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.

I often enjoy historical fiction, but the WWII era can feel oversaturated. The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri, however, brings fresh perspective by uncovering the little-known, horrific Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany. I was aware these facilities existed to breed “perfect” Aryan babies for the Reich, but the book deeply explores not only the purpose but also the fate of these children. It shines a haunting light on this aspect of Hitler's eugenics campaign while also capturing the struggles of hidden "mischlings" in Germany who, like Allina Strauss, lived in constant fear of exposure.

The story follows Allina, a young woman forced to keep her identity hidden while navigating life in a Nazi-run “baby factory” at Hochland Home. Her courage in trying to protect the neglected children in her care, despite overwhelming personal danger, makes for a powerful and emotional journey. Her relationship with Karl, an SS officer hiding secrets of his own, adds complexity as the two face impossible decisions, driven by the desire to save innocent lives.

I appreciated Allegri’s meticulous research, as the book reveals both the everyday and unspeakable realities within the Lebensborn program. The portrayal of Allina and Karl’s determination, even amidst secrecy and betrayal, makes this an unflinching and compelling read. Although some events stretched plausibility slightly, Allegri masterfully balances tension and heart, delivering a story that’s both heartrending and illuminating. The Sunflower House is a moving reminder of the buried histories of WWII, told with grit and compassion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy.

A new author that readers who enjoy history will want to check out. In this very well researched book, the Lebensborn Program carried out by the Nazis during World War II is the setting. Family secrets come out both past and present in this emotional read. The main characters are fictional but the story feels real. I look forward to reading more by this author. Highly recommended!

This is wonderful historical fiction about the Nazi-run baby factories in WWII, designed to ensure Hitler’s dream of a pure Aryan race. The story is told largely through the viewpoint of Alliana, a young Jewish German woman forcibly taken to one of these baby factory homes; we also see the story at times through the perspective of Karl, an SS officer who comes into contact with Alliana. The story occurs largely in the 1930s-1940s in Germany but the plot also unfolds in the 2010s.

Having read Cradles of the Reich, I was aware of the existence of these homes, and that babies with disabilities born in these homes were used in Hitler’s eugenics program. The author does an excellent job of transporting the reader to 1930s Nazi Germany and the brutality of its leaders. At the same time, we also see that pockets of kindness and humanity continued to exist. The novel explores issues around choices people make in challenging circumstances, sacrifice, and the impact of the past on subsequent generations.

The writing flows off the page and I was invested in this story throughout; I didn’t want to put it down.

Highly recommend this debut (!) novel.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the ability and opportunity to read an ARC of this novel.

This is an absolutely beautifully written novel that tells the story of Allina, a carefree spirit whom is thrown into a baby factory during WWII. Not only does this novel address the horrors of this war period, it also shows the emotions, and horrific conditions people endured. I loved this book and know that many many readers will also find this one to be so good. It would not surprise me if this novel is talked about for a long time.

Rating - 5/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Date Read - June 26, 2024
Publication Date - November 12, 2024

*I received an E-ARC of this book for free in exchange for an honest review* - Thank you @adrianaallegri, @stmartinspress and @netgalley!

Historical fiction is a genre that I have read in phases throughout my life but it was a goal of mine to read more of it this year and I have! I got so absorbed into the story that I lost track of time reading. I was emotional at different times throughout the book and felt so connected to the characters. Reading The Sunflower House was a great experience because I did not know much about baby factories in Germany during WW2 but I learned a lot and it prompted me to do my own research too. I really appreciate that at the end, the author explains which parts are fiction and which parts are facts or true places, events and people. This book also has dual timelines and multiple points of view but the headers show when it changes and I found it very easy to follow.

If you like historical fiction about WW2 with some romance, you should try The Sunflower House!

Get excited to read The Sunflower House, available November 12! 🎉

*Please check trigger warnings*

It's 2006 and Katrine is at the New Jersey home of her 86-year-old mother Allina, a German immigrant who has kept her life before coming to America a secret. In her mother's room, Katrine finds a hidden box that contains shocking information about Allina's life in Germany. Allina decides it's time to reveal her story. The narrative shifts back to 1938 when tragedy forces Allina to hide out and work in Hochland House, the first of Heinrich Himmler’s Lebensborn "baby factories" where young women did their part to give birth to perfect Aryian children to grow the German master race. Undesirable children, however, met a tragic fate. Allina meets SS officer Karl von Strassberg, a man harboring secrets of his own.

Author Adriana Allegri began writing The Sunflower House more than twenty years ago. We're fortunate that she persisted. This is a well-done work of fiction centered around one of the many horrors of the Nazi regime, places where children were the primary victims. The author noted the challenge of piecing together information on the Lebensborn program as records were destroyed and people who participated had selective memories as the years went on. This well-researched book sheds light on valuable history. Allina is a remarkable and resilient character and Karl is a compassionate man fulfilling his duties in a uniform he despises. You will be moved.