Thank you St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a super deep, super heavy read about a horrible part of WWII (and even pre-WWII): eugenics.
Going into this book, I knew nothing about Lebensborn or eugenics or anything of the sort. It is not something I was taught in history classes. It disturbed me to my core.
We have our main character Allina, who goes to live and work at Hochland Home (a lebensborn facility) after the most horrible thing happens to her. I loved Allina. She was the perfect main character for this story. She wanted to change the program and actually help these children and treat them like humans. She despised the n*zis and their leader. Yet she does something I didn't think she would do - she falls for an SS officer, Karl.
I'm always iffy on books that feature members of the n*zi party as main characters. Karl is an SS officer. He is written well. He's also very ambiguous and I couldn't tell if he liked or hated what he had to do. Turns out he hated the eugenics program and everything to do with the state of Germany in this time period. Doesn't excuse his actions, though.
I didn't love everything about this book (like how our MMC is smuggling the Jewish people out of Germany but continuing to hide behind his SS uniform... which I know they had to do back then but this is historical *fiction*, it could've strayed from reality a liiiitle bit there), but I did love how this story was told and how much emotion was behind it, which is why it still gets five stars. It also taught me something I knew nothing about.
Overall, super emotional read with underlying feelings of hope for a better future. This book also reminds us that sometimes the truth isn't pretty but it should always be spoken.

This is such an amazing read. A lot of the content is very tough to read, but the most profound books are the ones that are tough to read and make you think.

We follow a girl that has everything taken from her. She is taken to one of the famous Lebensborn houses after being violated by an SS officer in the hopes that she will bear his child. Over her time in this house she uncovers horrendous secrets about the children being born in these houses and makes it her mission, along with some others, to save as many children as possible.

I loved this from start to finish. This is the second book I’ve read about these special breeding houses. It was just as horrifying this time. If you’re into WWII historical fiction pick this one up. You won’t be disappointed.

Katrine finds out that her mother, Allina needs a ride home from the hospital’s emergency room. Allina fell off the stool while in her closet. Katrine goes to her mother’s closet to take the stool away from her. She doesn’t want her mother to get hurt. Katrine finds a loose floorboard and prays it off to fix it. To her surprise, she finds a box with a swastika on the top — it is a symbol of hate with remnants of Allina’s love story. Allina tells it in one day. She tells the story of her childhood in Germany and her journey to America. She never told the story to Katrine. She explains how she left her home and is “captured” by a high ranking German officer. He delivers her to a part of Heinrich Himmler’s eugenics program, Lebensborn—a “baby factory” devoted to providing children to “pure” German families. At first Allina stays in bed as she can’t forget the horror she has gone through. Finally, she is able regain her sense even though she is very weak. They have her work in the office first. Eventually, she becomes a nurse. She is taught what she is to do with babies. They aren’t to be cuddle, sung to or anything that parents do. The nurse keeps all details on each baby such as weight, length, etc. the mothers of the babies sees them only when it is time to feed them. They are indifferent to their babies. Allina finds it difficult at first but appreciates how busy she is which keeps her bad memories from thinking about them. One night she picks up a baby and sings to it. She is caught doing it by a SS officer Karl von Strassberg, but he tells her, he won’t tell. Why? Allina worries about being reported for picking up the baby and singing to it. When Karl sees her, he knows that she isn’t like the other women that are part of the baby factory. He works at getting to gain her friendship so that he can ask her to spy for him. Why?

While the author does have some romance in the novel, it is also questions what is duty, morality, circumstance, and sacrifice is to a person. How far does one go? The historical details included in the novel are well researched. It is a dark part Of Germany’s plan for it to have only perfect people. it’s an excellent novel.

Beautiful prose. I love this book from beginning to end. I will recommend it to everyone. This author is new to me, but I will continue to pick up anything they publish. This book grabbed my heart and soul from the very beginning.

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕊𝕦𝕟𝕗𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣
𝗔𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗶
Historical Fiction
336 pages

Sʜᴏᴿᴛ Sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs
Alina finds herself at Hochland Home, part of the Lebensborn Program in Nazi Germany, known as a baby factory.

She catches the attention of Karl, who is a high-ranking officer in the SS. Will she end up like the rest of the girls there, providing “racially pure” children for Nazi couples or is there more to her story?

Mʸ Tᴴᴼᵁᴳᴴᵀs
This intense read gives a glimpse of Heinrich Himmler’s eugenics program. The whole story is upsetting, but what happened to the babies with special needs curled my stomach.

The fact that there were several of these baby-producing homes is flabbergasting. How could any human think any of this was ok?

The author did a spectacular job with this book. It starts in the present when a daughter discovers something life-changing about her mother’s past. Then, the reader is taken into the past to learn about what happened to Alina. Her story plays out and then brings us back to the present.

Emotions are strong throughout the book. It shows how brave and dangerous it was for those secretly trying to help those who couldn’t help themselves.

The story moves at a good pace, the characters pull at your heartstrings, and there is much to learn about this topic. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone interested in this topic.

💕Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing this ebook for me to read and review.

I was well aware of the Lebensborn program in which young women were housed in homes to satisfy the needs of the German Nazi military, while providing pure Aryan children. This novel did present the horrors of the Nazi era, the cruelty and barbarism. My only hesitation for five stars is my disbelief that an SS man, attaining the title Karl did, would risk himself for Allina, a young German girl of mixed Jewish and German ancestry. Otherwise, Allina’s story drew me in. When her daughter realizes her mother’s history, which changes Katrina’s approach to her life, their attempt to reconnect to their Judaism resonated. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I first learned about the Lebensborn program 25 years ago while watching a History Channel documentary. It’s popping up in more historical fictikn which is good because I don’t think many people are aware of it.
Allegri’s approach is a unique one about Allina who worked at the very first Lebensborn home.
It’s chilling but provocative.
I learned a few new pieces of information from the author’s note.
Topics like these need to be read and studied because they are a reminder of a painful past.

An emotional and haunting must-read historical fiction story. Fans of Looking for Jane would absolutely love this one. Although sometimes very challenging to read, it is important that Allegri bring to light the harsh realities of the Hochland House during WWII. I still cannot believe that this is a debut!

Another horrible piece of history from WWII is brought to life in a poignant and compelling story. Excellent debut novel.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Romance exits even in the presence of evil. This book is so well written that it is hard to believe that it is a debut novel. The author's previous work has been in the field of romance, but this one is about more than that. It is about a couple that meets under the most adverse of circumstances. The young woman is a survivor, the young man is as well. They have one thing in common, their background. He however is a Nazi; they are the enemy. The story is based on a true place that was part of the Nazi regime. A place where young women had children of the Reich. They were raised in mass from their birth on, many adopted, others by their natural parents. The circumstances were ones that caused harm to many children. It is a part of the horrors of the regime that is little known. The book has some well-developed characters and becomes the history of the woman who first finds the artifacts that will open the door to her history and her mother and father's past. I hope this is not the last book from author Adriana Allegri. This book is one of the best of the year.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC: This book was 20 years in the making. The author is a member of a romance group and I found it essentially a romance set in Nazi Germany in the homes to produce Nazi children. The horrors were mitigated by the romance--but that is not a detraction--it was a lovely book--well researched with well developed characters and the story is compelling. A solid debut. Enjoyable, informative and I found that re-reading the first chapter after finishing the book helped close the circle.

This was an amazing and so well written debut novel. The storytelling and vividness absolutely gave me Kristin Hannah vibes. Have I caught your attention yet? Lol

If you love historical fiction with a dash of romance i highly recommend this one. You get such an informative story about Germans who didn't support Hitler and some of their trials they went through.

This story follows Allina. When I tell you that it's horrific, gut wrenching, heartbreaking and so much more I don't say it lightly. Her journey is something I absolutely could not fathom. Her survival in such a dark environment was humbling. I really can't say enough about this book and the audio was just as fantastic! I'm so excited to see what this author releases next!

WWII 1939 and Hitler is rising to power. During a time filled with turmoil and terror, men and women are forced to make unimaginable choices.
Allina is forced into service as a nurse in a state run baby factory. The baby factories serve to build on the Aryan race, as service men interact with women to procreate in order to send the child to be adopted by Nazi families. And if not adopted, the child is sent for "testing" purposes. A terrible place for child.
Despite the circumstances, Allina, along with others risked their lives to save as many of the children as possible from going to Nazi families.
Extremely well written and filled with emotion. Sunflower House is an amazing read. 5 Stars.

Thank you net galley for giving me this opportunity to read 'The Sunflower House'.
This is a dual timeline story. Starting at the cusp of WWII and 2006.
The story begins in Germany just before WWII breaks out. Allina lives a comfortable life with her aunt and uncle (she lost her parents when she was an infant). Life goes on but there is something in the air. German soldiers are in her sleepy little village. Allina makes it to her home to find chaos has ensued. Allina runs to a neighbour's house to find out what was/is going on.
The neighbour tells Allina to run but she is not fast enough as she is soon surrounded by Nazi soldiers and is brutally attacked.
Allina is forced to work in a Lebensborn house. While working there she soon finds out what Hochland House really is.
German officers go there to have relations with the females who live there. When Allina sees a soldier in uniform the nightmare of her attack resurfaces.
One officer that Allina begins to trust is Karl. They eventually get married and have a child.
2006 New Jersey is where Allina now resides and her adult daughter is trying to come to terms with her family, as there are many secrets that Allina didn't want to share as they are disturbing.
I found this book disturbing due to the subject. It was well researched and written. I have never read a story like this.
Thank you again net galley.

The Sunflower House is a historical novel about the notorious Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany. Women considered to be racially valuable stayed in Lebensborn homes for the sole purpose of perpetuating the Aryan population, giving birth to thousands of babies who were then adopted out to “good” Nazi families. Social events took place in the homes where these girls could meet "elite" men of the SS and hopefully produce even more children. In other times and places, this would be considered a brothel. This story is mostly about Allina, a young German girl who is forced to work as a nurse in a Lebensborn home after losing her family during a raid of her small village by German soldiers. She eventually comes under the protection of Karl, a high-ranking SS officer, and after some time they undertake a program to rehabilitate those children in the home who are developmentally or physically delayed and whose future we are left to guess at.

Although I found the story interesting, I didn't enjoy the romance angle and, to be honest, I was expecting much more from the book in the way of historical information. I felt that much of the history was skimmed over and I actually didn't realize what Karl's duties with the SS entailed until I searched out information on the internet. Even though it seems that he was one of the "good" ones, he still had to follow orders, the results of which were heartbreaking. The ending had me choking back tears, as did the Author's Note. Other reviewers have rated this book much higher than me so my review should be taken with a grain of salt.

TW: Rape, eugenics, anti-semitism

Thank you to Sara Eslami of St. Martin's Publishing Group, for inviting me to read an advance copy of this novel via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: November 12, 2024

Unfortunately this was just not for me. It just didn't grasp my attention the way I wanted it to. I will try this one again as a published book.

Adriana Allegri has written a dual timeline story that shows the power of love in a time of horror that will bring you to tears. In 2006 Allina’s daughter Katrina is horrified to find a box hidden under the floorboards in her mother’s home that is marked with a swastika. Inside is a picture of her father in an SS officer’s uniform. When she confronts her mother, Allina finally reveals a story that she has kept hidden for years. Allina was from a small village that was destroyed when a connection was made to a resistance group. Brutally attacked, she survived and was placed under the protection of an SS commander who also attacked her. She was taken to a lebensborn home, hoping that she was carrying his child. The attack left her traumatized and barely able to function so she was put to work in the offices and later transferred to the nurseries. There she met Karl Von Strassberg, who treated Allina with kindness and patience, helping her to deal with the past. While Karl was with the SS, he was secretly working to save Jewish children and needed her help. Together they also worked to save the children in the home who had been deemed damaged and were scheduled to be transferred for experimentation and termination. Using false papers, Allina is hiding the fact that her mother was Jewish, a secret that could get her killed. It is through the kindness of Karl’s family and his connections that she and their daughter are saved and ultimately reach America. It was sometimes difficult to read of the conditions in the lebensborn home. I was also brought to tears as Allegri described Karl’s ultimate fate. This was beautifully written and an important reminder of an often forgotten part of WWII. It is a story that stays with you long after the last page and is highly recommended. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book.

I found myself so invested in this story that I couldn't put it down. I read "The Sunflower House", by Adriana Allegri in one sitting. This story is Perfect for book clubs, because It makes you want to talk about it when it's over. I plan to get the audio book as well.

The Sunflower House is a wonderful story about Germans who helped save children during World War II. The Nazi decision to facilitate increased baby production and raise them in residences like Hochland Home with strict schedules was crazy!!! Alina and Karl acted in ways everyone would hope they would act but who knows what we are capable of when under duress. As usual, Allegi writes a story that makes me want to learn more.

Amazing! I cannot put into words how good this book was! This was one I could not put down. I loved the way this story was told. I loved all of the different perspectives. This topic has always been interesting to me and learning about other things that happened during this time through this story was amazing.