In her novel that was twenty years in the making, Allegri writes about Hochland Home , the first Lebensborn home, Heinrich Himmler’s ruthless eugenics program that was opened in 1936. The Sunflower House is a work of fiction, but based on historical facts. The novel also covers generational secrets and identity and what happens when secrets are exposed to the light. A tale of survival in the midst of horrific circumstances and standing up for what’s right. A meticulously researched novel that is a compelling read. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

WWII books are a dime a dozen and I usually avoid them, but Sunflower House was a brilliant surprise, introducing me to a facet of Nazi Germany that I didn’t even know existed: a birthing program designed to populate the world with as many pure blooded Germans as possible. Those children who were born imperfect were almost always sacrificed for the cause.
The book is written in two different timelines: present day and the past. It was very effective and I could not put it down. The way the story unfolded was so emotional and well written. An incredible debut!

This book was a well researched and well written story about family secrets. Adriana Alleged manages to capture all of the characters emotions really well. Thanks #NetGalley #StMartinsPress

This was a beautiful book! It’s hard to capture the atrocities of this time period and mingle it with the hope found in the helpers. The author did a fabulous job with this- the writing was spectacular. As with any war story, there were moments that were hard to read. However, there was hope prevalent throughout. The romance was a slow build and was beautifully done. I absolutely loved my time with this one!

I was hoping for more historical fiction and less romance so this was not the novel I expected it to be.

I’m an avid WW2 historical fiction reader, so I was very excited to read The Sunflower House. This story is jumps between two timelines— present day and during ww2. This was the first book I’ve read that dove into the Lebensborn program. I appreciate the research this author did to bring this emotional yet important story to life. I also found out that this is a debut novel! Incredible. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of Adriana Allegri’s work. This was a heartbreakingly beautiful novel.

The Sunflower House is a debut novel about WWII that tells the story of a young woman named Allina and an SS officer, Karl, and the ways their lives changed once Hitler came to power. This story had me hooked from the beginning. I enjoyed the dual timelines, the different POV's, and the well-researched aspect of the Lebensborn program. Allegri does a beautiful job of capturing the pain, the heartache, and even the hope that people held on to. I feel like I can't say too much without spoiling it, but I absolutely loved this book. It brought light to different aspects of WWII that aren't always talked about and the ending had me in tears.

The Sunflower House is a hauntingly beautiful tale. While the story is fictional based on WWII, the author’s research pours through the pages.


My attention was instantly captured, and I was unable to put this book down even though it was so difficult to read at times.


Adriana Allegri weaves this incredible story blending past and present through multiple POVs. While I did prefer the chapters with Allina in the past, the entire book is interesting. I’m still in awe that this is her debut novel.


Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Sunflower House
By Adriana Allegri

Many books have been written about World War II – stories about the plight of the Jews, Gypsies, and others under the Nazi reign of terror. This book is different. It is told from the standpoint of Germans working from inside the system – indeed from the very heart of the dreaded SS – to thwart Hitler and his cronies and to save as many lives as possible.

The story begins in New Jersey, many years later, where Katrine, a middle-aged woman, is trying to care for her mother after a fall. Katrine stumbles upon a beautiful wooden box with a swastika on the lid. Finally her mother – Allina – decides that she must tell her daughter the story behind the contents of the box.

A young woman, Allina Strauss, lives in the small town of Badensburg with her aunt and uncle as the Nazis are gaining control over the country. On one horrific day the SS comes to town and massacres the townspeople for harboring fugitives from the government. Allina, a beautiful young woman, is brutalized by several SS men and ultimately raped by an officer.

On the chance that she might be pregnant the officer takes her to Hochland Home, a Nazi facility where good German women are expected to fulfill their duty to the Reich by bearing multiple children to replenish the ranks of soldiers killed in war. German SS officers come there to hook up, socialize and ultimately to impregnate these women.

It is there that Allina meets Gruppenfuhrer Karl von Strassberg. At first she reacts to him as she does to all men in uniform – with fear and loathing. But Karl learns her story and pursues her gently and with great patience. As it becomes apparent that he loves her, Allina finally resolves to tell him her most closely held secret – her mother was Jewish. Instead of being repelled, Karl only becomes more protective.

There are many twists and turns as the story unfolds. There is much heartbreak. Secrets haunt them all. But the lesson learned here is that truths, sometimes hard to bear, will always lead you out of darkness and into the light.

This is a wonderful book about a terrible time, told from a different viewpoint. It teaches us that people may do evil deeds, but they are not intrinsically evil. And that good people can be found where we may least expect. It is well worth reading.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4.5⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: historical fiction📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
Such a beautiful yet heartbreaking debut with a unique WWII perspective. It was super intriguing, I didn’t want to put it down.

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Heartbreaking WWII reads
Lebensborn Program
Strong female protagonist
Powerful message of resilience
Thought provoking reads
Side of romance
Dual timelines
All the secrets
Suspenseful

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
Very well researched
The authors note

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
Some parts felt a little unfinished

The Sunflower House really does have a "Handmaid's Tale meets WWII" vibe and there is evidence that this probably did happen in Germany with the top of the Nazi organization wanting to create their perfect race. Beautiful women being housed and rewarded for procreating and with officers visiting to help fulfill that mission.

The "Haupthaus" part of the book was well done, in my opinion the author tried to introduce romance into the mix of this historical fiction and that part of the story felt too "forced" for me. I know many readers have rated at 5 stars, but The Sunflower House just seemed a bit "too romance-y" for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read the advance review copy of The Sunflower House in exchange for an honest review. approx 336 pages.

One of the best books I’ve read this year! The story tracked me in from the very beginning, and I couldn’t stop reading until the last page! 4.5 stars!

Thank you very much @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri, a debut novel. In present day, Katrine’s 86 year old mother Allina opens up to her about her past, and the reason she has kept secrets for all these years. Allina is from Germany, and found out in 1938 as a teenager that she is half Jewish. Her parents died when she was young, and her aunt and uncle are killed by the Nazi’s. She is taken care of a by a Nazi officer, and brought to a place that she finds out is a baby factory and part of Lebensborn, Hitler’s program to provide “pure” babies to German families. While there, she meets another Nazi officer who turns out to be running a secret program to save Jewish children, and they team up and fall in love. There is a lot of violence, and some hope in this story. It was a different look at the atrocities of the Nazi regime. Some of the parallels to today’s political situation in the US were frightening, with the beginning of a fascist government. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this, and look forward to future books by this author. #thesunflowerhouse #adrianaallegri #debutnovel #netgalley #advancedreadercopy #lovetoread #bookstagram #takeapagefrommybook #wwIIstory #lebensborn #bookloversofinstagram

What a beautiful and moving novel. Most of us have heard this history before, but it is taken to new levels as the author weaves together history and fiction. Based on true events of WWII this novel will take you on a journey, for which you know the historical outcome. Still, the journey of Allina will draw you into her world and her resistance to the systematic atrocities of the Nazi regime. Highs and lows ensue throughout, but the journey will warm your heart.

I finished The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri and I recommend reading this story. This book has a different take on a WWII novel and weaves in current family secrets stemming from the war. The characters are likable and keeps the reader rooting for a happy ending during a difficult time in history. Pick up a copy of The Sunflower House. This book was released in early November and I am surprised I have not heard more about it on the socials.

#netgalley #TheSunflowerHouse #AdrianaAllegri

This book taught me about an event history I had very little knowledge on. A young Jewish woman, Alinna is forced to work in a home who's purpose is to grow the Aryan population. This was a hard read especially reading about all the neglected children. It was just heartbreaking this was a reality. This was a powerful story & Allina was a great protagonist. I am looking forward to reading more books by the author.

A nuance of WWII that I had not heard about! This book is about baby factories in nazi Germany, where young fertile aryan ladies lived to get pregnant by soldiers on ROR to perpetuate the race. This seems to have been a very well researched book and I enjoyed the characters and the story. I love historical fiction because it tells a story and provides a history lesson at the same time. I get a bit tired of WWII books, but this one covered a whole new subject matter. It was an interesting and well-told story.

1939 Germany and Adolf Hitler is coming into his brutal rule. Nurse Allina Strauss finds herself assigned to a home which is part of the Lebensborn program, where blond babies with Aryan features are "chosen" to enter "good" German homes as adoptions. When she meets Karl, a high ranking German officer, she finds a partner with the same beliefs as herself, but the danger to them both is considerable. Well written historical fiction.

This is an fantastic book with beautiful writing! I was nervous the majority of the book would include the horrific scenes from the beginning of the book, but this surprising book wove in a beautiful love story of healing and hope, new life and a sweet, tender love and marriage. I truly can't recommend this book enough! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and to review this book!

This is Adriana Allegri’s debut novel and I was blown away! There aren’t really words to convey how much I loved this book.

This story takes us through a mother-daughter relationship and some of WWII darkest times in history, as it explores the Lebensborn Program.

As an avid reader of historical fiction, I’d never heard anything about this program. The goal of the Lebensborn program was to create a perfect race of babies that would then be adopted by Nazi families. The author does an incredible job of bringing this to light but is also very thoughtful of the women trapped in this experience. This one will definitely stick with me.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my thoughts.