While digging up a withering wax myrtle tree beside his waterfront home on the Gulf coast, author Andy Andrews unearths a rusted metal container filled with Nazi artifacts and begins an intriguing investigation that unlocks an unspoken past that took place in his backyard . . . literally!

As if that weren't exciting enough, the reader is plunged into 1942, when German submarines patrolled the Gulf of Mexico, sinking U.S. vessels carrying goods and fuel. (True story! In 2001, as BP Oil surveyed the Gulf floor, they came across a sunken German sub.) War widow Helen Mason is taking a lonely, late-night walk on the beach when she finds a wounded German sailor washed up on shore. She's walking away, ready to let him die on the beach, when something he says catches her attention—and changes her mind.

What happens next is a tale of war, faith, and forgiveness that illuminates a principle that frees the human spirit. It's a fascinating look at a real, little-known time in our nation's history and a love story, to boot. Previously released as Island of Saints, this version includes a Reader's Guide and a "Where are They Now" section. The Heart Mender is available in both print and audio versions—and both are on sale now!