I recently got this book from NetGalley and Mills and Boon but then found it was first published in 2015.. and the author has since written a whole set of 11 books for this series plus a complete back story.
This book is the 3rd in the series but can easily be read alone. the story concept for the series is about healing - a lake where the native Americans used to come to heal sickness whether mental or physical but has lost its power over the years. These stories are about how the healng power was reinvigorated.
The Redemptions are an imaginary set of mountain in Idaho, although there is a Redemption Trail and a Redemption Rock at Post Falls. To my astonishment I have found that there are 114 mountain ranges in Idaho!!

It has hot springs, glaciers, mountain goats, peak bagging, salmon rivers, national forests and much more - and stretches up in a very narrow finger right up to the Canadian border. Great for the outdoor enthusiast but cold and rainy of course!
As for the story, it was a cosy second chance romance with some inter-racial element as the heroine was half-Mexican. With an unpronounceable name originally which was changed on her adoption.
It had some issues that it discussed about small towns and lack of industry and being cut-off from the main commercial routes - only 90 minutes to an airport! only... But in todays' digital and zooming world, and considering they were thinking about a digital organisation, being close to an airport is not a big thing for most employees - just make sure you have enough band width!
Overall a nice story but are small towns really that nice to everyone? But it was supposed to be the big selling point so...
I liked the writing style but the series isn't for me - the heroine lacked snark and her adaptation to her home was too slick and lacked believability.

The second in the Redemption Bay series. Both McKenzie and Ben have left and returned to Haven Point. McKenzie returned for family reasons and is the mayor of Haven Point. Ben returned for business reasons - would Haven Point make a good base for Cain Tech facilities? Ben isn’t really liked at Haven Point. His father was a cruel man and Ben is blamed for taking away jobs when he closed Kilpatrick boats and ran down some of the buildings. McKenzie is determined to sell The Bay to Ben as the ideal place for his new facility as they need the jobs and income it would produce.

This isn’t a traditional M&B romance. A small town love affair that doesn’t develop on the basis of sizzling instant chemistry but a storyline based on coming home and developing friendships.

I received this novel from Mills & Boon via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

The second book in the series. I enjoyed 5he first and the second did not disappoint!
McKenzie is the mayor and will do everything she can to promote the town to the man who could make or break its future.
An enjoyable and easy read for a summer holiday

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
A very good read and one I can highly recommend to others.
I could not put this down.
Thoroughly enjoyable with an amazing cast of characters that you cannot help but engage with.

First impressions. I don’t know what I thought of this book to begin with. I started reading and then I was 25% through it so I found it an easy read so that’s a good thing.

McKenzie. I liked her happy, outgoing, upbeat personality. It was contagious. Her connection with the town was a nice touch, it was clear she loved her home and the people on it. The chemistry between her and some of the characters was there, it was instant and there was no work needed to it.

Ben. I liked Ben. Even if he did come across as a bit of a grump to begin with. He was a person at war with himself in a way and it was good to see him work through everything, and the shocks that came with being back in Haven Point.

The chemistry between McKenzie and Ben worked brilliantly, and I was really rooting for them to get what they both wanted. It was a bumpy road but everyone got what they wanted.

The story in itself was a very upbeat story. One thing I did notice was that their was a lot of loss and grieving in McKenzie and Ben’s lives. But, it all worked for the book. I loved the descriptions of Haven Point and the small town feel of it.

This book is definitely a feel good book for a a rainy day. It’s so easy to read and follow. Even being the second book in a series, I didn’t need to read the first book to understand everything. It can easily be read as a standalone.

This book was pure escapism at its finest. I absolutely loved my time spent in Haven Point and didn't want the story to come to an end. The writing was warm and welcoming and invited me into its heart like an old friend.

I thoroughly enjoyed how this book gave off a real sense of community spirit.....the tight knit town of Haven Point shines across like a character all of its own and was a glittering stand out part of the book. It was a dream to read their unwavering support of one another in times of trouble.

McKenzie was a wonderful character who lead this story with heart, soul and passion. Her love and admiration for the town went above and beyond her position as town Mayor. Ben was the leading man that dreams are made of. His looks and difficult past arm him with all the credentials to step centre stage into a leading role. Their chemistry was slow and simmering and kept the narrative in a high state of will they....won't they? But I'm a hopeless romantic and my heart was set on a much needed happy ever after.

Redemption Bay is a heart soaring dream of a read that I couldn't put down. For all those romantics out there this is the book for you.

One of the major themes in Redemption Bay is coming home. Both our hero & heroine have left Haven Point. Only to come back for various reasons. Mckenzie came back for family reasons. Now she is the town mayor. Ben is back to see if Haven Point would make a good fit for the new Caine Tech facility.
Ben doesn't have fond memories of the town. Everywhere he goes he is reminded about his cruel father. Ben isn't a popular person around the town, lots of people Mckenzie included, blame him for closing down the Kilpatrick Boat business. Leaving the town and its local people not doing well.
When Mckenzie sees him for the first time, she isn't happy with him. Which she isn't afraid of showing. When Ben announces why he is back. She gets her friends and wastes no time showing him why Haven Point is the right place for the new headquarters. Redemption bay is an enjoyable read. Especially for fans of contemporary romance, small town romance. I knocked one star off because i found the heroine to be a little annoying at times. She had a very blinkered view on her thinking.
ARC requested from netgalley, as part of the Mills & Boon insiders #mills&booninsiders

I'm going to be totally honest, I struggled a bit to get into this book but once I did I was able to bond with the characters and feel more involved in their story

Ben is a millionaire COO of a tech company who has been sent to Haven Point to look into the potential to expand there. The only problem is that Haven Point was Ben's childhood town and he doesn't have overly fond memories of his childhood

He rents a house by the lake, one of the attractions of the area, and finds himself living next door to McKenzie, the towns young and attractive mayor who was childhood friends with his sister

Ben didn't leave Haven Point under the best of circumstances, closing one of the areas main employer and letting some local buildings become run down, places he had inherited from his late father. McKenzie realises that to get Ben's tech company to invest in Haven Point she needs to change his mind and sets about trying to show him the town in a different light

Sparks fly between McKenzie and Ben and their developing relationship kept me reading, wanting to find out how it turned out for them

This book isn't the traditional Mills and Boon type book that I had discovered before and I think that can be a positive. The story isn't threatening and the characters reflect their love of their town

I would recommend this book to anyone who has lived in an area which has had some issues as it can show that these may not be permanent and not everything you hear via the proverbial grape vine is the truth!

The story of McKenzie and Ben, the second book I have read in this series - but it doesn't matter if you haven't read the first.

She loves the town, and is the new mayor, doing what she can to promote the town and attract new business. He hates the town, having left as soon as he could. Now he is back, can she convince him that it's not so bad after all?

I found the pace on this a bit erratic and all over the place, the characters were ok but seemed to lack the chemistry and weren’t very relatable, was a nice read but not memorable

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I loved the first book in this series, and was really looking forward to this book. It didn’t quite have the same magic. It was quite slow and the characters weren’t as likeable. Struggled to finish it, disappointing as I’ve said I loved the first book