Thousands of miles from home, Charles Martin is thrust into the frozen nightmare of war. Stranded behind enemy lines during one of the harshest winters in European history, he must battle not only enemy forces, but starvation, exhaustion, and an unrelenting cold. With no hope of rescue, Charles depends on unlikely friendships, raw instinct, and sheer grit to defy impossible odds and fight his way home. West is Home is a gripping historical fiction novel that plunges readers into the raw terror and quiet heroism of World War II. Seen through the eyes of one ordinary soldier, it reveals the devastating cost of war and the unbreakable human spirit that refuses to yield. A powerful tale of courage, resilience, and the long, desperate road home. About the Author Mathew Wheatley is a high school social studies teacher based in Heber City, Utah. He and his wife, Lisa, married in 2018 and are raising three young children in a home filled with laughter, curiosity, and adventure. The family enjoys spending quality time together through games, walks, and shared experiences. In the classroom, Mathew is deeply committed to his students. He strives to make his classes engaging and relevant every day. A dedicated lifelong learner, Mathew has traveled extensively, visiting all 50 U.S. states and 18 countries. These experiences have broadened his perspective on culture and history, which he brings into the classroom and shares with friends and family. Through his family life, career and travels, Mathew is guided by the values of faith, family, hard work and fun.