Rampant by Saskia Walker

Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises / Harlequin Spice
Pages: 368

(Release Date:  April 1, 2010)

 From the Cover:  Possession is only half the fun…

The moment she arrives at her rented vacation cottage nestled in Scotland, Zoë Daniels feels it—an arousal so powerful she's compelled to surrender to the unusually forceful carnal desires…with nearly anyone who crosses her path. Crawford Logan, the boat builder with the wayward grin. The devilish restaurateur Cain Davot, who seems to know more about Zoë than he lets on. And even her sexy neighbor Grayson Murdoch, whose eyes delve deep into her soul as he explores every inch of her body.

Yet there's something unsettling about the way the locals watch her, something eerie about these overwhelming encounters. Zoë knows she's not quite in control of herself and begins to wonder if there's any truth to the legend of Annabel McGraw, a powerful, promiscuous eighteenth-century witch who once owned the cottage, and whose spirit t is rumored to affect anyone who stays there. Zoë doesn't t believe in anything that even hints at the occult, but t now strange visions are turning frightening…and only y one man's touch can bring her back to earth.

Zoë Daniels is a Londoner who works in a high powered law office, and she keeps the whole thing running.  She's good at what she does, but she needs a vacation, in fact her body demands it.  Her sister, Gina, finds a cabin in a remote location far from the everyday pressures of her life in Carbrey, Scotland, a little place known to the locals as Her Haven.  It's said to be inhabited by the ghost of a witch, and Zoë can feel the pull of magic as soon as she enters the cabin, if she wasn't a skeptic, if she thought it was real.  But, soon enough, it proves to be.

Grayson Murdoch, outsider in the community, who has purchased the adjoining cabin.  He has moved to the community to find out more about Her Haven and it's mysterious ghost in the visage of Annabel McGraw as well as to keep tabs on the local coven master, Cain Davot who is rumored to be involved in at least one death.  It is also rumored that Cain is very powerful warlock and that he may be trying to resurrect the spirit of his lost lover, Annabel, hung and burned during the hunt for witches, long ago.  All he needs is a willing (or even unwilling) body.

When Gray meets Zoë, it makes Annabel's spirit come alive, as well as Zoë's long denied need for passion.  What scares her is not knowing if Annabel is the only reason for Gray's passion or if Zoë is the true object of his desire?

Rampant by Saskia Walker was a steamy hot quick read.  It tells the story of a young woman, Zoë Daniels, in need of a much deserved rest, and she hasn't quite dealt with the death of her mother three years previous.  Her mother dabbled slightly in the occult, more of a hippie, and Zoë remembers all to well picking up and leaving, off the chase the next ghost story.  When she arrives at Her Haven, one of her first experiences in the mysterious reflection of Annabel McGraw in her mirror.  She soon discovers that Grayson Murdoch, the extremely sexy prof that lives next door, would like nothing better than to have entrance into Her Haven to try to see the ghost for himself.  But Annabel has other plans for the two newest inhabitants of Carbrey, and when the spirit moves them, the pages heat up.  Cain Davot is not what he appears to be, having made a deal with the dark side, and he's infecting the local coven with his madness.  He'd like nothing better than be bring Annabel back, but again, Annabel has other plans, and revenge is in the works.

Rampant was a hot spicy read, with steam that stings the fingers, even blush worthy in places on my part, as the pages flew by.  There is something for everyone found in the pages, ghosts, psychic energy, witches, warlock, and magic that zinged from page to page.  There was also some graphic language as well as being sexually graphic with a tiny bit of M/M and  F/F, so if that bothers you, you might want to try something else.  It does tell an engaging story of love found and happiness sought that continues through out the story.  I recommend this novel to all lovers of steamy graphic romance, I do not believe you will be disappointed.

I received this arc ebook from Net Galley and Harlequin Enterprises.  The opinions expressed are my own.