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Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone Summary and Reviews

Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone

by Phaedra Patrick

Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone by Phaedra Patrick X
Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone by Phaedra Patrick
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  • Published May 2017
    368 pages
    Genre: Literary Fiction

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Book Summary

Phaedra Patrick returns with Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone, a gem of a novel about family, forgiveness and one man's second chance at happiness.

Moonstone for empathy. Azurite for memories. Lapis lazuli for truth… In the quiet village of Noon Sun, Benedict Stone has settled into a complacent and predictable routine. Business at his jewelry shop has dried up; his marriage is on the rocks. His life is in desperate need of a jump start… 

And then a surprise arrives at his door. 

Gemma is Benedict's audacious teenage niece - the daughter of his estranged brother, Charlie. The two Stone brothers had a falling out and haven't spoken in almost two decades, since Charlie left for America. Reckless and stubborn, Gemma invites herself into Benedict's world and turns his orderly life upside down. But she might just be exactly what he needs to get his life back on track… 

Filled with colorful characters and irresistible charm, Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone is a luminous reminder of the unbreakable bonds of family, and shows that having someone to embrace life with is always better than standing on your own.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Starred Review. Novels about love and second chances abound right now, but Patrick's follow-up to her debut, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, rises to the top with its clever plot, utterly charming characters, and warmly believable conclusion." -Library Journal

"In her delightful second novel, Patrick once again imbues objects with magic... More importantly, a long-held secret is divulged, a feud ended, and the varied meanings of family explored." - Publishers Weekly

"Patrick follows her hit debut, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, with a second novel that evokes a similarly delightful sentimental and cozy feeling... Readers will be charmed by Patrick's quirky characters and sweet premise." - Booklist

"[D]espite the attempt to confer a magical aura on the proceedings, the book remains stubbornly earthbound. It does bear some resemblance to the author's first book, but it lacks the charm and genuine eccentricity of the earlier effort." - Kirkus

This information about Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

Reader Reviews

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Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews

Uplifting
A knock on the door in the middle of the night could only mean one thing, right? Bad news.

If it were Estelle, though, it would be good news so Benedict decided to answer the knock.

Much to his surprise, it wasn't Estelle, but Gemma who announced that she was his niece from America and she had lost her purse, her passport, and her phone. She wanted to stay with Uncle Ben. What else could he say but yes?

Gemma was a bit on the troublesome side, but she also was good for Benedict since the house was pretty lonely after Estelle left.

Gemma was the one who was helping Benedict change even though Gemma was pretty closed mouth about why she appeared on his doorstep and didn't want to call her father to let him know where she was.

Benedict was sweet but naive and had a heart of gold. He and Gemma grew together, and Gemma helped Benedict in his jewelry shop - a shop Gemma said needed some new ideas and changes just like Benedict did.

Gemma also was playing matchmaker as she helped her Uncle Ben get his wife back.

I thoroughly enjoyed Benedict and felt sorry for him as he worked through living without his wife. His jewelry shop and their love just hadn't been enough for them after they were unable to have children after eight years.

RISE & SHINE, BENEDICT STONE was a heartwarming read about family, about trying new things, and about trying to get what you need in life.

If you need an uplifting read for any reason, RISE & SHINE, BENEDICT STONE fits the bill. It brings back memories and thoughts of the precious things we all have in our lives and truly need to focus on.

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Author Information

Phaedra Patrick Author Biography

Phtot: Sam Ralph

Phaedra Patrick is the bestselling author of several novels, including The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, which has been translated into twenty-five languages worldwide. Her second novel, Rise and Shine Benedict Stone, was made into a Hallmark movie. An award-winning short story writer, she previously studied art and marketing and has worked as a stained glass artist, film festival organizer and communications manager. Phaedra lives in Saddleworth, UK, with her family.

Link to Phaedra Patrick's Website

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