She doesn’t care about his fame. He doesn’t trust her motives. Let the sparks fly.

Baseball bad boy Levi Hart is tired of playing a part. Dubbed The Beast at Bat, he’s built a career on swagger and scandal—but he’s done being a brand. When team management demands more drama for ratings, Levi walks. Adrift and at a crossroads, he heads to his hometown for some quiet…and lands in anything but.

Missy Shaw finally has stability—her art is selling, her past is behind her, and her friendship with her sweet elderly landlord has brought unexpected joy. What she didn’t sign up for? Sharing the house with the woman’s grumpy, gorgeous, and very famous grandson.

Levi thinks Missy’s a gold digger. Missy thinks Levi’s a judgmental jerk. But forced to live under the same roof, the tension between them is more than just irritation—it’s attraction. And it’s getting harder to ignore.

He’s used to being wanted for the wrong reasons. She’s vowed never to fall for a player. But what if this game of opposites is one worth playing?

Titles in the Southern Hart Brothers series include: The SEAL’s Promise ~ The Bad Boy’s Homecoming ~

This is an adult 18+ story that contains language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title:  The Bad Boy’s Homecoming
Series:  Southern Hart Brothers #2
Author:  Stella Holt
Published:  August 12, 2025
Publisher:  Tule Publishing
My Rating:  4.5 stars

The Bad Boy’s Homecoming is the second title in the Southern Hart Brothers series, and brings us the tumultuous romance between Levi and Missy.  Levi’s baseball reputation is nothing more than smoke and mirrors, designed by his team to stir up the fans, the media, and guarantee ticket sales for the team.  When it’s time to sign a new contract, Levi refuses to continue that lie… and the powers that be are not happy with his decision. 

He’ll return home to his grandmother’s in Georgia, determined to change what the world perceives him to be.  What he didn’t expect was Missy.  Living in his old bedroom, being a caregiver to his grandmother, an artist just coming into her own… the tensions between them are sharp enough to cut a cake.  What they do about that tension, both sexual and emotional, is going to be a heartbreaking journey for a while, until they open up their hearts and their pasts to plan a future together.

I have yet to meet a Stella Holt novel that I didn’t completely enjoy, and The Bad Boy’s Homecoming continued that winning streak for me.  Levi and Missy are both wounded souls, Levi from living a lie, Missy from trauma, and neither trusts very easily anymore.  Watching their walls slowly crumble was an emotional journey.  They might have started out wary of each other, but I loved seeing their love for each other grow as protectiveness and trust replaced the hurts of the past.

If you crave a well-written, emotional, charming, full of tension, then you’d love The Bad Boy’s Homecoming.  And, I simply love Levi’s grandmother.  She steals scenes and hearts quite easily.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or the author’s team via Booksprout, and I sincerely thank them for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)