Thank you so much to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review!

This review may contain spoilers for 'The Wolf Den' but it's spoiler free for 'The House with the Golden Door'.

God damn it Elodie. My heart felt like it was lodged in my throat the entire time I was reading this.

Amara is free from the Wolf Den but her life is still dangerously linked to that of her old owner Felix as she begins her new life. Her past in the brothel haunts her dreams as she makes a new life with Rufus.

I loved this book even though it made my insanely anxious on Amara's behalf. Everything I loved about the Wolf Den is magnified in it's sequel, the love between the women of the story, I loved the blossoming relationship between Amara & Britannica in this story.
The scenes with Felix put me so on edge, both Felix and Amara are unpredictable characters and are largely guided by their emotions so you couldn't actually see way out for Amara.
Amara's grief for the lose of her friend is heartbreaking, Dido looms largely in this book and she's greatly missed which is why I loved the growing bond between Amara and Britannica.
A harrowing story that deals with freedom, love and grief.

Elodie's writing is perfection, it draws you in and keeps you hooked. I can't wait (but also I don't want it to end) to see where the trilogy goes from here.

The House with the Golden Door is the sequel to the Wolf Den and quite frankly, this book should come with a health warning. My heart was in pounding with trepidation and nerves each and every time I picked it up to read!

Amara is now free from the savagery of Wolf Den and Felix, the manipulative pimp who owned her. But can a former female slave ever be truly free in Pompeii?? Amara still needs to faun over her patron, always at danger of losing the affections of him and finds life without her former friends incredibly lonely. This book continues Amara's journey as she discovers freedom is not as free as she envisaged it to be.

I adore the shrewd yet loving Amara as much as I truly hate Felix. One of the best parts of this book was seeing how the character of Britannica develops! She becomes so much more than the brutish savage she seemed to be in the first.

This is such an amazing novel, full of strong female characters and their understanding about their tenuous ability to survive in a society that places little value on anyone other than a rich male. I just loved this as much as I did the first and I can't wait for the final instalment of this brilliant trilogy.

Thank you so much to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an honest review..

If you loved Book 1 as I did then you won't be able to put down Book 2! We return to Pompeii and the lives of Amara, Victoria and their terrifying pimp Felix. You feel every moment of every character's pain and desires, you can feel the heat and dust of Pompeii and smell the fear and desperation of all those women who are seeking freedom from slavery, protection for their children and dependence on unreliable lovers. You want every one of them to win. This was a gripping follow up to The Wolf Den and I can't wait for part 3.

With thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary review copy. Opinions are my own.

‘The House with the Golden Door’ follows on from Elodie Harper’s very well received ‘The Wolf Den’ and at the end of this latest story the reader is given a glimpse of what is to come in the last of the trilogy.
Such are Harper’s storytelling skills that we quickly become involved in the lives of her characters and care about their fates. The central figure in ‘The House with the Golden Door is Amara, freed slave and concubine of spoilt, unpredictable Rufus. Whilst she is understandably delighted to escape her dreadful life in Felix’s brothel, she finds herself lonely behind the golden doors of her new house. It is not surprising that she hankers after the sisterhood of brothel life and soon she is determined to remedy her isolation. Knowing that one can buy pretty much anything in Pompeii, she visits the wolf den and is soon in Felix’s debt once more.
Elodie Harper clearly has a very good appreciation of everyday life in the ancient world and her depictions of domesticity, entertainment and sport are compelling. Moments of happiness are captured but, inevitably, they are fleeting in such a class-conscious society which explores the meaning of slavery in all its forms. Whilst Amara is harshly reminded that, ‘A woman’s status is only as high as that of the man she allows to master him’, it is not just the women who suffer. Philos, born into slavery, and sold for his physical beauty, knows only too well that he has no say in what he must be now, nor what he will become.
‘The House with the Golden Door’ is likely to be a big summer read. It wears its knowledge lightly and will ensnare anyone who enjoys a gripping plot, knowing that the possibility of tragedy is never far away. With the eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD is linked forever with the obliteration of Pompeii, it is fair to assume that the last novel in this trilogy will continue in the same compelling vein.
My thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

I read and thoroughly enjoyed The Wolf Den. I love books set in the classical world, and although I have loved the recent surge of classical myth retellings from a female perspective, The Wolf Den offered something very different and it was one of my favourite books of the last year. Therefore, I was absolutely delighted to get hold of a copy of the second book in the trilogy.

Amara is a fantastic heroine, she is strong, determined and very clever. Her journey in the previous book was both exciting and interesting and her continuing story kept me just as hooked, in fact I read this book in two sittings, because I could not put it down.

Amara is still haunted by her past and by her experiences in the Wolf Den and by the women who remain there. Moreover, the owner of the brothel is not prepared to let her just walk away.

Elodie Harper is able to recreate the ancient streets of Pompeii exceptionally well, her descriptions appeal to all of the senses and I could see, hear, taste, smell and feel the streets as I followed Amara's story.

I have a hardback edition of The Wolf Den and I have already preordered a hardback edition of The House with the Golden Door and I can't wait for the finale to the series.

Thank you to the author, The Head of Zeus and NetGalley for an ARC in return for a honest review.

I love this trilogy. Such a strong sense of time and place. The characters are really well drawn and I feel hugely invested in them and their lives. Amara continues her fight for survival stopping at nothing in her quest for true freedom. But at the heart of her story is love and is it possible to have both? I can't wait for the final book to come out to discover how Amara's story ends.
With thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for this digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.

As one of my most anticipated reads of the year, I was delighted when I received this arc from NetGalley and Head of Zeus - so thank you :)

I absolutely DEVOURED The Wolf Den back in January, so I was itching get back into Ancient Pompeii.

Amara is now living as a Freedwoman, thanks to her Patron who keeps her in fabulous comfort. However, she is struggling to move on from her past at the brothel entirely, and she soon finds herself in possession of two of her old friends as an attempt to spread her good fortune. As she adjusts to her new life, she soon realises that she is not quite as free as she may seem - but she'll do anything to keep her status, and get everything else she wants.

I really enjoyed this book, however, I did have a couple of hangups. Firstly, it felt like it took ages to actually get going. It might have been because I read the first one so recently, but it felt like the first third was just recapping everything that had happened in the first book. After that though, the story really picked up and I loved how it developed, how we saw different characters change, and how Harper has left us wondering where she will go for the final book in the trilogy. I think, because a fair amount of it was not new information, the book was maybe a tad long for what I wanted from it, but it does still all work together.

All in all, I loved how this added to the series, and I can't wait for the final book - it's felt like such a fresh take on the historical fiction/retelling genre, and I keep recommending it to everyone lol.

It took me a while to get back into the rhythm of Pompeii at first but once there I now find it difficult to get back into the 21st century! Having much enjoyed The Wolf Den I desperately wanted to know how life was going to treat Amara and her friends. Having tragically lost Dido, she now tries to rescue Victoria and Britannica from the brothel and the enigmatic but treacherous Felix. Under the patronage of Rufus she finds true love but at such a price! Elodie Harper manages to engulf you in the cruelty and hardship of Roman life but brings alive the hustle and bustle of the market place, the streets and the festivals. I cannot wait to finish this trilogy and eagerly look forward to the final episode!

Amara has escaped The Wolf Den and is now living as a concubine, dependent on her patron for everything. She is still grieving deeply but needs to learn how to negotiate her new life while dealing with her traumatic past but quickly comes to realise that a gilded cage is still a cage.

I’m always nervous about reading a follow up to a book I gave 5 stars so I picked this up with some trepidation. I needn’t have worried. Elodie Harper clearly knows what she’s doing and once again has created a moving and vivid story of survival.

Familiar faces return - some more welcome than others – and the highlight for me was learning more about Britannica, the fierce ‘savage’ from Britain who has dreams of becoming a Gladiator. The friendship between her and Amara is one of the bright spots in this novel.

Felix is also back, bringing with him a sense of apprehension that follows you throughout the book. Harper has managed to create in Felix a villain who you revile, but every now and then shows you a softer side, making such a complex character that at times you almost find yourself liking him. His conversations with Amara were a joy to read, a vocal chess match with each player trying to outmanoeuvre the other.

We continue to see growth in Amara and the decisions she faces hardens her somewhat, making her colder, but never quite to the point where we fear she is losing herself completely. These decisions show again that a woman in Ancient Rome had very few options and when all you have to bargain with is your body

Themes of friendship, betrayal, love and loss are all covered masterfully and left me eagerly awaiting the third and last book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In the sequel of the Wolf Den we meet again our protagonist Amara and we follow her journey as freedwoman who is not that free as she might think.
I loved Britannica and how she showed more wit as our main character in some situations, would be spoilery. if I would name them :)

I liked the Wolf Den more, as this sequel was more romantic and the romance was a bit annoying for me. Also I did not like the ending, especially one part. I did not mind it was not a happy one, but it was too rushed in my opinion.
Definitely will be contiuning the series and I recommend to read it to everybody who loves ancient Rome atmosphere, romance and intrigue.

I really enjoyed The Wolf Den last year, calling it ‘a compelling and moving read’, so I was very excited to read the next book in the trilogy – The House with the Golden Door.

I must admit to being a little disappointed by this instalment – The House with the Golden Door feels very much like the middle book in a trilogy. Amara is with her new patron Rufus, still indebted to Felix and falling in love with her slave Philos. It didn’t really feel like much happened from start to finish and we are left with much the same circumstances as we started just with different names replacing those we know. Speaking of names, there felt like a lot of them this time around, although I admit it’s been a while since I read the first book but there seemed like a lot of characters mentioned that I found it hard to keep track of who was who.

One of the main reasons I enjoyed The Wolf Den was main character Amara, whom I called a ‘strong female lead’. In The Wolf Den her mission was all about breaking free and outsmarting her owner, Felix. In this book however, Amara just seemed a little weak, making some really silly decisions which felt like a let down from her strong personality in the previous book. The setting of Pompeii was still really nicely portrayed though, and I enjoyed that the chapter headings still used real graffiti or quotes from the time to really immerse you in the time period. With Amara moving away from the city and some rumblings about the volcano hinted at I do wonder if the next book will encompass the eruption of Vesuvius and the fall of Pompeii – I’ll be excited to read it to find out!

Overall, The House with the Golden Door does fall into the middle book in a trilogy syndrome with not much happening throughout and the main character becoming a little weaker. That said, the setting is still strong, and I can’t wait to read what will happen in the final book. Thank you to NetGalley & Head of Zeus – Apollo for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Elodie Harper has penned a superb follow up to the Wolf Den.

The men of Pompeii, although richly drawn are without exception not nearly as interesting or engaging as the incredible women that Harper creates.
Amara is a beautifully drawn character with a rich inner life. The women of the Roman empire are so often eclipsed by their more visible male cotemporaries, but here they come through with ringing voices, strength and utter determination.

What Harper has done here is remarkable, the story is so rich in detail and so clearly drawn that the streets of the doomed ancient city spring to life before the reader's eyes in a way that is heart-breaking and deeply satisfying.
Amara is a wonderful heroine and I cannot wait to see where Harper will take her next as Vesuvius smokes ominously above,

I've only recently read The Wolf Den, so it was fresh in my mind when reading the sequel. I was so happy to go back to Pompeii and catch up with Amara, who is now adjusting to living life as a freed woman and dealing with the huge weight of her grief from the loss of her friend.

Her new life isn't all it's cracked up to be though and Amara soon realises that she is in an extremely precarious situation with her patron, Rufus. Amara cannot be herself; cannot love who she wants; walking a tightrope everyday, trying to keep Rufus's interest and attempting to make plans (and money) for when she is no longer desirable to him.

The pace feels slower than the previous book and there was a relationship I wasn't a huge fan of but can't mention, as it would be a massive spoiler! As with The Wolf Den though, there is fantastic story-telling and world-building in this novel, with the hustle and bustle of Pompeii evoked through often beautiful prose. I love the women in this world and was glad to see Victoria and Britannica play a large part in the narrative; Harper emphasises the importance of female friendships in this series, particularly in the face of adversity, and these women are bonded by their experiences, though their relationships are complex and often difficult.

All in all, another great instalment in this trilogy. Bring on book 3!

The Wolf Den was one of my top reads of last year so I was excited to read book two in this planned trilogy and catch up with my favourite (and least favourite) characters.

Amara is adapting to her new life following the events of The Wolf Den but soon realises freedom comes with its own perils.

The descriptions of Pompeii and daily life are exquisite which shows in the number of holidays I’ve been searching since finishing this book. That combined with Elodie Harpers skill in developing the characters meant I struggled to put this book down.

Highly recommended, I cannot wait for book 3!

The Wolf Den was one of my favourite reads of 2021, so imagine my delight when I found out it’s part of a trilogy. The House with the Golden Door was everything and more that I could have wished for from a sequel. There were several audible gasp moments and Elodie has such a magical way with words. I feel like I’m in the room or part of the action when there’s a fight/argument or any form of drama. More than any other author I just find her books so open to all types of reader and she had me hooked from start to finish. Britannica was the real stand out heroine of this book for me, she is so straightforward and loyal and her past broke my heart. If you haven’t already read Wolf Den please do, I promise you won’t regret it.

Thank you @netgalley for the eARC in return for an honest review. The House with the Golden Door is out on 12th May 2022.

If you have read book one in this series The Wolf Den, then you will know we are now back in Asmara’s life. She is no longer a slave, or whore in the Wolf Den, she is no longer owned by the heartless Felix. But things are still not that simple for Asmara’s new life, she still dreams of the Wolf Den, her life there and her friends.

Now she has to learn a whole new game of survival, that of a concubine, her position in society has now been elevated but her future is still determined by the affections of her new patron, she has to keep him interested in her. She tries to please him, this is someone she used to dote on, she had believed him to be her way out of a life of oppression and abuse. How could she have read him so wrong? Is he not the man she believed him to be?

When she dreams of her friends on the Wold Den, she worries about the people she considered as her friends, they are still at the mercy of Felix, but they are also at the mercy of the men who just see the women as pieces of meet to do with as they like.

Despite being free of her shackles of the Wolf Den, Amara now dreams of being free of all shackles, to be able to live her own life on her own terms, in her own way. Will she ever be able to do this.

This is a beautifully written book, you really do feel for Amara, in order for her to have the freedom she wants she will have to change and become ruthless. The author manages to bring the landscape of life in Pompei to the front, how life would have been like in those days, especially for women, as facts are added to fiction along with actual people weaving them into the storyline. The character development us terrific, as the layers are gradually peeled away, some characters have more layers than others, some are brutal and at times ferocious, but every one is interesting in their own way.

This can at times be a heartbreaking read, bringing out different emotions, and drawing you in completely.

What will happen in the final book? Will Amara get complete freedom?

Thank you to #netgalley and #ApolloPublishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

I really loved spending some time in glittering Pompeii again! I actually enjoyed this more than The Wolf Den (but maybe because I loved that so much and was worried this one wouldn’t match it - it does!).. It’s full of twists and turns and I was definitely hooked throughout.

A fantastic sequel to The Wolf Den, the characters are all wonderfully flawed with their own ambitions and motives none of the characters are half formed or forgotten even the most awful characters are given reasoning and other sides not just caricatures of evil. The plot is brilliant and I finished the whole book in 1 sitting! Its gripping and even the use of some tropes i dislike usually were well done and I was invested in the lives of all the characters. Can't wait for the final book in this trilogy!

Thank you NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the eARC in exchange for and honest review.
Harper's writing is once again exquisite, she conjures up Amara's Pompeii through vivid prose which veers into appearing verbose or purple. Harper's characterisation sees the development of Amara as she now navigates Pompeii, learning along the way that her freedom is not total in nature.
I did struggle initially to immerse myself into the narrative of this book which I think stemmed from the pacing issues that I found throughout the novel, leaving the progression of the story uneven and jarring at some points. Yet these slower moments allowed me to appreciate the naturalism that Harper crafts into her dialogue, which flowed organically and with wit, which skilfully negotiates the darker subject which is never shied away from. Rather, Amara is able to address it with the agency attributed to her with her new found bodily autonomy.
I would recommend this book highly.

Elodie Harper has done it again!

The sequel to The Wolf Den continues Amara's compelling story. I was slightly nervous it wouldn't be as good as the first novel, however I think it might be even better. Excellent writing, fabulous setting, amazing characters. I particularly enjoyed getting to hear more from Britannica, who is now one of my favourites. I eagerly await the conclusion to this trilogy.

4.25/5 stars