Book Review: The Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper

Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Historical Fiction

Series: Book 3 of The Wolf Den Trilogy

Publisher: Union Square Co. (November 14, 2023)

Length: 352 pages

Author Information: Website

At long last, I have completed the highly anticipated and brilliant final installment of the Wolf Den Trilogy which follows the life of Amara, a young Greek woman who was once a doctor’s daughter sold into sexual slavery after her father passed away and her family fell into financial ruin. Before proceeding, please be aware that the rest of this review may contain possible spoilers for the first two books if you are not yet caught up! At the end of The Wolf’s Den, we saw Amara free herself from a life of prostitution at one of Pompeii’s most notorious brothels by using all her wits. In The House of the Golden Door, she realizes that despite her new life of luxury, she is still not her own woman, and a forbidden love affair puts her newfound status in jeopardy.

And now in The Temple of Fortuna, it is 79 AD, and we all know what catastrophic event will occur which will alter the course of history for Pompeii forever. For the time being though, Amara and her fellow Pompeiians are still blissfully unaware of the fire and ash which will soon rain down and bury their bustling, vibrant city. Our protagonist is now a freedwoman, with an opportunity to travel to Rome where she will rub elbows with those who used to be far above her station. That said, she will always treasure her ties to some of the women with whom she bonded with back when they were prostitutes back at the Wolf Den. She now also has a daughter, whose real paternity must remain a secret, and to protect her lover and their child, she has accepted that they must live their separate lives as her path leads her to the capital.

But for readers who have come this far, the main event is and has ever been the long-waited eruption of mighty Mount Vesuvius. When faced with the sheer magnitude of destruction, all of Amara ambitions and plays for power go by the wayside as her only thoughts are for her friends and loved ones who have remained in Pompeii.

In this explosive series conclusion, dramatic true events and some of the best storytelling I’ve seen are woven together seamlessly to bring a satisfying end to Amara’s saga. Author Elodie Harper has written a truly phenomenal character study of her protagonist, transitioning her from humble beginnings to her high status in Rome. And yet the plot never loses sight of the tragic circumstances in her life, focusing on how these hardships have made her stronger, smarter, and more determined. Each book has also introduced at least one major conflict that tests her emotional and physical boundaries to the extreme, leading to interesting storylines and further growth in Amara.

As well, I love how the themes have remained steadfast on love, found families, sisterhood, and the enduring power of friendships. The people in Amara’s lives, even her enemies and betrayers, have added a richness to her character and to the series as a whole. The author’s ability to balance the historical details and character development also goes a long way in elevating the overall reading experience, especially the final sections of the book as Amara and her family navigate the immediate aftermath of Vesuvius’s eruption. No joke, chills were running down my spine as I felt like I was transported right into the middle of the fear and chaos. Harper clearly anticipated that her readers would have high expectations of the event and she did not disappoint. The characters’ subsequent fight for survival was perhaps one of the most intense sequences I have ever read.

All in all, I can safely say the Wolf Den Trilogy now ranks among my favorite historical fiction series of all time, and The Temple of Fortuna is truly a worthy ending. I had expected a lot from this final book, and Elodie Harper certainly did not let me down with her flawlessly paced storytelling and gorgeous writing. I highly recommend the author and these books.

More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of The Wolf Den (Book 1)
Review of The House with the Golden Door (Book 2)