This is one of those books I keep finding myself recommending to all my friends!

Like most historical fictions taking place during World War II, they are hard and emotional, and The Sunflower House is exactly that.

Focussed on a lesser known or portrayed aspect of Hitler’s eugenics program, main character Allina finds herself orphaned and set up in a state run baby factory.

While there, she actively fights for the children’s safety and that of the Jewish people. Finding unlikely allies, Allina becomes one of the lucky ones and makes it out alive.

The story was epic and sweeping just like the emotions that I experienced while reading. This debut from Adriana Allegri has me eagerly anticipating what she comes up with next.

The sunflower house~you alwonder what the grab will be when you are starting another WW2 book. The Lebensborn Program in detail takes you on a ruthless tour of crating the perfect race (gone wrong). Between family secrets, love come to light.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin Press for the amazing ARC..

Loved this book. Another wonderful historical fiction with strong characters and it brought me to tears many times throughout.

This was such a good book! I have read a few books about Himmler's plan to create a master race. But to have it written from the view point of Allina, a nurse in a house that does such things, is amazing. Add in Allina's secret, that she is part Jewish, and that she falls in love with a high ranking SS member? You have SUCH an engaging story. Wow.

I cannot recommend this book enough!

As a person that barely read synopsis, I sort of went into this one blindly. I read the first line and that was enough for me to decide that I wanted to read this and boy and I glad that I did. This WWII historical fiction heartbreaking, informative, gripping, and one I did not want to stop listening to. To read what Allina and the other girls dealt with during this time at the hand of these German soldiers. But, I could only root for Allina and her will to flee and help those that she can.

If you are a lover of historical fiction based on real events, you will definitely enjoy this one. While I had the e-book, I mostly listened and the narrators of this one were nothing short of amazing, and I am glad that there were multiple narrators as it brought more to the story to connect with the characters.

This Adriana Allegri’s debut novel and I look forward to what she will bring next to the historical fiction world!

The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri is one of the best World War II stories I have every read. The characters evolved over time and in doing so came alive for me. It highlighted a part of the Holocaust that I was unfamiliar with which is saying a lot since I have read extensively on the topic. It was a page turner and learning experience in one volume.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this gifted e-arc.

I've mostly sworn off WWII books the last 5 years from having read too many in a short period of time. This book worked for me because:

1. it was about an aspect of the war that I was unaware of
2. while there was one graphic scene, the rest was pretty tame considering it is discussing WWII (I''ve definitely read worse)
3 . the main topic addressed was maybe half the weight of the book and the other half was relationships, this helped offset the gruesomeness of the war as well.

As I alluded to above, I felt like the book glossed over some of the realities, which made it easier to read, but it also felt a bit fantasized. There were a few aspects of the storyline that I just couldn't buy, it had almost a Hallmark effect.

This is the authors debut novel and I will definitely read her next book. She did a fantastic job with creating a sense of place and sharing a new and different aspect of WWII.

Many thanks to NetGalley/publisher/author for the advanced copy. What follows are my honest opinions.

Just when I thought I understood the horrors of World War II, another story comes along to really hit home how evil and cruel people can be.

Allina Strauss's life is forever disrupted when Nazi soldiers invade her town. Hiding her Jewish heritage, Allina is forced into service as a nurse at a state-run baby factory called Hochland Home, where she becomes both witness and participant to the horrors of Heinrich Himmler’s ruthless eugenics program. "Pure blooded" women were given accolades for having the most children to further "the perfect race." But these children never received the care they needed - many are left to sit in their filth, never shown a kindness, and as a consequence, face many developmental delays. Those with delays are sent to Himmler to be experimented on, often resulting in death. Doing what she can to help save some of these children from the neglect they face, Allina finds love with Karl, a high-ranking SS officer, that also sympathizes with these kids. Together, Allina and Karl must decide how far they will go to rescue these children, and each other, from Hitler's reign.

One of my favorite reads of 2024. History was beautifully blended into the fiction, and I actually appreciated the author's note, at the end, that broke down what was fact versus fiction. The story was incredibly well-researched and so compelling to read, I have added some of the books recommended for further reading to my TBR. I loved the brief time jumps that gave you some insight to how the story ends but does not give away anything major. I really wanted to know where each character ended up, but it's understandable that their futures would not be known during a time as tumultuous as Hitler's reign.

Nevertheless, this is not an easy read. There are descriptions of rape and brutalization, murder, and abuse towards children. But as graphic as the story could be, I found that it was necessary for a reader to fully grasp how awful this eugenics program was. There are also two (maybe more, I can't remember) explicit, sexual scenes (consensual), that readers should also be aware of.

Something I really admired of this story and author is how a reader is not encouraged to sympathize with these characters, especially Karl. Though Allina and Karl are attempting to free some of these children, they are still participating in this war, as Hitler sympathizers. Yes, they detest him, but they still work under his reign. Understandably, to save their lives and those they love, they could only do so much, but when faced with difficult choices, they don't always make the morally correct option. This story really forces a reader to grapple with their own morals and ethics.

Highly recommend to anyone interested in historical fiction/romance. Can't wait to see what else this author releases.

Wow my heart hurts reading this. The fictional story that follows the very real struggles faced by those with Jewish history in their families. The few that fought back to save people while hiding in plain sight, the choices people had to face of whether or not to fit in or remain moral- how they battled and went numb to it for their own safety. Just wow.

Special thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This book is a courageous story of a woman falling in love and trying to survive during WWII amidst all of the atrocities brought on by Hitler and his henchman Himmler. It is beautifully written and I recommend everyone give this book a read.

I know this book has already been published but I still wanted to write a review. This book took me longer to read because I had a cold but I still devoured it. The program mentioned in the book I heard vaguely about but it was I intriguing to read a fictionalized acct. I got so wrapped up in the book that even though the next chapter said ‘Karine’ it took me a few moments to realize it was back to present time…I was so enthralled with it that I didn’t make the connection

A great read and one I couldn’t put down!

I enjoyed this book. Would highly recommend this book for readers who enjoy historical fiction. It held my interest

It is a necessary heartbreak to read this story and bear witness to this unspoken history. So well written and poignant, The Sunflower House is not only a look into a well-kept secret of Nazi Germany, but also a love story.

I have read a lot of WWII history and historical fiction and I will read a lot more in my lifetime. However, most of what I have read so far is history that I knew of previously. I, like most, know of the Holocaust. I know of Anne Frank. I know of the most well-known concentration camp—Auschwitz. But I had no idea about the baby factories in Germany during the 1930s and 40s. I learned so much reading this story and was saddened beyond belief when I learned in the Author's Note that most everything in the book was true, except for the rehabilitation efforts of Allina and Karl. My heart goes out to all those who suffered and some who continue to suffer.

I cannot thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley enough for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. I will never forget this story and cannot recommend enough this book that so eloquently illustrated a piece of history that they tried to keep hidden.

I had briefly heard of the Lebensborn program before, but had never read about it. This historical fiction novel really brought it to life. You'll fall in love with both Allina and Karl in different ways. I was rooting for her the entire time.

Title: The Sunflower House
By: Andriana Allegri
Pub. Date: November 12, 2024

The Sunflower House will likely be in a close race with The Frozen River as my favorite novel of 2024!

Genre:
Fiction, Historical, WWII, Holocaust, Romance,

Trigger Warnings:
Sexual Abuse, Neglect, Trauma, Murder, Death, Loss, Grief

Summary:
New Jersey - 2006
Katrine stumbles upon a mysterious old box in her eighty-six-year-old mother’s closet, sparking a journey of revelation about her mother’s hidden past. Katrine embarks on an inspiring exploration of who her mother truly is and how she ultimately found her way to New Jersey. This narrative takes us back in time to the horrific days of World War II, specifically to the controversial Lebensborn Program—a Nazi initiative designed to foster a "master race" by breeding children from selected Germanic families. Through this dark chapter of history, the story unravels the complex, often painful origins that shaped her mother’s life and identity.

Review:
In this captivating debut novel, Andriana Allegri takes the reader on a powerful journey of discovery, blending romance with the harrowing history of the Lebensborn Program. The expertly researched story sheds light on a tragic part of WWII that I was unaware of. Allegri’s fast-paced, gripping writing pulled me in, leaving me unable to put the book down, so much so that I purchased the audiobook to listen to during my commute. The heartbreaking yet moving narrative, with its plot-driven characters, has resonated with me, long after the final page. This horrific, yet inspiring novel offers a glimpse into a dark chapter of history, and I can’t wait for more from this talented author. Highly Recommended!!!

Thank you Andriana Allegri, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#TheSunflowerHouse
#AndrianaAllegri
#StMartinsPress
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#NetGalley

The Sunflower House is a heartbreaking story.
So many secrets.
So many questions needing to be answered.
A historical fiction read based on true events. The story revolves around the Lebensborn program in Germany.
What a horrific time in history. The author does an extremely good job of bringing the facts about this time to us.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

If you are a historical fiction reader, The Sunflower House, by Adriana Allegri, is a MUST read!!! Thank you @stmartinspress for the #giftedbook - it’s available now, so put it on your tbr!

This book starts in present day when Katrine is at her mom’s house helping her get settled after a fall. Katrine finds a box in her mom’s closet that sparks questions about her mother’s past. Allina decides it’s time to tell Katrine the story of her past, even though it’s an incredibly difficult story to tell.

Man this book brought out all the emotions. I was honestly thinking ‘another WW2 story, sighhhhh’ but this was unlike any of the HF books I’ve read about this time period. I devoured it in less than 2 days, and spent an absurd amount of time on Google after I finished.

And did I mention it’s a debut???

This was different from other WW2 books and I appreciated that. This tugged at my heart.
Although the subject matter can be heavy at times, it’s not an overly sad book and would recommend to anyone who is looking for a different branch of history from WW2.

A heavy, powerful story that needs to be told. While these characters were fictional, the events they experience were not. It deserves to be told, in honor and memory of every person it represents. Set in 1938 to early 1940s, the nature of the Lebensborn program is brought to light. Allina finds herself at Hochland home and realizes very quickly things are not as they seem. I will not divulge any details as you truly need to read this to experience without anything being spoiled for you. Know that Allegri’s research is extensive, the emotions are captured palpably and the characters are complex. The story is moving and exposes much of the behind the scenes, how everyday people found themselves caught up in the movement and how some people risked everything to do the right thing.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

Wonderful! Superb! Passionate and informative
This is a work of fiction but based on some facts such as Hitler’s desire to populate his world with perfect Aryan children. Knowing this book takes place mostly from the years of 1938 through 1941 and knowing that Hitler’s reign of terror did not end until 1945, the outcome for our characters is inevitable. Reading this phenomenal novel was like watching a sinking ship slipping slowly from the water’s surface. You know what will happen and that made reading this book so provocative; you must discover Allina and Karl’s stories. Even knowing that I cried throughout a portion of this book, I would read it again. It comes highly recommended.
The book begins as an 86yo mother gets hurts, her 66yo daughter must pick her up from the ER and figure out how to deal with her. Their roles have reversed. When they get back home from the ER Allina reluctantly shares her life before she came to America with Katrine. Allina’s story starts in 1938 when she was 17 or 18yo. This is a beautiful, intriguing and captivating romance at a terrible time in world history. For a glimpse of the time before the world got involved with what Hitler was doing in Europe, you must read this outstanding book. The author admits that this is a work of fiction but based on some known facts. Read it for yourself. Get a box of tissues! I volunteered to review an ARC of this book through NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing Group. I would give this book more than five stars if I could. I am sorry to see this cast or characters go. They made me feel their pain and joy. Kudos to this author!