Cover Image: The House with the Golden Door

The House with the Golden Door

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Member Reviews

Picking up where we left off in the Wolf Den, Amara is no longer a slave — but now her life depends on a man.

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I really enjoyed this sequel! I was everything I wanted it to be and this setting is just so atmospheric and so easy to visualize everything that happening in the story.

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The House with the Golden Door is the second book in the Wolf Den Trilogy. This is honestly one of my favorite series I've ever read. Set in ancient Pompeii in one of the most infamous brothels in town, it's a story of survival, revenge, friendship, love, and scandal. I can't say enough good things about this book. It just gives you all the emotions and I just couldn't put it down!

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The Wolf Den was one of my favorite reads of the year, so I knew I was going to be slightly more critical of the sequel. Overall, The House with the Golden Door delivers and did not leave me disappointed. I inhaled it almost as quickly as The Wolf Den, and it certainly left me wanting more at the end. My only complaint about this book was the lack of sympathy I feel towards the main character now, which of course, is no fault of the writer. I'm sure it's just a sign of excellent character development, but I feel like she continues to make decisions that have me shaking my head in disappointment. For better or worse, Amara is still on her path to freedom and I look forward to the next installment.

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An entertaining and strong second installment to the Wolf Den trilogy that is set in Pompeii and full of court intrigues and betrayals. Perfect for fans of the HBO show, Rome. This was twisty with a perfect balance of action and romance. I'm looking forward to the conclusion! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

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Amara's story continues in this second tale of the Wolf Den Trilogy. The Romans have taken over, and she's settling in, having won the attention of a Patron, all her own. Sort of.

She's moved up in the world, freed but not really, is Rufus's plaything in a much better playground. She's given some freedoms and exercises them as she explores how far she can go in this new world. Some things don't change, though, and everything is relative, right? As a former prostitute, and now a fancier concubine, she decides to free some of her friends from her former life and from there the story rushes forth.

There's a chance at love, at more freedoms, and a fulfilling new role she'd never expected.

I'm braced and ready for the next ways Amara and her fighting Iceni work to carve out societal change in the communities of Pompeii and Rome - toward building a life more bearable for the women they love and the generations of women who will follow them.

*A sincere thank you to Elodie Harper, Union Square & Co., and NetGalley for a free ARC to read and voluntarily review.* #TheHousewiththeGoldenDoor #NetGalley

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I really enjoyed this book and it’s predecessor, Wolf Den. The author has given each character a lot of development and painted a detailed view of what Pompeii must have been like. That being said, if the third book doesn’t end with the eruption of Vesuvius (Titanic-style—as if you were there), I will be very disappointed! Looking forward to the destruction!

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Elodie Harper's "Golden Door" is a captivating and vividly depicted historical fiction that immerses readers into the perilous world of a courtesan in ancient Pompeii. With well-drawn characters, a compelling plot, and themes of survival, sisterhood, and resilience, this second installment of the Wolf Den Trilogy is a must-read for fans of historical dramas. Harper masterfully brings to life the complexities of Amara's journey, blending danger, romance, and the pursuit of freedom in a richly woven narrative.

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I didn’t enjoy this as much as the previous book, but it was still very good. Elodie’s writing is excellent and the pacing of the book keeps the reader interested. The cover was what really caught my eye at first, I wish I enjoyed it a bit more, but overall would still recommend it.

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Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read this beautiful book. I couldn't put this book down. Complex, beautiful and addictive

Recommended for those who love a complex read and those who are fans of historical fiction . A great read just like the authors previous books. Looking forward to a reread when the book is published

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For some reason, I found this harder to get through than the first book in the series. It was still enjoyable though!

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I don't think I was ultimately the best reader for this. A third round purchase for most libraries with a historical readership

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I haven't yet read any retellings or folklore about such an infamous event in history: Pompeii. This was such a crisp fresh look and I really enjoyed it.

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All the love and care that went into Amara's journey in The Wolf Den carried on into The House with the Golden Door and I...am usually bad at writing positive reviews, but even worse right now. I think not only does Amara's journey as a slave forced to work at one of the brothels of Pompeii prove a heartbreaking, enlightening and eye-opening journey in history, but something that can be understood amongst our populous now.

This was hard to read, but I'm such a big fan of Harper's narration style and the effortless manner of reality that befalls Amara. I also loved how this sequel focused so much on her character development, giving us a more culpable understanding of Amara herself. It also makes sense that there are so many moments of her taking ten or fifteen steps back as opposed to being the strong willed character we always expect to see. She is a woman turned slave struggling to retain her true nature, mostly because she doesn't know what that is.

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This was a fantastic read! I devoured it in one day. I am also impressed with the level of research and details about Pompeii Elodie Harper has done. Looking forward to the final installment!

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Power games that started in the first book now are on at full speed.

Scheming and manoeuvring in the highest and lowest levels of society in Pompeii, this is what Amara is getting better and better at in this book. Despite her fears, let down by her "friends", and against all odds, she finds a way to move forward, but pays a terrible price. Amara's love and dilemma will break your heart at the end, but you cannot wait to read the final book, now can you?

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sterling Publishing for an Advance Review Copy.

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Just when things were looking up for Amara, crap hits the fan…

I have to say, for such a smart rating woman, Amara messes up a whole lot. She makes the same mistakes over and over when it comes to Felix and the She Wolves. And when she’s backed up against the wall, she doesn’t go to the one person that would help her without expecting anything back.

Having said that, I obviously enjoyed the story and had some strong reactions to the different situations.

Guess we shall see how Amara’s journey ends…I truly hope that Pliny will help.

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The House with the Golden Door is a sequel in an expected trilogy. The first book, The Wolf Den, should not be missed. The story returns to Pompeii in 75 AD, mere years before the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.

Spoilers for the first book ahead!

Amara is no longer an enslaved woman. She is struggling with relishing her own freedom, while feeling guilty to the people she left behind in the brothel. This book follows her perspective only, which has its pros and cons. While her story is certainly compelling, she is not why I so enjoy this trilogy. I love the way that Elodie Harper immerses readers in Ancient Pompeii. I feel like I am standing in the forum, walking the streets, and entering the houses. It is amazing to consider this bustling time in history with the tension of knowing what is coming. Like Amara's beauty, Pompeii's magnificence will be fleeting and we all must prepare ourselves.

While the story is long, it held my attention the whole time. I adore female-driven historical fiction. This trilogy definitely fits the bill!

Thank you to the author and publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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What I Liked:
Honestly everything! If you read my review for the first book in this trilogy, you know that I absolutely adored it. This book is no different. No scratch that. It elevated everything from book 1. I was in desperate NEED to know what happened with Amara, I gasped at a few reveals, and stared at my wall when I realized book 3 isn’t out for a year.

Harper did an amazing job with showing how the trauma each character experienced is trying to cope with what happened to them. And she does not shy away from the brutalities that come with just trying to survive. Not to mention her talent at writing about those we try to ignore. Harper quickly jumped to one of my favorite authors with this book.

What I Didn’t Like:
This is probably one of the few times there is not a single thing that I didn’t like. Every piece of this masterpiece was amazing and I can’t stop thinking about it!

Would I Recommend?
YES!! Everyone PLEASE read this series! I am obsessed with both Harper’s writing, and every character in this book. And with how close we’re getting to the big Pompeii event, I need someone else to read this with me so we can obsess over how great of a character Amara is and can be sad together (if it ends up coming to that)

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Amara has finally escaped the Wolf Den. Is she safe? Never.

I connected to her story a little more this time around. She eventually finds love, but not with the man that "freed" her. And then she doesn't even get the fullness of that happiness.

What a plight it is to be a woman of these times. What a plight it is to be a woman now.

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