Simon O'Keeffe returns to Melanie Douglas's classroom after an absence to help his Pa with harvesting. Her days of quiet children who all behave and do their schoolwork are over. Simon is an extremely difficult child. He's at school earlier than necessary and has no one to go home to in the afternoon. Melanie decides to keep Simon until his Pa shows up looking for him.

Hank O'Keeffe is not happy to be put out by having to come to the school to get Simon. His response to her accusations of Simon being a badly behaved child is to find a way to manage him verses disciplining him. Melanie takes that thought home with her and ponders it. When she finds a unique wooden box in her attic room, she knows just the thing to keep Simon's attention during class and get his Pa to spend more time with Simon. Does she get more than she expected?

Mary Connealy brings us a delightful Christmas novella in THE ADVENT BRIDE. It's a story about finding the hidden alcoves of our hearts and souls and opening them up to let others come in. A cold Nebraska setting just before Christmas and Advent season makes this a heart-warming tale about love, loss and life. Ms. Connealy develops her characters more from their internal thoughts than with actions and dialogue throughout the story. This is a new title in her 12 Brides of Christmas series.