4.25. A very engaging WWII novel in so many ways. The story focuses on Allina Strauss, a teenage orphan living with her aunt and uncle in a small town in Germany. Her town is annihilated by the Germans, and is taken to work at Hochland, a Lebensborn facility with the goal to increase the racially pure and healthy Aryan population based on Heinrich Himmlers Nazi eugenics theory. A tale of secrets, cruelty, survival, and love. An interesting look at the Lebensborn program. The story also focuses on Mischlings and to what extent people went to hide their identities but also to save those subject to the cruelty of the Nazi regime. The story also touches on those serving in the Nazi regime, some in high positions, but do not agree with what is happening, and their attempts to try to make things better. Well done and great read Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for a candid and unbiased review.

Having read a few books that discussed the Lebensborn program, I had an idea of what I was in for. This novel was beautifully heartbreaking as it told the love story between Karl and Alina. Told in multiple POVS. this story was as much informative as it was enjoyable.

As we celebrate the 80th anniversary of DDay, the Battle of the Bulge and move toward the end of World War II, there are a plethora of WW2 releases, both fact and fiction. While a work of historical fiction, “The Sunflower House” is an interesting tale of a side of WW2 not often remembered. It is well worth the read.

Allina is a young German woman who is looking forward to marrying and raising a family of her own. Under Hitler’s reign, her life is upended when Nazis raid the village seeking a traitor. A nightmare ensues when she is taken “under the protection” of a Nazi official. She eventually ends up in a Lebensborn Program home, where “pure” Aryan women are expected to bear as many children as humanly possibly in order to further the Aryan bloodline and Hitler’s dream of worldwide dominance. (The Lebensborn Program was established by Himmler under the SS. Lebensborn translates to “fount of life.”)

The author does a masterful job of weaving fact into fiction, not skirting from the horrors and war nor the terror of the Nazi regime. However, there is a human side to war that is oft forgotten. Love can still bloom even in wartime, and this is no doubt a love story. It is a traditional love story between a man and a woman, but also between friends. “The Sunflower House” uncovers the best of humanity even in the worst of times. It finds hope when all seems lost. It is about digging deep and making a difference even when it could mean the ultimate sacrifice.
There are heroes in every war, on every side. Adriana Allegri has authored a beautiful story that reminds us of the horrors of history while providing hope and faith in humanity overall.

There are secrets wound throughout the book that I won’t spoil. Take time to read “The Sunflower House.”

A WWII novel set in Germany against the backdrop of the little-known Lebensborn, aka Nazi baby-factory, program.

But really, it's a story of love, resilience, survival, hope, secrecy, and shame. Beautifully written, with well-developed characters, this book makes me eager to read more from the author.

This is a poignant story that stayed with me long after the last page was turned. The story has many well-developed, unforgettable characters – some lovely and good, and some horrid. It begins in the present time as Allina begins to tell her story that takes us to Badensburg, Germany in 1938, when Adolph Hitler is Chancellor. The Reich is methodically ridding the country of the Jewish population.
Upon experiencing the absolute worst horror and brutality imaginable, as well as losing her entire family, Allina ends up in a Lebesborn home, one of the Reich’s most horrendous secrets. It is a baby factory where young women lived and gave birth to many babies that were adopted in order to populate the racial classifications of the Nazi Party. Allina is delegated to help the head nurse, in caring for the babies. She discovers a group of toddler aged children, kept hidden, that are not developing normally because of neglect and lack of proper nutrition. She is determined to save those children, as well as herself.
When a high-ranking SS officer, Karl, visits the Lebesborn, and becomes acquainted with feisty Allina, he makes a promise to her that he’ll protect her. His family home, The Sunflower House, becomes their refuge, when she can get away.
This story is very well written as a result of the author’s extensive research of this time in history. Although this is fiction there are difficult historical truths woven in this captivating, sometimes disheartening story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.

I read a very good book last year all about Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany. I had never heard about the program that was basically established by Hitler in an effort to get as many German babies out to families. Young girls were chosen by their bloodline, features, and beauty to procreate with German soldiers and give birth to superior babies and then adopted by families to raise as their own. Essentially a baby making factory. The whole concept is sad and the stories of women who were used and some who wanted to keep their babies but couldn't will pull at your heartstrings. Author Adriana Allegri wrote a beautiful love story amidst a time of turmoil.I loved the main character Allina and her strength and determination.
Allina lives a happy life with her family and has dreams of her future as a wife to her beloved Albert. Allinas family has been hiding the fact that her mother was Jewish and with Hitler on the lookout no Mischling is safe. Allina is sent away to work as a nurse at the baby hospital and her eyes are opened to what is going on in the world that she couldn't see from her tiny German village. Babies being born and adopted out, women being available for breeding to German soldiers, and older babies/children who are being left to perish all because they aren't perfect. Allina must be very careful who she questions as she must hide her real identity, but she can't help but want to give these babies the love they need to thrive.
As Allina learns more about Heinrich Himmler’s eugenics program she knows she needs to help, but how? Allina meets a soldier who seems to be different then the others and with him her true meaning at the home starts to change. She slowly falls in love and learns her place is helping these babies get the chance they need to find families. It won't be easy but Allina will finally feel alive and truly what it means to be loved.

I want to thank St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me
to read and review an ARC of The Sunflower House by author Adriana Allegri.
“Every mother of good blood is a sacred asset of our existence.”
It’s 1938 and Hitler is encouraging pure aryan women to bear as many children as possible. Hochland Home is one of many facilities in Germany helping to raise these children under strict supervision. The Lebensborn Program gave these children out to approved parents. The children who were not perfect were subject to medical experimentation and extermination.
Some tried to help. If they were caught, torture and even the firing squad awaited them. Allina and Karl did everything they could.
The book is gut wrenching.
The Sunflower House is scheduled to be published November 12th, 2024.

This text is a unique story about the little known Lebensborn program during the Holocaust. Although this is not a 'true' story, the facts and events are; they're just carried out by fictional characters who represent hundreds, if not thousands, of very real people. Karl and Allina's stories are as horrific as they are inspirational. During one of the darkest times in world history, there shines a glimmer of hope for life, love and survival. Told from a handful of viewpoints, and moving through time from now to then and back again, this story is unlike any other. The Reich attempted to assure a robust population after the war by encouraging select Aryan woman to bear as many children as possible via Nazi officers. Unfortunately, many of the children were not up to the Reich's standards and were not welcomed into awaiting German homes, so a solution had to be found. Each character's story unfolds and intertwines in such a way that it's difficult to know who to like and who to loath. Ultimately, in Allina's words, "secrets can't exist in the light of truth," are the words that will forever stick in my memory.

Allegri has thoroughly researched so many aspects of this text and shares many sources for those who wish to learn more.

My rating - 5 stars! What a phenomenal story! I have an inquisitive mind regarding WWII history and have gone down the usual routes! This story is different in that, how a woman managed to survive the destruction of her village to the SS only to be forced into service in a state run baby factory and uncovers, to her horror the notorious Lebensborn home! This story starts off in horror of the destruction of her village … to navigating her way around the SS soldiers who are constantly around the home to meeting and falling in love with Karl and finding out that they have more in common than the SS uniform he wears.

The author has spent almost 20 years researching this novel …. which is part historical, part fiction. I thought I had read it all, with all the different stories that are out about the Holocaust … but the horrors in this novel will stay with me for a very long time! If you are interested in Historical fiction you will thoroughly enjoy this novel!

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel and give an honest and unbiased report.

Another good book about WWIi and the atrocities that happened under Himler’s direction
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Being a huge fan of historical fiction, I devoured this book. I had never heard of the Hochland Home or the Lebensborn Program. No matter how much I read about the Holocaust time frame, I’m continually horrified at the cruelty and inhumanities done against humans. It is hard to imagine that some women actually agreed to and signed up for this program.

This is not a difficult holocaust book to read as many are. It is an uplifting combination love story blended with truths and historical facts. The authors research is immense. In the acknowledgement the author writes that this book was 20 years in the making.

The mission and belief of the Nazi communist party was that they must reproduce the next generations quickly and keep the genetic lines pure. Women were recruited, there was a comprehensive and intensive interview into bloodlines to qualify for this program. It was an honor to serve the Fuhrer and produce as many babies as possible. Awards and privileges were given to the women who produced many healthy children. They lived in a nice home, were well fed (during this time when food was scarce for many) and children taken care of. They simply had to procreate, reproduce and breastfeed the child. The rest was done for them.

The problems arose when many of these children, due to understaffing and neglect were deemed slow and disabled. No good German family wanted to adopt a child with disabilities. The book doesn’t go into gory detail on this but the children were either disposed of or entered into an experimental testing program to determine why so many were slow.

Allina is the heroine in this story. She meets and falls in love with a Karl a German officer. The story is told in two time lines. It is an uplifting, enlightening story of resilience and of the good in people. If you are a fan of historical fiction as I am, don’t miss this one. Great read.

Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for a ARC of this phenomenal book.

I received a copy of the book "The Sunflower House" from Netgalley. The book takes place during the start of world war 2 and the Holocaust. Allina had a good life growing up. then the Holocaust happened. Allina finds out her birth mother was Jewish making her one quarter Jewish. She is forced to work at a home that has women who are pregnant for Hitler to have "pure German babies' who are placed in German homes. Allina works as a nurse. during her stay she comes up the another floor of "home" to find there are children there toddlers, babies pre-school age who are "reject's they are neglected and treated cruely. Allina decides she needs to rescue these poor babies. when she meets Karl who supports Hitler' but is actually part Jewish himself but hiding this secret. He pretends to be for the maniac Hitler but really wants to help Allina with these neglected rejected children. they start of a place called "The Sunflower House" to rescue these kids. they both face danger if it is found out they are protecting these kids and they are each part Jewish. the book is based on real life events. the characters are fiction but represent the real like horror that went on and the heros who try to help these kids.

Adreana Allergri has created an excellent addition to the many novels describing WWII. In this double timeline "current" time is just a frame to explain the past, but the past characters are very well-rounded and believable.

Wow! This heartbreaking, heroic tale is a MUST read and one that will surely be talked about for a long time. I have read and loved many books based on WWII, but I've never read anything quite like this. This story is based on Himmler's Lebensborn eugenics program that took place during Hitler's regime. Women were encouraged and rewarded to breed like animals for their country in order to create a 'master race' of Aryan children with the hopes of ensuring that the Nazi population will survive and be even stronger after the war. This alone makes me sick, but what they did to those poor children! The lucky ones were left to be neglected and abandoned. Lucky may not be the right word choice, but compared to what happened to the other children, it's suitable. I cried and wanted to puke at the same time. The horrors of Hitler never cease to upset me. I think I felt every emotion while reading this story. It was beautifully written and engaged me from the start. I think this will be a top historical fiction read of 2024. Looks like it releases in November, so preorder and add to your TBRs now! I highly recommend this one!

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!

This was a heartbreaking story too read but one of truths of the horrors that heinrich himmler did..

The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri is about the Lebensborn program in Nazi Germany.This is a must read story.

Thank you st Martin's press and netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and isn't influenced by anyone else

I was very intrigued to read this because it’s not my normal go to book. I’m so glad I took the plunge because this was beautiful. It’s one of those books that will sit with you for awhile. It was beautifully written too.

I have read many historical fiction books that focused on Nazi Germany and the men or women at concentration camps. However, this book was very different in that it focused on young mothers and babies. I had never heard about the Lebensborn program. While the topic was heartbreaking, the story in this book was told with grace. If you like heartfelt stories about WWII, this one is for you.

What a gut wrenching story! The Sunflower house takes place around world war 2, and follows Allina. Her world gets turned upside down and next thing you know she is working at a nazi run baby camp. Will they found out her secret? Or will she make it out unscathed? Will she find love again?

This was my first historical fiction and I have to say I am hooked. The emotions scream out of the pages at you and Adriana does an amazing job writing this book. You feel as if you are walking alongside Allina. My heart breaks for anyone who had to actually go through this time period, I cannot image the strength it took these women. I highly recommend this book to anyone!

The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri The novel is an excellent historical novel that was informative about the complexities of the Lebensborn program in Nazi Germany. The novel focused on the on the emotional impact of the program, centering on the Sunflower House, Allina and Karl's involvement. The story is a heartbreaking and emotionally charged read but offers hope especially with little Otto's story.

Thank you to the author, Adriana Allegri, Sara Eslam, St. Martin's Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

In a sleepy German village, Allina Strauss’s life seems idyllic: she works at her uncle’s bookshop, makes strudel with her aunt, and spends weekends with her friends and fiancé. But it's 1939, Adolf Hitler is Chancellor, and Allina’s family hides a terrifying secret—her birth mother was Jewish, making her a Mischling.

One fateful night after losing everyone she loves, Allina is forced into service as a nurse at a state-run baby factory called Hochland Home. There, she becomes both witness and participant to the horrors of Heinrich Himmler’s ruthless eugenics program.

Wow. Just Wow. I love historical fiction that is set in times and places I know little about. While we've all read tons of WW2 fiction, this one is different. It stands out with the excellent writing, the new perspective, the topic of the Lebensborn project, and the outstanding characters. Heart wrenching, yet even hopeful through all the terrible aspects of history. I'm a huge Kristin Hannah fan, and I think this would appeal to anyone who likes that type of writing. Absolute gem! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!