Lady of Fire by Janeen O'Kerry is the story of Bridget "Christine" Connolly who shortly after being dumped by her long term boyfriend buys an ancient torque from a mysterious woman's tag sale.  Little does she realise that when she places the piece about her neck she will find herself sent back in time to the man who made the exquisite necklace in honour of the goddess Brighid, the Lady of Fire.
 

Ailin is a celtic warrior who has devoted his life to the goddess Brighid.  His love for the goddess is like an obsession and on facing his betrothed he cannot bear the thought of spending his life with her and keeps the gift of the torque rather than offer it as the betrothal gift.

Later, alone on a stormy hillside Ailin calls on Brighid and offers the torque to her, throwing it into the lightning caused fire before he returns to battle for his goddess.

Christine arrives in the past during the heat of the battle and the glow of the sun on the torque blinds the man who is about to kill Ailin.  Grateful and amazed at his fortune Ailin believes that the fiery haired beauty has come from the realm of the gods only for him.  He believes that Christine is the goddess Brighid in person.

Honoured to be thought of so highly Christine nevertheless tries to convince Ailin's people that she is merely mortal.  But her attempts are futile.  She has appeared out of nowhere at the moment Ailin called upon the goddess and saved his life.  They are convinced that she is the goddess in human form and nothing will convince them otherwise.

Christine finds that life in ancient Ireland is far harder than she could have imagined and being thought a goddess does not make it any easier.

Christine soon realises that the torque is the device that brought her back in time and enables her to understand the ancient language of the people of the past.  She also realises that when she starts to take off the torque her ability to understand the ancient tongue disappears, as does the world about her.  What she does not know is whether removing the torque would return her to the future or to her death.  Choosing not to tempt fate she remains in the past with Ailin and his family.

But not all of the people are convinced that she is a goddess and the only way they can prove she is mortal is to kill her.  Not realising the danger she is in Christine starts to make a life for herself with Ailin and sets about bringing whatever modern conveniences she can into the lives of the villagers and diverting battles whenever she can by using her godly influence.

However, Ailin and Christine cannot live forever on borrowed time.  The ancient rituals of the past have indicated that the goddess will call upon Ailin within the next year and take him to the next world.  Somehow Christine must convince him that she is not the goddess and that his superstitions are just that, and not to be lived by if they are to build a future together.

A wonderful book, set in an interesting, though not widely covered era.

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Also by Janeen O'Kerry:  Queen of the Sun and Mistress of the Waters.

Read an Interview with Janeen O'Kerry.

Visit Janeen O'Kerry's website