The Sunflower House

A Novel

By: Adriana Allegri

Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik, Dallin Bradford, Saskia Maarleveld

This program features multicast narration.

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.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

Heartbreaking Beautiful

This book is a must read. I cannot stop crying. It is a bittersweet love story set during time of turmoil in Germany during the second world war. The narration is beautiful. The book has stayed with me for a long time; I am unable to stop thinking about it.

Emotional

This is an emotional story of, what I would call, breeding farms in Nazi Germany. I know Allegri took some fictional liberties, but it was based on much research. It was hard to hear of some of the abuses that both women and children endured. Aliana was caught in the middle of the Nazi regimen and her own moral compass, as well as her personal secret of who she really was. I enjoy books from this era and this one did not disappoint.

Great read

Fantastic story about history that I never knew about. I highly recommend this quick read!

The story! The characters! The emotion! The narration! All of it!

Adriana Allegri delivered a refreshing new story for us WW2 historical heroine lovers! She made the characters feel authentic, raw and believable. Saskia Maarleveld is my favorite narrator and did not disappoint!

Stunning

This is a beautiful and inspiring story of sacrifice and love. My heart was with Allina and Karl the whole time.