The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri

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.

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The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri is an unforgettable, meticulously researched historical novel that reveals the hidden horrors of the Nazi-run Lebensborn program through the eyes of Allina Strauss, a young woman concealing her Jewish heritage. Forced to work as a nurse in Hochland Home, a state-operated facility breeding “pure” Aryan babies, Allina risks everything to survive while witnessing—and ultimately resisting—the ruthless eugenics policies that dictate life and death for both mothers and infants.

Through richly drawn characters and immersive historical detail, Allegri brings to light the chilling reality of the Lebensborn program, a lesser-known aspect of Nazi Germany. Like The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck, The Sunflower House deftly explores resilience, courage, and the lives of women caught in wartime atrocities, illuminating the strength it took to defy systemic oppression. With poignant storytelling and unsettling relevance, Allegri’s debut is as timely as it is compelling, offering readers both a haunting history lesson and a powerful narrative of resistance. This may be difficult to get through at points, but stick with it - it's worth it in the end.

The Sunflower House publishes on the 12th of November, 2024. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.