Every now and again I get a taste for historical romance. When my current notion to take a walk in the past hit, I picked up a copy of Enslaved by Hope Tarr. This is the second in her Men of Roxbury House series and I hoped the fact that I hadn't read the first portion, Vanquished, wouldn't keep me from enjoying Enslaved.

Luckily for the reader Ms. Tarr provides a background at the beginning of this story that introduces the men, and single lady, of Roxbury House quite well. If I hadn't had the chance to meet them in advance, the book would not have been very successful since many references are made to the past.

Enslaved is the story of Gavin Carmichael and Daisy Lake, two friends who met years ago at the Roxbury House Orphanage. Gavin quite liked Daisy and her pretty little face. She was the only one at Roxbury who didn't poke fun at his stutter or quiet demeanor. It broke his heart the day he had to leave her behind when his grandfather came to claim him. He hoped someday to find her and make it up to her.

Many years later, Gavin, now a successful barrister in London, was none too happy his friends Rourke and Harry had talked him into attending a so-called theater presentation at The Palace. Just having received news from his investigator that Daisy was indeed nowhere to be found, he was in no mood to celebrate. To please them, he drank and ate of the course food and drink and waited for the main attraction of the evening, one Delilah du Lac, to appear. Perhaps she could take his mind off his troubles.

As they had been told, Ms. du Lac was everything a man could hope for. Flaming red hair, a voice like a nightingale and a body that could make a man far back in the cheap seats sweat - she was definitely worth the wait. At first, Gavin avoided looking at her, not liking the public display of sensuality, but as she came closer, his eyes took in the fullness of her lips and he was reminded of someone he had known: Daisy.

Suddenly unable to take his eyes off of the beautiful woman, Gavin discovered the awful, and wonderful, truth – Delilah and Daisy were one in the same. He had found her, the beloved girl of his past. She was alive and yet, she was making her living taking her clothes off for men. Could this really and truly be his sweet and innocent little Daisy? He was about to find out.

Daisy couldn't take her eyes off of him, the dark haired man sitting at the table of three. He looked so much like Gavin, but Gav wouldn't frequent a place like this. Sure, Rourke would definitely and perhaps even Harry, but not Gav. He was the shy, good boy in the bunch. Eh, did it really matter if he wasn't Gav? He certainly was a looker and what better man to share the stage with her than him. At least she'd enjoy performing for him.

Pulling the very reluctant, handsome man on stage with her, Daisy was shocked to hear him confess that he was, in fact, Gavin. Here he was after all these years, face to face with her. She was elated and furious at the same time but none of that mattered as she had a show to finish. No question that Gav had turned into one delicious man as her body responded to his every touch with shocking speed and strength. Oh if only they weren't on stage…

Once Gavin and Daisy find themselves alone, it’s time to settle their differences and figure out just where they stand. Will she refuse him because he left her all those years ago and broke his promise to always be with her? Will he toss her aside now that he knows the kind of loose woman she has become? Or will they rekindle their love for each other as man and woman instead of boy and girl?

Sorry to say, I'm not telling. You'll have to read Enslaved to find out.

Ms. Tarr presents us with an engaging story that includes twists and turns that will leave you guessing. Though Enslaved is a decent read, the lack of depth in the characters keeps this from being a truly wonderful book. I found reading about them to become tedious over the length of the story and by the end I didn't really care if they found love together or not. Perhaps you will feel differently.

Despite my tepid enjoyment of Enslaved, I am going to move on to Untamed, the third book in the Men of Roxbury House series. I truly hope Ms. Tarr provides us with deeper characters the next time around.  
 
Reviewed By Sabine Maurier
© January 2008