Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone by Phaedra Patrick

This is the second charming novel by Phaedra Patrick. The Tuesday Evening Book Group is discussing her first book, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, on June 27 at 7 pm. Set in the small Yorkshire village of Noon Sun, Benedict Stone is miserable and eating too many sweets. His wife Estelle has moved out of their house after years of struggling with infertility, and is preparing for a show of her colorful paintings. Benedict is a jeweler who doesn’t use gemstones, at least until his niece Gemma comes to visit and they find a family journal about gemstones in the attic. Gemma, 16, has some secrets, but she shakes up her uncle’s life, helps him remodel the jewelry store, and comes up with ideas for winning Estelle back. Heartwarming, clever, and quirky; a good vacation read.

Brenda