Every time I think I've heard or read everything about the war, something comes along and proves me wrong. I hadn't heard of the lebensborn homes and what they entailed until I read this. I do want to say that I have read a few other reviews stating that it's not historically accurate, but I think readers of historical fiction tend to understand that authors do take some creative license when it comes to these stories, and we do have some responsibility in reading nonfiction books about these things to understand the true nature of what occurred.

As far as the story itself goes, I enjoyed it. There is a lot of potentially triggering content, but I think that's to be expected with war stories. Allina, after experiencing a raid and major loss, ends up at Hochland Home, one of the many homes that are part of the lebensborn program. There, she witnesses the full extent of the program and everything that goes on. The purpose of the program is for women of good Aryan blood to give birth to perfect Aryan children in order to advance the race. These children are then adopted out to Nazi families for the privilege of raising the next generation, though some children don't end up being adopted, Instead, they are deemed imperfect and troubled, and end up in the care of Heinrich Himmler for nefarious purposes. Allina, along with her ally Karl, devise a plan to try and save these children, along with others. There is a lot of suspense and tragedy mixed in with romance and hope. It was a really good read, especially for a debut, and gave me a new facet of the war to learn about.

Allina has been brutalized and brought to Hochland House to serve as a nurse for the Lebenshorn Program. A program designed to perpetuate the German pure blood of the arayan population. Women getting medals for breeding the most children -Many of whom were single and proud to do their work for the Reich. But not all are perfect babies. They may have a speech impediment or a physical defect which has them banished to the 3rd floor where they have little interaction with adults, borderline starve and sit in their filth for hours.

Allina meets and falls in love with a SS officer who is committed to throwing over Hitler and the nazi regime through small acts of treason. Both are of Jewish decent and risk their lives to help save children to escape from Germany while also trying to rehabilitate those imperfect children to prevent their demise at the "labs" for further testing.

The history of eugenics is a well known yet disturbing piece of Nazi history. The fact that Nazis' didn't even respect their own is even more appalling.

This story does have some historical facts blended into it. The number of children sacrificed due to imperfections shouldn’t come as a shock but it did to me. All those 'successful' children bred for the arayan population were also quickly abandoned after the war leaving many to carry their shame.

I was hesitant going into the story given it's not generally a genre I choose. But I am glad I did. Personally, I did have a struggle with a scene involving rape, but the rest of the book gave me much to think about. Different timelines, the hardship, the drive, and the anger. In a time we're in now, I feel it's important for all aspects of history to be known.

While I'm not the biggest history person, my kid is, and I asked him questions here and there. He let me know this was a very well researched and written book. He can't read it yet, but he's added it to his personal TBR.

What a beautiful book. So, so heartbreaking — I didn’t want it to end because the setup meant I knew what was coming. But I also didn’t want it to end because it was a movingly written, moving story.

The Sunflower House is one of those hidden gems I always hope to stumble upon when reading new authors. And this is Adriana Allegri's debut!

This mostly fact-based WWII era historical fiction was gut-wrenching, hopeful, tragic, and absolutely beautiful. I love books that capture humanity at its best and worst. This book was a hard read in spots, but essential to our shared world history. If you enjoy historical fiction, definitely pick this one up!

This was another ARC that I am late to read, but thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary copy of this book, which was released in November 2024. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A gentle, heartwarming story about grief, healing, and finding beauty in second chances. Allegri’s writing is lyrical and comforting, perfect for fans of quiet, character-driven novels. The sunflower house is a beautiful symbol of growth and hope — this one lingers like sunshine after rain. Thank you to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley.

I love reading anything World War 2 historical fictions and this one immediately drew me in. I feel in love with the characters along the way while completing hating others. It was so well written with the defined changing perspectives. I enjoyed learning more regarding the Lebensborn Program and its dark history. Thank you for this ARC!

**Thank you to NetGalley, St Martins Press, and author Adriana Allegri for the ARC of this book**

I like Allina as a character, and I enjoyed reading about her bonds with other women. It has timeline switches which I am partial to, and it added to the book.
While I do have those positive opinions, the lack of speaking on the other atrocities happening during this time really dampens those warm and fuzzies. They felt glazed over, almost to make him seem more human in my opinion. On the other hand, I didn't know about the Lebensborn Program and its tragic history. The Sunflower House made me stop and research more and I still finished it in two days.

I've read a lot of historical fiction set in this time period and it is always difficult to read about the atrocities during the Holocaust. This story was even more so because babies and children were the focus of the story. We all know and have read and learned about what was done to all the Jewish people during that horrific period but many don't know about what was done to the children and the eugenics program that necessitated obscene experiments on children. What makes this story even more difficult is the current world climate. Every time a "bulletin" was read (or decreed), I felt like we are traveling the same path as those who lived then but hoping against hope that something stops it before we relive the same history in this era. It is difficult to say I loved the book because of the subject matter but I DID. Some secrets need to be brought to the light in order to heal and this story did what it set out to do....heal.

Thank you @NetGalley and @St. Martin’s Prss for providing me with this ARC.

Wow, what a beautifully written book! I read 80% of it this morning because I simply could not put it down. I have a deep appreciation for stories about World War I and World War II, as it's important to remember the horrors that millions of people faced during that time. We are incredibly fortunate to live as freely as we do now. "The Sunflower House" exceeded my expectations; at times it brought me to tears, while at other moments it filled me with warmth and happiness. It presents a somber reality but also tells a beautiful love story. It serves as a reminder of what we can achieve when we act from a place of love and work together without prejudice.

I love historical fictions and I love books about WWII. I’m fascinated by the stories of the Nazi ‘baby factories’ of war time and the Lebensborn Program. This book was so interesting. It grabbed me in a way very few books do.

Allina stuck at Hochland Home, desperate for work and survival during the war, but wanting to protect the young girls in her charge also.

I can’t believe this is a debut novel. Adriana is an amazing storyteller.

I love that Saskia Maarleveld is one of the narrators on this book. I will listen to anything she narrates, and she definitely makes the female voices of this story come to life.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for my copies of this book.

Even though I'm pretty much burned out on WW2 historical fiction, I will occasionally pick one up if the synopsis sounds intriguing. I'm glad I grabbed this one. It is not a book that will have you feeling like you're watching a Hallmark Channel type movie where everyone lives and the Nazis are just slightly mean. There are a couple of violent scenes where you might wish the author had chosen to "fade to black."

Highly recommend!

Netgalley ARC

I went into this one knowing enough of the history to understand what I was getting into that. That only marginally reduced the impact of the story. This is a heavy read, but I don't think the topic can be addressed in a lighthearted way.

Allina is a compelling character despite her horrifying story centering on the appalling Lebensborn Program. That program, and what happened to so many of the children there, is something that stays with you once you learn about it.

There is a secondary timeline set in the future, but this felt wholly unnecessary. It didn't add much to the story and was more of a distraction. I've noticed the trend is to add this to all the historical novels lately. It's a device I usually enjoy, but only when it adds value to the story - which I didn't feel it did in this case.


A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you St. Martin’s Press for this advanced digital copy. I paired the audio with the digital copy, and the audio was very well done!

Set in Germany during World War II, The Sunflower House is the story of one woman’s determination to resist and survive her secrets — it is also her love story. There was always so much at stake every step along the way.

This debut historical novel uncovers the notorious Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany. I am ashamed to say that I was unaware of these Nazi-run baby factories, so I learned A LOT!

This story is a real-life Handmaid's Tale, so take care of content warnings that you would expect to read in a story of this nature. If you enjoy reading and learning about this time period, you’ll enjoy this book!

I absolutely loved The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri—it’s one of those hauntingly beautiful stories that grabs your heart, shakes it a little, and lingers in your thoughts long after the last page.

I had to sit with this story for a few days after finishing it. I had put this one aside for a while as it is not in my normal wheelhouse but I wish I hadn't.

I was immediately drawn in. I loved the idea of a mother trying to protect her daughter from the family secrets and grief. The idea of the daughter finding these memories and the mother finally telling her story - it was heart wrenching.

I couldn't help but become fully entrenched in the story. I was unable to put the book down. It's beautifully written, haunting, thought provoking with a touch of a heart warming relationship. A reminder of the good that can exist in the horrific.

I commend the author for taking on such a challenging topic, sharing the realities, placing some good and hope in the story. While fictional, this story felt so real, so hard. I don't think I have the right words but this book will linger with me and looks to be at the top of my list for this year.

Unbelievable but based on truth. This book will assist the reader to find the inspiration for the book The Handmaids Tale in my opinion. So many things that would be appalling happened during the reign of Hitler and that continues to push the boundaries. This was a very well-written and engaging story. It centers around a young woman named Allina and Heinrich Himmler’s appalling Lebensborn Program. After a traumatizing experience in her small home town Allina is forced into service as a nurse at Hochland Home where young Aryan women are encouraged to procreate with the SS soldiers in order to populate Germany with children with blood lines. The book is well researched, engaging and well written. Definitely recommend. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin's Press

The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri is a moving WWII novel about a woman forced to work in a Nazi maternity home. Powerful and emotional, it reveals a dark part of history with courage and compassion.

I love finding new WWII stories. I feel like there are so many different angles we don't know about and The Sunflower House is a whole new angle. I enjoyed that this story was told by the main character when she's older and finally telling her daughter the story of both of her parents. The love story between the two main characters was beautiful. It was very heartbreaking but a top notch story.

A pleasantly surprising wonderful story. There was a time where I felt every story of WW2 had been translated into a historical fiction story. I have not heard of this story before, which I think was one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much!

The story of a house where single (or widowed) young women could go during their pregnancy and what exactly took place in that house are both saddening, heartbreaking and yet exhilarating. You can decide which parts of the story of which.

I have already suggested it to a few people and believe they, too, will enjoy the story.