Daisy Lake and Gavin Carmichael are orphans at Roxbury House. Daisy is the classic orphan, who doesn’t even know her last name. Gavin’s family perished in a tenement fire. Along with their friends, Harry and Rourke, they form a club that makes them as strong as a family. Then, Gavin’s long-lost grandfather shows up to claim him, and things change. Gavin and Daisy share a special bond, and agree to keep in touch no matter what happens.

As things go, though, they lose touch. Many years later, Gavin is a successful barrister in London. He has been searching for Daisy to no avail. When he receives yet another bad report from a private investigator, Harry and Rourke convince him to visit a supper club where a new French entertainer, Delilah du Lac, is performing.

When Gavin realizes that Delilah is Daisy, he thinks his prayers have been answered. But a long time has passed, and things have changed since they were children. Can Gavin, raised by his stuffy grandfather, find love with Daisy, who is now a stage actress with a past?

When I first read the blurb for this I thought, well, this is a well-used plot about two people who are very close, who are broken apart, and come back together again. It should be okay to read. But in the deft hands of Hope Tarr, Enslaved became something much more.

Fantastic characterization brought this book to life, making me feel as if I’d known the players all my life, instead of it being my first introduction to them. I loved watching Gavin and Daisy grow together, learn about each other and themselves. When I got to the last page and had tears in my eyes, I knew this was a story I would want to read again.

Hope Tarr has a new fan. I can’t wait to check out more of her work, and see what she has in store for her readers. Enslaved certainly put chains around my heart. It is a Joyfully Reviewed Recommended Read for me.