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Buckles, Boots & Mistletoe
Join Maggie Shayne and family for a very special holiday treat! Four Christmas romances by Maggie and her daughters, all set in Big Falls and nearby Tucker Lake, Oklahoma—the places Maggie’s Oklahoma Brands call home. Even more exciting, each of these stories will spin off into a series of its own.
Maggie Shayne’s CHRISTMAS BLUES
A true believer returns the music to a lonesome drifter’s soul.
Miranda’s Shayne’s FINDING CHRISTMAS
A small-town coffee shop owner melts a humbug hero’s wounded heart.
River Shayne’s A HERO FOR HANNAH
Can a woman in grave danger learn to trust one more time?
Jessica Lewis’s THE SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS BABY
A lonely serviceman comes home for a holiday he’ll never forget.
Grab a cup of eggnog, curl up near the tree, and fall in love with the holidays all over again!
Maggie Shayne’s CHRISTMAS BLUES
A true believer returns the music to a lonesome drifter’s soul.
Miranda’s Shayne’s FINDING CHRISTMAS
A small-town coffee shop owner melts a humbug hero’s wounded heart.
River Shayne’s A HERO FOR HANNAH
Can a woman in grave danger learn to trust one more time?
Jessica Lewis’s THE SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS BABY
A lonely serviceman comes home for a holiday he’ll never forget.
Grab a cup of eggnog, curl up near the tree, and fall in love with the holidays all over again!
388 pages, ebook
First published December 21, 2015
About the author
Maggie Shayne
315 books2,585 followersI live in the teeny, tiny town of Taylor, NY, (Alliteration Alert!) though my mailing address is Cincinnatus, my telephone exchange is Truxton and I pay taxes and vote in Cuyler. All of these are at least in the same rural county in the southern hills of New York State; Cortland County. There are more cattle than people here. The nearest “big” cities are Syracuse and Binghamton and they are an hour away, in different directions, and not really all that big by most standards, though they both seem humongous to me. I look out my window to see rolling, green, thickly forested hills, wildflower laden meadows and wide open blue, blue skies. My road is barely paved. The nearest neighboring place is a 700 acre dairy farm.
My house is a big, century old farmhouse. I moved in here after my divorce in 2006. Just a little over a year later, the house, which I had named, SERENITY, burned. It was 99% gutted, and I lost my two dogs, Sally, an 11-year-old great Dane, and Wrinkles, my 14-year-old, blind bulldog. This was the culmination of my Dark Night of the soul, which had seemed to hit me all at once in 2006-2007. My mother died that year, after a 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was only 60. The youngest of my five daughters had left home that same year, and while that’s not a tragedy at all, it felt like one to me. Then came the divorce. And finally there was the fire--it seemed my darkest night wasn’t quite finished with me after all. I had lost almost everything before that point, and as I poked through the wet ashes and soot the next day, I realized that I had now been stripped all the way to the bone.
No better time to start over. (And no, I didn’t come to that realization that day--there were a few days of wallowing in pity first, particularly the day after the fire, when I hit a deer and smashed up my car, which I was practically living in!)
That’s when I started to laugh. Just sat on the side of the road as the deer bounded, uninjured and carefree, out of sight, and laughed. It was just too ridiculous at that point, to do anything else!
And from there, I picked myself up, and brushed myself off, and said, okay, there’s only one way to go from here. Forward. And that’s what I did. There I was at the age of harrurmphemmph, living in my one, mostly undamaged remaining room, with a dorm-sized mini-fridge, a futon, a TV, my cat (nine lives!) and a laptop. And not much else. (Though thank goodness the room that survived the fire, was a room that had its own attached bathroom!)
Since then I have rebuilt my beloved home, which really has become my haven, my “Serenity.” I share it now with my fiancé, Lance, and we have accumulated quite the little family together. “Little” being a relative term. We have a pair of English Mastiffs, Dozer and Daisy, who weigh 203 pounds and 208 pounds respectively, and a little pudgy English Bulldog named Niblet, who is bigger than both of them, inside her mind. We also have the aforementioned cat, Glorificus (“Glory” for short,) who adores her canine pups and keeps them firmly in line. And we've acquired a pair of stray cats as well, a mother and son, Luna (Lulu for short) and Butters aka Buddy. Lulu showed up pregnant during a lunar eclipse, had a litter, and vanished again. We found homes for all the kittens except one. Butters. We got him fixed and kept him. A few months later, Lulu returned, again expecting. This litter was born on the "Monster Moon." Again, all the kittens were spayed and neutered and placed in homes, and this time we got Lulu to the vet in time to spay her before the cycle could repeat.
Glory is not amused.
She has a story of her own, my old Glory cat, having been with me before the Dark Times descended, she went through it all with me, moved with me, survived the fire, and remains with me still. She's tolerating the newcomers. Barely.
My partner is an artist, a mechanic, a welder and an inventor, and the rumors are true, he is much younger than I
My house is a big, century old farmhouse. I moved in here after my divorce in 2006. Just a little over a year later, the house, which I had named, SERENITY, burned. It was 99% gutted, and I lost my two dogs, Sally, an 11-year-old great Dane, and Wrinkles, my 14-year-old, blind bulldog. This was the culmination of my Dark Night of the soul, which had seemed to hit me all at once in 2006-2007. My mother died that year, after a 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was only 60. The youngest of my five daughters had left home that same year, and while that’s not a tragedy at all, it felt like one to me. Then came the divorce. And finally there was the fire--it seemed my darkest night wasn’t quite finished with me after all. I had lost almost everything before that point, and as I poked through the wet ashes and soot the next day, I realized that I had now been stripped all the way to the bone.
No better time to start over. (And no, I didn’t come to that realization that day--there were a few days of wallowing in pity first, particularly the day after the fire, when I hit a deer and smashed up my car, which I was practically living in!)
That’s when I started to laugh. Just sat on the side of the road as the deer bounded, uninjured and carefree, out of sight, and laughed. It was just too ridiculous at that point, to do anything else!
And from there, I picked myself up, and brushed myself off, and said, okay, there’s only one way to go from here. Forward. And that’s what I did. There I was at the age of harrurmphemmph, living in my one, mostly undamaged remaining room, with a dorm-sized mini-fridge, a futon, a TV, my cat (nine lives!) and a laptop. And not much else. (Though thank goodness the room that survived the fire, was a room that had its own attached bathroom!)
Since then I have rebuilt my beloved home, which really has become my haven, my “Serenity.” I share it now with my fiancé, Lance, and we have accumulated quite the little family together. “Little” being a relative term. We have a pair of English Mastiffs, Dozer and Daisy, who weigh 203 pounds and 208 pounds respectively, and a little pudgy English Bulldog named Niblet, who is bigger than both of them, inside her mind. We also have the aforementioned cat, Glorificus (“Glory” for short,) who adores her canine pups and keeps them firmly in line. And we've acquired a pair of stray cats as well, a mother and son, Luna (Lulu for short) and Butters aka Buddy. Lulu showed up pregnant during a lunar eclipse, had a litter, and vanished again. We found homes for all the kittens except one. Butters. We got him fixed and kept him. A few months later, Lulu returned, again expecting. This litter was born on the "Monster Moon." Again, all the kittens were spayed and neutered and placed in homes, and this time we got Lulu to the vet in time to spay her before the cycle could repeat.
Glory is not amused.
She has a story of her own, my old Glory cat, having been with me before the Dark Times descended, she went through it all with me, moved with me, survived the fire, and remains with me still. She's tolerating the newcomers. Barely.
My partner is an artist, a mechanic, a welder and an inventor, and the rumors are true, he is much younger than I
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 9, 2020
Loved these stories
This was my first time reading anything by Maggie Shayne. I absolutely loved these short stories! As a bonus to the reader there are stories written by her daughter's. I was so impressed with the writing styles of each author and can't wait to see what else is out there by each author. I would totally recommend this book if you're looking for love in a small town and Christmas surprises!
This was my first time reading anything by Maggie Shayne. I absolutely loved these short stories! As a bonus to the reader there are stories written by her daughter's. I was so impressed with the writing styles of each author and can't wait to see what else is out there by each author. I would totally recommend this book if you're looking for love in a small town and Christmas surprises!
December 27, 2017
read the first book so far - really sweet ;) Good holiday read.
January 22, 2016
Talent runs in the family! The awe-inspiring Maggie Shayne and her daughters released this anthology together & it is truly a delight! I loved each and every one of the stories clouded in Bots, Buckles, & Mistletoe. I was already a fan of Maggie's Brands & last year during the Christmas season the Oklahoma Brands reminded me of the true magic of the season. This year Maggie and her girls swept me back to Oklahoma and made me fall in love with the people of Big Falls & Tucker Lake. Grab this anthology & get ready for some holiday magic!
December 4, 2016
Perfect Christmas reading.
I love Maggie Shayne and was a little disappointed that I had already read the first story in this set. However, her daughter's have inherited their mother's talent for weaving the perfect tale. All these stories are heart-warming and delightful. Cuddle up with a warm blanket, a hot cocoa and these stories and I guarantee you will be perfectly content. Merry Christmas.
I love Maggie Shayne and was a little disappointed that I had already read the first story in this set. However, her daughter's have inherited their mother's talent for weaving the perfect tale. All these stories are heart-warming and delightful. Cuddle up with a warm blanket, a hot cocoa and these stories and I guarantee you will be perfectly content. Merry Christmas.
February 8, 2016
These were all wonderful stories of Christmas and magic all set in Oklahoma.Maggie's story follows the Oklahoma Brands which is a delightful series. Her daughters write just as beautifully and I enjoyed reading all of the stories. Santa sure is a wonderful being that brings just what is needed to all of them. I look forward to reading more by all of them.
December 28, 2015
Sweet stories, just right for the season.
Maggie Shayne and her daughters have done an amazing job telling these special Christmas stories. I can't wait to read the next installments that are in the works.
Talent runs deep in this family.
Maggie Shayne and her daughters have done an amazing job telling these special Christmas stories. I can't wait to read the next installments that are in the works.
Talent runs deep in this family.
February 4, 2016
Awesome box set
Maggie blows me away again and her daughter's stories were amazing too! This is an emotional, funny, suspenseful, and touching set of stories and I can't wait until the next books are out for these spin off series!
Maggie blows me away again and her daughter's stories were amazing too! This is an emotional, funny, suspenseful, and touching set of stories and I can't wait until the next books are out for these spin off series!
December 28, 2015
Christmas miracles
Love each of the stories. It let's you believe in something good happening. Looking forward to reading more. Thank you
Love each of the stories. It let's you believe in something good happening. Looking forward to reading more. Thank you
October 19, 2016
Quick winter love reads. Perfect for a winter day! They are very predictable! I ran into quiet a few errors in the stories!
January 12, 2016
Sweet,
And aggravating and heart warming. Each story was a gem, polished just right. I would love to live in this town. Full of hope and promise.
And aggravating and heart warming. Each story was a gem, polished just right. I would love to live in this town. Full of hope and promise.
March 23, 2016
GreaT holiday warmup
Here it is, April and I'm ready for the holidays
Sweet reading stories
that almost makes you believe in Santa Claus
Here it is, April and I'm ready for the holidays
Sweet reading stories
that almost makes you believe in Santa Claus
November 22, 2016
Love and Christmas
As alwAys Maggie Shayne has done it again. I've reAding her books about family and what makes them strong. You can t go wrong reading any of her books
As alwAys Maggie Shayne has done it again. I've reAding her books about family and what makes them strong. You can t go wrong reading any of her books
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews