Wow this book is just wow. It gave me similar vibes to Kristin Hannah. This story was so impactful and full of information about things most people don’t know about. Hell I didn’t know about it until I read this book. This book broke my heart but I also couldn’t put it down!

Those World War II historical fiction books have become quite popular these days. Especially those that have more of a social aspect rather than a military theme. Admittedly, for some reason, I too tend to love those books. Just something about them resonate with my interests. But after reading so many of them, they start all reading the same with the same basic plots. This book, The Sunflower House, has a bit different slant. One that will appeal to some readers while others might find it a little more difficult to come to terms with. Personally, I enjoyed exploring a different angle.

The story is about the Nazi Lebensborn home, Hochland Home, initiated by Heinrich Himmler. A place where the Aryan eugenics program was instituted and practiced to further the Fuhrer's dream of a Master Race. Fictional characters were created to play out the parts of the characters in this nest of a dystopian baby making agenda. The horrors that took place were downplayed to make for an easier read for those who can not stomach what went on in these homes. Oddly enough, a love story blooms out of the ashes which many will find enduring and get caught up in. It's between the protagonist Allina and a somewhat powerful Gruppenführer who isn't all that he seems to be. These two lovers have much in common that isn't apparent to those who run and are part of the home, but I don't want to give away details as it's best to discover them on your own.

It all starts with Allina's deathbed confession to her daughter many years later. As you can imagine, some of this story is predictable, yet still offers up a few surprises. Worth reading if these are the sort of stories that you like. I enjoyed the book, though found it to be yet another one of those social WW II stories of those caught up in the horrors of the times. Contains a fair balance of terror, though somewhat tempered, with some heart wrenching endearing moments.

The Sunflower House is a book that you will not want to put down! It is a story of love and loss and the secrets that must be kept in order to survive. This was my first introduction to the Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany through the eyes of Allina Strauss, a nurse who worked in the Hochland Home. She and her love, Karl, a high ranking SS officer, are committed to helping the neglected children of Hochland House.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley. I read a lot of WWII historical fiction so I have heard of these types of Nazi baby-making places before, but this one is very compelling. It was interesting to read about Allina and Karl's Jewish heritage while they were each involved in the German war machine in different ways. I would've liked more details about Karl's fictional attempted assassination of Adolf Hitler. I had a hard time putting this book down. The writing was very good and the characters likeable.

The Sunflower House was absolutely breathtaking and beautifully written. This beautiful tragic story takes you back in time to WWII when hatred towards those who were deemed unworthy killed millions and amplified secrecy in order to survive. Allina and Karl’s story was filled with so much love for each other that it made all the secrets and planning worth fighting for.

This novel was a heartbreaking and remarkable read. This was a novel about a a woman's life in the Lebensborn Program in WW2 Germany. The main character, Alina Strauss, has gone through so much and despite the odds she managed to survive and build a new life for herself. This story sheds a light on real programs and tragedies that occurred in Germany during WW2 and it is an amazing and insightful read.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC of this amazing novel!

This is the second book I’ve read about the Nazi run Hochland Home in Germany. Once again, the lunacy of the Nazi’s directives are appalling. There were several quotes and Hitler praise services that caught my attention as particularly appalling.

I thought Sunflower House 🌻 was very well written with interesting characters—many of them likable. I really liked Allina and Karl, of course, along with Allina’s friend Rella. I could hardly stop reading, once their story began.

Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri is one of the best books that I have read about World War 2. It was so heartbreaking to read about all the cruel things that happened to the children in the Lebensborn Program that was put in place by the Nazis. The story was very fast paced and informative. I loved the love story between Allina and Karl. There were so many secrets that had to be kept. I highly recommend this book. It will be released November 12,2024.
Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s press and the author for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

There is so much to say about this book. The story of love and sacrifice. Friendships that bloom in the most difficult circumstances. This was an interesting take of WW2 and just gives a glimpse from another perspective the terror that happened so long ago. How the strength and perseverance can be hidden so well no one sees until decades later and only by finding an item hidden in a floor board. This story will stay with me for years. The author did a fabulous job between the past and the present. Story-telling at its finest.

I am thankful to the author and netgalley for the opportunity for an early read. ❤️❤️

Wow. This historical fiction novel sheds light on the Lebensborn program in Nazi Germany during WW2. Allina is living a happy life with her aunt and uncle and engaged to man she loves, until everything is ripped away from her and she’s forced to move to the Hochsland Home. As she navigates the rules of the place, she finds friendship and love in unexpected ways.

For someone who knows only what school textbooks have taught me about this time period, this novel was eye opening and heart breaking. A great read for any audience.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the arc.

What a great debut! If you love emotional and heartbreaking WWII stories with strong female leads, go ahead and pick this one up when it publishes in November.

This book follows Allina Strauss, a German girl in a rural town. Her village is attacked, and she is taken to work as a nurse at a Lebensborn house. Years later, her daughter finds a hidden box with a swastika on top. What has her family been hiding all these years?

This was a wonderfully written and researched story. I rooted for Allina from the start as she did her best to help as many people as she could, all while trying to cope with her grief and trauma and survive.

Moments of beauty were juxtaposed with detailing the atrocities at this time. Some parts were very difficult to read, but then there were lighthearted moments intertwined with Allina falling in love and all the friendships she made. This helps the reader feel a sense of hope.

🚫 TW: SA, child abuse/neglect

This is a fascinating look at the horrors of Nazi Germany and its after-effects all the way into the present. It begins in the summer of 1938 with Allina and Albert as Albert leaves for Berlin and Allina makes some frightening discoveries. It's one of those novels that you have trouble believing what you read as it exposes facts we don't often learn from the history books we read as children. But it's also a love story and a tale of compassion even as we witness the atrocities that the war caused.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

What a beautifully tragic story. This historical tale set in both the present and right before World War II. When Katrina finds a wooden box with a swastika on the cover, she knows she must ask her mother, Allina Strauss about it. Allina was raised by her Aunt and Uncle in a quiet German village but as the Nazis come into power, the village and its villagers begin to change. Allina is caught in the aftermath and sent to become a nurse at a Nazi baby factory. This story tells about the horrific time during the rise of the Nazi party, the unimaginable, the terror and as well the perseverance for believing and doing what is right even when it costs you.

The author captures the horrors of this timeframe as well as the beauty that can be found in those dark times. Well researched and although a fiction, the accuracy presented provides a detailed scene in which the story unfolds. Well done, this is a story worth reading.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. It’s challenging to say I ‘enjoyed’ this book given its subject matter, which details the horrific experiences of children in Nazi Germany. Although I had some prior knowledge of the Lebensborn program, this book was exceptionally well-researched and seamlessly wove a poignant story into such a dark period. I particularly appreciated how the author skillfully alternated between past and present narratives.”

The Sunflower House offers a deeply immersive and haunting portrayal of the Lebensborn Program during WWII in Germany. The story masterfully navigates the treacherous social landscape of the era, where characters must maneuver carefully to avoid raising suspicions while confronting the harrowing reality of friends and loved ones turning into threats.

The narrative is both poignant and beautifully written, capturing the emotional and psychological turmoil of the characters with remarkable clarity. The author's skillful storytelling ensures that the book resonates deeply with readers, making it a compelling read from start to finish.

The authenticity and intensity of the experiences depicted in The Sunflower House speak for themselves, requiring little external praise. However, potential readers should be aware of the sensitive content and read the trigger warnings before diving into this powerful story.

Overall, I highly recommend The Sunflower House for its exceptional writing and its unflinching exploration of a dark chapter in history. This book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity.

Adriana Allegri has written a remarkable, story of determination and survival in the time of the German occupation in World War II. I never heard of the Lebensborn baby program in which pregnant German women deemed “racially valuable” were encouraged to give birth.The Nazi authorities created this to increase Germany’s population and included the kidnapping of scores of innocent children. Horrifying.

Growing up with her aunt and uncle, Allina has lived a good life, even within Nazi Germany. Although she is part Jewish, no one but her relatives are aware, allowing her to live peacefully. When war breaks out, Allina must flee to protect that secret, finding shelter as a nurse at a Lebensborn home, a facility for pure Aryan mothers to give birth to more babies for the Reich. What she discovers there is more than a maternity home, and a chance meeting with Karl, a high up SS officer with secrets of his own, leaves them both in a perilous situation.

I can't believe this was the author's debut novel. It is so well written and very well researched.. The reader becomes completely enmeshed in Allina's story and her desire to help the children, then add in Karl and his desire to help her and the secrets he knows, and you have an absolutely can't put it down type of book. I definitely will be reading the next books from this author!

I absolutely loved this book. If I had had time, I would have sat and just read this right though. I had never heard of the Lebensborn program that the Nazi implemented in WWII. Another tragedy of the Nazis & WWII.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A very interesting story about the Lebensborn Program during WWII. A story that took nearly twenty years for this author to write, as she wanted to take her time and research properly, and do right by what she was publishing. Despite it being a fictional story, the events have once taken place so it makes it that much more emotional. As fan of WWII stories, I enjoyed this very much and recommend it.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Allina has kept a secret from her family for decades. Now in her eighties, her daughter finds a box with some pictures. Aliina remembers that long ago time with trepidation. This book gives an honest depiction of what life was in Germany in 1939.