What an incredibly beautiful and emotional book. I loved every minute of Allina’s story and was crying by the end. I have read my fair share of WWII historical fiction books, however the Lebensborn program I was not too familiar with before this book which I appreciated and will be thinking about for days to come. I cannot believe how the author was able to take such horrible events and make such a beautiful story, I cannot wait to see what this author writes next. A must read for fans of historical fiction. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this wonderful book.

🌻𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰🌻
📖- The Sunflower House
✍🏼- Adriana Allegri
📆- 11/12/24


⚠️Rape, Child neglect ⚠️

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲
🌻Handmaid’s Tale
🌻Historical Fiction
🌻A story of loss and love

Thank you @netgalley & @stmartinspress for the ebook in exchange for an honest opinion.

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬

Katrine found a box underneath the floorboard after her mother suffered a fall. Invading one’s privacy is something she wasn’t fond of but her curiosity got the best of her, especially a box marked with a swatstkia. Caught in the act by her mother, Allina, she proceeds to tell Katrine what the box means. Secrets of her past and why she decided to flee her home country.

𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 💭

I loved how well researched this novel was and how the author explained in the authors note about what was true and what was fiction. I learned things I didn’t know happened and how awful it must have been for these women. I loved that the author wove a love story in such a dark scary time. Allina’s character development was beautiful! A woman determined to survive but also save so many children and so much bravery to have.


#historicalfiction #arcreview #bookrecommendations #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #bookworm

A somewhat unique take on WW2 set in Germany about some horrible things. I felt like this novel was miss something to give it push to make it give me more stronger feelings about these characters.
<b><i>Trigger Warnings: antisemitism, blood, cancer, death of uncle, fire, animal death, sexual assault, rape (on-page), cheating, eugenics, child abuse and neglect, medical experimentation on children mentioned, murder, genocide, and World War Two & the Holocaust</b></i>

I just loved this book. I read it in just a few days because I could not put it down. The story was about the baby factories in Germany pre-WW2. The author did an excellent job with bringing the story to life. It was horrifying to read. The characters were well written from the children to the women living in the house to the main characters. It was written in 2 timelines and the author explained her thought process at the end of the book and how the story came to be. An emotional read for sure and well worth the time!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

At the beginning of Hitler's reign of terror, Allina lives in a small German village with her Aunt, Uncle, and fiance. But as the war comes closer to happening, the SS storms her village, killing many of the citizens. Allina barely escapes with her life and is brought to Hochland Home to work as part of Himmler's Lebensborn Program. During her time there, she catches the attention of a high ranking SS Officer, Karl. Both have secrets to hide and struggle with their developing relationship and trust of each other.

While I have read a couple of other stories based upon the Nazi Lebensborn Program – the establishment of baby factories used to expand Hitler’s Aryan race, this was by far the best! These homes where meticulously screened women are selected to mate with soldiers were compounded by the atrocities of the research and experimentation on infants and toddlers that were “slow” or identified as less than perfect.

This is an excellent, well researched and engaging read! Highly recommend!

Adriana Allergri is an incredible writer - I truly can't wait for what is next. This book was so emotionally difficult to read. This book literally broke my heart, yet I could not put it down. I truly loved the way it was written. Two timelines - present day and in the past. Most of the book is in the past, we are only brought to the present when it was 100% necessary, and therefore it flowed perfectly and never felt forced. The research put into this book was unreal - and the fact that the story is based on fact destroys me. The story follows Allina during WWII, when she is sent to Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany. She has to hide her jewish identity in order to protect herself, while serving to birth pure Aryan children for the Reich. A must read for anyone that loves historical fiction, just make sure to bring your tissues.

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

I often enjoy historical fiction, but the WWII era can feel oversaturated. The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri, however, brings fresh perspective by uncovering the little-known, horrific Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany. I was aware these facilities existed to breed “perfect” Aryan babies for the Reich, but the book deeply explores not only the purpose but also the fate of these children. It shines a haunting light on this aspect of Hitler's eugenics campaign while also capturing the struggles of hidden "mischlings" in Germany who, like Allina Strauss, lived in constant fear of exposure.

The story follows Allina, a young woman forced to keep her identity hidden while navigating life in a Nazi-run “baby factory” at Hochland Home. Her courage in trying to protect the neglected children in her care, despite overwhelming personal danger, makes for a powerful and emotional journey. Her relationship with Karl, an SS officer hiding secrets of his own, adds complexity as the two face impossible decisions, driven by the desire to save innocent lives.

I appreciated Allegri’s meticulous research, as the book reveals both the everyday and unspeakable realities within the Lebensborn program. The portrayal of Allina and Karl’s determination, even amidst secrecy and betrayal, makes this an unflinching and compelling read. Although some events stretched plausibility slightly, Allegri masterfully balances tension and heart, delivering a story that’s both heartrending and illuminating. The Sunflower House is a moving reminder of the buried histories of WWII, told with grit and compassion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy.

A new author that readers who enjoy history will want to check out. In this very well researched book, the Lebensborn Program carried out by the Nazis during World War II is the setting. Family secrets come out both past and present in this emotional read. The main characters are fictional but the story feels real. I look forward to reading more by this author. Highly recommended!

This is wonderful historical fiction about the Nazi-run baby factories in WWII, designed to ensure Hitler’s dream of a pure Aryan race. The story is told largely through the viewpoint of Alliana, a young Jewish German woman forcibly taken to one of these baby factory homes; we also see the story at times through the perspective of Karl, an SS officer who comes into contact with Alliana. The story occurs largely in the 1930s-1940s in Germany but the plot also unfolds in the 2010s.

Having read Cradles of the Reich, I was aware of the existence of these homes, and that babies with disabilities born in these homes were used in Hitler’s eugenics program. The author does an excellent job of transporting the reader to 1930s Nazi Germany and the brutality of its leaders. At the same time, we also see that pockets of kindness and humanity continued to exist. The novel explores issues around choices people make in challenging circumstances, sacrifice, and the impact of the past on subsequent generations.

The writing flows off the page and I was invested in this story throughout; I didn’t want to put it down.

Highly recommend this debut (!) novel.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the ability and opportunity to read an ARC of this novel.

This is an absolutely beautifully written novel that tells the story of Allina, a carefree spirit whom is thrown into a baby factory during WWII. Not only does this novel address the horrors of this war period, it also shows the emotions, and horrific conditions people endured. I loved this book and know that many many readers will also find this one to be so good. It would not surprise me if this novel is talked about for a long time.

Rating - 5/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Date Read - June 26, 2024
Publication Date - November 12, 2024

*I received an E-ARC of this book for free in exchange for an honest review* - Thank you @adrianaallegri, @stmartinspress and @netgalley!

Historical fiction is a genre that I have read in phases throughout my life but it was a goal of mine to read more of it this year and I have! I got so absorbed into the story that I lost track of time reading. I was emotional at different times throughout the book and felt so connected to the characters. Reading The Sunflower House was a great experience because I did not know much about baby factories in Germany during WW2 but I learned a lot and it prompted me to do my own research too. I really appreciate that at the end, the author explains which parts are fiction and which parts are facts or true places, events and people. This book also has dual timelines and multiple points of view but the headers show when it changes and I found it very easy to follow.

If you like historical fiction about WW2 with some romance, you should try The Sunflower House!

Get excited to read The Sunflower House, available November 12! 🎉

*Please check trigger warnings*

It's 2006 and Katrine is at the New Jersey home of her 86-year-old mother Allina, a German immigrant who has kept her life before coming to America a secret. In her mother's room, Katrine finds a hidden box that contains shocking information about Allina's life in Germany. Allina decides it's time to reveal her story. The narrative shifts back to 1938 when tragedy forces Allina to hide out and work in Hochland House, the first of Heinrich Himmler’s Lebensborn "baby factories" where young women did their part to give birth to perfect Aryian children to grow the German master race. Undesirable children, however, met a tragic fate. Allina meets SS officer Karl von Strassberg, a man harboring secrets of his own.

Author Adriana Allegri began writing The Sunflower House more than twenty years ago. We're fortunate that she persisted. This is a well-done work of fiction centered around one of the many horrors of the Nazi regime, places where children were the primary victims. The author noted the challenge of piecing together information on the Lebensborn program as records were destroyed and people who participated had selective memories as the years went on. This well-researched book sheds light on valuable history. Allina is a remarkable and resilient character and Karl is a compassionate man fulfilling his duties in a uniform he despises. You will be moved.

Ohhh my heart. This book was absolutely beautiful, complicated, bittersweet, and heavy.

Obviously, any book set during the Holocaust is going to be heavy. This was definitely the case here, but I also think it’s important to say that Allina and Karl’s story provided some levity in moments where it would otherwise be hard to find. These two characters were so complicated, but their choices in the face of such difficulties made me love them. The depth of these characters and the decisions they made were multifaceted and incredibly well-written.

As for the historical aspect of this book, I had no idea about this specific history of WWII. I learned so much while reading, but it didn’t at all feel like I was reading a textbook or history book; the fictional story of Allina and Karl was woven so well with the historical facts that it felt seamless. I think aside from being a fantastic book, people learning this facet of history they may not know will be an added bonus of reading this story.

The fact that this is also a debut is astounding. Everyone should go read this.

The Sunflower House tells the story of a mother, relating her secret past as a unwilling nurse at one of the Nazi’s Lebensborn Programs hospitals leading up to World War II, to her daughter nearly 70 years later.

It was a quick read, and was obvious there was a lot of research put into the book. The main character, Allina, was written well and her trauma and fear were well written. For the most part she was a likeable person.
There were aspects of this book I did struggle with. Namely Karl. Did his good deeds out weight his bad? Did what happened to him in the end absolve what he did while undercover?
Read trigger warnings before picking this one up. And I recommend reading some nonfiction afterwards, so learn more about what happened, and what didn’t. The author includes quite a few nonfiction books to further your reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a free e-arc.

When Katrina discovered a Nazi Swastika in her elderly mother’s hidden belongings, she was shocked and quite upset. Allina has always been vague and secretive about her early life in Germany and about Katrina’s father. All is not what it seems and as the story unfolds, Allina finally reveals her secret past to her daughter.
This story was both emotional and suspenseful. The book focuses on the German people who lived in fear of Hitler in the pre WWII era and during his reign during the war. It is also about the Hebensborn Program that encouraged unmarried German Aryan women to produce children for the good of Germany and to promote Hitler’s idea of a “pure race”.
Although this is historical fiction the events depicted did occur. It was disturbing to read at times but it important that we never forget.

I loved this moving, beautiful and tragic read. Allegri put an incredible amount of research into this story and it shows. This is the type of book which will stay with the reader long after they turn the final page.

A strong debut from Adriana Allegri about the Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany leading up to WWII. I had no prior knowledge of this program before reading this book so I liked learning about something new. This book started off really strong but I felt like the strength started to wane halfway through and then the end wrapped up quickly and was anti-climatic for me. I gave this a 4.25 rating.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. The Sunflower House publishes on November 12, 2024.

As someone who really struggles with historical fiction, this one was a bit too much for me to read right now. I plan on coming back to it later, but I've heard its beautiful and a touching story.

Historical Fiction set in 1938 Germany. As Hitler takes over Germany and establishes his vision of a glorious regime and restoration to Germany's powerful past. Allina, 17, finds herself a victim of a German officer and sent to Heinrich Himmler's eugenics program home in Steinhoring Germany as a worker in the nursery. The horror of this "Home for Unwed Mothers included special care of those women willing to father children by SS Officers to be the purebred future of Germany. That they were also Himmler's experimental subjects was a well kept secret.

Karl von Strasberg is an SS officer by choice. His goal is to work within the system to save Jewish children. He meets Allina and together they set out to rescue some of the damaged children as well as the Jewish children they can help.

The story of Allina and Karl was very compelling emotionally as they face danger together and apart.

I knew of the horrors of the pure race breeding program and the Himmler experiments on humans subjects. The depth of the depravity are well handled by the author.

Definitely a novel worth reading..

2.5 stars

This started off so strong! Part one had me on the edge of my seat and anxious to see where the things would go. Sadly, the rest of the book was a miss for me.

There was just too much going on and I wish the author had focused on one plot and seen it through.

Allina’s uncle and fiancée were involved in the resistance but we don’t learn anything about it. She uncovers a dark secret in the Lebensborn, devises a program to save the “slow” children, but doesn’t see it through. Karl is sneaking children out of the country but it’s not something we get much detail on.

Upon completing the story I feel underwhelmed and disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc to read and review.