Book Bartender™Pour me a book
Gift of the MagpieZoe M. McCarthy

General fiction

Gift of the Magpie

by Zoe M. McCarthy

169 pages · First published 2017

A contemporary Christmas story reworks the emotional premise of O. Henry’s famous tale by centering love on gifts whose true value lies in sacrifice rather than price. A couple or pair of would-be lovers tries to give generously while limited resources and imperfect information complicate their plans. The resulting misunderstandings reveal how well each person actually understands the other. Zoe M. McCarthy’s holiday romance uses the magpie motif and gift-giving to explore generosity, humility, and the way love can make an apparently impractical sacrifice deeply meaningful.

Paired for this story

Pear Lemon Sparkler + Pale Ale

Jump to the pours ↓

Choose your bookseller

Find the Book

Print retailers offer a search when an exact edition is unavailable. Kindle links open a specific edition. Audiobook links may open an edition or a search.

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Book Bartender earns from qualifying purchases. Bookshop.org links also earn us a commission on qualifying purchases. Your price is not affected. Read the full affiliate disclosure.

At a glance

Know what you're getting into

Spice1 of 5
Suspense1 of 5
Creepy0 of 5
What do these symbols mean? →

No surprises at chapter twelve

Content notes

Financial hardship; family/relationship tension; holiday stress; Christian faith themes

Alcohol-Free Pour

Pear Lemon Sparkler

A bright, refreshing sip suits romantic anticipation and a little escapism.

What you'll need

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

How to mix it

  1. Fill a glass with ice. Add pear nectar and lemon juice, top with sparkling water, and stir gently.
  2. Garnish: Pear slice or lemon wheel.
  3. Glassware: Highball glass.
21+

Cocktail Pour · 21+

Pale Ale

For adults of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly.

A mellow, malty pour suits romantic anticipation and a little escapism.

What you'll need

  • 12 oz Pale ale

How to mix it

  1. Pour into a clean pint glass and serve at the appropriate cool serving temperature.
  2. Garnish: None.
  3. Glassware: Pint glass.

Set up the bar cart

Shop the Barware

Find the glasses and tools for your next pour.

Browse the bar cart
See this book's two drink pairings ↓ See this book's two drink pairings ↓