The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri is a stunning tale set in WWII, Germany. At the heart of the novel is Allina Strauss, a young woman living an idyllic life in a small German village. Her world shatters when she discovers her Jewish heritage. Forced into a notorious Lebensborn home designed to breed children for the Reich, Allina struggles between survival and helping others trapped in the system.

Karl von Strassberg, an SS officer with hidden loyalties, becomes her unlikely ally. Their sacrificial and unforgettable romance is a small bright spot in a dark reality, proving love can endure hopeless times.

The story unfolds through multiple timelines, including 2006, when Allina’s daughter Katrine discovers a swastika-marked box revealing her mother's past. This structure heightens suspense and sheds light on Allina’s brave choices and Karl’s covert work. While Allegri does not shy from the brutalities of the Nazi regime, hope and resilience shine on every page.

I highly recommend The Sunflower House. Allegri portrays Allina’s journey with empathy, realism, and authenticity. This remarkable debut illuminates history’s darkest corners with a steady undercurrent of hope. Five stars—I can’t recommend it enough.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a complimentary review copy. The opinions are my own.

Special thank you to NetGalley, Adriana Allegri and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this incredible historical fiction.

This book is hands-down a must read for those who love historical fiction. The dedication and research that the author put into this novel is evident from start to finish. The story weaves history, love, grief, betrayal and will have you feeling all the feels. Easily a 5-star read. Strongly recommend.

Wow! I love this historical novel about perseverance, love, and an overwhelming desire to affect change. Allina learns of the Lebensborn program in Nazi Germany and is appalled at how the infants and young children are being raised in order to indoctrinate them and bring out the qualities they want to see in future Nazi leaders. Infants and toddlers who never know the touch of a loved one, living in sterility, and unable to engage in something as simple as playing with others. She meets Karl while there and together they formulate a plan to do better for the children, and to hopefully change the course of their future.
Wonderful writing that has the ability to not only engage the reader, but to evoke strong emotions. I was enthralled!

For fans of Historical Fiction, this did not disappoint. "Family secrets come to light as a young woman fights to save herself, and others, in a Nazi-run baby factory—a real-life Handmaid's Tale—during World War II."

The Sunflower House is a meticulously researched historical novel that uncovers the notorious Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany. A tale of one woman's determination to resist and survive, this is also a love story. You get all the feels in this book. Love and loss, friendship, betrayal, and lots of secrets.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book.

I absolutely loved The Sunflower House. As a fan of WWII historical fiction, I found this novel incredibly compelling and unique. I hadn’t read about the Lebensborn Program before, and the detailed look into this dark aspect of history was both fascinating and heartbreaking. Allina’s courage and determination, paired with the tense and poignant love story, kept me hooked from start to finish. This is a beautifully written tale of resistance, survival, and the strength to protect the most vulnerable in the face of unimaginable horrors. A solid 4+ stars!

This book is a meticulously-researched piece of historical fiction that uncovers the notorious Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany. Women of “pure” blood stayed in Lebensborn homes for the sole purpose of perpetuating the Aryan population, giving birth to thousands of babies who were adopted out to “good” Nazi families.
Allina Strauss in 1939, has been living in a small village in Germany with family members. When most of her village is wiped out by German soldiers looking for traitors to the party.
She is seen by a high ranking Nazi Official who thought she would be a perfect fit for the Lebensborn program.
What they don't know it that she has Jewish blood in her family, making her a Mischling, not the pure Aryan woman as they thought.
I had never heard of this program, so to hear how it was run and how they treated the children was an eye opener.
Allina does find a way to be able to help some of the children, and with an unlikely source be able to get Jewish children out of the country. Definitely an eye opening read.
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for a copy of this story.

4.5 stars. A must read for readers of WWII historical fiction. This focuses on a young woman torn from her family, ending up in the Lebensborn Program. Not as one of the women living in that baby factory to birth Arian babies for the appeasement of Hitler and Himmler, but as a nurse taking care of the newborns. She and a love interest / SS officer attempt to help the older children who were never adopted because of some imperfection or another. It's obvious that the older those children got, the more anti-social and mentally damaged they became, and the couple make plans to smuggle out a small percentage of them -- anything to keep Himmler from getting his evil hands on them.

An engaging, heartfelt story with characters I cared about. St. Martins Publishing Group comped me an advanced copy on NetGalley. I supplemented the read with the audiobook. The three narrators did an excellent job.

So suspenseful, I could not put this down. The debut novel of Adriana Allegri was everything a reader could ask for, secrets, love, fear, family in a historical fiction setting. Allina Strauss is a young woman being raised by her aunt and uncle in a small German village in 1938 until the war reaches them in an unbelievable event. Allina's life changes in an instant. A heartwarming and at times a tearful read, the author spins such a deep story of Allina and how she becomes involved in Hitler's baby factory or Lebensborn. There she meets a SS officer, Karl von Strassberg and together they discover how to trust each other. Secrets are revealed and they dig into your soul. I look forward to reading more from this author. A huge thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this wonderful book.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital arc.
Hitler and his cronies thrust many evil programs on Europe, but the Lebensborn homes,which promoted eugenics, is less know. A mother tells her daughter the truth about her father and the work they conspired to do in order to save as many Jewish children as possible from the death camps and to save the babies in the Lebensborn program from experimentation. The story focuses on Allina, a German woman caught in the violence wrought on her village and family, and Karl, a high ranking SS officer. As the story unfolds it becomes obvious they are kindred spirits in more ways than one. Fast paced plot which uses the very real Hochland Home as the primary setting. Some characters that will make your skin crawl, while others may warrant a hug. One can make many comparisons to the racist environment currently enveloping many countries. Let's hope there are still a few righteous among us.

If you like reading historic fiction novels then this is for you. It sucks you in and pulls on your heart. You meet Allina who is cruelly kidnapped and olaced into the Lebensborn program.

This is a beautifully written book about a very ugly time in history. It is a love story and what you do to protect the ones you love and the sacrifice you make to do what is right. The story about the main characters may be fiction, but there is a lot of truth about the subject matter and who some of the people were. What a debut! If historical fiction is your genre do not miss this one! Bravo to Adriana Allegri and I will look forward to more books by this author. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri is a hauntingly beautiful and well-written exploration of a lesser-known aspect of the Holocaust. It follows the story of Alina Strauss, a young woman with a significant secret: her mother was Jewish. To survive, she had to keep this secret concealed. Alina is sent to Hochland Home, where young Aryan women are sent to bear children with SS soldiers to increase the number of children with “pure blood” in Germany. The horrors she witnessed and endured are beyond appalling and should never be experienced by anyone. This is Adriana Allegra’s debut historical fiction novel, and I will definitely be seeking out more of her works in the future.

An historical fiction based on factual events during WWII and the Nazi occupation. A young woman's life is severely tramatized, eventually landing at Hochland Home, a home for "pure" Germans to give birth to a future generation of Nazis. Allina has lost her home and her family, she must now give care to these children that were bred like puppies. The horror she will face as she does her best to care for the children and stay alive is told so dramatically, you can see, hear and smell the terrifying conditions she bravely faces.
The story is enoughh to stir every one of your emotions. The fact that it is based on realities faced in the not so far distant times, makes it doubly so. This history must be shared so it is never repeated.

This book provides a new take on WWII historical fiction, in focusing on the sobering story of the ss Lebensborn program, which was part of Heinrich himmler's eugenics program. I had previously heard of eugenics, but I had no idea there were actual facilities set up all over Germany before and during WWII where Aryan women were sent for the sole purpose of bearing as many Aryan children as possible. These homes hosted visits from SS soldiers, with the goal of producing as many future soldiers for Hitler's armies as possible. Most of the babies born to these homes would be adopted out to Nazi couples, while others who failed to thrive were mysteriously sent away.

The Sunflower House is the story of a young girl, Allina, who has lost everything she knew (loving adoptive grandparents, her hometown, friends, and beloved fiance) shortly after discovering she descends from a Jewish mother. After soldiers had massacred most of her neighbors, friends and grandmother she is sent to a Lebensborn home where she will work as a nurse and caretaker for the mothers and children there.
As the story unfolds, she attempts to heal from her trauma and is tempted to trust in love yet again.
Can she allow herself to fall in love with the kindhearted SS soldier who seems anything but the brutal, domineering man she at first assumed he was? Will she make it out of the war safe and alive? What will become of the children at the home?

This novel had me unable to put it down, and is full of twists and turns along the way. It is a heavy read, and isn't a lighthearted tale by any means, but that doesn't mean the book is devoid of hope.
Trigger warnings: rape, death, war brutality, genocide, abuse.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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,and Adolf Hitler is Chancellor, and Allina’s discovers 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.

The Sunflower House is a meticulously-researched debut historical novel that uncovers the notorious Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany. Women of “pure” blood stayed in Lebensborn homes for the sole purpose of perpetuating the Aryan population, giving birth to thousands of babies who were adopted out to “good” Nazi families. Allina must keep her Jewish identity a secret in order to survive, but when she discovers the neglect occurring within the home, she’s determined not only to save herself, but also the children in her care.

A story of one woman’s determination to resist and survive, The Sunflower House is also a love story. When Allina meets Karl, a high-ranking SS officer with secrets of his own, the two must decide how much they are willing to share with each other—and how much they can stand to risk as they join forces to save as many children as they can.

This is such a well-written book that it is hard to believe that it is a debut novel. It is apparent that the author did a lot of research into the Lebensborn Program. Although it is fiction, the author notes that much of it is based on fact. I had read another book on these "homes" but this one is the best one I have read with much more detail of what actually went on in these homes. Thank you to NetGalley for introducing me to this author. I hope she writes more books and will be on the lookout for them. I highly recommend.

Atrocities committed by the Nazis during the Third Reich have been thoroughly documented, examined, and commented upon. It is surprising then, that Adriana Allegri in her debut novel sheds light on a little-known program conducted by the Nazis that is as insidious as any of their other heinous plans—ss Lebensborn. In order to maintain population growth, the Nazis, specifically Heinrich Himmler, encouraged German women to copulate with German men—Aryan Germans, of course—regardless of marriage. Centers were set up where women were recruited to reside while bearing children and children could be raised until they were given to good Nazi parents. According to the author’s reconstruction, these residences also held “mixers,” where soldiers could choose a mate for what was officially called “biological marriage.” Women were given awards for the number of children they produced, culminating in a gold cross for over eight children. These awards were colloquially called “The Order of the Rabbit.” The author’s research provides a historical backbone of credibility to her book

Not just a documentation, the narrative of this very uncommon story is integrated by the author into a very common trope—the beautiful damsel saved by a handsome prince. The princess in this case is Allina, a mischling or mixed race girl, who is plucked from the rubble of her destroyed town by a German officer, raped in his car, and then dropped at Hochsland Home, the original Lebensborn center. Ultimately found not to be pregnant, Allina becomes part of the Hochland’s staff. Through her eyes and traumatized sensibility, we witness the policy of Lebensborn manifested in the daily function of the home—the deprived children, the egregious “mixers,” the normalizing of a heinous policy in the behavior of the staff, the mothers, the soldiers, and of course, the historic figures who visit, particularly Heinrich Himmler and his wife. The author also salts the narrative with actual documents, and a Lebensborn naming ceremony.

At one of the “mixers,” which she studiously tries to avoid, Allina meets Karl, a highly-ranked officer—her prince. Although the author does a good job of not rushing them into each other’s arms, the reader knows they will come together as complications ensue.

Indeed, they do come together, and complications do ensue. Karl has his own secrets which bond them even closer, and brings tension to the outcome. Ultimately, those tensions come to a tragic conclusion.We know that only Allina and her daughter survive, because the narrative is framed inside Allina’s now-middle-aged daughter’s discovery of a wooden box t and Alina’s recounting of the tragic past. The author is to be commended for keeping us engaged with the story despite the foreshadowing of the frame tale. She leaves the reader with both a sense of the personal pain inflicted by Lebensborn, as well as the horrendous impact of another Nazi policy.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of this HF novel about something that happened in WWII that I wasn't aware of. Allina and her daughter are in present time and Allina is sharing the story of her past. A young Jewish girl living in Germany, who is capttured by Nazis and forced to live in a home where women are having babies with Nazi soldiers to continue to populate the perfect Ayran race. These programs happened and it resulted in the loss of many children and women, beyond the torment and torture. Allinas brave story is told in past and present, and it was a difficult story to read. This story is touching and moving and is very well done.

🌻 BOOK / REVIEW 🌻

WOW.

Loved this book. #thesunflowerhouse by @adrianaallegri is a WW2 story that not many are aware of (including myself) and boy, this was a hard one to read 😳.

If you're a huge #historicalfiction buff like me, it can be hard to find books with unique storylines and characters, but this was an incredibly interesting departure from the normal ones I read. I had knowledge of the Lebensborn program, but what I learned shocked me. The story was told beautifully, but it definitely haunted my thoughts.

There is an incredible relationship between Allina and Karl ... one I wasn't certain I wanted to progress when the story began. It ended up being such a bright and positive aspect to an otherwise harrowing story. The mutual love and respect they shared was very special.

While they couldn't save every child who went through this program, they helped so many escape death. I am very interested in learning more about #eugenics and Hochland Home.

Strongly suggest reading this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫. Thank you @stmartinspress @netgalley for my #gifted copy!

Loved this historical fiction! I loved the characters in this book! The plot was entertaining and held my attention from start to end! I was hooked on this story and loved how the Lebensborn Program was portrayed! Loved how much research went into this book! Definitely worth the read!

Wow! Have your tissues ready when you read this one! I read most of the novel in one sitting, not being able to put it down. Prior to reading this, I had never heard of Lebensborn homes. This story follows a young woman who, by fate, ends up in a Lebensborn home, a place for women to live and breed future Nazis. Allina does what she can to provide the children education and save them from being tested on due to lack of education, social interactions, and physical exercise. This was a beautifully written piece of historical fiction. 5/5 stars!

I was giving this Arc in exchange for my unbiased review.