever since she shot her best friend Char's ex. Libby wants Blue to be her first and only. After Libby confesses her needs and wants to Blue, he does try to fight his attraction. He doesn't want to betray his best friend.

Blue not only gives into his own desires to be with Libby, but he joins forces to save the farm for her. I couldn't put this one down! You live a good dark, Cowboy romance story full of threats, age gap, twist and turns that will leave you wanting more, this is the series for you.

The emotions I experienced throughout this read had me gripping each page. At times, I found myself mad at Clay and yelling at Blue to just give in. I love how the characters are written. Libby is so strong, fierce, and knows what she wants. She is a firecracker! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Blue and Libby are amazing together and adventurous when it comes to being intimate. It's a definite 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 read. I love how they bring out the best in each other, not letting anyone or anything keep them from loving each other the way they want. Love the epilogue. I can't wait for Wade's story!

[Jersy.the.romantasy.moms · Rating 5 out of 5]

My love for cowboy romance and br33ding kink has finally come together!!!!

Gah! Friends, I was so surprised (in the best way) by this story! It seriously had all my favorite tropes 😍 Give me...
🌼Age-gap
🌼Dad's Best Friend
🌼Br33ding Kink
🌼Inexperienced FMC (but strong and hardworking)
🌼Exploring Firsts for both of them!!!
🌼AND more!
YEEEEESSSSSS!

I couldn't put this down! Blue and Libby soon be a trophy copy for my shelf!

Quick Overview:
Libby's grew up on a dairy farm, and it's all she has known and loved. Her father falls ill and needs to sell off the farm to pay for medical bills, and he doesn't want his two kids to be strapped to their farm like he was. He brings in his best friend, Blue, to help him get things in order and manage the selling of the herd and farm. Libby is having none of it. Through working Blue, both he and Libby fall hard for each other.

This is a fairly quick paced read and never a dull moment. There is quite a bit of angst and banter throughout. The spice is perfection. The scheming and suspense keep the plot moving forward. It was just soooo good!!! The character development and their relationship development were perfectly paced as well. I really have nothing bad to say about this one other than I wished it didn't end!! 😆

Brands is part of the Black Gulch Series and part of interconnected standalones. Yiu can totally read it without reading prior books. But the other books are so good too!! I would not skip out on them!

[Spinster Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely brilliant read! It is so different from the rest of the series so far but fits so perfectly. The tone is light & happy and the vibes are vibing.

Libby is a 20-turning-21 year old dairy farmer who has never had any sort of romantic relationship or experience.

Blue is a 41 year old brand inspector who has had many, many, many romantic experiences but no real relationships.

Libby loves life on the dairy farm and has lots of ideas for umproving & growing the business. Her dad plans to sell because of a recent cancer diagnosis. Blue agrees to help his friend liquidate his farm to pay for his treatment. Libby is outraged but also very attracted to this hot man who is helping ruin her life. Blue tries to act like he doesn't notice how gorgeous & brilliant his friend's daughter is. They begin a delicious and banter-filled friendship that grows spicier & spicier. They are perfection!

Libby is brilliant and bold and doesn't let her age or inexperience hold her back or stop her from living the life she wants. She is tenacious and makes things happen, even when the men around her try to hold her back. Blue is sweet, kind and caring. And is supportive of Libby and her dreams.

M.A. Cobb crafts gorgeous characters & stories and this one was lighter in the angst & suspense and brought all the warm & fuzzy feels. And that was so right for these two sweet, happy people. Love!!

Cannot recommend this one enough. It is so, so good!

[booking _with_romancegirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buckle up because you got a sassy FMC and you got a reformed form Playboy who can make you weak🥵

this is a whirlwind the passion ignights fast for Libby but the forbiddenness of it all. Hold blue to hesitate even with the burning desire to have Libby. I enjoyed how fierce Libby is and how dedicated she is to the ranch I also enjoyed how she is with her brother and a sense of longing and to never let a moment pass was out doing something. Blue is a man of his word he's loyal but he gives in to have everything he didn't know he wanted with having the bachelor life.
I enjoyed this story immensely. Though Libby's father struck a cord and I couldn't fathom how he could be the way he was there was a shocking turn of events towards the end that left me reeling and needing a strong shot of something with a long session of therapy.

[ABartenderWithABookProblem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cow in every way 🤣

I'm such a sucker for banter and sass, and this felt like hitting the jackpot! Throw in some dad's best friend and a kinky "to try" list and I'm sold!

Libby is a fierce force and is earning her hurricane reference from Blue. I have loved her since day 1 and was so excited to get her story.  Her heart and drive to accomplish her goals and take care of her loved ones are inspiring.

Blue was caught out of nowhere and watching him fall in love with Libby and have his entire world turn opposite of everything he's known was so cute. 

I love the dual storylines that run throughout the Black Gulch Series, and that we still get to see our favorite couples from earlier books.

Highly recommend this entire series and I can't wait for the next book!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

The black gulch series has become one of my favorite cowboy romance series. I love it everything about it. The stories are not cookie cutter. They are all different but have similarities. You see some of the same characters from past books. Blue was not the kind of man to settle down, when he meets Libby that quickly changes. I love how gone he is for her. But it’s mutual. She can’t get enough of him either, and to be honest I can’t blame her. Blue is amazing. He is supportive, strong, kind, thoughtful, protective and has a hot has hell dirty mouth. They have amazing chemistry and banter. This book was a lot more fun and light hearted than the last, but no less spicy and enjoyable to read.

[Amanda M · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely addition to this amazing series. Addictive page turner with loads of action. Loved the storyline as well as the characters. I really liked how opposite the main characters were as well. And their banter was quite comical at times. I couldn't get enough of Libby she sure was a spitfire and put her all into. Blue was something special too. A few of my fav tropes were:
🧡 Orange Cat x Golden Retriever
🧡 Age gap
🧡 Cowboy romance

And of course that ending was a little bit of a surprise. This sure has me wanting to know the mystery surrounding who is coming for the ranch. I can't wait for the next piece of the story.

[Roo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ma does it again with another wonderful edition to the Black Gultch series! I was enthralled start to finish and truly could not set this book down! The black gold series has become one of my favorite series as I continue to dive into the world!

Brands focuses on Libby and blue and they may just be one of my favorite couples! This book will have you laughing, crying, and truly feeling all kinds of different emotions!

A perfect edition to the black gold series that you will not be able to put down once you start reading!

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2🌶️🌶️

[Madison_renee2415 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series gets better with every book!!!Blue is helping sell his friend’s business while trying not to fall for his friend’s daughter.
Libby is determined to keep the farm and ropes Blue into her plan.
Libby is such a strong woman and doesn’t beat around the bush and will take care of the ones closest to her.
Blue helps his friends when they need him. These two are perfect for each other. Oh and the mystery of who is messing with the cattle is getting better and better (still can’t figure it out).

[Jenn O'Leary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited for Libby's story! I have loved her since she was introduced in Stables
She is one strong young woman and one heck of a spitfire.
Blue is Libby's dad's friend, and he isn't the type to settle down, but when starts spending time with Libby? All bets are off!
I absolutely loved the banter in this book, and the spice was off the charts.
I could not put this down and did not want it to end. Libby & Blue are one of my fave Black Gulch couples!! I absolutely love this series and can't wait for more.

[Jonnica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Blue and Libby's story. It has its emotional moments where clay is battling his cancer throughout the entire book but this also brings Blue and Libby together since Libby is his daughter and Blue is his best friend. Blue was the one night stand kind of guy but when he caught eyes for Libby that all changed and they got married really fast and bought the dairy farm under Clays nose. I can't wait for the next book to come out.

[Darktwistybookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love it when the "Love em & leave em" guy falls in love, and boy does Blue fall hard!
Libby is a force of nature, and she storms through Blue's life, tearing apart his expertly crafted bachelor ways in an instant.
It's a funny and spicy read that will have you engrossed and tug on your heart strings. I really enjoyed it!

[Dara Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn! Blue and Libby are so good together!
The mystery of who is targeting the Black Gulch ranch and why is still unfolding.
Libby is a spitfire who knows what she wants and goes for it. I love how stubborn she is.
Blue is the reformed playboy who finds himself in close proximity to his friend’s daughter, and he’ll do anything to keep her. So good!

[Sisters and books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libby is a spitfire that we need in our lives!!!!! and Blue...man when that man fell he FELL HARD!
The banter and spicy tension was EVERYTHING! They were an....adventurous couple
Dad's best friend trope soooooo good!!!! But dang did we yell at Clay in our heads a lot!
We still have zero idea who is messing with the cows!!!!!

[Hannah 💕 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libby and Blue are my FAVORITE couple so far. I love them so much! I can not wait for the next installment. This book was so much fun to read. I could literally see it all in my head as I was reading. You’re going to love their story. I promise.

[Mandy Robitaille · Rating 5 out of 5]

this series just keeps getting better and better. MA Cobb writes the best age gap cowboy romances - the suspense and drama is always so good too. i absolutely loved Blue and can't wait for the next in the series.

[Jennifer Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book! Loved the banter and the fierce love between Libby and Blue! Absolutely was obsessed and is now my favorite couple. I laughed so hard at this book! Libby and Blue are a perfect pair and they have a phenomenal love story.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libby is a spitfire and I loved her. Blue was the perfect MMC for her and I loved how he embraced everything and supported her endlessly. Especially when her dad kept trying to make decisions for her despite her being an adult and fully capable of making choices on her own.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book in this series but I felt like it ended really abruptly, and no mention of her dad in the epilogue? Still Can’t wait for the next one though

[Reg · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Tori · Rating 2 out of 5]

Small town
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Dahlia’s Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Libby and Blue are everything!
I was so looking forward to Libby and Blue’s story—and it did not disappoint. Libby is an absolute force of nature, and I love that about her. She’s exactly how I remembered her from the previous books: bold, independent, and totally unwilling to let anyone (even her father) stand in her way. She’s all about finding solutions and taking risks when needed, and I admired her even more for it.
Blue? Incredible. His dynamic with Libby is both sweet and strong. He’s caught between his feelings for her and his loyalty to her father, but in the end, he chooses her—and that just made me love him more.
Now… Libby’s father. My God. I wanted to shake him more than once. We do get some context for his stubbornness later on, but it didn’t quite make up for how he treated Libby. Still, that tension added to the emotional weight of the story.
Overall, a fantastic addition to the series. If you’re already invested in these characters, you’ll be thrilled with how this plays out.

[Hayley Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLUE & LIBBY.

YES. I love a good age gap cowboy romance and I lovedddddd this book, it may be my favorite so far in the series.

I can’t wait for the next one