A Viking Heir to Bind Them - Michelle Styles (HH #1748 - Sept 2023)

An unexpected family
For the lone-wolf warrior
 
Nothing daunts Viking Tylir, until unassuming Melkorka Helmsdottar upends his life by revealing he has a secret heir! Mel has looked after little Katla since the girl's mother died, but now Tylir intends to claim his child. Yet this battle-hardened jarl has no idea how to be a father. Mel is the perfect person to help him. Only, spending time with the captivating Mel binds him closer to her than he ever thought possible…
 
I enjoyed the storyline of this book, though some of the execution was not as appealing. The story opens as Melkorka fulfills the deathbed promise to her friend by delivering the woman's daughter to her father, Tylir. Tylir, a former Viking berserker, has tired of war and death and now lives a quieter life. The last thing he expects is to find he is a father.
 
Tylir is a widower who has sworn off ever marrying again. He is wracked with guilt over the deaths of his parents and siblings, believing that he should have been there to protect them instead of off fighting elsewhere. He has also been unlucky in love, with his first love marrying another man, and the woman he eventually married being unfaithful and mercenary.
 
Mel is a widow whose marriage was very unhappy. Her husband was physically and emotionally abusive, and the brother with whom she lived was no better.  Mel's husband and son died of an illness, and she blames herself for not having the healing skills to save them. She is determined to take her inheritance and buy a farm where she can be independent once she delivers Katla to her father and sees her settled.
 
Their first meeting doesn't go well, thanks to a misunderstanding caused by someone else. Once Tylir realizes that Katla is his daughter, he is all in on accepting her and making her part of his life. I liked his determination to be a good father and his wish to keep Mel there to help Katla settle in. Mel didn't make a good first impression, but Tylir's opinion changed when he saw how protective she was of Katla.
 
I enjoyed the development of Mel and Tylir's relationship. The attraction between them is evident from the start, but neither wants to admit it. Each has their reasons, which we hear about over and over, but it doesn't stop their feelings from growing. However, there are outside forces working against them that could permanently end any chance they have of a future together. The resolution was a nail-biter and kept me glued to the pages until it was over.
 
Secondary characters played important roles. Katla was the most visible of those as the reason that Mel was there. She was a strange mixture of child (she is five years old) and preteen. Her matchmaking attempts were annoying and did more to push Mel and Tylir apart than bring them together. I liked her best when she acted her age. The maid Virin bugged me from the start with her attempts to stir up trouble. Tylir's friend Stargazer gave me creepy vibes from the get-go.