The Sunflower House is a meticulously researched, well-written WWII historical fiction novel based on actual events. It depicts the brutality and horrors of the war, it focuses on Lebensborn homes. This was the first time that I was truly learning about this, and I have read a lot about WWll.
Allegri did a fabulous job executing this story in a fast-paced entertaining manner
The narrative was emotional and magnificently written. It took her twenty years to write this, it so worth this read!
I see this as a book club pick!
Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Sunflower House by Adrianna Allegri is a story of little talked about history and family secrets at its center. In a sleepy German village in 1938, Allina Strauss had an idyllic life. She works at her uncle’s bookshop, she makes strudel with her aunt and she spends her free time with her friends and fiancé. But with Adolf Hitler as Chancellor, her family is hiding a dangerous secret. Allina learns that her mother was Jewish, making Allina a Mischling. Everything and everyone she knows and loves will be gone in quick succession and she will find herself at the Hochland House, a state run baby factory as part of the Lebensborn Program with the purpose of creating the Aryan population. Allina knows she must keep her Jewish heritage; however, when she discovers a group of neglected, less than desirable children, she is determined to save them from the horrors of the eugenics program.
The Sunflower House is one woman’s story of determination to survive and resist against the powers of evil. I love World War II stories which bring to light the stories that are often forgotten or passed over. I had never heard of the Lebensborn program which the book’s blurb described as a “real life Handmaid’s Tale.” Where the Lebensborn program differs from the Handmaid’s Tale is that many of the women in the program willingly and proudly produced these babies for their country. This story had me hooked and I could not put it down as Allina risks her life for the innocent children in her care. There is a love story as Allina joins forces with Karl, a high ranking SS officer who is using his rank to subvert the evil plans. I highly recommend The Sunflower House. It is a story of love, loss, friends and the secrets we think are dead and buried.


The Sunflower House will be available on November 12, 2024
in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

"The Sunflower House" by Adriana Allegri is a haunting tapestry of memory and reconciliation, weaving together the fractured relationship between a mother and daughter against the backdrop of World War II's darkest chapters. Allegri's masterful storytelling employs alternating timelines, creating a palpable tension that propels readers through a labyrinth of past and present.

At the heart of this poignant narrative lies a journey of rediscovery, as mother and daughter traverse the landscapes of their shared history. The author's delicate prose illuminates the shadows of estrangement, gradually revealing the profound impact of wartime experiences on familial bonds.

Allegri's unflinching exploration of the Third Reich's Lebensborn program sets this novel apart in the realm of historical fiction. With remarkable sensitivity, she unveils the heartbreaking fate of women and children caught in the relentless pursuit of a "supreme race." Most strikingly, the author dares to venture into rarely charted territory, shedding light on the complex motivations of women who willingly embraced their role as unwed mothers in this chilling eugenic experiment.

The novel's alternating structure serves as a brilliant narrative device, each timeline shift leaving readers breathless with anticipation. This technique not only heightens suspense but also mirrors the fragmentary nature of memory and the gradual process of understanding between generations.

"The Sunflower House" stands as a testament to the power of confronting the past, offering a nuanced perspective on a dark chapter of history while exploring the resilience of the human spirit. Allegri's work is a must-read for those who seek historical fiction that challenges, enlightens, and ultimately, touches the soul.

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, for my free copy for review.

The Sunflower House is Adriana Allegri's debut novel. Years in the making this book is a beautifully written story about Allina Strauss and her life in Nazi Germany. The book opens with Katrine, Allina's daughter, finding a wooden box with a Swastika under the floor boards of her mothers closet. What happens next is Allina telling her daughter about her life before moving to America, something she had kept secret from her her entire life.

1939 Germany, Allina finds herself all alone and being brought to the Hochland House, a boarding house for women. Some of these women are unwed mothers, some are a part of the Lebensborn Program. Reading this book was the first time I had heard of this program. It was quite shocking to read about. During Allina's time at the Hockland House she meets and falls in love with Karl, an officer. However, things are not what they look like at first. Allina and Karl dedicated and risked their lives to save these children.

Definitely read the information after the story ends. It provides information about this time in history and the horrifying fact of how many children were born in this program.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of The Sunflower House for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and author Adriana Allegri for allowing me the chance to read this book in exchange for a fair review.
Present Day. Imagine you are in your mom’s closet and you stumble upon a loose floorboard, you open it up and there is something wrapped in a scarf. After unwrapping the scarf you see a wooden box with a swastika logo inlaid in the top! If you are Katrine, ya flip out, she has sooo many questions for her mother Allina. When she confronts her mother, Allina knows it is time for her to about her early years as a nurse in one of the Reichs Lebensborn houses, as much as she wants to forget that time in her life… she begins to tell her daughter of her upbringing with her aunt and uncle in the late 1930’s was and how she ended up running one of the programs for the Natzi’s.
In this well researched story we learn about another part of WWII that is not well known, the Lebensborn program. It is a program to increase Germany’s population by encouraging single Aryan women to bear the children of SS soldiers to help build the master race. I could not put it down. 5⭐️

This is a pretty heartbreaking read. We love Allina, and her story is a tough one to follow. But... BUT.. this story is more than just darkness. This story is absolutely about love and finding the light in a world where we don't always have control. I loved it!

Allina has the perfect life until everything comes crumbling down around her. Before she knows it, she’s lost everything she loves and somehow finds herself at Hochland Home, a place for German women to give birth to “perfect” babies who are then adopted out to create the next perfect German race. But when she sees what happens to the babies that aren’t perfect, she knows she has to do something. Allina is hiding a secret too: her birth mother was Jewish.

While at Hochland Home, Allina tries to steer clear of the SS officers who come to visit but that all changes when she meets Karl, an officer who is clearly hiding something of his own.

These characters are brave and scared and hopeful all at once. They make some decisions that are honorable and some that are hard to swallow. Because what do you do when you’ve pledged yourself to your country but you don’t agree with what you’re being told to do?

This is a heartbreaking story of secrets, assimilation, and love. Most of this book is hard to read, but according to the author’s note, the true story is even more horrific. And as a Jewish woman, I can’t imagine learning that part of my heritage as a teenager and then having to hide it.

Although I enjoyed this story very much, there was a lot of lead up to a very quick, slightly strange ending. And while I know historical fiction loves a past and present timeline, the 2006 timeline just didn’t feel needed to me.

The Sunflower House is one of a glut of recent books on the Lebensborn program. I'm not entirely sure why this has suddenly re-emerged as such a popular topic--perhaps our recent slide into conservatism. That said, I think Allegri's treatment is adept if not particularly complex or heavy. So much emphasis is placed on the highly improbable romance that the main themes occasionally get lost. I think it's a good read, if not a perfect one. I enjoyed it at the time, but, when writing this review, had to remind myself what it was about.

I was given an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley.com and the publisher in exchange for a fair review. Lately, World War II stories seem to have saturated the market, but this one stands out. The main character, Allina Gottlieb, lives in a small German town. When the Nazis take over, she is left for dead but escapes only after being brutalized by a German officer. Allina ends up in Hochland Home--a place for young German women who have children with German soldiers/upper class men in order to produce the 'perfect' race. These children are then adopted to well-heeled families while the birth mothers continue to produce babies. Allina becomes a teacher and, despite her fear of German soldiers, she falls in love with a German officer, Karl von Strassberg, who is not exactly what he seems. Author Adriana Allegri has done a good job researching and bringing to life a unique aspect of German history. Her characters are likeable, and their heartbreaks become the reader's heartbreaks. I have not read many five-star books this year, but I can easily say that this is one of my favorites.

I love historical fiction because I always learn some pieces of history that I did not know before and get entertained while doing so. This story took place in Germany during WWII at a Nazi “baby factory” in which they were enthralled in the eugenics program to produce children for German families. We follow Allina who is forced to become a nurse at one of these facilities and sees the horrors first hand. I found the history behind the story to be so interesting and something I never knew the extent of. The author clearly was very passionate about the subject and it came through in her writing. If you are a fan of historical fiction check this one out. Releases November 8! Thanks to NetGalley for early access to this title in exchange for my honest review.

4/5 Stars

I think it is easy to assume what you would do in a particular situation when it’s hypothetical. However, when your survival depends on it, it isn’t always black and white. Throughout the book, I found myself so conflicted because of the ethical/moral dilemmas and if you do good, does it outweigh evil actions?

This novel explores a love story between a Jewish woman, Allina and a high-ranking SS officer, Karl. Allina, who has hidden her Jewish heritage, watches her entire family and town destroyed by the Nazi’s during WWII. Allinia barely survives but is forced to join the Hochland House, a Nazi run baby factory where women of “pure” blood are expected to perpetuate the Aryan race. Although I knew of the existence of such things during WWII, the conditions these women and babies/children are subjected to is deplorable and heartbreaking.

Despite being an SS officer, Karl has his own secrets and although it takes time for Allina to trust him, he utilizes his rank to protect Allina as much as possible from the horrors of Hochland House. The two join forces to protect and save the children while significantly risking their own lives. Despite these efforts, Karl is still a part of the Nazi regime and to maintain his position, he will be required to act in a manner that creates significant moral/ethical dilemmas for him.

This is a fantastic historical story that will capture your heart, expose you to the horrors of baby making factories associated with WWII and force you to examine your own morals/ethics.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

#NetGalley, #TheSunflowerHouse, #AdrianaAllegri

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for the ARC of "The Sunflower House" in exchange for an honest review.
This may be the first book I've read this year what I wish I could rate higher than 5 stars.
With this amount of heartbreaking drama, heart-aching romance and constant suspense and dread, , I couldn't race through the pages fast enough. This fact-and-fiction mash-up places its characters in the most harrowing, dangerous time and place in world history - 1939 Germany, where Hitler and Nazi-ism are spreading like a fast moving cancer..
Caught in the maelstrom - orphaned teenager Alina Strauss, whose aunt and uncle have struggled keep the secret she's half-Jewish (or a "Mischling"). An SS raid leaves her remaining family slaughtered and Alina brutalized in every way possible. She finds herself consigned to work in one of the Third Reich's notorious 'baby factories' , hellish facilities designed to nurse and breed more Aryan babies to increase the 'Master Race' population.
Traumatized, Alina still survives as a nurse=caregiver to babies and toddlers bred to worship Adolf Hitler. Then she's stunned to be befriended by a young SS officer, who's hiding some life-threatening secrets of his own. And from this point on, their lives become enveloped in mounting peril, and such powerful emotional moments, they're guaranteed to bring readers close to tears and/or on the edge of their seats.
I'll give no more details other than to say 'The Sunflower House' kept me in a non-stop iron grip until I reached the final page. The lead characters may be fictitious but the all too true horrifying history surrounding them makes this one of most compelling reads I've come across this year.. Highest recommendation.

Set in Germany during WWII, this debut historical fiction novel centres around the Nazi's Lebensborn program, quite literally a Nazi-run institution whose main goal was to get young German women to birth as many Aryan babies as possible.

The story follows Allina Strauss, a young woman who is secretly of Jewish descent, who is forced to work at Hochland Home, assisting mothers and their babies while keeping her heritage a secret from those around her. Through Allina's perspective, readers witness atrocities in this 'baby-making factory' and how she helps these neglected babies and toddlers who were the mercy of the Nazi regime.

I already knew of the Lebensborn program before going into this book, but the idea of this program and the effects on the children were still horrific to me. That said, I was surprised at this story's lack of tension and my struggle to be engaged in the plot and connect with Allina. There are some shocking scenes but overall, this is a lighter historical fiction read, particularly when the second half leans heavily on a romance. I wanted more tension in the story and more depth and strength in Allina. Instead, Allina, who has much at stake, finds a powerful man, tells him all her secrets and trusts him completely.

This was an emotional part of history and I applaud the author's detailed research (readers who are interested to learn more should read the author's notes at the end of the book). This debut story about resistance and perseverance had good bones and will give readers much to discuss, but its detour into romance, its simple plot and uneven pacing were not well received by this reader.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to St Martin's Press for giving me a complimentary digital advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri is a heartbreaking novel about baby factories in Germany during the Second World War. Allina, a young woman, soon to be married living with her aunt and uncle lives the most traumatic night of her life. Following the tragic events that occur, she is wisked away to a house in the german countryside. What she discovers there will not only test her emotions but also her faith in humanity. When she meets Karl, she is swept up in the idea of making a difference in this world in which she has been thrown. What she doesn't know is that she will have to leave her feelings at the door and harden her heart to the sights which she will witness over a period of several years. Saving her daughter and protecting her from the horrors which she is forced to witness is the only way she can manage to survive and pay homage to the love of her life. Will the truth come out eventually and will Allina be able to forgive herself for everything she was made to endure? This was truly a well written novel about yet another atrocity that took place under the disguise of a way to make a pure race. I still find it mindblowing how people could have been so blind and could have allowed this to occur. Overall a worthwhile read that I would recommend to others.

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.