The Lady and the Poet    by Maeve Haran Order:  USA  Can St. Martin's, 2011 (2010) Hardcover, Softcover, Audio, e-Book Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Wanda Plourde Ann More was a very bright, analytical, and outgoing woman during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I - a time when woman were expected to be obedient wives and mothers, and when marriages were arranged to advance families in land, wealth, and positions. Ann More, one of many daughters in the Loseley House in Surrey, is destined for an advantageous marriage. At court she meets John Donne, a very handsome, young poet who is her uncle's secretary. He's unlike any man she has ever come across. He is smart, humorous and also a great flirt. A passion ignites between the two, though it's a match that could never be. Ann's father despises Donne. He has a scandalous background, and is Catholic during a Protestant monarchy. John Donne opens Ann's eyes to life and all the passion it holds. Employing cunning through adversity, the two know a love like no other. In an era when women have little power, it is amazing to read of a girl of seventeen daring to rebel against her family. Wealth and comfort mean little to Ann, compared to her happiness with a man she loves dearly. They both give up everything to be together. It is known that they had twelve children (in only fifteen years) and that Donne never married again after Ann died. I enjoyed the blend of fact and fiction in The Lady and the Poet immensely. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Romance books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews