Turquoise is my favorite gemstone. I’ve seen various meanings for it. Some include healing, friendship, tranquility, and protection. The story of the film centers around Benedict Stone, who runs his family's business: A jewelry shop specializing in gemstones. The unexpected arrival of his niece Gemma turns his life around. Gemma is the daughter of his estranged brother. Will life ever be the same for Benedict? There are so many good themes in this movie that I wish they were all explored a bit more. While Benedict and Emelia deciding that they are happy without children was a bit rushed, at least that storyline saw a fulfilling end. However, Gemma and Charlie’s respective storylines were a bit unfinished. I would have liked to see Charlie learn to be a bit more understanding of the difficult situation Benedict was in raising his little brother at 18. 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.

In the middle of storm one night a stranger appears on his doorstep, who turns out to be the niece of his estranged brother Charlie in America. Charlie and Benedict haven't spoken in 18 years. His niece Gemma claims she lost her passport and phone in the airport, and has explanations for every one of Benedict's questions, and though none are very believable, Benedict falls for them all the same. 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.

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Tom Everett Scott (Benedict) got his start in Tom Hanks’ feel-good classic That Thing You Do!, which just celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2021. He’s appeared in many other projects over the years, including Race to Witch Mountain, Parental Guidance and La La Land, in addition to appearing on a number of TV shows including Will & Grace, 13 Reasons Why and The Council of Dads. The interludes with Ella Ballentine narrating the properties of various stones is such a sweet editing touch to the movie. All of the details from the whimsical font to the pleasing (but not oversaturated) warm color palette make this movie seem less cookie-cutter than most other Hallmark movies. Speaking of Ella, she is so sweet and spirited in this role. Tom Everett Scott is equally as adorable in his role. I loved that the main relationship in this movie was that between uncle and niece. 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. Into this dreary life of Benedict's comes his precocious teenage niece, Gemma. Slowly this odd pair grow close of their shared loved of the gem stones and the family traditions. Gemma's vitality and the secret pain he sees in her awakens Benedict and he is ready to make drastic changes and fight for what he really needs. 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.

There are some wonderfully endearing hilarious scenes that result from Gemma’s romantic advice. But there’s quite a bit of serious drama as well. It seems that Benedict isn’t the only Stone family member who is good at running away from problems rather than facing them. And sprinkled throughout is a bit of the mythology and meaning of gemstones. We come to learn that Benedict Stone has reached a crisis point in his life and must venture on a personal journey to recover something that has been lost. He has been a caregiver and a provider all his life. He knows nothing else. He had always wanted to have children and a family to carry on traditions. Because his parents died when he was young, he was responsible for the care of his brother and their business of running the family jewelry making shop. Ten years after her teenage daughter went missing, a mother begins a new relationship only to discover she can't truly move on until she answers lingering questions about the past. 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. Mixed feelings about this one. If the reader can suspend belief and just go with it, that's the best way to enjoy it.As Benedict tries to sort things out, his niece Gemma arrives on his doorstep. Benedict is estranged from his brother so he doesn’t know anything about the young woman who walks into his life, but she’s on a mission to save his marriage and rekindle his romance.

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. Acting is good. There is chemistry between Mía Maestro and Tom Everett Scott. Despite the separation, Gemma's line that they are hopelessly in love (or just hopeless) is accurate even from the beginning. Emilia's character has been too much taken for granted and she needed far more comfort from her husband through their failed efforts at conceiving a child. That's where Gemma comes in. All of this is laid out fairly early in the story. As with the first story, a man has reached a crisis point in his life and must now go on a personal journey to recover something that has been lost. Benedict Stone is a caregiver and a provider. He knows no other way and his biggest dream is to have his own children so as a family they can carry on tradition. His parents died hunting their precious gemstones when he was a very young man and he took on the care of his brother and the running of the family jewelry making shop. Then Gemma comes into his life. The daughter of his brother, the only living family members he has left. And, things begin to change.Mia Maestro (Emilia) has appeared in several projects including The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 & 2 and The Motorcycle Diaries, and she has appeared in a number of TV series including The Strain and Mayans M.C. Soon, Benedict starts to realize that he has everything he could possibly need in life and he needs to start embracing it all. Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone cast Canadian actress, Ella Ballentine was born in 2001, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is the recipient of the Canadian Screen Award (2018), Runner-up of the Fangoria Chainsaw Award (2017), Honourable Mention of the Whistler Film Festival (2020).

In the present, Benedict obtains Charlie’s phone number from Gemma’s phone and calls Charlie. Within hours, Charlie is in England. He had not known Gemma’s whereabouts. He and Benedict get into a fistfight, letting loose years of anger. After overseeing the fight, Gemma wanders off alone into the moors above the town. When she does not come home, Benedict and Charlie, along with Estelle, put their differences behind them and set out to find her. With promising characters and irresistible charm, 'Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone' is a reminder of the unbreakable bonds of family and shows that having someone to embrace life with is always better than standing on your own. The official synopsis says: "The story is about Benedict Stone and his wife Emilia who got separated after 10 years, when trying for a baby becomes unsuccessful". CastRISE & SHINE, BENEDICT STONE was a heartwarming read about family, about trying new things, and about trying to get what you need in life. 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. I was utterly delighted by the author's debut book, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper so when I saw that the author released another book and retained the same wonderful narrator, I had to get it without even looking at the blurb.