An historical fiction based on factual events during WWII and the Nazi occupation. A young woman's life is severely tramatized, eventually landing at Hochland Home, a home for "pure" Germans to give birth to a future generation of Nazis. Allina has lost her home and her family, she must now give care to these children that were bred like puppies. The horror she will face as she does her best to care for the children and stay alive is told so dramatically, you can see, hear and smell the terrifying conditions she bravely faces.
The story is enoughh to stir every one of your emotions. The fact that it is based on realities faced in the not so far distant times, makes it doubly so. This history must be shared so it is never repeated.

This book provides a new take on WWII historical fiction, in focusing on the sobering story of the ss Lebensborn program, which was part of Heinrich himmler's eugenics program. I had previously heard of eugenics, but I had no idea there were actual facilities set up all over Germany before and during WWII where Aryan women were sent for the sole purpose of bearing as many Aryan children as possible. These homes hosted visits from SS soldiers, with the goal of producing as many future soldiers for Hitler's armies as possible. Most of the babies born to these homes would be adopted out to Nazi couples, while others who failed to thrive were mysteriously sent away.

The Sunflower House is the story of a young girl, Allina, who has lost everything she knew (loving adoptive grandparents, her hometown, friends, and beloved fiance) shortly after discovering she descends from a Jewish mother. After soldiers had massacred most of her neighbors, friends and grandmother she is sent to a Lebensborn home where she will work as a nurse and caretaker for the mothers and children there.
As the story unfolds, she attempts to heal from her trauma and is tempted to trust in love yet again.
Can she allow herself to fall in love with the kindhearted SS soldier who seems anything but the brutal, domineering man she at first assumed he was? Will she make it out of the war safe and alive? What will become of the children at the home?

This novel had me unable to put it down, and is full of twists and turns along the way. It is a heavy read, and isn't a lighthearted tale by any means, but that doesn't mean the book is devoid of hope.
Trigger warnings: rape, death, war brutality, genocide, abuse.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Allina Strauss’s life seems idyllic: she works at her uncle’s bookshop, makes strudel with her aunt, and spends weekends with her friends and fiancé. But it's 1939,and Adolf Hitler is Chancellor, and Allina’s discovers a terrifying secret—her birth mother was Jewish, making her a Mischling. One fateful night after losing everyone she loves, Allina is forced into service as a nurse at a state-run baby factory called Hochland Home. There, she becomes both witness and participant to the horrors of Heinrich Himmler’s ruthless eugenics program.

The Sunflower House is a meticulously-researched debut historical novel that uncovers the notorious Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany. Women of “pure” blood stayed in Lebensborn homes for the sole purpose of perpetuating the Aryan population, giving birth to thousands of babies who were adopted out to “good” Nazi families. Allina must keep her Jewish identity a secret in order to survive, but when she discovers the neglect occurring within the home, she’s determined not only to save herself, but also the children in her care.

A story of one woman’s determination to resist and survive, The Sunflower House is also a love story. When Allina meets Karl, a high-ranking SS officer with secrets of his own, the two must decide how much they are willing to share with each other—and how much they can stand to risk as they join forces to save as many children as they can.

This is such a well-written book that it is hard to believe that it is a debut novel. It is apparent that the author did a lot of research into the Lebensborn Program. Although it is fiction, the author notes that much of it is based on fact. I had read another book on these "homes" but this one is the best one I have read with much more detail of what actually went on in these homes. Thank you to NetGalley for introducing me to this author. I hope she writes more books and will be on the lookout for them. I highly recommend.

Atrocities committed by the Nazis during the Third Reich have been thoroughly documented, examined, and commented upon. It is surprising then, that Adriana Allegri in her debut novel sheds light on a little-known program conducted by the Nazis that is as insidious as any of their other heinous plans—ss Lebensborn. In order to maintain population growth, the Nazis, specifically Heinrich Himmler, encouraged German women to copulate with German men—Aryan Germans, of course—regardless of marriage. Centers were set up where women were recruited to reside while bearing children and children could be raised until they were given to good Nazi parents. According to the author’s reconstruction, these residences also held “mixers,” where soldiers could choose a mate for what was officially called “biological marriage.” Women were given awards for the number of children they produced, culminating in a gold cross for over eight children. These awards were colloquially called “The Order of the Rabbit.” The author’s research provides a historical backbone of credibility to her book

Not just a documentation, the narrative of this very uncommon story is integrated by the author into a very common trope—the beautiful damsel saved by a handsome prince. The princess in this case is Allina, a mischling or mixed race girl, who is plucked from the rubble of her destroyed town by a German officer, raped in his car, and then dropped at Hochsland Home, the original Lebensborn center. Ultimately found not to be pregnant, Allina becomes part of the Hochland’s staff. Through her eyes and traumatized sensibility, we witness the policy of Lebensborn manifested in the daily function of the home—the deprived children, the egregious “mixers,” the normalizing of a heinous policy in the behavior of the staff, the mothers, the soldiers, and of course, the historic figures who visit, particularly Heinrich Himmler and his wife. The author also salts the narrative with actual documents, and a Lebensborn naming ceremony.

At one of the “mixers,” which she studiously tries to avoid, Allina meets Karl, a highly-ranked officer—her prince. Although the author does a good job of not rushing them into each other’s arms, the reader knows they will come together as complications ensue.

Indeed, they do come together, and complications do ensue. Karl has his own secrets which bond them even closer, and brings tension to the outcome. Ultimately, those tensions come to a tragic conclusion.We know that only Allina and her daughter survive, because the narrative is framed inside Allina’s now-middle-aged daughter’s discovery of a wooden box t and Alina’s recounting of the tragic past. The author is to be commended for keeping us engaged with the story despite the foreshadowing of the frame tale. She leaves the reader with both a sense of the personal pain inflicted by Lebensborn, as well as the horrendous impact of another Nazi policy.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of this HF novel about something that happened in WWII that I wasn't aware of. Allina and her daughter are in present time and Allina is sharing the story of her past. A young Jewish girl living in Germany, who is capttured by Nazis and forced to live in a home where women are having babies with Nazi soldiers to continue to populate the perfect Ayran race. These programs happened and it resulted in the loss of many children and women, beyond the torment and torture. Allinas brave story is told in past and present, and it was a difficult story to read. This story is touching and moving and is very well done.

🌻 BOOK / REVIEW 🌻

WOW.

Loved this book. #thesunflowerhouse by @adrianaallegri is a WW2 story that not many are aware of (including myself) and boy, this was a hard one to read 😳.

If you're a huge #historicalfiction buff like me, it can be hard to find books with unique storylines and characters, but this was an incredibly interesting departure from the normal ones I read. I had knowledge of the Lebensborn program, but what I learned shocked me. The story was told beautifully, but it definitely haunted my thoughts.

There is an incredible relationship between Allina and Karl ... one I wasn't certain I wanted to progress when the story began. It ended up being such a bright and positive aspect to an otherwise harrowing story. The mutual love and respect they shared was very special.

While they couldn't save every child who went through this program, they helped so many escape death. I am very interested in learning more about #eugenics and Hochland Home.

Strongly suggest reading this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫. Thank you @stmartinspress @netgalley for my #gifted copy!

Loved this historical fiction! I loved the characters in this book! The plot was entertaining and held my attention from start to end! I was hooked on this story and loved how the Lebensborn Program was portrayed! Loved how much research went into this book! Definitely worth the read!

Wow! Have your tissues ready when you read this one! I read most of the novel in one sitting, not being able to put it down. Prior to reading this, I had never heard of Lebensborn homes. This story follows a young woman who, by fate, ends up in a Lebensborn home, a place for women to live and breed future Nazis. Allina does what she can to provide the children education and save them from being tested on due to lack of education, social interactions, and physical exercise. This was a beautifully written piece of historical fiction. 5/5 stars!

I was giving this Arc in exchange for my unbiased review.

In her novel that was twenty years in the making, Allegri writes about Hochland Home , the first Lebensborn home, Heinrich Himmler’s ruthless eugenics program that was opened in 1936. The Sunflower House is a work of fiction, but based on historical facts. The novel also covers generational secrets and identity and what happens when secrets are exposed to the light. A tale of survival in the midst of horrific circumstances and standing up for what’s right. A meticulously researched novel that is a compelling read. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

WWII books are a dime a dozen and I usually avoid them, but Sunflower House was a brilliant surprise, introducing me to a facet of Nazi Germany that I didn’t even know existed: a birthing program designed to populate the world with as many pure blooded Germans as possible. Those children who were born imperfect were almost always sacrificed for the cause.
The book is written in two different timelines: present day and the past. It was very effective and I could not put it down. The way the story unfolded was so emotional and well written. An incredible debut!

This book was a well researched and well written story about family secrets. Adriana Alleged manages to capture all of the characters emotions really well. Thanks #NetGalley #StMartinsPress

This was a beautiful book! It’s hard to capture the atrocities of this time period and mingle it with the hope found in the helpers. The author did a fabulous job with this- the writing was spectacular. As with any war story, there were moments that were hard to read. However, there was hope prevalent throughout. The romance was a slow build and was beautifully done. I absolutely loved my time with this one!

I was hoping for more historical fiction and less romance so this was not the novel I expected it to be.

I’m an avid WW2 historical fiction reader, so I was very excited to read The Sunflower House. This story is jumps between two timelines— present day and during ww2. This was the first book I’ve read that dove into the Lebensborn program. I appreciate the research this author did to bring this emotional yet important story to life. I also found out that this is a debut novel! Incredible. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of Adriana Allegri’s work. This was a heartbreakingly beautiful novel.

The Sunflower House is a debut novel about WWII that tells the story of a young woman named Allina and an SS officer, Karl, and the ways their lives changed once Hitler came to power. This story had me hooked from the beginning. I enjoyed the dual timelines, the different POV's, and the well-researched aspect of the Lebensborn program. Allegri does a beautiful job of capturing the pain, the heartache, and even the hope that people held on to. I feel like I can't say too much without spoiling it, but I absolutely loved this book. It brought light to different aspects of WWII that aren't always talked about and the ending had me in tears.

The Sunflower House is a hauntingly beautiful tale. While the story is fictional based on WWII, the author’s research pours through the pages.


My attention was instantly captured, and I was unable to put this book down even though it was so difficult to read at times.


Adriana Allegri weaves this incredible story blending past and present through multiple POVs. While I did prefer the chapters with Allina in the past, the entire book is interesting. I’m still in awe that this is her debut novel.


Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Sunflower House
By Adriana Allegri

Many books have been written about World War II – stories about the plight of the Jews, Gypsies, and others under the Nazi reign of terror. This book is different. It is told from the standpoint of Germans working from inside the system – indeed from the very heart of the dreaded SS – to thwart Hitler and his cronies and to save as many lives as possible.

The story begins in New Jersey, many years later, where Katrine, a middle-aged woman, is trying to care for her mother after a fall. Katrine stumbles upon a beautiful wooden box with a swastika on the lid. Finally her mother – Allina – decides that she must tell her daughter the story behind the contents of the box.

A young woman, Allina Strauss, lives in the small town of Badensburg with her aunt and uncle as the Nazis are gaining control over the country. On one horrific day the SS comes to town and massacres the townspeople for harboring fugitives from the government. Allina, a beautiful young woman, is brutalized by several SS men and ultimately raped by an officer.

On the chance that she might be pregnant the officer takes her to Hochland Home, a Nazi facility where good German women are expected to fulfill their duty to the Reich by bearing multiple children to replenish the ranks of soldiers killed in war. German SS officers come there to hook up, socialize and ultimately to impregnate these women.

It is there that Allina meets Gruppenfuhrer Karl von Strassberg. At first she reacts to him as she does to all men in uniform – with fear and loathing. But Karl learns her story and pursues her gently and with great patience. As it becomes apparent that he loves her, Allina finally resolves to tell him her most closely held secret – her mother was Jewish. Instead of being repelled, Karl only becomes more protective.

There are many twists and turns as the story unfolds. There is much heartbreak. Secrets haunt them all. But the lesson learned here is that truths, sometimes hard to bear, will always lead you out of darkness and into the light.

This is a wonderful book about a terrible time, told from a different viewpoint. It teaches us that people may do evil deeds, but they are not intrinsically evil. And that good people can be found where we may least expect. It is well worth reading.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4.5⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: historical fiction📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
Such a beautiful yet heartbreaking debut with a unique WWII perspective. It was super intriguing, I didn’t want to put it down.

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Heartbreaking WWII reads
Lebensborn Program
Strong female protagonist
Powerful message of resilience
Thought provoking reads
Side of romance
Dual timelines
All the secrets
Suspenseful

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
Very well researched
The authors note

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
Some parts felt a little unfinished

The Sunflower House really does have a "Handmaid's Tale meets WWII" vibe and there is evidence that this probably did happen in Germany with the top of the Nazi organization wanting to create their perfect race. Beautiful women being housed and rewarded for procreating and with officers visiting to help fulfill that mission.

The "Haupthaus" part of the book was well done, in my opinion the author tried to introduce romance into the mix of this historical fiction and that part of the story felt too "forced" for me. I know many readers have rated at 5 stars, but The Sunflower House just seemed a bit "too romance-y" for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read the advance review copy of The Sunflower House in exchange for an honest review. approx 336 pages.

One of the best books I’ve read this year! The story tracked me in from the very beginning, and I couldn’t stop reading until the last page! 4.5 stars!