Sunflower house has my heart.

The story of Allina who perseveres through so many horrible and tragic experiences through the troubling time of Nazi leadership/takeover and world war 2 was well written, engaging, devastating at times, and informative.

I never knew that houses like Hochland Home or that the Lebensborn Project even happened. Adriana Allegri was able to create and tell a beautiful love story in the midst of devastating truths and an environment where love and kindness rarely existed. It wasn’t lost on me as well how impactful secrets in a family can be.

I wish I could re-read this story for the first time & will absolutely recommend it often. It was impactful in the ways a lot of Kristin Hannah’s books have been for me- leaving me emotional, interested in what generations before me persevered through, and wanting to know more about our world and country’s history.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Adriana Allegri for the opportunity to read this amazing arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book was mesmerizing! I’d never heard of thus side of WW2, children to “grow” the aryan race. This book was so heartbreaking- I couldn’t put it down. It opened a door to learning something new -which I love. Thank you for the opportunity to read this fabulous book.

I loved this book. The writing was excellent. I loved the characters and the plot was engaging. I ended up binging it because I couldn't put it down.

I had stopped reading books about Nazis and the Holocaust a little while back. Why? Well, because I was going through a mild mental health crisis, and reading about the atrocities that were committed wasn’t helping. But, when St. Martin’s Press approached me requesting to review The Sunflower House, I couldn’t help but accept the invite. The blurb called to me. I wanted to see how Allina, who is half-Jewish, got involved with the Lebensborn Program. I also wanted to know what the reasons were behind her marrying a high-ranking Nazi. Well, I was very pleasantly surprised (and very horrified) at The Sunflower House.

The main storyline of The Sunflower House is centered around Allina and, to a lesser extent, her daughter Katrine. Allina is brought to The Sunflower House after witnessing her entire village massacred and being horrifically raped by a high-ranking Nazi. Her reason for being there is to produce Aryan babies for the Nazi cause. But Allina has a dangerous secret that could kill her if it is found out-she is half Jewish. While working at the house, Allina discovers horrendous neglect of the children, and she turns to Karl, a high-ranking Nazi with secrets of his own. An unlikely romance forms between them. Can Allina trust Karl with her secrets? Will she be able to find true love with a Nazi? Or will everything come crashing down around her?

The main storyline in The Sunflower House was well written. I found Allina to be a sympathetic and strong character. But, before Karl’s secret was revealed, I was slightly put off by her attraction to him. He represented everything that she despised. But, once his secret was revealed (actually, two, and they were freaking doozies), I felt a little better about her feelings for him. But still, for a chunk of the book, I was internally chanting, “Stay away, stay away.”

The author didn’t sugarcoat the Holocaust atrocities. During Allina’s first few months at The Sunflower House, Hitler gave a speech playing in the background during a pivotal conversation. The snippets of the speech (which was presented in 1938) gave me chills. There were talks of Jewish citizens disappearing and being forced into ghettos. Then there were the talks of the concentration camps and what they were doing in there. However, the author focused most of the attention on the Lebensborn program and how the children were treated.

As I mentioned above, Karl had two explosive secrets. I was surprised by what he confessed to Allina without giving away anything. But there was another, even more explosive, secret that destroyed me.

The end of The Sunflower House was bittersweet. I liked that Allina could tell Katrine everything about what happened to her. That answered some of Katrine’s questions about Allina’s past. The author did include an afterward that went more into depth about the Lebensborn program and its long-lasting ramifications.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Adriana Allegri for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Sunflower House. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

There are so many historical fictions about WWII that it's usually hard to be original yet Allegri definitely achieved it. I had no idea the Lebensborn homes existed and I was equally horrified and drawn into this story.

The main character Allina is a care free teen living in Germany when her world is shattered by the Chancellor Adolf Hitler. What follows is an inspiring story of resilience and strength. Through trauma and tragedy Allina finds a way to survive in the new ever changing Germany that gives her purpose and eventually love. I was scared to love Karl in the beginning but I loved his character and I think he added to the depth of the story.

That being said I knocked my rating down to 4 stars because there were parts of the story where I wanted more detail or it felt unfinished. It just kept ramping up and then would change direction and I was left wanting more of the previous parts of the story.

This was definitely a thought provoking book that I'll be recommending to any historical fiction lover.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Using the dual timeline plot device, Adriana Allegri's novel is a gripping account of the Lebensborn homes during World War II. I've read a lot of books centered around the events of WWII but this is only the second one I've read that even mentions the Lebensborn homes. For anyone that doesn't know, these were maternity homes that the Nazi government set up to encourage women to have more babies, the future of Germany. Essentially a breeding program. It's a horrifying topic that isn't often written about but this was an intriguing story of one woman's survival in such a program and how she tried to help the youngest victims. I definitely recommend this book for fans of historical fiction.

What an incredible debut historical fiction novel! I really loved this book, but be warned it is not for the faint of heart. It’s a hard read at times, but I think it’s important to learn about this story. I wasn’t fully aware of the Nazi Lebensborn Program, part of Himmler’s eugenics program, which was a home for unmarried pregnant "Aryan" women who were encouraged to have perfect Aryan babies and perpetuate the Aryan race. Ugh. Just writing that sentence is so very Handmaid’s Tale meets Project 2025. It’s a scary reminder of what could so easily happen in today’s politics.

At the core of these horrors is a love story between 2 rebels: Allina Strauss who’s German village is raided and she loses everything, and Karl a high-ranking SS officer. They both have secrets and decide to trust each other with them, and set on a mission to save as many of the children as possible. You end up rooting for them the whole story. The structure uses present day with Allina as an old woman telling her adult daughter this story–the story of who her father is which she kept secret her entire life.

I’m drawn to historical fiction because I like learning about history and this is a well-researched book and also a real page-turner. It’s heartbreaking and horrific, but most of all a story of survival. I would recommend this book if you liked The Nightingale, We Were the Lucky Ones or The Porcelain Maker.

CW: Rape, Child Neglect

**Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC**

A hard book to read about the Lebensborn Program in WWII Germany. Allina is forced to serve at Hochland Home, but she has a dangerous secret that disqualifies her from being a surrogate mother: she’s Jewish. She discovers several babies who aren’t perfect Aryans are being neglected. A revealing look at one ghastly aspect of wartime Germany, but definitely not a fun read.

What a beautifully written and powerful debut by Adriana Allegri that is heart-wrenching to discover. Throughout the riveting tale of our character Allina Strauss, a young woman forced into unimaginable choices, the seed of a love story blooms.



The story is told throughout two timelines past and present. This story is extremely well told with meticulous research from that period that brings to light a story I am so glad to have read. Completely recommend. 

If you loved The Women by Kristen Hannah this will hit many of those emotional peaks in such a beautiful way.

Thank you for the ARC to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and of course, the wonderful work created by Adriana Allegri.

I found this book interesting, as I did not know about the SS Lebensborn program. I enjoyed the story and found myself transported back in time with Adriana’s writing. The middle of the book became a little slow for me but I appreciated the overall quick pace of the story.

Wow, this is an absolutely incredibly historical fiction novel that covers a topic that I've never read about-- and I read a LOT of novels about World War 2. Allegri has managed to take a topic that is grotesquely fascinating and bring it to life in a respectful way while also create a captivating story. I am absolutely blown away by this book and think it will be one of my top of the year.

But, I think it needs a new cover. The current design is not doing the story justice, and I don't think it will grab readers' attention. This book could truly be the book of the year if it is marketing well.

Set in Nazi Germany the story follows a girl who falls in love with an SS officer? They both have secrets. This is a different look at what some did in the war to survive.

This book will bring out all your emotions. Allina has a Jewish mother in Germany on the cusp of WWII and has to change her identity. In a series of unfortunate events, she becomes a nurse at Hochland Home. There she learns about Hilter's program to experiment on less desirable children. With the help of Karl, she begins to save those children.
It is a take of love and loss. One of good vs evil. Such a compelling read. It has a slight dual time in it but it is mainly Allina's story.

The Handmaids Tale meets the reality of pre-war Germany.

From the first pages, you’ll know your heart will be broken.. The horrific Lebensborn program was new to me although I was aware of many other Nazi atrocities. Allegri takes you into its midst and presents the unimaginable compromises her characters must make to survive when solutions are not merely black or white. She masterfully walks the line between making it nearly unbearable to keep reading and yet impossible to deny yourself the satisfaction of knowing the whole story.

Featuring concealed family secrets and the unsettling realities of the Lebensborn Program, this novel provides a fascinating look into Nazi Germany. Through the perspective of Allina, a relatable and brave protagonist, we observe the shift from a peaceful existence to a daunting fight for survival within the sinister confines of a Nazi baby factory.

Karl, a former SS officer, weaves a compelling storyline full of suspense and love. Meanwhile, this book sheds light on a period in history that is often overlooked in its examination of atrocities during World War II through the lens of the Lebensborn Program.

In addition to its captivating characters, carefully researched setting, and thought-provoking themes, this novel represents an emotional journey of defiance and resilience. At last, a page-turner that will inspire and evoke emotion.

It's worth it.

am absolutely heartbroken.

This book is going to be my book of the year - I’m calling it. Reading about the horrors of what actually happened during WWII was absolutely maddening and awful. Following the story of Allina, from living a carefree life to being thrown into a baby factory and everything that happens in between and after, was so heartbreaking.

This is an absolutely beautifully written telling of a woman finding love and trying to survive in a dark dark world and I recommend absolutely everyone giving this a read.

This book took me by surprise. I wasn’t expected to cry or laugh as hard as I did. I loved reading Karl and Allina’s story. I would greatly enjoy getting a sequel more about Karl’s activities, and Allina’s uncle and Albert too. What a great book!

During World War II, Allina Strauss loses everything when her small German village and family are attacked. Being one of the few survivors she is suddenly placed as a nurse in one of Germany’s Lebensborn houses, a place where unmarried German women are taken in to increase Germany’s population by producing as many offspring as they can for Nazi families to then adopt.

In the acknowledgments, the author shares that this story was over 20 years in the making, and I can definitely see why. I could not put this book down! As someone who knew very little about the Lebensborn Program during WWII, I thought this was incredibly informative and a huge eye-opener to what the women and children of these houses went through.

Allina’s journey is a powerful and heartbreaking story of survival, strength, love, and female friendship during times of absolute horror and suffering.

The Sunflower House is a book I would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, like I do. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the early copy!

This was an amazing work of historical fiction, about a little known aspect of the Nazi regime during World War Two. Allina, raised by an aunt and uncle, is basically taken to a home for unwed mothers and babies. The Hochland House was a real place, and offers insight into troubling actions to further the Nazi cause and create Arayan children. I did not know a lot about this occuring, and found the book moving and educational. The characters were well developed and the fiction part of the story was well used to depict what happened. A difficult and emotional read, but one that needs to be widely read!

This is an amazing book. Definitely my top five historical fiction books. A whole new perspective on the “pure German” woman impregnated by soldiers in the Nazi regime. The babies that were born during World War II under Hitler’s reign is just another sick perverse twisted way of his abusive power.
Fortunately there were brave souls that would help save these children that were not “perfect”, along with helping the Jewish children escape Germany.
Thank you, NetGalley for this memorable ARC