Daughter of Albion, by Ilke Tampke

Ailia is a foundling, raised in the Royal kitchen of a British tribe under threat of Roman invasion. The girl is well cared for but her future is limited by a lack of family; regardless of her talent or ability, learning and marriage are forbidden. But Ailia’s talents are remarkable and she finds herself called to a higher purpose. She must overcome her shortcomings to achieve her potential and help her tribe to survive. Tampke seamlessly fuses ancient history with fantasy elements based on druid lore to create a thoroughly believable culture and an appealingly flawed heroine. Some bizarre time shifts are very convenient to the plot, but are made more acceptable by their patent inconvenience to the heroine. There is a bit of a rush to the finish, with one glaring inconsistency not adequately explained. It paves the way for a sequel, which will hopefully build on a promising start