Book Review for The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri

 The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri 

Published:  November 12, 2024 

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWII 

 

Taken from Goodreads:  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. 
 
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. 
 
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 tale 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. The threads of this poignant and heartrending novel weave a tale of loss and love, friendship and betrayal, and the secrets we bury in order to save ourselves. 

My Thoughts:  The Sunflower House opened my eyes up to a new horror that Hitler had happening during WWII.  I had never heard the story of the babies given to good Nazi families, this story broke my heart.   It also showed me to have more faith in the good of the world.  Even during a war, the good in people shined through and there is a lot of good in the world no matter the time.   

Allina and Karl both have seen and been part of the horrors of WWII.   They have had to do things that in a non-war world they would never have done.  Together they managed to make a difference to children who would not have had a chance to live through the war.  Together they also were able to help each other heal and find a way to cope with what they have seen and done.     

I cannot believe that this is a debut book.   It will be at the top of my historical fiction of 2024 list.  This book is phenomenal and perfect for any historical fiction reader.  

 

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for  a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.  

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Meet Adriana Allegri (taken from her website):  My mother read to me when I was in the womb. That’s likely why I was born loving books. I believe in the healing power of words and the long-lasting impact of a great read. 

As a first-generation American with parents who lived in Europe during World War II, I grew up on stories about how small acts of compassion and kindness saved lives. That theme shows up in everything I write, regardless of genre. 

I’ve had three great careers: The first in education, as a high school teacher and program administrator, the second as a writer/project manager for a leading data analytics company, and the third as an author. 2015 was my Big Risk Year, as I left my corporate job to concentrate on writing. The Sunflower House is the result — and I’m thrilled that it will be published by St. Martin’s Press in the fall of 2024. 

I completed a second book (Late Bloomers, Romantic Suspense) last year, and am currently working on a third (For Love of Ben, Women’s Fiction) and fourth (Child of Fire, Supernatural). 

I’m grateful to be repped by my amazing rock star of an agent, Lizz Nagle at Victress Literary. You can connect with Lizz on Twitter at @VictressLizz and @VictressLit. 

I spent fifteen years in the New York metro area but am happily relocated in Chandler, Arizona. I love the desert sun.  When not tapping away at the keyboard, you’ll find me cooking, painting, gardening, day-tripping, or cozying up with a favorite read. I’m also the proud mom to two ornery rescue cats, whose hooligan antics sometimes find their way into my writing.