The Sunflower House
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 from Adriana Allegri 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.
Bio
ADRIANA ALLEGRI is a first-generation American whose parents lived in Europe before, during, and after World War II. She grew up on stories about how small acts of compassion saved lives, a theme that shows up in everything she writes, regardless of genre. A graduate of Arizona State University with a B.S. in marketing and a post-baccalaureate certification in secondary education, Allegri is a former high school teacher and educational program administrator. She also served as a writer and project manager for a leading data analytics company. Allegri spent fifteen years in the New York metro area but is happily relocated in Chandler, Arizona with two ornery rescue cats. When not at the keyboard, she enjoys painting, cooking, jewelry-making, antiquing, travel, and, of course, curling up with a favorite read.
Praise for this book
The notorious Lebensborn program schemed up by Nazi Germany becomes the focal point of Allegri’s deftly written debut, as one woman tries not just to survive but also do her own small part to help others in a world gone mad. Allegri doesn’t shy away from detailing the brutalities committed by Nazis and the lengths to which they would go to create a master race ... With empathy and insight, Allegri crafts a vividly realized historical novel that not only illuminates one of history’s saddest times but also illustrates the power of compassion and kindness to drive away the dark.
John Charles Library Journal
Allegri imbues her characters with a depth of feeling that’s alive and entirely its own. A bright emergency flare of a story sent up from history’s darkness.
Kirkus Reviews
