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 fiance. 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 "e;pure"e; 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 "e;good"e; 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.