WOW what an incredible debut. Although saddened by many things within this book, I loved that Adriana Allegri wrote this extraordinary story straight from her heart during the twenty years it took to write. Her immaculate research into the lesser known “Lebensborn program” was brought about by the infamous Heinrich Himmler - - a known monster through his eugenics programs. These were in every sense of the word “baby factories” specific to producing aryan children to then be adopted into good German families. It was an assembly line of sorts, where the young Aryan girls housed in these homes were made to entertain German soldiers, in turn, reproducing these “pure” babies.. all for Hitlers new world. I can’t imagine the pain Adriana Allegri felt nor the horrors she uncovered during her research for this novel.

The story begins in New Jersey circa 2006 when Katrine is visiting her mother Allina, now 86. Allina immigrated from Germany keeping her previous life secret. She is now ready to tell her story. It all began during WWll in 1939 occupied Germany and follows 16-year-old Allina Strauss, a Mischling (half Jew - half German). With her family having perished by the Nazi regime, she’s forced into service as a nurse in a state-run baby factory. Not all children in these homes are treated fairly. Unfair treatment or death is most certain for all children not having the desired Aryan look. Allina meets Lt. Karl + although he’s a German soldier he is also against cruelty to these unwanted children. Together they fight for what they believe in until Karl is sent elsewhere. There are big twists revealing facts I don’t want to spoil, but let’s just say it’s heartbreaking, there were immense dangers, and the intensity for survival was incredible. Kudos to Adriana Allegri for providing me with excellent insight into the LP. Highly recommend. 5 stars — Pub. 11/12/24

I received an arc copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Adriana Allegri has created a masterpiece! Her powerful and meticulously researched debut, THE SUNFLOWER HOUSE, is a stunning 'winner out of the gate'.

Family secrets are unraveled as a young woman fights to save herself and others while in a Nazi-run baby factory, uncovering the horrors of the Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany during WWII.

Something rare and beautiful can grow in the darkest shadows.

About...

Allina Strauss resides in a German village and works at her uncle's bookshop. However, darkness follows as Adolf Hitler controls. Her family hides a secret (her mother was Jewish, making her a Mischling).

After losing it all, she is forced into working as a nurse at a state-run baby factory, Hochland Home, giving her a front-row seat to the horrors of the Lebensborn Program.

Will Allina and Karl be forced to make a choice? Will they be able to keep their secrets, join forces and save the children?

1939: Alina's story (mother)
2006: Katrine (daughter)

It all starts when Katrina finds a box with a swastika among her mother's belongings, and Allina begins to tell her story to her daughter and the secrets of her life.

My Thoughts...

Wow! What a debut. THE SUNFLOWER HOUSE is Extraordinary!

Allegri pulls out all the stops in this compelling, meticulously researched, and brilliantly written tale of love, sacrifice, survival, redemption, generational secrets, and identity. Alina was a beloved wife and mother who lived an extraordinary life. A woman of strength, compassion, and grace.

It makes you want to discover more about your parents and grandparents.

Even though we have two timelines, Katrine (daughter in New Jersey) and Alina (mother's past in Germany), the author concentrates on Allina's story.

Despite the secrets that kept them apart for years, the truth eventually brought them back together. This is a story of a mother's love and sacrifice, of resilience in the face of adversity. A love story. Allina, a Hochland Home nurse, served under the ruthless eugenics program, despising it yet managed to save dozens of children from medical experiments and extermination.

The author beautifully balances the harsh realities of the Nazi regime with the warmth of love and hope in this essential work of historical fiction. Sunflower metaphors add a poignant touch to the narrative, making it an emotional journey of healing and love that readers will deeply connect with.

Prepare to be emotionally invested in Allina's journey. Her story is a moving and poignant exploration of love and loss. The memorable characters are so vividly portrayed that they will stay with you long after you finish the book.

THE SUNFLOWER HOUSE is a compelling read and an excellent choice for book clubs. The story's rich themes and complex characters provide ample material for stimulating discussions. The author even includes additional resources to enhance your reading experience.

Exquisitely written, THE SUNFLOWER HOUSE is remarkable and inspiring. My pick for debut of the year and is included on my Top Books of 2024. If this is a debut, I cannot wait to see what comes next. Adriana Allegri is an author to watch!

Recs...

THE SUNFLOWER HOUSE is for fans of Kristin Hannah, Hazel Gaynor, Lynda Cohen Loigman, Patti Callahan Henry, Pam Jeoff, Heather Morris, and Meagan Church.

Interview...

Stay tuned for my upcoming #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A with Adriana and behind the scenes of THE SUNFLOWER HOUSE and this new voice in fiction. (pub day Nov 12).

Thank you...

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for a digital advanced review copy via NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ALC (upcoming #MacAudio2024). I cannot wait to listen, narrated by the talented cast of stars and favorites— Barrie Kreinik, Dallin Bradford, and Saskia Maarleveld. I also pre-ordered the hardcover copy for my home library.

Get this gem on your TBR list, and thank me later.

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars ++
Pub Date: Nov 12, 2024
Nov Newsletter
Nov 2024 Must-Read Books
Nov Featured #AuthorElevatorSeries QA

This ARC was sent to me as a galley. I liked the cover and since I have never read anything by this author before, I decided to accept it.
I was pleasantly surprised. I don't like knowing much about the book before I start reading and I never would have thought it was historical fiction and such a heavy subject.

The Sunflower House is so much more than a love story between two people in the wrong time. It covers compassion, a sense of what is right even when everything else is wrong, how secrets can also be kept for love and protection, friendship, loyalty...and more. I truly enjoyed it and will definitely be recommending it.

thanks for this ARC! it was my pleasure to read it.

I finished this book a few months ago and I haven’t been able to bring myself to write a review, afraid I won’t do this story justice.

This is a phenomenal debut by Adriana Allegri. This book touched on a whole gamut of emotions and has continued to stay with me.

I had read about the Lebensborn program in other novels. Allina’s being unaware of her Jewish blood added an aspect of suspense to this novel, especially once she got to Heim Hochland. Her having to be constantly on guard and aware makes her suspect the worst in people, rightfully so. It is her key to survival.

Then Allina meets Karl and things may not be exactly what they seem. They have no reason to trust each other and every reason to be suspicious.

What follows is one of the most well-crafted stories of things not being all they appear to be, in the best of ways. I was so wrapped up in Karl and Allina’s stories and amazed at what they were able to accomplish. Their sacrifices left me teary-eyed and reminded me of the good in people is the worst of circumstances.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the copy of this book. All views are my honest opinion.

When the Englewood Hospital calls Katrine to pick up her mother after an accident, little did she know that her life as well as her relationship with her mother would change. Katrine has a difficult relationship with her mother, Allina, but Katrine soon discovers that her mother has a past. This is the beginning of The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri. As a young girl in Nazi Germany, Allina is what is called a Mischling, a person with some Jewish blood. One day the Nazis come into her village, and she loses everyone near and dear to her. She is sent to Hochland House. There she works to help the pregnant women who will give birth for the glory of the Fatherland. She also meets Gruppenfuhrer Karl von Strassberg. As Allina and Karl get to know each other, they discover that they are both appalled with Hochland House and especially, the impaired children on the third floor, who are part of Himmler’s eugenics program. Working together and at great danger to themselves, they attempt to help as many of the children as possible. A sad, but in its own way, uplifting story. I would recommend this book.

When Allina finds a wooden box hidden under her eldery mother's closet floor, her mother decides to tells her about her life in Nazi, Germany where she was a nurse in a Lebensborn home (aka Nazi baby factory). The children are treated horribly and Allina, along with a man she falls in love with, are determined to find a way to help them. This was a time in history I didn't have much knowledge of and a time period that was very tragic and heartbreaking. This was a very well researched, expertly written, page turner of a book that is definitely a must read!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book.

Allina has a great life in her small German village with her Aunt, Uncle, and fiance! But things are not as idyllic as they seem. When the SS storms her village, killing many of the citizens, Allina barely escapes with her life and is brought to Hochland Home to work. There she is faced with the horrors of the Himmler's Lebensborn Program. As she tries to survive and not let her true feelings show, she catches the attention of a high ranking SS Officer, Karl. Both have secrets to hide, but will they be able to learn to trust each other? And will they be able to stay safe?
This is an enjoyable historical fiction book that covers some parts of the Nazi eugenics programs that is rarely discussed. I first learned about these houses when I read Cradles of the Reich, by Jennifer Coburn, two years ago.
I found this one a bit difficult to get into, but as the story progressed I was anxious to find out what would happen! I appreciated the perspective of an average German citizen who had secrets to hide, trying to work through the horrors and fears of life under Nazi rule. It is not always a perspective we see much in WWII historical fiction. We know from the beginning that Allina has a child who she doesn't share her past with, as her daughter discovers a box with a swastika and asks her to explain. The theme of secrets and trusting others, and even the freedom of letting those secrets go runs throughout the story.
If you are a fan of intrigue, love, historical fiction, or just a really good story, I would recommend this one to you! It is set to be published 12 Nov, so add it to your TBR and check it out then!
Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the free advanced copy!
#NetGalley #TheSunfloweHouse

This is a fantastic read that kept me turning pages until I was finished. The story begins in 2006 in Ramsey, NJ when Katrine has to help her elderly mother, Allina, who had fallen and was treated in the hospital. While at her mother's house in her bedroom, she came across a loose floor board and upon prying it up, she found a wooden box with a swastika on it which contained letters and articles. She confronts her mother who agrees to tell her about the secrets that she had been keeping all of these years. The story then goes to the summer of 1938 in Badensburg, Germany where Allina is being raised by her aunt Claudia and uncle Dieter. Her uncle is working with the resistance and helping to save Jewish people. One night, her aunt and uncle are murdered and Allina is taken by the SS, assaulted and taken to the state-run baby factory called Hochland Home where she is forced to work as a nurse. There, she meets SS officer Karl who she eventually forms a friendship with and together they work together to try to save the children. I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars because it deserves it.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this very interesting book.

WWII historical fiction centered on a young Jewish woman who is forced to work in a Nazi Lebensborn home while keeping her identity a secret. It was interesting (and chilling) to learn about the Lebensborn program. It was an interesting book, but kind of typical of the genre: atrocities, acts of nobility and sacrifice, romance in the midst of the horror, etc. Recommended for fans of WWII historical fiction.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book.

This is an interesting take on WWII historical fiction. I had no idea that these baby making factories existed! The writing is excellent and the plot kept me interested. If you like WWII, you’ll enjoy this book!

The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri is a story that took the author several decades to write. It is her debut novel. The story begins in the present day. Katrine rushes to her mother after she takes a fall off a ladder. She makes a very disturbing discovery under the floor boards in her mother’s closet. Katrine’s mother, Allina, asks her daughter for the opportunity to explain. The overriding question is will Katrine come to terms with what she wil learn.

The author writes this story in a dual time line. One is present day and the other just prior to and during World War II. Allina becomes a witness and a victim of Himmler’s eugenics program that ‘creates’ perfect Aryan children.

Allina and Officer Karl von Strassberg make plans to help the children who are rejected by the eugenics program. Allina and Karl were resisters who were trying to destroy Hitler’s Germany. Alina and Karl’s story gives the reader hope that there were Germans who didn’t agree with Hitler’s new Germany. Despite Karl’s ‘day’ job which ultimately makes his life a living hell, the author does an excellent job of making Allina and Karl sympathetic characters. The work the two did to save Jewish children from the Nazi War machine is inspiring.

Ms. Allegri clearly has done her research. Her writing is seamless and transportive. She brings the reader into the horrific moments of Hitler’s master race. Her characters are so well thought out and very memorable. The settings are so vivid that you can picture yourself at Houghlan House and the Sunflower House.

I highly recommend this debut novel. Ms. Allegri has a gift and I look forward to seeing what she has in store for us next.

I would like to thank Ms. Allegri, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 Stars

The Sunflower House packs an emotional punch. A tale of intrigue and romance provide the foundation of exploring Nazi Germany's government sponsored and sanctioned homes of the Lebensborn Program. The program's goals were to create a superior (read that white) nation of future Nazis and Hitler idolaters.

What made this tale a bit unusual for the World War II Historical Fiction genre was the involvement of a Mischling and a Nazi Officer. It begs the question: can the reader be swayed or empathetic toward a main character that is profoundly a Nazi? No spoilers here.

Told in a then and now format. A woman in her 60's finds a box marked by a swastika buried among her elderly mother's things. A pandora's box, if you will. Chapter by chapter the story of Allina and Karl is unspooled by Allina to her daughter revealing the traumas both personal and witnessed decades early.

As a debut novel, I am impressed on how the author was able to create characters that I could both love and despise. Though I feel there were a couple of time jumps, the Sunflower House will certainly satisfy those that love Historical Fiction and perhaps add to the knowledge that we readers often learn through such a book.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for an early electronic copy. All opinions are my own.

Allina was living a very happy and content life, until the night she loses everyone she cares about, and it taken by a German officer. after being brutally beaten, she is taken to Hochland Home. A home for “pure” woman to give birth to and then adopt out the next generation of the German race. What they don’t know is that Allina’s mom was Jewish. When she sees what happens to the “imperfect” children, Allina knows she needs to do something. Between helping others, and trying to protect herself, Allina is running herself into the ground. When she finds an unexpected partner in crime, the two do everything they can to fight Hitlers plans.


PHEW PHEW PHEW. This is NOT an easy read friends. Honestly, I kind of feeling like right now I can’t read cute happy stuff. It just isn’t doing it for me. Maybe my head is just not in a happy go lucky place so I can’t appreciate it? I’m not sure, but it takes me over a week to read a rom com, but a thriller or historical fiction? I speed through. Anyway, this book was absolutely fantastic, but horrifically hard to swallow at the same time. Reading about the baby rooms that Allina was working in just made me sick to my stomach. I don’t want to spoil anything but I just loved some of the characters, even though it was hard to justify the things they were doing in order to be able to help the Jewish population. This one will leave you debating whether what these characters did was “right,” or enough, and would be a great book club pick. I think it would lead to some really fascinating conversations. Something that really stood out to me while reading this book, was how quickly and easily people fell under Hitler’s spell, and started doing his bidding. It was impossible to read without comparing to a certain person running for president right now, and how easily we could fall under a similar leadership. So if I haven’t said it enough recently….VOTE!

Thank you to @stmartinspress for my gifted copy of this book!

“Secrets can’t exist in the light of truth, and while the truth can be painful to hear, its lasting gift is peace. I know this is true, because my mother taught it to me.”

The Sunflower House by Adrianna Allegri is the horrific story of the Lebensborn Project started by SS officer Himmler during World War II. Allegri gathered information over a 20 year period creating a masterpiece of a story that teaches people about the true monsters Hitler and his officers were.

The story takes place at Hochland House, the first home built in 1936, where hand selected women came to create as many perfect Arian children as they could so that the children could be adopted by German couples who could not have children of their own. This was a way to expand the German population and increase the “perfect” race. This did happen. But…… what happened to the children that were not born perfect and could not be adopted? How did the women survive having their children taken away?
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Katrina comes to take care of her sick mother, Allina, in 2006 and stumbles across a box with a swastika on it. She is scared, but determined to find out what it all means. Secrets of who her father was has kept Kristina and her mother apart for years. Is she ready to hear the story that was keep secret for over 70 years. Will the story of her mother’s life be the truth that brings them back together or will the truth continue to keep them apart?

This is an unputdownable read and an important one. As like what is happening in our world right now must never be forgotten, so must the atrocities that occurred during Hitler’s reign never be forgotten. The way to never forget is to keep writing about the time period so that we can get the stories in as many hands as possible. Thank you Adrianna Allegri for helping the world to never forget.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is an excellent story that must be read. It will be out November 12, 2024.

Language: PG13+ (18+ swears, 1+ "f"); Mature Content: R; Violence: PG13+
While I generally find WWII historical fiction books fascinating, this one hit my heart with too much pain. The descriptions of rape are not crass but are detailed enough to be uncomfortable, and I don't want to keep reading about these atrocities.
The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol, kissing, groping, nudity, and rape. The violence rating is for corpses, assault, gun use, and murder.

The Sunflower House is the story about Lebensborn program. I knew nothing about this prior to reading about it. To say that I'm shocked and horrified is understatement. Wondering how such evil could exist is beyond me. I've taken this story into my heart and mind as a reminder of what could happen again in the future. The story resonates with on a personal level as a mother. I highly recommend this book.

I had no idea about the Lebensborn Program and the Lebensborn Houses and this program during the war. I learned so much through the eyes of Allina, Karl and the rest of the characters. The story of Allina and Karl and their determination to protect as many children as possible was incredible. They took extreme risks in the face of danger. I did not want to stop reading. I look forward to the next books this debut author writes.

A read that brings to light some of the atrocities that happened during the reign of terror of WWII.
This is a fictional read, based on truth, and the author brings this story alive, she gives us main characters that are fictional, but based on Lebensborn Program, a real program that was in place to make a strong Aryan race of people. The author brings to light the horrible, sterile conditions these poor babies lived in, and what happens to those that don't make the cut.
I really loved the way this story begins, and then how it is told, what a great opening to share this horrible time in the world's history.
The author also give us some great notes at the end of this book, and such insight into the horrible happenings that were occurring!
A story that would make a great movie, and should be a mandatory read!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher St. Martin's Press, and was not required to give a positive review.

Sometimes, one unforgettable story, like The Sunflower House, comes along and touches me deeply with its resilient characters, formidable plot, and extremely beautiful and heartbreaking love story.

Allina is a strong and spirited young woman in a time when personal convictions can get you killed. I can’t imagine the terror and loneliness she experienced while trying to keep a dangerous secret and survive during the war. Her love of the children at Hochland Home gives her purpose as she tries to save as many as she can from the atrocities being inflicted on innocent people.

Allina is understandably reticent of everyone around her, and when the kind and thoughtful SS officer, Karl, takes an interest in her, she is extremely wary. Karl has his own deadly secret and elicits Allina’s help for his cause. Their love story is beautiful, but their partnership is rife with risks and difficult choices that ripped my heart out. Historical fiction/romance during WWII is challenging to balance between good and evil, and Karl’s character is so complex and tragic as he fights for his country in his own way but loses his soul in the process. The way he protects Allina and his daughter, Katrine, is extraordinary.

Ms. Allegri does an excellent job explaining the Lebensborn Program, which was a genuine state-run baby factory established by the Nazis to perpetuate the Aryan race. It has been recorded that German women volunteered as part of the war effort, but it’s likely, as in Allina’s case, that not all women were given a choice. The two timelines with Allina’s grown daughter and Allina’s journey as a young girl are skillfully woven together as mother and child come together over tragedy.

I could not put this book down. This exceptional story has left an indelible mark on my heart and mind, earning its rightful place among my favorite reads of the year.

Thank you to Ms. Allegri for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

Absolutely couldn't put this book down. It was so emotional and heartbreaking to read this story but the author wrote it beautifully. Thank you very much for allowing me to read this and leave my opinion. Thank you to the author and the publisher for this book .