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Men of Millbrook Lake #1
Lakeside Hero
A Soldier Returns
Former marine Alec Caldwell is happy to return home alive. The scars he carries—inside and out—are a burden he plans to face alone. All he wants is a quiet life devoted to helping wounded veterans. That is, until he meets pastry chef Marla Hamilton—who's just too sweet to resist. But the single mother is fighting her own battles. The last man in Marla's life hurt her and put her daughter in danger, leaving the child frightened of strangers. Alec seems like the thrill-seeking men Marla avoids. But can becoming a family give these wounded hearts a chance to heal?
Former marine Alec Caldwell is happy to return home alive. The scars he carries—inside and out—are a burden he plans to face alone. All he wants is a quiet life devoted to helping wounded veterans. That is, until he meets pastry chef Marla Hamilton—who's just too sweet to resist. But the single mother is fighting her own battles. The last man in Marla's life hurt her and put her daughter in danger, leaving the child frightened of strangers. Alec seems like the thrill-seeking men Marla avoids. But can becoming a family give these wounded hearts a chance to heal?
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 18, 2015
19 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
Lenora Worth
278 books384 followersLenora Worth has written 75 books for three different publishers. She reached a milestone when she received her 50th book pin from Harlequin. Her books have won both regional and national awards and she now has millions of books in print and is a NY Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author. Currently she is writing both Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense and Tule Publishing. Married to her childhood sweetheart, Lenora has two grown children and lives in Florida.
Pen name: Lenora Nazworth
Pen name: Lenora Nazworth
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 23, 2021
A very tender and heart warming romance that I'm glad I took the time to read. The two main characters had to face up to a lot of fears before they could move on in life. What they needed to do was trust God but this was easier said than done.
Marla Hamilton was a widow and mother to an adorable little girl named Gabby. The little girl had been traumatized by the death of her father. Because of this the child is terrified by any strange man who comes near her or speaks to her. Marla's life centered around her child and her well-being . She could never consider dating or falling in love because Gabby wouldn't be able to handle it.
Alec Caldwell was a wounded war hero and very aware and uncomfortable with his scars and limp. He had grown up in the wealthy part of town and had inherited his parents estate. Being in a relationship with someone was the last thing he needed at this time in his life. He was just too busy trying to set up The Caldwell Canine Training Center and get it in operation.
Marla knew of Alec Caldwell but he had been born to a rich family and she was a farmer's daughter. When the two meet unexpectedly at a wedding they are attracted to each other but there are just too many reasons this would not work out. Still they keep running into one another. Is God trying to bring them together? Can they overcome all the obstacles in their lives that seems to be keeping them apart ?
I recommend this book to readers of contemporary romance and Love Inspired books . It's book one of Men of Millbrook Lake.
I borrowed a copy from the Ohio Digital Library. A review was not requested. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Marla Hamilton was a widow and mother to an adorable little girl named Gabby. The little girl had been traumatized by the death of her father. Because of this the child is terrified by any strange man who comes near her or speaks to her. Marla's life centered around her child and her well-being . She could never consider dating or falling in love because Gabby wouldn't be able to handle it.
Alec Caldwell was a wounded war hero and very aware and uncomfortable with his scars and limp. He had grown up in the wealthy part of town and had inherited his parents estate. Being in a relationship with someone was the last thing he needed at this time in his life. He was just too busy trying to set up The Caldwell Canine Training Center and get it in operation.
Marla knew of Alec Caldwell but he had been born to a rich family and she was a farmer's daughter. When the two meet unexpectedly at a wedding they are attracted to each other but there are just too many reasons this would not work out. Still they keep running into one another. Is God trying to bring them together? Can they overcome all the obstacles in their lives that seems to be keeping them apart ?
I recommend this book to readers of contemporary romance and Love Inspired books . It's book one of Men of Millbrook Lake.
I borrowed a copy from the Ohio Digital Library. A review was not requested. All opinions expressed here are my own.
October 1, 2023
Wow, such a beautiful written uplifting love story...I feel blessed for having read it...great author...she definitely designed each character with such rich descriptive background and loveable features....
I love our main characters: Marla Hamilton and Alex Cadwell, instantly...she was a hard working single Mom, running her own bakery while taking care of her little daughter, Gabby (who was afraid of everything after she witness her father getting killed in his own jewelry store, robbery)...also Alex was a newly Marine veteran, who train dogs to help other disable veterans, overcome their fear of socialism!)...Alec was sweet, patient, and reassuring to help Marla understand that he valued her friendship as much as her sweet love....(love Ms. Hattie)....
Highly recommended!!!!
I love our main characters: Marla Hamilton and Alex Cadwell, instantly...she was a hard working single Mom, running her own bakery while taking care of her little daughter, Gabby (who was afraid of everything after she witness her father getting killed in his own jewelry store, robbery)...also Alex was a newly Marine veteran, who train dogs to help other disable veterans, overcome their fear of socialism!)...Alec was sweet, patient, and reassuring to help Marla understand that he valued her friendship as much as her sweet love....(love Ms. Hattie)....
Highly recommended!!!!
August 8, 2021
This was an amazing book - reminding me a lot of Cinderella. My only complaint would be that Marla was too hard to convince she could be more trusting - even though everyone around her could see it, including her therapist. This would be a good Hallmark movie. ☺️💕
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2025
A quick read and a cute story.
July 18, 2015
Lakeside Hero is by Lenora Worth and is an inspirational novel. It has no graphic sexual scenes or violent scenes, and it has no unnecessary language. It is a quick book to read. It is really good too.
Alec Caldwell is a soldier who has returned home alive. He was hurt and endured hospitalization and physical therapy; but except for a limp and a scar on his face, he returns alive. He carries scars inside as well as on his face and this burden gets between him and other people. His best friends are the preacher who had been a chaplain at the hospital, another soldier who had returned, and a strange friend who shows up when he wants to on his motorcycle along with a small white poodle. Alec tends to stay away from people as he does not want to scare or offend them with his scar. He wants to spend his time helping wounded soldiers. He decides one way to do this is to set up a school for service dogs and veterans to train individually or together. He decides to take an abandoned car dealership in Millwood, Florida and create his school here. He moves into the huge Caldwell home and moves in his Aunt Hattie in to take care of the house. He can also keep an eye on her if she is in his house. After all, she is getting older, although he would never tell her that.
Marla Hamilton has moved from Tallahassee to Millwood to be near her parents who live at Millwood Lake. She and her daughter Gabby moved here after her husband was killed in a robbery at one of his jewelry stores. Charlie had picked up Gabby at daycare and gone to his store to wait for Marla to pick Gabby up. Instead he walked in on a robbery, shoved Gabby towards the clerk who was being held, made sure they were behind the counter and faced the robbers alone. He was killed and Gabby was traumatized. Although she never really saw the men, she saw large dark figures which scared her. Now she was afraid of any man. It even took her a while to be comfortable with her own grandfather. Marla and her parents are working with her along with a therapist; but it is a slow process to get her to accept that all men are not bad.
Marla is catering a wedding when she and Alec run into each other as she is taking the bottom piece of a huge wedding cake to her van. Sparks fly; but the two go their separate ways thinking they will never see each other again.
Will Alec get his school going and will it be successful? Will Marla make a real go of her bakery and catering business? Will Gabby get over her fear of men? Will Marla and Alec get together or will circumstances keep them apart?
Alec Caldwell is a soldier who has returned home alive. He was hurt and endured hospitalization and physical therapy; but except for a limp and a scar on his face, he returns alive. He carries scars inside as well as on his face and this burden gets between him and other people. His best friends are the preacher who had been a chaplain at the hospital, another soldier who had returned, and a strange friend who shows up when he wants to on his motorcycle along with a small white poodle. Alec tends to stay away from people as he does not want to scare or offend them with his scar. He wants to spend his time helping wounded soldiers. He decides one way to do this is to set up a school for service dogs and veterans to train individually or together. He decides to take an abandoned car dealership in Millwood, Florida and create his school here. He moves into the huge Caldwell home and moves in his Aunt Hattie in to take care of the house. He can also keep an eye on her if she is in his house. After all, she is getting older, although he would never tell her that.
Marla Hamilton has moved from Tallahassee to Millwood to be near her parents who live at Millwood Lake. She and her daughter Gabby moved here after her husband was killed in a robbery at one of his jewelry stores. Charlie had picked up Gabby at daycare and gone to his store to wait for Marla to pick Gabby up. Instead he walked in on a robbery, shoved Gabby towards the clerk who was being held, made sure they were behind the counter and faced the robbers alone. He was killed and Gabby was traumatized. Although she never really saw the men, she saw large dark figures which scared her. Now she was afraid of any man. It even took her a while to be comfortable with her own grandfather. Marla and her parents are working with her along with a therapist; but it is a slow process to get her to accept that all men are not bad.
Marla is catering a wedding when she and Alec run into each other as she is taking the bottom piece of a huge wedding cake to her van. Sparks fly; but the two go their separate ways thinking they will never see each other again.
Will Alec get his school going and will it be successful? Will Marla make a real go of her bakery and catering business? Will Gabby get over her fear of men? Will Marla and Alec get together or will circumstances keep them apart?
March 26, 2016
There was a lot in this story to take away. Not that the background circumstances are ours but how we handle the hurts in life and do we over protect ourselves or our kids which becomes unhealthy. Fear n being afraid are huge bondages but the how to surrender n let it go. I liked the characters n support networks for Alec n Marla's story.
September 29, 2015
I always enjoy the Love Inspired line and Lenora Worth is one of the best in their writing line-up. Lakeside Hero brings together two wounded hearts, one with an equally wounded little girl, to bring joy to one another. This was a sweet way to while away a few hours.
May 6, 2018
Good book with plenty of angst, but a HEA ending.
July 26, 2019
Poorly written, some ideas repetitive. Poorly edited.
September 29, 2021
Worth teading
September 30, 2015
Lakeside Hero is the first book in the Men Of Millbrook Lakes series by Lenora Worth. Alec Caldwell returns home from the Marines after he was injured. Alec has a limp and a scar on the side of his face. He is dealing with these issues. Alec comes from a rich family where only his aunt is still living. He wants to devote his time to helping wounded veterans, with matching them with service dogs. He meets pastry chef Marla Hamilton who has a four year old girl named Gabby. Gabby and her day were in the middle of a robbery happening at his jewelry store. Her dad was shot. Gabby is dealing with hating men. Marla is falling for Alec but has her own issues to deal with. A lot goes on in this book.
June 1, 2016
When our military men and women come home from any war front, we see external scars but the internal scars are deeper and last even longer. Only recently have we addressed those facts. Ask anyone you know from WWI or WWII or Korean War, or Viet Nam War or....
When former a USMC comes home scarred but whole, he plans to do good things for other vets who weren't so fortunate. Because of the facial scars, he sees his future life alone.
A single mother, baker changes his mind.
Her daughter witnessed the death of her father in a family business robbery. She has great emotional difficulty meeting men. Will she be afraid of our hero and his scars?
When former a USMC comes home scarred but whole, he plans to do good things for other vets who weren't so fortunate. Because of the facial scars, he sees his future life alone.
A single mother, baker changes his mind.
Her daughter witnessed the death of her father in a family business robbery. She has great emotional difficulty meeting men. Will she be afraid of our hero and his scars?
Read
January 12, 2016"This is the start of the Men of Millbrook Lane series. You can’t go wrong with a war hero and cupcakes in the same story! The importance of service dogs is highlighted, along with an uplifting message to help the readers survive their own personal storms" (RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 stars).
Miniseries: Men of Millbrook Lake
Miniseries: Men of Millbrook Lake
May 20, 2022
Enjoyed it. Marla and Gabby had to learn to trust and Alec was the man to help them out. I liked how Alec was patient and willing to compromised but it was Marla who had to make the tough decision to risk not only her heart but that of his cute daughter. Wonder if Blain, Rory and Hunter will have books of their own.
December 26, 2015
loved reading story about the healing of emotionally, hidden n visible scars n fears n the continuing journey. looking forward to the rest of the series
July 18, 2015
I loved this book. Lots of ups and downs before it finally comes to the conclusion you want it to. Very sweet!
Read
January 12, 2016received 4 1/2 stars @ RT Book Reviews
Miniseries: Men of Millbrook Lake
Miniseries: Men of Millbrook Lake
June 13, 2016
Would of been a great book but Marla was very annoying. Alec though was great.
August 17, 2016
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14152934
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14152934
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews