The Heart Mender

So if you know me very well at all you know I am a rabid, I mean avid reader. I love to read, my husband is thankful for the library because we would go broke if we had to buy all the books that I have read. A few months ago while doing a Bible study I was convicted about the types of books that I was reading....long story short I am trying to read more Christian authors and have fallen head over heels for several....Dee Henderson is by far my fav, Terry Blackstock (thanks Sonia) and Francine Rivers...anyone NOT love Redeeming Love?? In my quest to find more authors I asked my friend Deanna for some recommendations and she steered me to these book clubs who for a eval of the book when done will send you FREE books...seriously?? This was made for me!! Bill's comment was....you think you can find someone to pay you to read? We could be millionaires!! ha ha !!

So I went to the site and chose my book, and after waiting with baited breath...I love getting stuff in the mail...it's like Christmas!! They not only sent me one, but TWO copies of the book!! AND I loved the story!!

Andy Andrews writes of a love story that is set during World War II on the Gulf Coast....love being able to identify with the setting of a book! A wonderful story of an author who while doing some yard work finds a can buried with Nazi artifacts inside and begins a journey into a wonderful tale of broken hearts, friendships and in the end a love so strong it heals broken hearts and teaches a valuable lesson in the art of forgiveness.

After only being married for only a few months, Helen loses her Air Force husband in a Luftwaffe bombing raid. Angry and heart broken she moves to the Alabama coast with her aunt, only to lose her four months later. Helen is angry at the world and while walking off some insomnia on the beach one night finds a wounded German submariner washed up on the beach. For reasons unknown to her, Helen is compelled to take him back to her cottage and help him.

Josef is an Oxford educated German school teacher with a wife and young daughter until the war breaks out and he is called up for military service. Having been blessed with a talent for languages and being fluent in English, God guides him on board a submarine with an old friend. A Nazi on board accuses Josef of being a traitor and later shoots Josef and leaves him to drown. But Josef makes it to the Alabama coast and is found by Helen, who when realizing he is a German soldier.....let's just say vents some of her repressed anger!! But is mystified by the man who apologizes for her husband's death while crying out for his family.

What entails is a story of broken hearts, anger and the very hard act of forgiveness. I am looking forward to reading more by Andy Andrews! Was also very interested to find out about all of the wartime activity that took place in the Gulf, had never heard of that before! Amazing that a part of the war so close to home is never discussed.

Since I loved this story I am giving away the other copy of the book that I have.....leave me a comment and I will have my random number generator AKA the prince draw a winner!! : )

Hope you are all having a great day!!