Her Debt: A Dark Romance (Lock and Key Series Book 1)

Tristan just decides Emma Lia owes him and he is going to take what he wants, what the hell! Tristan is an absolutely beautiful man, a dominant who owns a casino. Emma Lia is a gorgeous cheat who has been currently cheating Tristan's casino out of thousands. Tristan has been watching her and has become obsessed. Tristan is in a dom\sub relationship he is bored with, there is no challenge in a seasoned submissive; Tristan wants to teach his own sub and he has decided Emma Lia is that sub, problem she isn't very submissive. He has her brought to his suite offers her a deal. Be his sub or her and her brother to to jail. Of course Emma Lia goes along with it but, she is terrified and doesn't know what to expect. That's where the story begins. It really is an excellent book. Tristan's former sub Claudia has no where else to go so he allows her to live on the third floor of his mansion until she gets another Dom; Claudia "helps" Emma Lia "soften" Tristan by doing things he likes; come to find out it is everything Tristan hates, at least with his other sub's. Tristan doesn't kiss and he sure as hell doesn't have sex face to face with his sub's, he has always taken them from behind but, he does everything different with Emma Lia. Claudia then gets pissed. The deal changes! Read the book, if I say much more I will give too much away! Love this book so much. I have never heard of Rebel Rose before but, I hope to read more from her. Her in depth character description make you feel as though you know the! The sex is smoking hot, sexy as hell, and will make you squirm in your seat. Just awesome!!!!

This was a very well written story with an interesting storyline. While I would be appalled if confronted with this situation, I loved reading about it. I loved the characters, including Claudia. You have to have someone to hate, right? This book has you having powerful emotions, including outrage at some of the liberties that are taken. It really sucks you in and keeps you turning the pages. I didn't want the story to end and want to go right on to the next book.

I loved this first installment to the Lock and Key Series. The plot line is different and engaging. The character developement is good and the pace is fast and page turning. Emma Lia is a con artist using her skills to steal from Tristan’s casino with her brother Adam. He watches them stealing from him for six months before he makes his move. He wants Emma Lia and he is willing to use her debt to him to have her. There are some truly upsetting things that Tristan does in the beginning that I am sure many readers will find uncomfortable and may not like the book because of them, so be warned he does not come across as a nice man, at all. Just just like Emma Lia I am intrigued and curios about him and why he is the way he is. I fell like we have only touched the top layer of Tristan and I can’t wait for the next installment so dig a little deeper into each of these characters and learn why each of them embrace this deal. If you don’t mind a bit of dark with your romance you should really enjoy this one, making it worthy of your one click. I know it was worth mine.

Based on what I had heard about this book I went in expecting an explosive, dark, sexy story .... In book one I was surprised that the story focuses mainly of the way Tristan acquires Emma Lia. Needless to say the story was a bit different than I had pictured in my mind. That said ... the story intrigued ... and had me purchasing book two prior to me finishing the first book. Her Debt is the story of what happens when you play with fire and get caught in the act. A unique and refreshing taste of a BDSM love story. While I didn't really connect with the characters emotional needs I did find the storyline interesting. Emma Lia's family added surprise and warmth to the story. Unlike other BDSM books the author doesn't lead you into the physical relationship immediately, she focuses more on the backstory and the frustrations of the characters. An interesting, and fun take on a Dom/Sub relationship kept me reading. Incorporating past subs, friends, desires, surprises and the slow build of anticipation is what the first book in this series is all about. While I have already started the second book in the series, I can say that I am warming up to Tristan at a rapid pace ;) and I am also finding myself more involved with the emotions of the characters.

I sometimes need to remind myself that expectations of norms, rules and limits in any "fictional" world, situation or character that an author creates need not follow a formula. Come to think about it, when does our own reality ever live up to the absolute constructs we impose on it.? We are human and very fallible. Your probably asking yourself and the point being? Here's the thing... I was somewhat rattled by the fact that Tristan, the dark devastatingly dashing Dom, basically abducts a woman, drugs her unconscious and blackmails her with her crimes into being his submissive. This isn't how Doms are supposed to operate in the world of BDSM. Yet... Why is this still so appealing to a woman, namely me, fed up with the gender inequities and bias in the world? The heroine, Emma Lia, is outraged at the indignities foisted upon her by Tristan and she fights back. She decides that she cannot suffer this incomprehensible humiliation and decides to leave him whatever may come. Desperate to have "his" Emma Lia, he seduces her like a lover. Surprisingly he finds that the Dom in him could be held in check and he enjoyed the kissing, the eye contact and devoting a night to her pleasure. Desperate to keep her, Tristan changes his overpowering ways and lures Emma Lia into a game of chance to ease her into his lifestyle while offering her the opportunity wipe the slate clean of her debt to him from cheating at his casino. The time she needs to spend with him determined by each attempt at his game. Emma Lia is a professional gambler... a skilled cheat. She stays because she may be a little smitten by Tristan and she plays to win. This is the stuff that lovers of darker romance devour. And about our bad boy, oops I mean Dom, and his crimes... it brings to mind the old saying, "All's fair in love and war."

This book has me so conflicted, to the point where it really had me sitting down to think how I would rate it. Do I give a negative rating because I disliked the majority of the practices in the book or do I give it a high rating because I loved the writing so much that I couldn't put the book down or stop liking it no matter how much my brain told me to. So this book is very very BDSM based, and all though I am no Mrs. Christian Grey I am pretty sure some of the things Tristan gets away with in this book is a big no no for any Dom. Who the hell forces you to choose between being their literal love slave or going to jail? Puts a monetary value on each act? Best yet, forcefully places an IUD in a non consenting unconscious woman? Honestly all of it made me a bit uneasy BUT the way it was written caught me and didn't let go. You have Tristan who is the owner of a casino and Emma Lia who is a cheat, she counts cards and the such. Of course she is warned about going into Tristan's casino but since her twin brother is a dealer there she tries her luck. She gets caught, and owes 100K. Tristan does not want the money instead he wants her to be his submissive. Of course she does not want to but if it is a choice between jail and that.... He begins her training but instead of things going as smoothly as he would hope she fights back making him rethink his approach and finding that he likes the softer approach more than he thought he would.

Ooh boy. Tristan is a man you love to hate. He comes off as a domineering ass that always gets what he wants. Of course that's a Dom for you, but he takes it to another level. However, just reading how he bends for Emma Lia when he never has for anyone before. I can't wait to continue reading because I have a feeling he's going to be the one to break in the end.

I liked how this story started with Tristan and Emma Lia. When Tristan armors up in his three piece suit to go collect her you felt the coiled dominant just waiting to strike. His planning and trap worked perfectly. She had no clue. By the end of the book though it feels as though Tristan is in for a surprise of his own in her mastery of him. I am truly looking forward to reading more!

This was a great book. Not the way I would like to find my true love but not really a bad way either. He is hot and he wants her. She owes him a lot of money and if this is the way he wants payment...who is she to say no!!! Ciao

3.5 stars! I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but overall I enjoyed this book. Looking forward to the next one....

Worth a read if u r into dark romance.. Best combination of Tristan and Ema!! The best line is "we are both walking on razor edge"

Can't wait to Read the next book.Great characters....love a strong woman in a story.Such a gripping and exciting story....just can't guess what'll happen next.Great writing.

Holy smokes! 😳 This was amazing! I love Tristan! I can't wait to see where their story goes! Brilliantly written by Rebel.