I recommend this book on my blog Modern Mrs Darcy, in a post called "17 books everyone will be talking about this summer"

Opening line:
"As Benedict Stone huffed his way to work, the sweet smell of the cherry scones in Bake My Day made him forget for a moment that his wife, Estelle, had packed her purple suitcase and moved out of their home."

The opening sentence is the perfect start to the story and a perfect beginning of Benedict Stone. He owns a jewelry store established by his father and does the same mediocre things every single day. His wife is bored and left him, the business isn't doing exceptionally well and he is boring and eats his emotions.
Then his American niece, Gemma, shows up on his doorstep in the middle of the night and life slowly brightens up and takes on meaning for Benedict and really, for all the people in his life.
This is a lovely story about family, truth, forgiveness and the spirit of giving. I loved how Gemma wanted to not only help her uncle, but help all she came contact with. In turn, when she was at her lowest, those people, now fer friends, rallied around her.
I loved the sweetness of the story and the different unique aspects. Such as: how the chapter headings were a gemstone and its qualities; Benedict's red shoes; a gem tree;
The overall theme to me was how everyone has someone to love them and the importance of family.

Thanks to netgalley for the read!

This was quite a slow read for me. It just really didn't hold my attention for the most part. I didn't hate it by any means, and there were certainly some enjoyable parts, but overall it was just too slow-paced for me.

Benedict Stone is a 44-year-old jeweler who lives in the small English village of Noon Sun. He is a bit overweight, his job is stagnating, and he is not happy for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that his wife, Estelle, just moved out because she needed some space. All in all, Benedict’s life is not going well. But a major shakeup is in the works.

Gemma, Benedict’s 16-year-old niece, comes to his door one rainy night, seemingly out of the blue. She is the daughter of his estranged brother Charlie, who, some 18 years previously, left for America. Benedict is quite surprised to see Gemma, whose visit comes at a time when all he wants is for his wife to come back home, so they can continue living what had been a comfortable existence. Gemma has a bit of a problematic past, though, and is desperately looking for acceptance. She will bring change not only to Benedict’s life, but to the lives of many of Noon Sun’s residents.
Full review available at: https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/rise-and-shine-benedict-stone

Thank you for the chance to review this book, however, unfortunately, I was unable to read and review this title before it was archived.

This is totally a "gem" of a novel. I loved Phaedra prior book" The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper' and wondered if I would love this book as much. I was not disappointed. This was another great heart warming story. I really like how each chapter was titled by a gem stone with an explanation of what the gem represents. This is a type of novel that you can just sit down and put up your feet and enjoy the ride. I am only sad because the book ended so quickly. I could have continued reading it for days to come. I highly recommend it!!!

What a cute and charming story. I liked the idea that Stone sold jewelry and was a very sympathetic character. The niece, Gemma, was a good foil for her uncle.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Benedict Stone's life is in a rut. He lives in the house he grew up in and runs the jewelry store his parents owned. The only out-of-the-ordinary thing that has happened lately is that his wife has moved out, but since he doesn't know how to win her back, he goes about his life as it has been. When his American niece, Gemma, shows up unexpectedly, however, his life gets turned upside down.

The use of the meanings of stones in the book was a neat idea. The story was fine but nothing that will stick with me. Reading the book wasn't a chore, but neither did I think about the plot or characters when I wasn't reading it. This would be one for when you are looking for an easy, predictable read.

***This book was reviewed for the Manhattan Book Review and for Harlequin/MIRA via Netgalley.

Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone is a story of broken dreams, fractured family, and the power of belief. One lonely night, Benedict Stone is woken by banging on his door. On the other side is a young woman named Gemma, who claims to be his niece from America. Gemma is traveling alone, and says her purse with phone and passport were stolen at the airport. Grudgingly, Benedict lets Gemma stay with him, while he attempts to reach his estranged brother Charlie. He also digs out his father's gemstone journal so that Gemma can learn more of her English side of the family.

As the days turn to first one week, then another, Benedict begins to change under Gemma's influence. He begins to eat healthier, exercise more, and do spontaneous things. She drags several of his earliest jewelry-crafting pieces to his jewelry shop, where he's long since settled into a boring routine of crafting plain jewelry on autopilot. As Gemma begins to recommend custom designed pieces to customers who come in, trying to find gemstones that will be most beneficial to them, Benedict begins designing and crafting again. In doing so, he wakens his dormant creative passion.

Through all of this, Gemma also helps her uncle try to win his wife's heart back. For so long, Benedict has wanted children, though time and trying have proven he and Estelle cannot have natural children. He would be happy to adopt, but Estelle is dead set against it. Serious introspection helps Benedict figure out the underlying needs behind his desire for children, since it is his pushing for adoption that drove his wife away.

A chance discovery that Gemma has been, in part, lying to him prompts Benedict to finally track down Charlie's number and let him know where Gemma is. It also leads to Benedict sharing with Estelle the reason the brothers are estranged, and to Charlie showing up in sleepy little Noon Sun. Gemma flees her father and it takes Benedict, Charlie, and Estelle working together to find her, setting into motion healing on all fronts.

This was an amazing story, at times funny, and at others poignantly sad. Above all, it is relatable. Who doesn't have secrets in their families, or familial strife? Who wouldn't benefit from being shaken out of a rut in some aspect of their life? I love how the thread of magickal/emotional uses of gemstones is threaded all throughout the novel, especially with chapter headings. Gemma serves as a catalyst, jumpstarting Benedict’s personal and creative transformation, leading him to create beautiful pieces of magickal jewelry. As he frees from his lifelong ruts, beneficial change begins to overtake Benedict. As it does, his changes influence Gemma herself, allowing her to begin transforming in turn.

This is a story of family, and the many ways 'family’ can be defined. Despite being estranged for nearly two decades, Benedict and Charlie are brought back together by a mutual love for Gemma. Benedict learns that he doesn't need children of his own to have a family. He and Estelle can become a great aunt and uncle instead of great parents. He even learns that Cecil and Puss are part of his family, and that the village of Noon Sun creates a unique version of family as well.

📚📚📚📚📚 Highly recommended

3.5 stars. An enjoyable, gentle and charming book with fully-developed characters and a plethora or interesting information about gemstones and the meanings behind them.

Another hit for the author of The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper! In this one, the titular Benedict, a clueless Brit, is trying to win his wife back. Estelle has left him because their marriage is in a rut and she wants to continue evolving as a person and as an artist. Benedict's life becomes more complicated when his niece Gemma, daughter of his estranged brother Charlie, shows up at his doorstep unannounced.

It is clear that Gemma is hiding something, but Benedict is blind to her faults because she is a ray of sunshine in their dreary town by the York moors. As the novel progresses we learn the events that caused the brothers to stop speaking, see what Benedict does to win Estelle back, and witness how the Stone family's love for gems rejuvenates an entire town.

RISE AND SHINE, BENEDICT STONE by Phaedra Patrick is set in a small UK village near the moors and is a cross between A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman and The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. Picture the title character as a "set-in-his-ways" 40-something man whose life has taken a negative spiral and is turned around by a totally unexpected visit from his sixteen year old niece, Gemma. Together, they begin to design jewelry after learning more about the meaning of gem stones from his father's journal. Peridot, for example, was used in ancient times to ward off evil spirits and helps with emotional balance. Lapis Lazuli is actually a rock described as contributing to increased mental clarity, intuition, and courage. In a note, Patrick explains that the meanings for each gem stone and associated attributes vary by source and she carefully weaves roughly three dozen into the story.

RISE AND SHINE, BENEDICT STONE was a fun read and it was heartwarming to see the transformation that a teenaged girl makes amongst a variety of village characters (florist, pub owner, farmer, etc.). Secrets and miscommunication are frequent occurrences as reconciliation with other family members is a central theme for both Gemma and Benedict. This book will appeal to teen readers and older adults looking for a touching and uplifting story. RISE AND SHINE, BENEDICT STONE received a starred review from Library Journal.

Live link in posted review: http://treviansbookit.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-man-called-ove-by-fredrik-backman.html

I had thoroughly enjoyed the author’s previous book, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, so I was delighted to have the opportunity to read her new book, Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone. I enjoyed reading it, but in some ways I found it was something of a “knock-off” of The Language of Flowers, except using gems instead of flowers. I’m not a big fan of or believer in talismans, so I’m glad the author didn’t go overboard with them influencing people’s lives. I liked the characters in the book and the picture of village life. It was an interesting story with thought-provoking issues about marriage, weight loss, families and infertility.

This poor, sad character, Benedict Stone. All he really cares about is his wife, Estelle, and having a family which even more sadly, is not going to happen. So Benedict eats and eats and eats. His life is mundane and sad, very sad. Then Estelle leaves him. Then he becomes really sad. Benedict is so sad that I almost did not want to continue reading this book. He is such a loser, but there is something about him that makes you want to read on.

Then Gemma comes into his life. The daughter of his brother, the only living family members he has left. And, things begin to change.

The story then took a new twist with Gemma learning and teaching about the meaning of gemstones and handing them out to people with hopes to better their lives. Gemma is hiding a huge secret, but then so is Benedict. Even Estelle doesn't know Benedict's secret and she knows everything about him.

When this story was all said and done, I was so sorry that I thought of Benedict as a loser. He's not a loser. He just needed a push, something to get him out of his misery and his sadness of not being able to have a family.

A beautiful, entertaining and enjoyable read! Thanks to Harlequin and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Since I loved Phaedra Patrick’s first novel, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, I had a feeling I’d like Rise & Shine Benedict Stone and guess what? It’s fantastic! Such a brilliant combination of a sweet plot, quirky characters, lots of heart and a fast read!

Set in a small town, the story is about Benedict Stone, an overweight, set-in-his- ways jeweler whose wife Estelle has left him due to their inability to have children and the rift that’s caused between them. He’s depressed and wants to win her back.

Out of the blue, Benedict’s spunky sixteen-year-old niece lands on his doorstep. Benedict has lost touch with his estranged brother and doesn’t know how to get in touch with him regarding Gemma who insists her father knows where she is and everything’s fine. Gemma finds an old gemstone journal and takes an interest in learning about gems (this part is actually pretty fascinating). As Gemma and Benedict begin to bond, Benedict slowly changes his ways.

Gemma finds an old gemstone journal and takes an interest in learning about gems (this part is actually pretty fascinating) and their various meanings and healing abilities. As Gemma and Benedict begin to bond, Benedict slowly changes his ways.

This book is so sweet and well written, it needs to be put on your To Read pile immediately!

Benedict Stone likes things simple. He has fallen into a pattern of living life in the least exciting way possible and he avoids anything that might hint at conflict. That is, until Gemma turns up on his doorstep, bringing excitement, unpredictability and a little shine to his life. What he doesn't expect is the connections that Gemma brings into his life, unlocking aspects of himself he didn't know were there and a past that he tries to pretend doesn't exist.
This heartwarming story reminds us that it is never too late to do change your life or yourself and that there is always hope.

I think that when I wrote my review for The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, that I might have mentioned that I have a new favorite author, Pahedra Patrick. Well, with Rise and Shine Benedict Stone, she stays firmly planted at the top of my list.

The main character, Benedict Stone, owns a jewelry store. He has become rather set in his ways and the love of his life, his wife Emily, has left him. He is jolted even further out of his doldrums by the arrival of his niece, Gemma. Gemma, is the daughter of Benedict’s brother Charlie, who he had a falling out with many years ago.

Gemma is like a breath of fresh air. With her youthful exuberance, they set out to WEB (Win Emily Back.) Gemma discovers a bag of gemstones and finds Benedict’s father’s journal. In the journal, he describes each gemstone and what they mean.

With Gemma’s help and prodding, Benedict starts making jewelry that means something again, not like the boring pieces he had been making lately.

Completely and utterly charming. I didn’t want this book to end. The details on the meanings of the gemstones was an extra added touch and made it even more interesting.

I received an ARC copy of this book.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Park Row Books and Phaedra Patrick for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I loved The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper and her latest book is another winner. The author has the ability to write about relationships in a heartwarming way that just pulls you into the story and the lives of these characters.

Benedict is a jeweler in a little England town. His wife has just left him for some time to think about the state of their marriage, his business has dwindled to almost nothing, and he eats to escape his problems. Enter Gemma, with a knock on the door in the middle of the night. His 16-year-old niece who he had never met, the daughter of his estranged brother, suddenly appears at his door with a story of wanting an adventure but losing her cellphone and passport along the way. Benedict is wary of her story and tries to contact his brother, but meanwhile Gemma starts making big changes in his life.

This story is just charming and sweet while it explores relationships, childlessness, family and passion for life in such wonderful ways. You will fall in love with these characters and be cheering them on until the end! In the vein of The Language of Flowers, each chapter is titled with the name of a gemstone along with the meaning behind the power of the stone which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Highly recommended!

I was torn between 2 and 3 stars on this. It was a sweet book I suppose, but a bit unrealistic. I enjoyed Benedict and Estelle's art especially, as well as the intricacies of their marital problems and how they work through them. That part seemed most realistic. I think it was the addition of teenage Gemma that didn't ring true - either as a believable plot point or a realistic teenage character. Still, worth reading for those who like a gentler take on family drama and relationships than many of today's books provide!