Having just finished reading this book I am yet to fully digest it. I am exhausted in the best way and am once again desperate for the release of the following book, longing to see what Amara’s story still has to offer.

No longer enslaved at the Wolf Den, we return to Amara as she navigates her new role as courtesan and freedwoman. However, the luxuries of her “freedom” lose their shine quickly, and Amara is soon juggling the need to retain her patron, shake off her former pimp, and safeguard her future which, as a woman, is constantly in jeopardy.

Amara grows stronger and more resilient in this book, cleverly using tactics she has learnt in enslavement in her newly elevated position. She continues to be an engaging protagonist, being elegantly ferocious and infuriatingly but believably flawed. You can’t help but be transfixed by her.

Familiar characters return, both to my delight and dismay, all managing to either warm, break, or anger my heart. Britannica is brilliantly developed and her relationship with Amara is one of my favourite aspects of the book. Victoria’s loyalty is repaid, Felix’s ego keeps growing, and Rufus continues to underestimate his concubine.

As if Amara’s troubles weren’t enough, the impending doom of Vesuvius looms over her story. We are a few years away from its eruption and whether Amara escapes Pompeii or not, it is sure to impact her. I don’t know if that’s where this trilogy is headed, but it feels too coincidental not to be. And I’m not sure how I’m supposed to wait until book 3 arrives to find out.

eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The following review contains some mild spoilers.

4/5 ⭐️

After reading the Wolf Den a couple of months ago, I was starved to know about what was going to happen next. Was Rufus as kind as he seemed? Was Felix going to get his redemption arc? Was Amara going to rectify things with Menander? The Wolf Den was a random book I requested on NetGalley because it sounded interesting, but it quickly became one of my top reads of 2022. Given this, one can imagine how excited I was to receive an arc for its sequel.

So, how did it compare?

Pretty freaking good!

...although probably not as good as its first instalment.

Something that carried over wonderfully from the first book was Harper's ability to bring to life such complex characters. I really adore Amara, as well as her perseverance in trying to establish a better life for herself and those she holds dear. Personally, I think the main reason why I like this series as much as I do is due to Harper not shying away from writing characters that would not traditionally be considered 'heroes'; Amara often manipulates those around her in order to achieve very self-serving outcomes. She is flawed, but that is what makes her so compelling. This also applies to all other characters. Are about 85% of them super infuriating and just awful (I am looking at you, Victoria)? Yes, but that is the appeal. The love-to-hate relationships I had with a lot of the characters really made me want to keep reading. Barely anyone is a good person, if any. A perfect example of this was Felix: he was an awful person, yet I kept looking forward to see what he will do next. I was really at the edge of my seat at times. I think this speaks volumes to Harper's ability in creating a story and characters that project such intense feelings in the reader. While this is partly due to the exquisite writing in this book, it is also evident that the plot is very carefully constructed in order to instil those emotions, which is a talent that cannot really be taught. Everything is included in the story for a reason and, even if things might not seem significant as you read them, they almost always come full circle to impact the plot later on. This really provides for an excellent and engaging narrative.

Though I overall enjoyed this book and I am dying to read the last instalment in the series, there were a few things which I was not a fan of that I think are worthwhile to talk about. Most glaringly was the shift in love interests between the first and second book. This is not necessarily a criticism of Philos: he was a great character, and my heart ached for him and his story. However, if I am honest, I barely remembered him from the first book, so the way he took the role of the main love interest was really random (also did not help that for the first 40% of the book I thought he was an old man since I completely forgot his description in the first book!). Sure, him and Amara seemed to develop some sort of connection at the start of this book, but her romantic interest in him felt like it developed overnight. This left me feeling jarred about this relationship, and I actually did not really start rooting for them until about the 70% mark! This leads to another big issue I had with this book: the pacing. Similarly to the Wolf Den, this book also has a seemingly slow pace, even if things keep happening. However, unlike the Wolf Den, I found not enough was happening to really keep me always hooked; the first 50% of this book felt a bit like a fever dream where things were just flying past. That being said, I started to enjoy it a lot more in the last third of the book.

Although I may not have enjoyed The House with the Golden Door as much as I enjoyed the Wolf Den, this book was still excellent and I am excited to read the third book in the trilogy! Apart from following how Amara's story is going to pan out, I am also interested in finding out how the story will play out with the Vesuvius eruption which is bound to occur in about 3 years time in the book. While I do think this book might suffer slightly from second-book syndrome, so I am hoping that the final instalment can really tie all the loose ends together!

TWs: abusive relationship, mentions of sexual violence, mentions of murder, slavery, death, rape, eating disorder

My thanks to NetGalley and Apollo publishing for the opportunity to review this book.
One of my most anticipated reads after thoroughly enjoying her first book in ‘The Wolf Den’ series and it didn’t disappoint.
Yet another gripping five star read that captivated me from the fist page till the last.
My only regret is that I’ve now got to wait patiently for the next instalment.
Highly recommended addictive read.


I loved the first book in this series by Elodie Harper, *The Wolf Den*, so I was ecstatic when I found out that there was a sequel coming out *and* that I had been approved for the Netgalley e-arc.

Amara won her freedom from the violent Felix at the end of *The Wolf Den*, and now she has to come to terms with her new life and leave her former colleagues behind. Though Amara is free, she is still beholden to the gender norms of ancient Pompeii and her new patron, Rufus. Amara’s character grows a lot and it is gratifying to watch her use and hone her cleverness to outwit all her new challenges.

Like the first book in this series, *The House with the Golden Door* is brutal and heart-bruising. Amara does her best to make her life less desperate and miserable, but the shadow of being a formerly-enslaved woman relying on one mercurial man still hangs over her. Harper is talented at straddling the line between realistic brutality and glints of hope in her storytelling, so Amara’s harsh experiences feel concrete and relatable, but not like manipulative torture porn (giving side-eye to *A Little Life* here). The ending of this book is a breathtaking cliffhanger and I am impatient for the final book in this trilogy, yet it also felt satisfying.

I absolutely loved 'The Wolf Den' by the same author which is now the first in this trilogy about Amara, who begins her life in Pompeii working in the brothel.
A second novel is always tough and I did feel in the very start there was a case of tell not show in filling in some background as we now find Amara housed in 'The House with the Golden Door' as the courtesan of Rufus, who alongside Pliny the Elder (Roman author and philosopher) paid and rescued Amara from the violent clutches of Felix to a life of riches and safety.
But very soon the plot ups a gear and I was intrigued by the relationships of courtesans and their 'lovers' who in most contexts today would still be seen as masters of sex slaves. Amara tends to be quite headstrong and not wanting to abandon her friends back at the brothel and try to forge an independent financial future for herself comes into conflict with her past slave master at the brothel.
The scenes out and about in Pompeii are wonderfully written, evoking the busy city, its coastal place under the looming volcano Vesuvius and the interplay between women and men across the classes of Pompeii society.
It was great that Amara was able to reunite with Pliny and leading from that would be a new adventure carefully plotted out to abandon love and security for the unknown away from Pompeii.
Overall the development of Amara, tenderness in her love for Philos and the undercurrents of threats that still follow her life make this once again a riveting read.
Pompeii still fascinates us all. Walking the streets, seeing the paintings, crying at the forms of humans embalmed in volcanic lava make us want to know the internal lives and loves of its residents.
Elodie Harper once again brings those entombed people to life in a wonderful read.

I loved The Wolf Den and I could not wait to return to Pompeii to see what happens next to Amara and the other women of The Wolf Den. Amara now a Freed Women, has a patron Rufus who can also be brutal and she knows that she has to work hard to stay in his good books and keep him enamoured with her. This takes tenacity, strength and ambition and Amara struggles with the transition from a slave to a courtesan and she puts herself in danger many times.
The author really drops the reader to the centre of Pompeii and the tension is real, and totally breath-taking at times.
Amara has to become and do many things that she does not expect to do in order to survive but this all adds to the incredible story telling of this book.


The characters in the book really evoked strong emotions in me, sadness, angry and for one in particular disgust and contempt. I will leave you to decide who that is !

I was totally engrossed by this book and I cannot wait for Book 3. However I need a little breather to get over the emotional ride of Amara’s latest tales.


Out 12.5.2022

5 *****

Elodie Harper is an excellent storyteller and this second book featuring Amara is a page turner that kept me hooked.
I love Amara and like the depiction of Pompei. The historical background is well researched and the characters are fleshed out.
There's not a lot of historical fiction set in Rome that features strong characters like Amara and i think this is excellent.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

“May men fall to me as this offering falls to you, Greatest Aphrodite. May I know love’s power, if never its sweetness.” Amara’s plea to the Goddess.

My thanks to Head of Zeus /Apollo for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The House with the Golden Door’ by Elodie Harper in exchange for an honest review.

We continue to follow the life of Amara, who had been sold into slavery following her doctor father’s death. She later became a she-Wolf in the infamous Lupanar of Pompeii, sharing strong bonds with her sister she-wolves.

As this is a trilogy with a continuous storyline the books are best read in order. As a result I won’t give plot details as I wish to avoid spoilers for the events of ‘The Wolf Den’ for those who have not yet read it.

The novel opens in February AD75 and concludes in AD76, so there is still a while to go until the eruption of Vesuvius that destroys Pompeii, leaving behind an extraordinary archeological record.

I continue to admire Elodie Harper’s storytelling skills as well as how well she brings Pompeii and its inhabitants to life with rich descriptions.

Clearly a great deal of research was undertaken for the trilogy and her blog contains further information, including stunning photographs of the houses that inspired her House with the Golden Door.

Overall, I found ‘The House with the Golden Door’ an intelligent and highly engaging work of historical fiction that powerfully reimagines the lives of the women of Pompeii. I look forward to the conclusion of Amara’s journey in the final volume.

Definitely a must read for those seeking historical fiction set in the ancient world.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I loved the first book of this series so was really pleased to discover this one is just as good, following Amara in her perilous quest for security as a former brother worker in ancient Pompeii. I liked the way Harper was able to weave previous characters into Amara's new life in a realistic way, as well as introducing new characters such as Philos. I also think that Harper's plotting is very realistic to what a women would have to do in that time and place, particularly the ending of this novel. I can't wait for the final(?) installment.

The sequel to The Wolf Den, a favourite of mine from last year, I was so excited to read this book. And it did not disappoint at all
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Amara is a brilliant character to follow. She is strong, intelligent, vulnerable and ruthless. She is a flawed character, but is aware of this fact, but she knows what it takes to survive and is willing to do what she must for this. Her position may have changed, but Amara hasn’t forgotten the trauma she has suffered, and refuses to return to it. It is hard not to root for her, even in some of her more questionable decisions, remembering the horrors she has endured and what it took for her and her fellow She-Wolves to survive
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The author sensitively explores Amara’s history, but also Britannica who is more developed in this book and is an immediate favourite. She highlights the imbalance of power between men and women, the free and the enslaved, and how these power dynamics played out
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The world of Pompeii is alive in the book. The food, clothes, music and festivals are brought to life in wonderfully descriptive way. Readers walk the streets with Amara and her friends, hearing the roar of the crowds. It is clear how much time and research has gone in to this book
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I loved this one, as much as The Wolf Den, and absolutely flew through it. I can not wait for book 3 to see where Amara’s life takes her next
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A must for historical fiction fans!
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Thank you to Head of Zeus for sending me a copy of this gorgeous book

A solid middle installment in this historical fiction trilogy.

I read The Wolf Den last year (thank you to my local library). At that point I didn’t know it was the first in a trilogy, but I should have guessed. I mean, when a book opens with ‘Pompeii AD 74’ you have to assume we’ll be hanging around until the city’s final days in AD 79 and fitting five years into one book would have been tricky.

I didn’t find this second installment quite as absorbing as The Wolf Den, mostly because some of Amara’s choices caused me to roll my eyes! Also it’s difficult to say I ‘enjoyed’ this book because the characters (especially the women) spend most of their time dodging one life-threatening hazard after another. Consequently reading this story can be stressful, like watching people you care about walk a tightrope between the tops of two skyscrapers.

However, if you’re looking for historical details to enjoy, you won’t be disappointed. The evocation of Pompeii, daily Roman life and the special festivals in the calendar is as impressively done as in the first book.

Again as with Book 1, I felt a lot was crammed into the last few chapters of this story. That said, it has certainly set things up to be interesting in book 3.

And it was a brilliant surprise to find that Britannia was given much more to do in this book and has become my new favourite character! I would read the third book in the series just to find out what happens to her and I really hope she goes on to get the blood and glory she’s looking for.

Overall: I continue to recommend this series to fans of historical fiction. However, at this point you might want to wait until Book 3 is published so you can read the books back to back and not have to wait to find out what happens next.

Another brilliant book my Elodie Harper. I fell in love with The Wolf Den and the second book in this trilogy does not disappoint. Amara now lives a life of comfort with Rufus, and even buys Victoria and Britannica from Felix. However, what is supposed to be an act of freedom ends up tying Amara to Felix just as much as when she was in the Wolf Den. To make matters more complicated, Amara also falls in love with Philos, one of Rufus’ slaves. Overall this was a gripping read and I can’t wait to read the next instalment.

I really enjoyed the story of Amara and Philos. I preferred the second half to the first - probably as a result of more plot twists but mostly because I thought the characters in the second half were either more interesting or developed in their complexity.

My favourite characters are Philos and Britannica. Both have many admirable traits and overcome insurmountable obstacles.

The setting in Pompeii is an interesting and unusual choice. It adds intrigue and worked really well.

I particularly enjoyed seeing the powerful female characters and the exploration of female relationships - loyalty and betrayal.

I will definitely be highly anticipating the third installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and House of Zeus for providing me with an ARC

The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper 🪙

Thank you to Head of Zeus and Eodiel Harper via Netgalley for my ebook arc of the second installment in The Wolf Den trilogy - what a roller-coaster of emotions this book is!

The Wolf Den set the scene for Amara the slave prostitute in Pompeii, where the rich luxuriate in their wealth and barter for what they want. Amara has started to be a part of this world, now she is with Rufus and she has done what she can for her friends. She becomes closer to Philos, another slave and Menander has been forgotten.

I love the world building in both this novel and the first but I'm not sure I'm a massive fan of Amara. Some of her decisions are based on need rather than want but this turns her into a selfish woman incapable of love. She appears too destroyed by what has happened to her and Felix is the same old evil pimp. Although it seems realistic of the time, it doesn't make for happy reading and there seems very little hope. I loved the Pompeii graffiti and pieces of writing from the time that start each chapter and as always with Harper, this seems well researched and historically accurate.

5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2022/05/17/the-house-with-the-golden-door-wolf-den-trilogy-2-by-elodie-harper/
Last year I read and thoroughly enjoyed The Wolf Den, a brutally honest tale of slavery and another book that follows the recent trend of looking at history through the eyes of those that are often overlooked. I love this type of reimagining and the setting for the Wolf Den trilogy is a fascinating one to visit. The House with the Golden Door continues the story of Amara whose life has has gone from one of cherished comfort to a slave, a prostitute and now a courtesan.

We pick up the story with Amara living in relative luxury, purchased by her lover and another patron and given her freedom she has a home, food, clothes and lives a life of ease compared to her time in the Wolf Den. Her status is such that she mixes with other courtesans who provide her with advice and her home is protected by her patron’s own steward, guard and maid. Realistically speaking, having read Amara’s earlier story you might think her life would be complete but Amara still walks a fine line, keeping her patron happy whilst juggling the loneliness of her new existence.

I confess that picking this one up I wondered where the story would take us next and maybe slightly worried that we might follow Amara in a much more subdued role. I was wrong. Amara is intelligent and ambitious. she’s determined to make good on this short period in her life when her attractiveness pays well and understands how tenuous her situation really is. On top of this she made firm friends in the Den and finds herself not only missing the women she bonded with but wrestling with a conscience that desperately wants to help them. With this in mind she sets out to meet her former owner. I won’t elaborate on the plot too much. What you really need to know is that Amara undoubtedly makes mistakes, you can see her doing so and you’re wringing your hands wondering how she’ll manage, she also finds love where she least expects, her friendships are ultimately tested and while some don’t stand the test of time others really shine.

Once again Harper manages to transport us to a vibrant and lively Pompeii. She creates a story that is beautiful to read. The clothes, food, shops, lifestyle, customs and history all play a part and yet there’s no info dumps. Everything feels naturally integrated and helps to spin a picture as you read. The writing is once again what I would call modern or contemporary but I found myself really enjoying it. It makes the story a breeze to read through and the pages seemed to flow with indecent haste. And, in similar style to the first in the series this is a honest retelling. Amara may have been freed but this is still no fairytale ending and her patron is the furthest thing from a prince in shining armour.

I absolutely loved that the author writes this in a way that makes you really consider the life these people led. Here we have Amara, technically a free woman and yet under a contract with stipulations about her conduct that should she err would see her revert back to slavery. She certainly doesn’t feel like a free woman and the amount of fawning that she must do in order to please her new lover also gives lie to the fact.

On top of this the story is once again very focused on friendship and this angle undoubtedly leads Amara into some tricky situations. We again meet up with Victoria and Britannica and I have to say I loved Britannica in this instalment and can’t wait to see how she develops in the next book. Felix also plays a strong role and let me just say – I want to punch him in the face! And I’m not a violent person. But dear god give me strength that man wants slapping hard (the only problem being he would probably enjoy it). Anyway, moving on. Amara finds a new love interest that places her in great danger whilst at the same time as falling under the protection of two lovely ladies who provide her with a place of safety.

There is once again plenty going on here. Some of it is quite heartbreaking, similar to the first instalment and a good deal of it is shocking in it’s frankness but this only helps to give firm foundations to the way the key players behave. Amara is very focused. She finds herself opening up to love but at the same time she is absolutely resolute in her desire, or in fact need, to find stability. Nothing will stand in her way. It gives me pause for thought. Was the Wolf Den named because it was actually inhabited by a pack of wolves or because the wolves were the customers waiting at the door.

I don’t have any criticisms for this. I found it a fast paced, entertaining, sometimes shocking and often emotional read. It whisked me away to an ill fated land that sprang off the page and left me wanting more. It’s going to be a long wait for the third instalment. Honestly, I could read about Amara and the predicaments she finds herself in all day long. I could read a spin off simply about Britannica. And I would love to see this picked up and adapted for the big screen.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

Following on from the Wolf Den, Harper follows the emancipated life of Amara as she begins a life freed from the clutches of Felix. The book beautifully conjures up the hustle and bustle of Pompeii in all its seediness and juxtaposing extravagance.
This sequel maintains many of the same characters as it's predecessor, exploring the loyalties, ties and influence that extend amongst the under classes of Pompeii as they struggle for survival. Amara's continued drive to liberate herself economically leads to unforeseen and devastating consequences. A glimmer of hope though in a burgeoning romance permits Amara a true chance at happiness...although will it last.

I absolutely loved this sequel to The Wolf Den. The House with the Golden Door is just as captivating. The author brilliantly enhances the reimagining of Pompeii’s historic ancient era with complete perceptiveness for these deeply compelling characters evolution. I really enjoyed the dynamics and dialogues between all the characters and the depth of their stories. The relationships and interactions at times are so exhilarating, they stir up all the emotions. Just like The Wolf Den, The House with the Golden door continues the story with fierce vividness with a lot of soul and heart, so beautifully written and has you feeling so intrigued to know more about Pompeii history. A fantastic 2nd book, this historical fiction trilogy is definitely becoming one of my favourites and I can’t wait for the final conclusion.

The story picks up after the first book The Wolf Den. Set in Pompeii, this story has lots to keep you invested from the beginning. Te friendships and hardship the wolves experience hook you in and keep you there until you're at the end.

This is the second book in the Wolf Den Trilogy and I was lucky enough to be accepted to read and review this through NetGalley thanks to Head of Zeus.

In this historical fiction, we continue the story of Amara and where her life left off in the first book. I can’t say too much without obviously spoiling it but just know there’s a lot of drama, forbidden love, death and much more!!

I loved jumping back into this story, I found it so comforting and exciting to be reading this book considering how much I loved the first. Amara’s character is so powerful and I really enjoyed seeing the courageous mistakes and decisions she made throughout. Elodie has such a beautiful way of developing her characters and the story to keep my sitting and reading for hours of pure entertainment. This is a book I can say I definitely feel like I got myself lost in and was a perfect form of escapism.

The twists in this book are subtle, yet shocking and I love the introduction to new characters. You really feel like you are living Amara’s life with her, making me feel so many emotions alongside this wonderful character. I felt her anger, her love, her frustration, her fright even, I haven’t read anything quite like it before.

Oh and Britanicca’s character is so awesome. I love her rawness and it was great getting to know and see more of this character throughout this second book.

I really did love this one, I think it didn’t quite reach it’s top excitement level for me in comparison to the first, but I definitely still thoroughly enjoyed it. I can’t wait already for the 3rd book to come out!!

A really good historical fiction read and I loved finding out what happened to Amara after she left the Wolf Den. The House with the Golden Door is so well researched and written and I loved finding out more about Pompeii. I enjoyed learning more about the characters and their back stories, it was an emotional read at times!

I'm so looking forward to the last book in the trilogy and would recommend for fans of historical fiction.