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Letters of Fire and Sword

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With LETTERS OF FIRE AND SWORD, Dorothy Wiley has merged Scotland’s gut-wrenching history with extraordinary fiction. In the year of our Lord, 1306, patriots of Scotland, support Robert the Bruce’s fight to free both their conquered country and his family, imprisoned by the English king. Powerful knights like Highlander Sir Alexander MacMillan join the struggle fighting battle after battle for eight long years. All the while, Alexander’s first love, Lady Erca MacNeill, is imprisoned alongside the woman who dared to crown Bruce king of Scotland, Countess Isabella MacDuff. The brutal English king also cruelly imprisons Bruce’s wife, young daughter, and two sisters. To ransom all of them, Bruce and his greatly outnumbered army will have to win one final battle—the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. They fought like Scotsmen and won their freedom. But that is just the beginning for Sir Alexander and Lady Erca. While she was imprisoned, her castle in the Highlands was seized and her clan viciously murdered. This time, with Alexander’s help, she will join the fight to reclaim what is rightfully hers.

You'll love Wiley’s gripping tale, a gut-wrenching historical romance with realistic depictions of the past, a courageous king and his knights, and women willing to fight for what they cherish. As Wiley demonstrated in her fourteen other highly rated and award-winning novels, her meticulous historical research enriches her writing with a strong sense of time and place. Tastefully romantic, readers also love her courageous, handsome heroes, strong-willed heroines, and breathtaking adventures that transport across time. Inspired by true events and Wiley’s own MacMillan Scots ancestors, this tale will be one you long remember.

FYI, this book is a tastefully written romance with no explicit scenes.

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 17, 2023

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About the author

Dorothy Wiley

24 books142 followers
DOROTHY WILEY
Storyteller of Love and Heroes on the American Frontier and the Scottish Highlands.

Amazon bestselling novelist Dorothy Wiley is an award-winning, multi-published author of Medieval Scottish and American Historical Romance. Wiley’s novels blend vivid historical elements and thrilling action with the romance of a moving love story to create exceedingly engaging page-turners. Her exceptional historical romances, inspired by history and true events, have won numerous awards, and have more than 8,500 five-star reader reviews on Amazon.

Her first two series, the American Wilderness and Wilderness Hearts Series are set on the American frontier when Kentucky was the West. Her third series, Wilderness Dawning, continues the highly acclaimed Wyllie family saga but brings some of the family to the new edge of the West—the Province of Texas. Wiley's fourth series, Wilderness Valor, returns some family members to Kentucky where they join heroes with extraordinary courage.

Wiley’s novel LETTERS OF FIRE AND SWORD, set in Medieval Scotland, merges Scotland’s gut-wrenching history with extraordinary fiction and was the #1 NEW RELEASE IN MEDIEVAL HISTORICAL ROMANCE when it was released.
This gripping tale is a gut-wrenching historical romance with realistic depictions of the past, a courageous king and his knights, and women willing to fight for what they cherish.

Her books’ timeless messages of family and loyalty are both raw and honest. As she skillfully unravels a compelling tale, the author’s complex characters come alive and are joined by a memorable ensemble of friends and family.

Wiley’s novels have won numerous awards, notably a Western Writers of America Finalist; a Will Rogers Medallion Award Finalist; RONE Award Finalist; Laramie Award Finalist; Chatelaine Romantic Fiction Finalist; Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter-finalist; a Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal; USA Best Book Awards Finalist; and a Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choice. Her books continue to earn five-star ratings from readers and high praise from reviewers.

Wiley attended college at The University of Texas in Austin. She graduated with honors, receiving a bachelor of journalism, and grew to dearly love both Texas and a 7th-generation Texan, her husband Larry. Her husband’s courageous ancestors, early pioneers of Kentucky and Texas, provided the inspiration for American Wilderness novels and Wiley's own Scots ancestors inspired her Scottish novels. After a distinguished career in corporate marketing and public relations, Wiley is living her dream—writing novels that touch the hearts of her readers.

Each book is a stand-alone, full-length, tastefully romantic novel. All of Wiley's titles are enrolled in Kindle Unlimited and are available in print, eBooks, and saudiobooks at www.amazon.com/author/dorothywiley.

If you have read Wiley's books, she would greatly appreciate a short review on the book’s Amazon page.

AMERICAN WILDERNESS SERIES - Wyllie family brothers
Book One – WILDERNESS TRAIL OF LOVE
Book Two – NEW FRONTIER OF LOVE
Book Three – WHISPERING HILLS OF LOVE
Book Four – FRONTIER HIGHLANDER VOW OF LOVE
Book Five – FRONTIER GIFT OF LOVE
Book Six – THE BEAUTY OF LOVE

WILDERNESS HEARTS SERIES - Wyllie brothers and their grown children
Book One – LOVE’S NEW BEGINNING
Book Two – LOVE’S SUNRISE
Book Three – LOVE'S GLORY
Book Four – LOVE'S WHISPER

WILDERNESS DAWNING - The Texas Wyllie Brothers Series
Book One – RED RIVER RIFLES
Book Two – LAND OF STARS
Book Three – BUCKSKIN ANGEL
Book Four – LAND OF HEROES

MEDIEVAL SCOTLAND
– LETTERS OF FIRE AND SWORD

WILDERNESS VALOR
Book One - SHERIFF'S VALOR

CONNECT with Dorothy:
Join Wiley’s readers' list to sign up for her infrequent newsletter and you can send her a note under the Contact tab on her website dorothywiley.com.
Facebook: DorothyMayWiley
BookBub: Author Dorothy Wiley

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5 stars
109 (62%)
4 stars
44 (25%)
3 stars
15 (8%)
2 stars
5 (2%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
130 reviews
June 17, 2023
a lovely adventure and a satisfying tale.

This novel begins with the story of a couple separated by war. Lady Erka was taken prisoner by the English and held for years. Alexander, a knight fighting with Robert the Bruce longs to see her freed. Each holds on to thoughts of the other to sustain them through many ordeals.

The story of their trials was gripping and full of action. The story continues after they are reunited and follows their journey together. A most enjoyable read!
Profile Image for JoAnne.
3,206 reviews33 followers
March 18, 2023
LETTERS OF FIRE AND SWORD is the latest historical novel by a favorite author, Dorothy Wiley. While not set in America but England and Scotland, it's a romantic Scotland historical with a basis in history, and I can't wait to read more in this series. It's set in the early 1300's and spans eight years.

The list of characters in the front of the book gives an indication of how many families, clans and others - even royalty, will be woven throughout this story. There's even a Wyllie and McKay! This is Lady Erca MacNeill and Sir Alexander MacMillan's stories and their pain, responsibilities, honor, strengths, mental anguish and romance are woven throughout. Their families molded them and they are referenced and remembered throughout the tale as they do all they can to support King Robert and have Scotland recognized as an independent country once again. All of the characters have a depth to them even many of the supporting ones. Some characters were hard to like including the English kings and the English they were fighting on the battlefield as well as the Campbells - Scots who took things in the most horrendous ways, they added additional layers to the story.

The story is rich in historical facts with liberties taken as the story creatively unfolds. The story flows smoothly without distractions. I loved the titles given the chapters and how many have a location and time frame. There are vivid descriptions of the hardships and suffering, the battles, the destruction, and the land as well as many of the other areas that make up Scotland. The story has closure with a happily ever after or two but hints of what may be in their future.

I loved the details on the cover and I enjoyed the historical facts given at the back of the book. What a wonderful title with historical significance.

I have read every book written by Ms. Wiley and all have been five star reads for me, which I don't give lightly. If you enjoy historical fiction she's a must read author! You won't be disappointed.
Profile Image for Carole Burant.
1,279 reviews38 followers
May 19, 2024
This is my first time reading this author and it most certainly won't be my last! Medieval history and romance....what's not to love:) One can tell this author has done her homework, using real life events mixed with her imagination. Any book that mentins Robert the Bruce immediately has my attention!!

After 8 years of being imprisoned by the English king, Lady Erca is now free to return to her home in Scotland but what awaits her will take all the strength and determination she has left. Sir Alexander has never forgotten Erca and the kiss they had shared all thos years ago. Now, he vows to be her protector and the warrior is true to his word. Together they are a mighty force and the passion they have for each other only strengthens them, not weakens them.

History comes alive in this book....Robert the Bruce, the Battle of Bannochburn, the battle to regain their castle, revenge for the murdered clans, etc. Definitely worth reading!!
Profile Image for Kathleen Ruggio.
376 reviews3 followers
February 10, 2026
Bloody Time in England’s History

After several chapters of learning the English history and how bloody it was finally the love story started to come to life. Alexander MacMillan was a very handsome, capable knight who served Robert the Bruce. His bride to be, Erca was a mid-born sweet woman who ended up being enprisoned for 8 yrs by the English. She was a lady in waiting for Robert the Bruce’s sister in law. They both suffered. As time and battles went on both Alexander and Erca inherited Sween castle and married. I enjoyed more of the end than the historical number of things that was so brutal in the beginning of the book. I’m sure the author did a lot of research to write this book.
242 reviews2 followers
May 3, 2024
Alexander and Erca

Alexander is a Scottish Knight for Robert the Bruce during the fight against the English during the reigns of Edward I and Edward II.

Erca is the daughter of Laird Total MacNeill who is taken hostage along with Robert the Bruce's wife, daughter, sisters and Lady Isabella MacDuff.

The book tells of the hardship they all face during the war to free Scotland from English rule and at the end the love story of Alexander and Erca.

This is a beautifully written story with many historical facts that take the reader into the past with beautiful scenery and the treachery of the time.
1,498 reviews15 followers
March 18, 2023
This is the first Scottish Historical Romance by this author and a first I have read. I loved it! The story takes us through a time of strife between England and the take-over of Scotland. Edward II wanted it all and drove his military across the land to take, conquer and pillage. It is the storyline of Sir Alexander MacMillan and Erca MacNeill with the adventure of their lives. The 1300era was harsh, filled with war and yet family honor was everything. Thanks for a wonderful read. I enjoyed the actual history at the end of the book. Perfect!
Profile Image for April Holthaus.
Author 47 books233 followers
April 4, 2023
In her first Historical Scottish Romance, Dorothy Wiley brings readers into a world of adventure, romance, and courage. Set against a backdrop of war between clan and country, Letters of Fire and Sword is an inspiring story of self-discovery and courage that will leave readers captivated from start to finish. Written with vivid descriptions and dynamic characters beyond anything I have ever seen, Dorothy Wiley has truly set the bar for Historical Romance Novels.
Profile Image for Susan Lovett.
323 reviews
September 5, 2023
Amazing book

Dorothy Wiley writes incredible historical novels! This one is no exception. It focuses on the wars that occurred between Scotland and England and the brutality of them. This also touches on the ancestors of some of the characters from her Wilderness series. I hope she writes a second book set in this time or maybe a little more in the future.
Profile Image for Dorothy Seidl.
9 reviews
December 1, 2023
Exciting, lender love story in spite of the historic battles.

Mesmerizing historic struggles of Scotland. Very heroic characters with strong females and brave Knights. Glimpse s of the beautiful Scottish countryside.
207 reviews1 follower
February 27, 2024
a Scottish romance

A beautiful telling of Scottish wars and triumphs. The story of Alexander and an Erca is so tender and sweet. It is beautiful the way they sustain each other and heal the scars they each possess. I loved this story. I highly recommend!
454 reviews2 followers
February 21, 2025
The first half of the book is primarily history. The author provides a good overview of this time period in Scotland's history and the strength of the Scottish people. The second part of the book focuses on the love story. A very enjoyable read.
2 reviews1 follower
March 23, 2023
Another outstanding story by this fine author. I highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Terri.
218 reviews
September 11, 2023
Slow start

Had a hard time getting into reading the book. Was a third of the way through before it got interesting and took off.
1,102 reviews
February 24, 2024
Finding love beyond the battle

This was a beautifully written story of highlanders fighting For their land and clan. Battles and romance make a great story. Well worth the read.
113 reviews1 follower
March 13, 2024
Excellent

I enjoyed the fictional characters and plot that was woven with historical events and people in a wonderful blend. Thank you, Dorothy Wiley.
Profile Image for Rainelle.
2,264 reviews132 followers
February 6, 2024
Letters of Fire and Sword. I am so very happy and excited to give a hands down to the writing of this book. I find the need to point out that the writer did a phenomenal job with providing the book with details of facts of how Robert The Bruce and King Edward the l & ll ruled their monarchy with firm hands. And how so many lands were effected by this. Obviously the writer did their research. I would also like to say how the writer told the story so simple. I understood the characters. Who played major parts to the story and roles they played. These steps were excellent for me to concentrate on the story and the characters. The characters are powerful and passionate at the goals that they work so hard at for the people. While reading I could feel the emotions behind the characters during their somber moments of despair and triumph. The story is clear and understanding for me. The book is engaging. The wealth of knowledge and information that I gained from the story helps me to understand more of what other historical books that will read in the future. I enjoyed the book a lot. I am excited to read more books from this writer. I give this book two snaps and a, “King Edward the l & II WTH?! Come on man! Can’t we all just get along in the sandbox? “ Until next time my fellow readers. Read on!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews