Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC.


This is the second instalment in The Wolf Den Trilogy. Following Amara's journey as she becomes the mistress of The House with The Golden Door.

This book was absolutely incredible, I knew about 25% in that this was a 5* read and the more I read the better it got. I feel like this story never took a misstep. The pacing, plot, character development and writing is faultless.
No, I don't think you understand, I am OBSESSED!🖐️

The tension throughout this book is palpable. It is a white-knuckle ride to find out where her story is going and I loved every bit of it.

A still relevant look at the way in which woman and people of a lower class are treated in society and the tight-rope on which we walk daily for our own safety against a system that wants to take everything it can get.

This story is so compelling, I didn't want it to end but couldnt read it fast enough. Such an incredible and poignant story told from the POV of the most overlooked people of society. I adore this trilogy and am counting down the days until book #3 release!!!

It was interesting to delve back into Amara’s world in this sequel to The Wolf Den but it was also filling me with anxiety and stress because of all the constant risk to Amara and her friends and household from multiple directions. I somehow found this much harder to read than The Wolf Den, possibly because the stakes were even higher now for Amara and those she was responsible for.

I enjoyed reading more of Amara’s story and the historical insight into Pompeii in that period but I did find this book quite slow-paced and when I reached the end, it was hard to pinpoint much of significance that happened. This isn’t a negative overall, but in terms of personal taste, I look for a story with more progression and key events.

I’m still trying to work out if I like Amara (it’s safe to say I don’t like Victoria, although I do sympathise with her as she is a victim). Amara is full of rage and cunning and has a heart, despite what others might think. I suppose the fact is, she’s human. She has positive and negative traits. She makes good and bad decisions. I found myself trying to work out whether she was making the right decisions, whether she had other options or could have done things differently but ultimately, she’s doing her best with what she has - and to keep what she has. Her softer side is buried beneath a need to survive and the strength in her character and her determination, always planning ahead and believing things will work out, makes it easy to overlook how traumatised and vulnerable she is. We become desensitised to the constant bad news in a way, so my heart never breaks for Amara’s character but I would say she’s very well written - so incredibly human.

Amara's has won her freedom from the notorious wolf den brothel and its cruel master Felix, but life as a high-class courtesan has challenges of its own. Despite the luxurious trappings of her new life, her patron Rufus is not the man she thought he was, and he keeps her on a knife-edge with his constant hints that all this could come to end end with the withdrawal of his favour if she displeases him.

Haunted by the death of her beloved friend Dido and the fate of her fellow she-wolves, Amara is also plagued with guilt about the revenge that Felix may take out of them because of her actions. Despite the advice of her new confidante Philos, Rufus' enslaved steward, Amara puts herself in Felix's power once more in an attempt to help her old friends, even though she knows this comes with the risk that she will never be free of him.

Amara's future is in the balance and she fears becoming more like Felix as she plays the odds to ensure her and her friends' survival, but there is something she is capable of that Felix could never understand - love... and it may end up leading to her downfall...

I loved The Wolf Den and could not wait to meet up again with Amara and the she-wolves in this second instalment, The House with the Golden Door! 

Amara now resides behind the golden doors of the titular house, and is keen to make the most of her freedom, even if the house is rented and everything that comes with it relies on keeping her patron Rufus sweet. As Amara struggles with her new role, Harper blends the contradictory sides of her character to paint the complex picture of a woman who is fully aware of what she must do to survive in a man's world, but who is unable to deny the pull of her heart. For all Amara's fears that she is like Felix, it is her emotions that dictate the direction of much of this story - anger and the need for vengeance battle constantly against feelings of loyalty and gratitude, and love blinds her to the dangerous path she treads - especially when it comes to back-stabbing betrayal. Ultimately she is forced to realise that love is a two-edged sword, and there are heart-wrenching choices to be made.

The Wolf Den was a slow-burn story that builds suspense inexorably to a shocking climax. The House with the Golden Door is a very different kind of beast, with twists and turns from the outset that ensure your heart remains firmly in your mouth. There is a palpable and relentless sense that danger lies around every corner for Amara, which is really interesting since the obvious perils of the wolf-den are no longer the ones that promise to harm her. The life of a courtesan is still one that is controlled by the whims of the men that hold the purse strings, and Amara's determination to command as much independence as she can ensures that there is plenty in these pages to keep the tension and menace at a level that is heart-poundingly intense in the best possible way. 

Harper pulls you in and immerses you completely in the fates and fortunes of her characters, and the way she creates such an authentic feeling of time and place is a delight. The backdrop of Pompeii was wonderfully imagined in the first book, so you felt yourself walking alongside the she-wolves as they laughed, cried, and plied their trade, and now Harper takes us deeper into the places we have only glimpsed from the wrong side of the forum. We see a different side of Pompeii through the eyes of the courtesan, and come to appreciate the importance of rank within their own peculiar profession. We also get to understand what it really means to be a freed-man/woman and the delicate balance that sways how they interact with slaves as well as those who have been born free, and the legal implications of their relationships. Harper explores some new avenues when it comes to the role of women in Roman society too, particularly in terms of sexuality and expectation. And she makes us aware of how far and wide the Roman empire stretches, using the rich clash of cultures and people to bring in a delicious 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' thread.

I loved everything about this stunning novel, including the gorgeous design on the cover. There is no question that this the very best of middle books in a trilogy too - no marking time between a scene-setting first volume and flashy finale here, this is as exciting as they come. It's immersive, intoxicating and brings history alive in a way that makes it so wonderfully engaging. The shadow of the destruction of AD 79 lurks around the corner, and I cannot wait for the final part of the trilogy!

After having read (and loved) The Wolf Den last month, I was very eager to read this one. I am glad to say it did not disappoint. Maybe it was a touch less eventful than the first book, but it just worked for me.

I loved being back with Amara as she negotiates a tricky tightrope of love and life as the concubine of her rich patron. Of course things never go smoothly and it is harder to leave her life at The Wolf Den behind as she initially thought.

There is something very human about the way the author writes Amara’s story as she goes through to day to day life. You feel her anxiety, her hopelessness AND her hope. You feel like you are in Pompeii, like you understand the lives these slaves and she-wolves lead. How trapped they are. I even felt like I understood Felix in one way or another, the way his vileness was created in his past.

As it is supposed to, the love story in this one is heartbreaking and it is hard to see a happy outcome. Yet you hope along with Amara that there will be one day.

If you have not yet started this series, what are you waiting for?!

An arresting and compelling tale, The House With The Golden Door is a consuming and evocative story that transports you right back to the beautiful setting of Pompeii, as we continue to follow the incredible lives of the powerful characters at the forefront of this story about womanhood, fate, and personal strength.

While I loved The Wolf Den, the first book in this series, I was left with many questions and uncertainties at the end of it that it did end on a bit of a low for me. But The House With The Golden Door very quickly ties everything up for me, and I immediately fell back in love with Amara, her friendships, and her desire to feel something real.

As Amara begins to deal with her past, adjust to her new situation, and plan for a future, I finally began to understand Amara's actions in the first book. She's such a strong-willed character who often takes matters into her own hands, that it made it difficult for me to sympathise with her circumstances in The Wolf Den.

But while Amara is in a seemingly safer and kinder environment in this second book, it was only now that I began to understand how she, as a woman, was doomed to a powerless life of insecurity, sacrifice and

Although this is a fictional story, I find it so insightful at the same time, as so many women over our history have been in Amara's position. You don't have to work in a brothel to be under the control of a man, and I love how Harper makes Amara's situation feel so relatable, highlighting how women of the years have had their fates decided from a simple instance of poverty or bad luck.

I loved this book so much more than the first book, but it has also made me appreciate the first book so much more. I really can't wait for book three!

I received an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What a ride! This is the second instalment in the Wolf Den Trilogy and it's exciting from start to finish. Amara's life just gets more complicated, and even though she is a freed woman now, her situation has never been more precarious.

This author has a way of keeping the action moving with plenty of plot twists, without losing the character development and historical context.

An absolutely gripping read - I cannot wait for the finale.

In this novel we return to the life of Amara, freed from the Wolf Den of the first novel but still haunted by her past. Amara has to use all her power and experience to succeed in this new life and the pace doesn't let up throughout in this richly descriptive and evocative story.

I absolutely loved The Wolf Den and I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of The House with the Golden Door, so imagine my absolute JOY when Head of Zeus offered me a place on the blog tour.

My girl Amara is out of the wolf den and is sorely missing the pack she had. Now she’s a concubine and is trying to adjust to her new life, but it’s not any easier than before, because she will eventually lose her age and her looks, and she will then be removed by her Patron. Amara has to adjust to her new life while still grieving the loss of her most trusted friend, and feeling guilty and worried about the women that are still suffering in the wolf den at the hands of Felix.

We see Amara shut down her inner feelings in order to save those she loves, she knows it will ruin her to do so but she’s willing to pay that price. There’s very clear character development in this book as she’s thrust into more hostile situations.

Elodie’s writing is as beautifully captivating as it is in the first book and I can’t wait to see how this will all pan out in the next book. Will Amara ever be truly free in a world where women are seen as possessions and nothing more? We’ll have to wait for the next instalment to find out.

Thank you so much to Head of Zeus for having me on the blog tour!

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,