4.5⭐
When I came across The Sunflower House, the cover caught my eye first. As I read through the summary, I realized this book was going to be a bit different than the rest of the WWII books I’ve read. I immediately knew I had to read it. There are many experiments and programs that were implemented by the Nazi’s during the war that I don’t think many writers touch on. The Lebensborn Program is definitely one of them. I appreciate all the research done by Adriana while writing this novel. I enjoyed all of the characters and felt connected to their stories. Such a heartbreaking time period in history, such a beautiful yet devastating story to tell.

The novel is filled with compassion and love and secrets as two people, who are mischling (mixed blood), try to hide who they are, while one is trying to save Jewish children and the other is forced to be part of the Nazi Lebensborn Program. This is a highly emotional and beautifully written novel. I hesitate to tell much more about the plot or characters, but highly recommend reading it.

Another historical fiction that stopped me in my tracks. The emotion this book stirred up in me will stay with me for sometime. I am always shocked each time a read a book about this time and history and the mindset of the dictators. Oh how we must never forget.
Thanks for the advanced copy.

Well written and well researched historical fiction novel about a Nazi program to create a master race and the children through neglect were disabled and then experimented on and killed. The main characters were part Jewish, hiding their identities and trying to save some of the children. The focus of the book was on their relationship and also on the woman and how she survived the loss of her family, village and being attacked. Disturbing book , the style of writing made it a little lighter than the subject matter

The Sunflower House is a captivating historical fiction read that focuses on the Lebensborn Program and eugenics during World War II. This was a new perspective for me, as the plot didn’t center on Jewish stories and the battles of war, but on the atrocities that happened to the German women and their babies who were part of this program. The story was fast-paced (I was hooked from the prologue) and the writing was informative and well-researched. Along with that, I thought the main character’s had interesting backgrounds (don’t want to spoil) and truly appreciated the way she connected their stories. Finally, I loved how Allegri wrote a love story in the midst of all the terrors of war, which gave me a sense of hope as I was reading.

Thank you SMP for the ARC.

There's not as much historical fiction surrounding the lebensborn program as some other topics so I was really excited to read this! It's a standard WW2 HF and met all the criteria that one would expect for this type of book... but I was really hoping it would have more on program and how it started/ran/ended but it's still a good book don't get me wrong. Some parts of the ending seem like they were mentioned as a quick way to tie up loose ends without actually putting in much effort so there's a feeling of unfulfilled storylines and relationships.

There are sources listed at the end so you can see where the author sourced information from and seek out further reading.

The Sunflower House by debut author Adriana Allegri is a difficult book to read because of the historical subject. But the author handles disturbing information about the Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany with compassion and historical facts. Women of “pure blood” contributed to the Nazi regime by giving birth to future Nazis. These babies were adopted by “good” Germans. But it is also a love story between a Nazi and a woman with Jewish ancestry. Both of them combine forces to save as many children as they can. But it is also a story about secrets. It is a story of ordinary people who resist evil in the world and the price they pay. I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy historical books. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced digital copy of this book.

The Sunflower House
By: Adriana Allegri

5 Stars

This story was one that will stay with me for a long time. I have always loved to read and learn about this time in history, and this story is captivating. It not only shows survival but is also one that shows the heartbreaking truths of the past. The writing was done in an enthralling way, and the story is thought-provoking.

Allina is shocked when her daughter finds the box that hid her past. A past of brutality and fear. A past of love and redemption. A past best left in the past. It is 1939, and in Germany, Hitler is in rule. Jewish persecution is everywhere. The box hides her life at Hochland House after her family is killed. A house for mothers to carry the babies for the German race. The house was a house of both blessings and horrors. Allina is forever changed.

I have always heard about these houses, but this story really shocked me. It made me want to study and research. Sometimes, the secrets of the past are not pretty. This was one of the best kept secrets.

This story will enthrall and shock. It will entertain and break your heart. It is one that needs to be read. It was an amazing work of art.


*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

A book that left me deeply moved. History provides valuable lessons for us to appreciate the present and look towards the future. Still, somewhere in the depths of our souls, there remains unfading pain from a historical period marked by the war crimes of Nazi Germany. Thanh you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the DRC in exchange for my honest review.

“The Sunflower House” by Adriana Allegri is an absolutely stunning debut novel. The book delves into the little known Lebensborn program run by Himmer during Hitler’s reign in Nazi Germany during WW2. Even reading as many books about this time in history as I have, I didn’t know the eugenics program actually had homes (baby factories) where unwed mothers were used for breeding perfect Ayran children.

The story opens with a mother’s deathbed confession to her daughter of her life as a nurse in Hochland Home where she met and fell in love with a high ranking SS officer, and together they committed to saving as many of these children as possible. The horrors and personal loss that she experiences are vivid, but so beautifully written that it is impossible to put this book down.

The book gives us insight to generational trauma as well as why secrets of the past are held so tightly in family’s. An important book where you will gain a great understanding about love, loss, betrayal and the will to survive. A special thank you to Ms. Allegri for giving us this story, I would give it a 10/10 if I could.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Even though this book broke my heart in so many ways, i really enjoyed it! Allina survived so many impossibles and remained always hopeful! There were so many aspects to this story, thank you for the arc!

The Sunflower House is a story of family secrets, love, compassion, and healing. The story is a dual timeline about a mother and daughter relationship. Katrine is "learning how to mother my own mother" Allina who is keeping secrets of her past. The secret comes out after Allina has an accident and Katrine makes a discovery hidden in the closet. After this discovery Katrine learns about her mother's life in Germany which opens her eyes and brings healing to their relationship.
Many details of this story are based on events and details from WWII. A time period where secrets were kept, identities hidden, and blending in could decide life or death. This story is realistic, emotional, and keeps you reading. I have read many stories about WWII but this one tells more on a topic I haven't read much on, the Lebensborn Project. The book kept my interest and had some twists I didn't expect. A good book on a difficult topic.
I received an advanced copy of this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book was an awesome read!! The character and scene development was great you literally can see everything as it was happening in the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning about a part of this dark history that I had never heard of before. This put everything in perspective and really opened my eyes to even more damage done during the Hitler reign. Himmler was such an awful person for doing what he did with children and this is just one more awful thing I learned about this time in history.

I highly recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this advanced reader copy and this is my honest review.

The Sunflower House was a stunning piece of historical fiction. After the death of her parents, Allina Strauss was raised by her aunt and uncle in Germany. This was during the horrendous reign of Adolf Hitler. Her uncle died of cancer and her aunt died a violent death when German troopers raided her town in search of her uncle. Her mother was Jewish but it was a well kept secret. She learned this secret from her uncle on his deathbed. In the midst of the raid, a high ranking officer found her and dragged her away. He beat her and raped her and took her to Hochland House, a home for unwed mothers. The women there agreed to give birth to Aryian babies to be adopted into what was considered good German households.

Allina served as a nurse in the house. German soldiers attended regular social events held by the house and the women were encouraged to attend. Allina never wanted to go for fear she would see her rapist, but the head nurse required that she attend. It was there that she met Karl von Stressburg. At first she was afraid of him, as she was of all men. But over a short period of time she came to trust him.

On the third floor of the house there were children that were deemed unfit to adopt. A doctor was taking these children and experimenting on them and eventually killing them. Allina became aware of this and wanted to save these children. Karl became aware of it too. It seems he was smuggling Jewish children out of Germany into England. Together they devised a plan to save as many of the damaged children as they could.

Karl won Allina's heart and she became pregnant. They were in love and decided to marry. She gave birth to a little girl and named her Katrine after Karl's mother. As it turns out, Carl was part Jewish as well. Karl's goal was always to protect Allina. When he got his marching orders to go to Berlin, he put together a plan whereby Allina would go to his aunt's house away from Hochland House. While he was in Berlin, he continued to smuggle Jewish children away. He got caught and was executed. When his aunt got word, she sent Allina and Katrine to America to escape.

I thought the author did a marvelous job of weaving this incredible story. It was tragic yet poignant. The author took me through Allina's, eventful and valiant life, I felt as though I was there. Along with Allina, I experienced her ups and downs, her successes and pains. Although she was devastated by her husband's death, she was comforted by the many children they saved.

This story was told by both Allina and Katrine. I was taken by this tale and gave it five stars.

The Sunflower House was an interesting historical novel and one that touches on a subject not often written about.
Searching for family these days will take you into places you might not really want to be and the Sunflower House is one of them.
Germany during the war was sending all their "Perfect Men" into battle, many of them never to return. How can a race that sees themselves as "Superior" not have a new generation of Aryian Men to continue the Master Race?
This is a story of German women who were tasked into making babies! It was a mandate of the German Reich that Women of Pure Blood would be kept for the sole purpose of giving birth to thousands of babies who were adopted out to "Good" Nazi Families. Part of the Lebensborn Program, Allina (our heroine) stumbles into nursing these babies. She uncovers Heinrich Himmeler's ruthless eugenics program. Horrified by what she sees, but has no chance to change, Allina must remain strong in order to survive. Should they find out that she is part "Jewish" will be the end of her!
This story had me totally engrossed. I had heard about the horrors of the Nazis, but this was an off shoot that I was not expecting.
Very well written, it is a page turner for those who like Historical Novels.

An interesting novel about the Lebensborn program, which fostered Himmler’s eugenics activities. The main character tells the story of her upbringing in pre- war Germany and the horrors that befell her as Hitler obtains more and more power. Told from the point of view of an Aryan German who hides her real upbringing, and who marries a sympathetic Hitler officer (who has his own secrets), this novel does not go into descriptive atrocities of the holocaust. Instead, it seeks to teach the reader, through a fictional route, what the Lebensborn program was and how it ran. I enjoyed learning more about this.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.

The Sunflower House is really good WWII historical fiction, and that's saying a lot considering how many books on WWII are out there. The book is very well researched and the plot is fast moving and interesting. While I knew a bit about the Lebensborn Program, I didn't realize how truly horrific it was until I read The Sunflower House. Allina is a great character very well-developed. and complex. It did leave some unanswered questions at the end of the book, but I still recommend it.

Adriana Allegri’s The Sunflower House is a powerful debut novel set during World War II that uncovers the horrors of the Nazi-run Lebensborn Program. It follows Allina Strauss, a young woman with Jewish heritage forced into service at a Nazi baby factory where she must hide her identity and fight to save the children in her care. The narrative is richly detailed and emotionally resonant, weaving a story of love, loss, and resilience. While the pacing can be slow at times, Allegri’s empathetic storytelling and well-developed characters make this a compelling and important read that highlights the often-overlooked atrocities of wartime Germany. This heart-wrenching tale will stay with readers long after they’ve turned the last page.

I can’t say enough good things about The Sunflower House. I’m so glad I got to read this book. I truly enjoy historical fiction books and this one did not disappoint. This was an account of Nazi baby factories. It was both captivating and disturbing. This was a fabulous book.

What a beautifully written story about the Lebensborn program in Germany during WWII. It was very well researched, and the historical facts were presented yet the heartful emotion of the story still came through. The loyalty, strength, dedication, and love that is portrayed by Allina and Karl is so strong that the reader feels a personal connection to them. This book was a perfect blending of fiction and non-fiction to create a memorable story.

Thank you Negalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.