The Sunflower House: A Novel

In 1939 Germany, Allina Strauss lives what appears to be an ordinary life working at her uncle's bookshop and spending time with family and friends. Her world changes when her hidden Jewish heritage is discovered, making her a Mischling. After losing her loved ones, she is forced to work as a nurse at Hochland Home, a state-run facility connected to the Lebensborn Program—Nazi Germany's eugenics initiative where women of "pure" blood gave birth to children for adoption into Nazi families. At the home, Allina witnesses the program's horrors while concealing her own Jewish identity to survive. When she discovers the neglect of children in the facility, she becomes determined to protect them. Her resolve deepens when she meets Karl, a high-ranking SS officer with his own secrets. Together, they must decide what risks they are willing to take to save the children in their care. This debut historical novel explores themes of resistance, survival, loss, love, friendship, and betrayal during World War II.