Book Review: The Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper (Wolf Den Trilogy #3)

Rating: 4.5⭐️

The final installment in author Elodie Harper’s Wolf Den Trilogy opens in Rome in 79 AD. Amara is now a courtesan under the patronage of an influential man who is close to the ruling Emperor. She leads an affluent life surrounded by powerful men and their politics but misses her daughter Rufina, whom she left behind in Pompeii in the care of Philos. Amara often reflects on her past, the people she has lost and the events that brought her to the present day. When a twist of fate brings Amara back to Pompeii, amid friends and foes, it is up to her to protect her dear ones from those who wish to harm them and destroy the life that Amara had so painstakingly built for herself. Unbeknownst to her, old enemies aren’t the only threats to her life, as a catastrophic event is about to wreak havoc on Pompeii.

“Even the most powerful woman can be broken by love.”

Heartbreaking yet hopeful, inspiring and immersive The Temple of Fortuna is a worthy conclusion to the Wolf Den Trilogy. The author combines fact and fiction (referencing real-life characters and epigraphs from written accounts of Roman history from multiple sources at the beginning of each chapter) to weave an engaging narrative that will keep you engaged until the very last page. The mythological references woven into the story, and the descriptions of the traditions and rituals from that era truly enrich the narrative. The pacing of the novel was a tad slow in the first half and I would have enjoyed this book more had Amara’s life after her return to Pompeii from Rome had been given more space in the narrative but this does not detract from the overall reading experience. I loved how the author chose to end the series. I enjoyed following Amara’s journey throughout the series - from an enslaved woman forced to work in a brothel to a freedwoman determined to make a better life for herself in a world where women had no agency. While we may not always agree with her decisions, she is a survivor and her intelligence, courage and resilience render her an admirable protagonist whose story will stay with you long after you have finished reading.

The strength of the Wolf Den series lies in the author’s masterful storytelling, exquisite writing and superb characterizations. Overall, I loved this trilogy and am eager to read more from the author in the future!

(4.5⭐ for the final installment but 5⭐ for the trilogy!)

Many thanks to Union Square & Co. and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.