I cannot quite explain how much I loved this. I was wary as it's the last in a series that I've enjoyed so much over the years but this absolutely blew me away. The attention to detail is second to none and the story had it all- tension, hope, drama!

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚃𝚎𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚞𝚗𝚊 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠

𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ★★★★☆

The final instalment of The Wolf Den trilogy, we are reunited with Amara in 79 AD Rome. Now a courtesan to a close confident of the Emperor, she tries to adjust to her new life of political power and politics. Her heart remains in Pompeii, and she is plunged back into the shark tank of old enemies and threats, holding on to the life line of her dearest friends. However, Mt Vesuvius is far more than just a shark among many.

Elodie Harper’s historical fiction draws on both fact and fiction, building a detailed and captivating ancient world. The ancient myths woven through the story builds her characters and deepens their characters; we learn what they fear, when they celebrate, what brings them comfort. The characters throughout The Wolf Den trilogy are deeply connected, deep with history and emotion. I did feel that this was less well executed in the final instalment, Felix’s character especially went from a traumatised and complicated man, to a one dimensional thug which is a shame.

With the first half of the book set in Rome you are surrounded by the twists of murders, political tension and conspiracies - I found that this was deeply interesting, but the pace was slightly too slow for me and the characters, like the emperor, that are built up through the whole first half don’t actually make much of an impact in the story.

The second half’s fast pacing, vivid imagery and heart wrenching setting had me unable to put the book down. Harper really nurses your love for Amara throughout the trilogy, and I truly had my heart in my mouth. I did feel that there was a bit of a rush at the end to tie up loose ends, and this could have been a series rather than a trilogy to allow room for more depth of characters and a more natural ending.

That said, I truly enjoyed this series and this instalment was no exception.

Thank you to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for providing a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

A whimsical and captivating tale, in line with those that have come before. The writing style complimented the world building.

I've absolutely loved and devoured this series and cannot recommend it enough. I'd love to read more by Elodie in the future.

The final book in this trilogy was a triumph and gave the story a well deserved and well considered ending that was befitting both the ongoing story and the characters. The terror felt during the disaster of Pompeii was palpable and very well written.

Elodie Harper has a wonderful way with words that evoke true emotion and grip the reader tightly within the lines if her prose.

Excellent well, highly recommended!

A rather bleak but hopeful conclusion to this trilogy, I struggled with the last book but liked listening to the audio for this one. It ended exactly how I wanted to and want another book based on Britannica!

This is the final book in a trilogy of books - 'The Wolf Den'. I was very excited for this book and was so happy to be given a copy of this ARC. It does not disappoint - I need to read the full trilogy again to fully appreciate just how good they are! Beautiful writing across the series and great plotlines. No spoilers from me as I don't want to spoil anything for anyone yet to read - but you will thoroughly enjoy this series.

Absolutely love the wolf den trilogy and this final instalment was no exception. Most definitely will recommend.

I could not have been more excited about the final book of "The Wolf Den" trilogy.
Harper has managed to make me love a character not because I identify with her, but because of how human she is. The good, the bad and the worst.

Harper creates an unlikely heroine, he does not sugar the cruelty of the life Amara experiences in Roman Italy, and finds the perfect balance between tragedy and small moments of calm and even victory in all this chaos.

I have always had a fascination for the classical world, but these books still managed to teach me more about the reality of their lives and immerse me in that world in a way I had never done. You will not find the romanticised birthplace of "democracy" and Western philosophy: you find the struggles of people trying to survive in a brutal world, where nothing is for granted.

By the end of the second book Amara is moving to Rome to find a better life for herself and her daughter. This is where the third and last of the trilogy starts.

Like the previous two, I enjoyed it thoroughly, the description of Amara's (or Timarete's) emotions is vivid and realistic, and despite not being your perfect heroine, you become attached to her for her humanity.

I do not want to spoil the book much for readers, so I will not get into much detail. This book is a fitting ending for the saga, and if I had to say something negative is that I wish it was a bit longer, especially the part in Rome.

I will keep an eye on the author's next books (one of them I am incredibly excited about already)

Harper has once again smashed it with this book. The perfect ending to the series, beautiful writing and character building and plot lines. I hugely recommend anyone interested in historical fiction, or just interested in a good book, to pick up this series

This was a fantastic book that brought us deeper into Amara’s world. I was on the edge of my seat to hear what happens to her and how she responds to challenges. Highly recommend this series!

We have followed Amara on her journey as a slave in a Pompeii wolf den to a high powered courtesan in Rome. She is free in this final part of her story but the year is AD79 and we know that Mount Vesuvius is about to make itself known....

I have enjoyed the history of this trilogy and with the quotations at the beginning of each chapter being historical sources such as writing and graffiti, I have felt fully immersed in the atmosphere of Pompeii amongst the women and men trying to make their way amongst the hustle and bustle, and grift and graft.

I didn't like Amara though; I never warmed to her and some of her decisions are very questionable. I felt sorry for some of her friends left behind and I understand that as a slave she would have had to make awful decisions. I just wonder if they were more self-seeking than her friends deserved.

It was nice to finish the trilogy though and know how it all ended for the characters we have read about ❤️

This is the final instalment in Elodie Harpers Wolf Den Trilogy, a historical series set in Pompei in 79AD - just before the eruption of mouth Vesuvius,
We have been following Amara throughout this trilogy as she has worked her way through skill and cunning out of slavery in a brothel into the world of private courtesan to a powerful man.
In this final instalment we follow Amara's return to Pompei just as the tremors of the eruption start to happen.

Let me start out by saying I am a massive fan of this series, I'm usually a Fantasy and Horror reader so consider it high praise that I'm giving a Historical series 5 stars. I adore this trilogy and Elodie Harper furnished out beautifully, I love these characters with my whole heart and this trilogy has brought me on an absolute adventure with a good healthy dose of emotional turmoil.

Fantastic, Faultless, I hope Elodie Harper goes on to write many more books for years to come!

I really enjoyed this books and found it to be a brilliant conclusion to the series.

Elodie Harper proves once again that she is a masterful storyteller. I love her ability to bring history to life as I could vividly imagine the gritty streets of Pompeii contrasted with the more luxurious surroundings of Rome.

The story had such a strong sense of place. Having visited Pompeii myself, I couldn't help but admire Elodie Harper's meticulous research and commitment to detail. At times, I found myself forgetting that Amara wasn't an actual historical figure as the the lines between fiction and reality were so blurred.

I didn't enjoy the scenes set in Rome quite as much as those set in Pompeii, perhaps because I missed the original Pompeiian characters. I was therefore glad when Amara returned to the city and reunited with some of her old friends (and foes).

Elodie Harper skilfully builds tension with each earthquake and tremor, creating a palpable sense of foreboding as the inevitable eruption of Vesuvius looms over the story. The impending catastrophe adds a gripping layer to the plot and I could feel my heart pounding at the climax of the story.

One of the highlights for me was witnessing the progression of Amara's character throughout the series. Her growing confidence, boldness, and the sacrifices she made for her loved ones made her a compelling protagonist.

I appreciated how the author successfully tied up all loose ends, providing a satisfying conclusion while still leaving the door open for the story to be revisited in the future.

I'll definitely be excited to read what Elodie Harper writes next.

***Book Review***

The Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper

This is the highly anticipated conclusion to the Wolf Den trilogy. We return to Amara, now in Rome at the time of the Emperor Titan and Vesuvius' eruption.

Elodie's writing style is a dream, and her passion for this time period is evident throughout all three books - they are books you read and immediately want to jump on a plane and visit the places described in real life. [Seriously - there should be a Wolf Den guide to / tour of Pompeii]

Amara and my absolute favourite, Britannica, epitomise strong female characters. Though perhaps that's an oversimplification - they're complex, and fundamentally human and for Amara in particular, I felt completely and utterly emotionally invested in her story. Elodie wraps up Amara's story beautifully, producing yet another gem.

I devoured this book over the course of 24 hours - Baby Chadwick is now overdue and it provided some welcome distraction! I'd recommend the Wolf Den trilogy for anyone who enjoys historical fiction, as well as the myth retellings in the vein of Jennifer Saint and Natalie Haynes, with it equally evocative and immersive.

There’s always something so bittersweet about the ending of a series that you’ve loved; the chance to see characters that you’ve followed and gotten to know get an end to their story sits alongside the knowledge that this is the last journey you’ll go on with them.

I went back to read my review of The Wolf Den, the first book in Amara’s story, and I noted there the incredible research that had gone into the novel and how well it transported the reader to ancient Pompeii. That is absolutely still true as the trilogy closes with The Temple of Fortuna - throughout the novel, there is an intense sense of dread that builds and builds and builds, and at times I wanted to read through my hands.

I’ve always thought the centre of this story is love - romantic love, absolutely, but platonic love and familial love too; and how in the darkest of situations that love (especially of the family we choose) sustains us and helps us keep going.

For Amara and her family, The Temple of Fortuna felt like a beautiful conclusion to those love stories and the many adventures they have already been on.

I think Harper does an exceptional job in not just making this feel like the end of a longer-running story; it does continue and wrap up storylines that began in the first book, but it also felt like it would stand alone as it’s own story too.

If you loved The Wolf Den and The House with the Golden Door, I think you’ll love this conclusion to the trilogy. If you haven’t read any of the books yet, you are missing out!

I was curious to see how Amara’s story would unfold and this didn’t disappoint. The story commenced in Rome but I was pleased to see it transfer to Pompeii. Thought it added extra including the aftermath of Vesuvius erupting.

The final instalment in this wonderful trilogy, and I thought it did the ending justice! I’ve been so invested in Amara’s journey I couldn’t wait to follow it to the conclusion. Beautifully written and researched.

And here we are, at the end of the Wolf Den trilogy. Overall, I have enjoyed spending time with Amara and her friends, however, this last book fell a little flat of the previous two.

This book very much felt like a book in two parts - before and after the eruption of Vesuvius and it is the latter part which is the better, but it may be that because my initial interest in this trilogy was its setting, it held my attention more. The first part was a little slow for my liking and quite honestly, when I reached the end of the book, that part felt like a different book entirely as it didn’t seem to “fit”. In all though, I was happy with the ending, it was fairly neat and tidy.

The book art for this series is beautiful and would make a welcome addition to my bookcase.

My thanks go to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my copy of the conclusion to this trilogy.

This was one of my most highly anticipated releases of 2023 and it did not disappoint. I loved being back in this world with Amara and from the ending I suspect we will see her make an appearance again in future books.

I had wondered how Elodie Harper was going to fit in Vesuvius.. which characters would survive and who would perish in the eruption. Overall I thought it was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy and I was happy with how everything turned out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.