Bad for Business

Pembroke Hills #2

by Kat Singleton, J.F. Harding (Narrator), Vanessa Edwin (Narrator)

From the #1 bestselling billionaire romance author of Black Ties & White Lies comes the second stand-alone novel set at an exclusive country club in the Hamptons. Bad for Business is a hate to love, black cat x golden retriever, billionaire romance.

Ryker Davenport is the reckless, arrogant heir to his family’s company and my ticket to a big promotion.

As a publicist at one of the top PR firms in New York, I’m used to handling tough cases—not impossible ones. But how better to prove I’m deserving of that promotion than to turn Ryker back into the golden boy everyone once thought him to be and convince the board that he’s fit to lead. The only catch? We’ve got some history—the complicated kind.

Spending the summer working in the Hamptons wouldn’t be so bad if I wasn’t stuck here with the one man who knows just how to get under my skin, and into my head. I’ve spent so much time with him that it almost feels like our fighting has slowly turned into flirting. Now I’m worried it’s not just my head he’s getting into—but my heart.

The job was to prove to the world that Ryker isn’t bad for business, but in doing so, I may have proved to myself that Ryker isn’t bad for me…

Genres: Romance, Forced Proximity, Enemies To Lovers, Billionaire Romance, Slow Burn, Workplace Romance, Audiobook

Audible Audio

Published September 23, 2025

About the author

Kat Singleton is a bestselling contemporary romance author best known for writing Black Ties and White Lies. She specializes in writing elite banter and angst mixed with a heavy dose of spice. Kat strives to write an authentically raw love story for her characters and feels that no book is complete without some emotional turmoil before a happily ever after.

She lives in Kansas with her husband, her two kids, and her two doodles. In her spare time, you can find her surviving off iced coffee and sneaking in a few pages of her current read.


CONNECT WITH KAT

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WEBSITE: www.authorkatsingleton.com

Reviews

[veerali · Rating 3 out of 5]

i feel the authors nowadays need to understand that sunshine doesn't equate to childlike naivete or immaturity.

[Kat Singleton]

Available now!

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: https://geni.us/badforbusiness

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/46QSJfd

Buy the deluxe print edition paperback with sprayed edges!
https://geni.us/u05ucs

Audiobook: https://geni.us/badforbusinessaudio
Narrated by: Vanessa Edwin and JF Harding

[⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ Kim ⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

જ⁀➴ 3.75 stars (rounded up to 4)

"I'm falling for you, Ryker Davenport. It's terrifying and exhilarating and so many other things I've never felt before. But this is me trusting you to catch me."

₊˚ʚ 💙 ₊˚✧ ﾟ ₊˚ʚ 💙 ₊˚✧ ﾟ ₊˚ʚ 💙 ₊˚✧ ﾟ ₊˚ʚ 💙 ₊˚✧ ﾟ ₊˚ʚ 💙 ₊˚✧ ﾟ ₊˚ʚ 💙 ₊˚✧ ₊˚ʚ 💙 ₊˚✧ ﾟ ₊˚ʚ 💙 ₊˚✧ ﾟ
For the first time ever, I reached 100 books in a year, and I’m glad it was with this book! This was the lighthearted but fun read I needed this past weekend for my birthday and a great way to end the month of September! It was honestly also fitting that it felt like summer a few days ago and this will probably be the last overly summery vibe romance book I read for the year until the spring. I want to give Camille the biggest hug in the entire world🥹

✎𓂃Full review to come soon when it’s not midnight lol!
₊˚ʚ 💙 ₊˚✧ ﾟ ₊˚ʚ 💙 ₊˚✧ ﾟ ₊˚ʚ 💙 ₊˚✧ ﾟ ₊˚ʚ 💙 ₊˚✧ ﾟ ₊˚ʚ 💙 ₊˚✧ ﾟ ₊˚ʚ 💙 ₊˚✧ ₊˚ʚ 💙 ₊˚✧ ﾟ ₊˚ʚ 💙 ₊˚✧ ﾟ
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: It's my birthday weekend, and I'll be spending most of the weekend with my friends and family, but that's not going to stop me from starting another book on Kindle Unlimited! I actually have the physical copy coming in the mail, but it hasn't arrived yet so I'll be reading it through Kindle Unlimited. I honestly felt like I was more invested in Camille and Ryker's story and their dynamic than Lucy and Cal's in the last book, so I have a feeling I'll love this🩵🍀🤞🏼

[megan ◡̈ · Rating 5 out of 5]

where does one acquire a ryker for themselves?

HAPPY PUB DAY TO THEMMMMMM 😩🩵

i have been foaming at the mouth for these two since reading book 1 in march after all the little bickering sneak peaks we got for them and ohhhh my god were they worth the wait 🤭

if theres one thing kat singleton is gonna do its write the most bingeable, HOT and hilarious billionaire books. i found myself laughing left and right during my time reading this, the DRAMA that is rykers internal monologue — i cant, he had no business being that funny. the way these two wanted to act like they were SO different so badly but theyre actually the same person in different fonts killed me.

as much as i loved getting to see cami & rykers relationship unfold, i think my favorite part of this book was simply learning about them as people. their back stories and growth through out the book was just *chefs kiss*. camille comes off very headstrong and borderline unlikeable at first until you come to see just how deeply misunderstood she is and how she has spent the majority of her life trying to prove herself and fighting against her fathers extreme misogyny. ryker in all honesty comes off as a massive cocky douchebag at first but once you get a little bit of insight on whats really going on with him it all makes perfect sense as to why hes acting out the way he is. basically with both of them youre gonna be like what the hell and then have the most massive soft spot for them and wanna just give em a hug and fight everyone whose ever hurt them 😭

i hardly ever post quotes in my reviews but this conversation has really stuck with me since finishing this book:

“What is your one goal, then? What do you want to accomplish before you die?” Camille spits, breaking me from the painful memories overtaking my mind. I turn my head to look at her. “I want to like myself again. It’d be nice to have my own approval before I go.”

these two felt so deeply relatable which is honestly such a hard thing to accomplish (in my head) when the characters are people who have the world at their fingertips but it got to a point where their pain felt like my own and it was really beautiful to see them overcome the obstacles they faced.

long story short, these two are so wonderful in every way. im already very much looking forward to snagging the audio book and doing a reread 🤭

[julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ˖⁺‧✮

i pretty much enjoyed this book. the easy plot and writing with no additional drama and break up was so satisfying to read.

my only issue was the mmc. in the book he is portrayed as a sunshine type of character who messed up and needs help from the PR company to regain the trust from others. and it was totally fine until i read that he’s 30+. he’s actions were pretty much teenage like, literally everything he did gave spoiled child. but i did love fmc. i liked her character and how on point her emotions were. i didn’t see an issue with her being more closed off at the beginning or being rude when mmc was throwing a tantrum. maybe at some point i hoped she’d stay away from the mmc 🙇‍♀️

the plot was pretty great as for a cute romance. no third act breakup or weird conflict at the end. i liked the parents reaction on the relationship. i definitely can understand her dad when seeing your daughter sleeping with a client. nothing about this screams professional. and honestly maybe it is wrong in this situation. but i’m glad how everything turned out after.

Thank you to Valentine PR & Literary Management for the arc.

[joni ౨ৎ (vacation hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── 4.3 stars

arc review 💌
release date: september 23

⁀➴ 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
🍸 billionaire romance
📒 forced proximity
🍸 enemies/dislike to lovers
📒 black cat x golden retriever
🍸 ons
📒 banter

i was dying to dive into ryker and camillie's story after reading in good company and i was not disappointed !!! this story was filled with delicious banter and yearning like these two were so obsessed with each other and loved riling the other up.

i know many people don't like where the enemies are attracted to each other but it's lowkey realistic in the way you can despise someone's personality and arrogance but still think they're good looking - anyway back to the story! this was a super fast paced romance with pages that had me giggling and smiling.

if you haven't read book 1 yet, i think you can read this one as a standalone since i enjoyed this one far more but in good company was a cute summer romcom as well!

the trope where the girls feels unlovable and has walls up around people and the guy who wants to tear them down and loves her unconditionally never ever gets old forever one of my favourite tropes.

thank you so so much to the author and her team for sending me an arc of this title!!! so grateful and cannot wait to read more of her titles 🤭


my instagram post
___


𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
i just read in good company a few days ago to prepare for this and i have somewhat high expectations!! ryker and camille scream power couple and i cannot wait to read about them!! lowkey giving sloane and xavier?!! 🤭 (one of my fav ana huang couples)

thank you so so much to kat singleton and her team for an arc!!!

↪ started sept 21

[madi]

soft dnf @ 52%
maybe i'll come back to it, but i feel a slump coming 😭

₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊

𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ the first book was surprisingly good, so i’m hoping this one is even better 🤭 i am a little nervous for the “enemies to lovers” tho…

[Megan Coggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kat Singleton is one of the few authors I will read a billionaire romance from.

Ryker & Camille 💕

Golden retriever x black cat
She’s his publicist, and they’re stuck together for the summer in the Hamptons
Enemies to lovers vibes
Daddy issues

I spent a lot of time yelling at these two 🤣
Like c’mon! Get it together.

I think these two were pretty well solid fitting puzzle pieces.

Arc review ✨

[Kayla | Kayla Reads Smut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kat, babe, if you write it, I’m going to straight devour it and leave not a single crumb. The way that I picked this book up and couldn't put it down. Another banger that I couldn’t put down! Ryker and Camille gave me the serotonin boost that I so desperately needed in my life.

If there is one thing that Kat Singleton does right, that's a billionaire romance. And if you are a fan of Kat's Black Tie Billionaire series, then you will love this book. But not only does it have all of the Black Tie Billionaire vibes that we all love and adore but this billionaire romance includes a touch of the forbidden where she is his publicist and babysitter for the summer while living under the same roof. Oh and did I mention, they have hooked up before? Yeah, that's the makings of a banger and Kat did the dang thing!

I absolutely loved being back in the Pembroke Hills world. I loved Ryker and Camille. From the outside they seem like complete opposites but they are more alike than you would think. Ryker is the golden boy heir to his family's multibillionaire dollar business who got in a little bit of trouble and needs his image cleaned up, which means the ice princess herself, Camille comes in as his publicist. He's a golden retriever to everyone but Camille and she is a black cat to only him. But the real kicker: they had a one night stand which is the source of their dislike which is the main source of their misunderstanding. But at their core, they both are just trying so desperately to be accepted by their parents and find love within themselves and each other.

The banter is top tier. I loved their back and forth. Camille's snarky comments made me laugh. Their tension was palpable. And be prepared because this one is a SLOOOOOOOOOW BURN! But so freaking worth it! At the end of the day, this one lived up to my expectations and I can't wait for the next book! Kat, I love you and thank you for delivering me another banger!

You should read this book if you like:
- Billionaire Romance
- Golden Retriever x Black Cat
- Hate to Love
- She's His Publicist
- Forced Proximity
- SLOW Burn

* I would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Kat Singleton for allowing me the absolutely pleasure to read Bad for Business as an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

[Hailey Goshert · Rating 3 out of 5]

hey, soooo… probable unpopular opinion incoming !

this completely missed the mark for me. i found the FMC wildly unlikeable, the transition from hate to love totally came out of left field, and the pacing was really off. i was honestly pretty bored most of the time ngl.

Camille was just too aggressive for too long in my opinion- and kinda hypocritical too. in the very first scene the two MC’s were together in, she called Ryker immature (which, yeah okay not a lie) BUT she then proceeded to act so childish for a pretty large portion of the time they were in the Hamptons. Ryker also acted out quite often (and for a character who’s supposed to be 30 y/o that was also kinda lame) but honestly i totally understood where he was coming from. she was sooo overbearing and i think Kat leaned a little to heavily on the “black cat” energy she was trying to feed into Camille’s character.

idk, their constant back and forth just felt too repetitive and took up way too much time of the story without any real emotional development until - i kid you not - 75-80ish% in. and then BAM💥 there was a sorta sweet scene between the two when something happens to Camille and that apparently was the very minor catalyst to make them both pull their heads out of their asses. i mean it was such a sudden change up in their dynamic that i literally rewound the audiobook to see if I’d missed something. but no. just that one tiny thing was apparently all they needed to decide to start making out all the time, whisper sweet nothings to each other, and completely disregard the whole summer they’d spent trying to avoid and piss the other off.

i will say the last 15% was pretty good. there was a meaningful father/son heart to heart, Ryker stood up for Camille, and most importantly; Camille stood up for herself.

i think this was just too low angst (literally nothing happened in this book, im sorry), too repetitive, and it took too long for any meaningful emotional development between the characters to take place. i hate that i feel like im ragging on this book, especially because there are SO many glowing reviews of it already… but im also not going to lie and say i loved it just because everyone else seems to. all that being said- i still might give the next book a try purely because Jude is really intriguing to me and im dying to know how he and Charlotte’s love story will unfold.

[shannon creech · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you valentine pr for gifting an e-arc for review! book on ku and for sale now!

kat singleton is becoming one of my fave rom com authors!
I spent a lot of time yelling at these two, mainly the fmc. i don't understand why they couldn't just TALK to each other. when they got past it, i loved the rest of the book!

[Luna ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

»It means it's clear as day you like her. I just can't understand why you can be such a dick to her if that's true.«

★ ★ ★ ★

❥ 𝑪𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
I liked her although she was kind of naive sometimes (regarding her father).

❥ 𝑹𝒚𝒌𝒆𝒓 ⋆✮
I really liked him. His character is well written and develops throughout the book.

✥ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
I really enjoyed this book. It was fun to read and kept me entertained throughout the afternoon. It takes place at the same time the first book in this series does which was interesting. I liked meeting the other characters again and to get a different view on the events happening.
Camille and Ryker are like fire and water. They don‘t like each other but the tension is chefs kiss. It‘s the perfect black cat x golden retriever book and I enjoyed their love story.
All in all this was a good book and I can‘t wait for the third book.


𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?
Yes!

𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟓 ׂㅤ𐙚 ࣪ ⭒
plot: 4/5
spice: 2/5
humor: 4/5
couple/tension: 5/5
world building: 5/5
happy end?: yes

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ₊ ⊹
possessive and protective hero, slow burn, publicist x client, forced proximity, country club, Hamptons, he falls first and harder, workplace romance, dislike to love, billionaire romance, black cat x golden retriever

𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
#1 In Good Company ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#2 Bad for Business ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is only my second novel from Kat Singleton and it had been a little while, so it was fun to give this one a go! I saw that it was duet narrated and I got even more interested.

This ended up being a fun time. With the tension of hate to love after a one night stand when you discover you have to work with the person. We all know how that goes! Lols! It's rife for drama and banter.

Ryker and Camille were oil and water but the sexual tension is intense! She is his reluctant publicist and she is forced to move in with him for the summer and stay on his case to keep him in line. Her father doesn't expect her to succeed and Ryker doesn't think he needs her assistance. So I understood why Camille felt like a Black Cat in this book. Honestly, it felt like everyone was against her.

I didn't really feel like there was a lot propelling me through the story. The goal of her being his publicist and the mission they have felt kinda arbitrary to me. Like, we came up with this place and then didn't follow through with everything. Mixed with Ryker trying to be a big enough jerk to get her to quit... it was awkward a lot of the time.

Overall, it was okay and I'd read more from this author.

Narrated in the Duet Style by JF Harding & Vanessa Edwin. They were a great pairing and their verbal sparring just flew back and forth so nicely.

4 Stars
3 on the spice scale

CW: Gaslighting and condescension by a parent, slut shaming from a parent too

*Thank you to Must Love Audio and the author for an ALC of this title.*

[Devin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kat has done it again! She never fails at writing such bingeable books.

The narrators for this audiobook did such an amazing job. I was hooked to this story and these characters from the very beginning! If you haven’t started this series yet, I highly recommend it! I am so excited for book 3!

[Koisty · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Binder Stars⭐️
Spicy Rating: 🌶️🌶️.5/5

This was good. It was sweet. It was predictable... but in the best way that you want a romance to be predictable. It’s just… it wasn’t as good as In Good Company.

Falling in love with Ryker might’ve been bad for business, but it was the best thing to ever happen to my heart.

𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Ryker Davenport has royally messed up and lost the faith of his father’s company board, the very company he’s supposed to inherit soon. To fix his image and win the board back, his father hires Vaughn PR. That means Camille Vaughn, the boss’s daughter, is tasked with babysitting Ryker all summer in the Hamptons while he works to redeem himself. The issue? Ryker and Camille had a one-night stand on New Years Eve… and each thinks the other ran out on them. So there’s plenty of awkward, simmering tension to start things off, and they basically hate each other now... So babysitting duty is going to be "FUN" .

𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Let’s start with Camille. She’s a planner and a little ball of stress who just wants her father’s approval and love, and she’s pretty isolated because she honestly believes she’s unlovable. Because she has never really known love and buries herself in work, she doesn't have many friends or family to remind her of her worth. As a result, she almost sacrifices herself, believing she is cold or distant, when in reality, she’s a caring, considerate, beautiful person who makes the people around her better. And she is so determined and hard working, everything she touches will end up flawless!

Ryker, on the other hand, is at times a petulant, stubborn child and at others an absolute sweetheart. He’s been a bit rebellious ever since he lost his mom to cancer, which made him spiral out for a while. But at his core, he is a golden retriever who cares deeply for his family and his friends and the company he hopes to one day take over. Over time, he starts to realise Camille isn’t just a thorn in his side, she genuinely wants to help him succeed.

The part of their relationship that didn’t fully sell me was the fact that their tension stems from a miscommunication. Camille decides early on that they’re never going to talk about that night. But I found it so frustrating that Ryker is upset with her for leaving his apartment… when he wasn’t even there! She woke up, and he WAS GONE. Yes, he left a note, but leaving it on the pillow isn’t the same as actually making sure she sees it. If I woke up in that situation, I’d have walked out too.

They spend a good chunk of the book fighting their attraction. A lot of their connection feels built on the sexual chemistry they had from that first night, and it took me a while to get past their bickering to see the emotional bond. Partly because so much of their time together is told to us rather than shown, which made the development of their relationship feel a bit shallow at times. We are expected to believe their love forms "montage" style because they spent the whole two weeks in each other's company, and they have just gotten closer.

The other issue I had is... I love Interconnected Standalones because you get snippets from the previous characters, and it's almost like an extended epilogue or catching additional glimpses of them in their book's timeline from a different perspective. I really wanted to see Camille, who,m if you recall LONGS FOR FRIENDSHIP... actually interact with the other girls more. We’re told she bonds with them, but we don’t see it, it's just mentioned in passing. I missed that found-family vibe that was so strong in In Good Company. I know I shouldn’t compare, but it’s hard not to. We do get some interactions with Jude, but I wanted more of Camille with the others.

That said, this book had a lot of elements I really enjoyed. I especially loved that one of the biggest parts of Camille’s journey, her learning to love herself, came from Ryker standing up for her and showing her what it means to be loved. Watching her start to believe she was worthy of love because of that was really sweet, and I adored how willing he was to fight for her when she felt she didn’t have a voice.

𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Billionaire Romance
▶ Reverse Grumpy X Sunshine (He is a Golden Retriever)
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ One Night Stand
▶ Hate to Love
▶ Set in the Hamptons
▶ She's his Publicist/Babysitter :P

and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ Nicknames - He calls her Princess
▷ Love's her smile and Laugh
▷ He takes care of her
▷ Makes Her Soup when she is sick
▷ "Mine"
▷ "More", and "Tell Me to Stop"
▷ Forehead Kisses
▷ He washes her Hair
▷ Steamy/Spicy Shower Scene
▷ He Watches her Sleep - OK Edward
▷ He comes in his pants...

All in all, this was a fantastic addition to the Pembroke Universe. Sometimes you just want a feel-good rom-com, and that’s exactly what this was. I can’t wait for Jude’s book, especially to figure out why his tropes list says “single daddy” when we’ve never even met a kid yet!!!!

Thank you to Valentine PR and Kat Singleton for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

[all.the.smut.things · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
🎧: AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

I swear, Kat Singleton does a billionaire like nobody else, I love them so so much. And Ryker, this adorable golden retriever billionaire just stole my heart. I loved him so much, and I loved him and Camille together even more.

This story was fun, the banter was fantastic, and there is always something about a one night stand that gets me. And this one, I loved it so much. Its a complete banger!

✨ Billionaire Romance
✨ Black Cat x Golden Retriever
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ One Night Stand
✨ Hamptons Aesthetic

Okay let me just say this, if you have the ability to listen to this one, pease do. JF Harding was the perfect Ryker and made me absolutely fall in love with this man because of his performance. He just brought the story to life in ways I didn't expect, and made a great story even better. And Vanessa Edwin, that woman is a gem and she was the PERFECT Camille and just made her character so rich and brought great emotional depth. The performance was fantastic.

I really enjoyed this story from beginning to end, and I just love the whole Hamptons aesthetic. The banter and playfulness between Camille and Ryker was top notch, especially while they both had different ideas about what happened with their one night stand.

The chemistry between them was undeniable a the moment they gave into each other, I squealed because they were perfect. I loved the growth of both of them during this, the way they opened up to each other and of course the fact that they got their HEA.

If Kat gives me a billionaire, Im always, always going to love him a ton!

[Wendy Marie (myrisingphoenixera.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️
3🌶️
⛳️Billionaire
🏸Hate to Love
⛳️One Night Stand
🏸Forced Proximity
⛳️Black Cat FMC
🏸Golden Retriever MMC
⛳️He Needs a PR Makeover
🏸She’s His Publicist
⛳️Dual First Person POV

I had so much fun reading Ryker and Camille’s story. All the scowling and glares they give each other created sizzling tension and delicious banter. Ryker has found himself in trouble with the board of his family’s company. Camille is hired as his publicist to improve his image and gain the board’s trust. This isn’t their first meeting though. Ryker and Camille met at a New Year’s Eve party and had a magical night together. Ryker never understood why she left the next morning and Camille has been angry that she woke up alone. Neither are excited about spending the summer together in the Hamptons. Ryker doesn’t want a babysitter, but Camille is determined to do her job so she can make partner at her father’s PR firm. They both have walls up and guard their true feelings. The push and pull creates tension galore. The wait to find out what happened between them had me on the edge of my seat. Kat writes fun and engaging stories that flow effortlessly.

🚩Be sure to read the author’s note and content warnings before reading. While this isn’t a dark romance there are some topics readers may find triggering.

Thank you Kat Singleton for the ARC.

📚All thoughts and opinions are my own📚
🐦‍🔥Follow me on socials @myrisingphoenixera.reads 🐦‍🔥

A Few Favorite Quotes:
“I know it isn’t nice to like to push her buttons, but I can’t help it when it comes to her.”

“He kisses me like he’s trying to punish me. And maybe he is. I wouldn’t blame him.”

“Just because you can do something alone doesn’t mean you have to.”

“Princess, I’ll get on my knees for you anytime you want me to. All you have to do is ask.”

“I’m not going to say anything else because I don’t want to scare you away. But I need you to know that I plan on staying as long as you’ll let me.”

“I want to make plans with you for the rest of my life, princess. Bring on the binders.”

“Falling in love with Ryker might’ve been bad for business, but it was the best thing to ever happen to my heart.”

[Salma]

dev edited🫶🏽

[Tori - Novel Life · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

OOOOO I LOVE A GOOD HATE TO LOVE MOMENT😛😛😛 but it’s even better when it starts from a passionate one night stand…GODDAMN RYKER & CAMILLE ARE HOT!!

A billionaire needing to get his act together is forced to have a publicist to get the board members of his father’s company back in his good graces. But what he wasn’t expecting was for it to be the woman who walked out on him after the most amazing night together. Now these two are forced to be living under the same roof… and slowly things start to heat up between these two!!

I loved Ryker!!!! He is so swoony & hot & loveable. And I love how him & Camille have this relationship where they want to stay hating on eachother but then also want to bang each others brains out hehe

There is one villain in this novel that made me want to do aggressive things to a fictional character & MY GOD I hated him so much.

Book 2 in the Pembroke Hills series was a great time & the audio was absolutely fantastic!!

Type: audio
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
Loathe to love
Billionaire
Black cat x golden retriever
forced proximity
One night stand

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars! Bad for Business is the second book in the Pembroke Hills series. This series centers around a Hamptons country club setting and this author always delivers on billionaire romances. In Bad for Business we have a black cat heroine x golden retriever hero, she’s his publicist x he’s her client she has to watch after, anddd they shared a one night stand in the past!

Camille + Ryker! Camille wants to become a partner at her father’s PR firm and she’s determined to go convince her father she’s earned it. The story kicks off with her dad giving her a job and saying if she does it well he’ll make her partner. She’s assigned to watch after Ryker and keep him out of PR trouble, which of course he sees as her being his “babysitter”. But after a reporter got information out of him, his family knows he needs a PR handler. Things get complicated because Camille and Ryker shared one hot night together on New Year’s Eve…which they definitely don’t want to talk about or think about…!

This author’s books are always a fun time, if you want heroes obsessed with their heroines, her books always deliver. I loved Camille’s black cat energy, how Ryker remembers her favorite drink order and pays attention to her likes and surprises her with them. The tension is great because of how their memorable night together ended the next morning and they have to work through that. Slower start and burn on this romance but I was down for the ride and it was such an easy, fun listen! This audiobook is a duet narration by JF Harding and Vanessa Edwin and they were a delight to listen to.

I received an audio ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own.

[bean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall an enjoyable rom-com with a very quick moving plot! Predictable in the way you hope romances are. It's hate to love but the hate stemmed from a miscommunication which was :/ annoying.

The highlight is definitely that it had some of my favorite spicy/unhinged microtropes and NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP!!!

3.75/5 stars

[Lawlah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so good. Funny enough, I had been putting off reading it since last month until I needed something to pull me out of a reading slump, and it did just that.

It has hate to love, forced proximity, a billionaire FMC, good banter, a publicist FMC, and so much more.

Camille is so guarded and defensive, and Ryker completely broke down her walls. The moment they both realized they shouldn’t fight it anymore was so beautiful. Ryker is such a guy’s guy — he knows exactly how to calm Camille down and always says the right things.

I love how Kat wrote about Camille’s relationship with her father — her need for his approval and love felt so relatable and real. I also love how Ryker’s father was portrayed; it was written with so much care and warmth.

Camille’s dad, on the other hand, is a nasty piece of work — a truly terrible human being.

My favorite quote from this book is:
“The easiest thing I’ve done is like you, Cami. Even when I thought I hated you, I liked you.”

This book is a 4-star read, and I absolutely recommend it.

[poppi ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆

this was so much fun and i always love being in pembroke. i’m always longing for a summer in the hamptons so this truly did not disappoint.

ִֶָ. ..𓂃 ࣪ ་༘࿐

ryker and camille were so fun - the bickering and the constant back and forth made for great dialogue. he’s someone who’s basically the golden retriever, doesn’t enjoy any sort of confrontation, but she’s always pulling out that side of him. no one can get under his skin quite like her but the same could be said for her.

they’ve met their matches with one another. this was the sort of book where you’re really rooting for them but you giggle throughout the story, even if they’re constantly poking at one another. these two were on a healing journey without even realizing it - they healed one another.

the only complaint i had was that this felt a bit rushed. it just felt like something was missing in a way but i still enjoyed the characters and the storyline. i just wish we got more, you know? it felt like some of the scenes spanned across one too many chapters and it felt like there was a huge time jump so quickly. we went from it being summer to ryker going back to the city to getting the board’s approval in what felt like overnight.

needless to say, this was such a fun read. camille is one of the strongest female characters i think i have read about. her father pisses me off to no end. i also wish we could’ve seen more of her confronting him and really getting down to the nitty gritty of why he treats her the way he does, but we’ll never know.

excited for jude and charlotte’s book. i need it now.

[Tiara · Rating 5 out of 5]

*audio beta*
they just continue to get better and better. I love them with my whole heart. the audio is perfection! was not expecting to cry with this one and I did. this series is so stinking good and I cannot get enough🥲

[kailesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️ thank you Kat Singleton and ValentinePR for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own!

This was such a fun and spicy read, and I loved getting to know Ryker and Camille on a more personal level after the snippets in Cal and Lucy’s story. The yearning, the romance, and the way the family and business aspects were layered into the plot were *chefs kiss*. It gave the story more depth than just a straightforward billionaire romance where the two characters dislike each other, in my opinion!

From the beginning, Ryker quickly became a favorite MMC for me. I felt like he was so misunderstood, portrayed as the carefree playboy in the media, but as the story goes on we get to see more of who he is, as someone who wants to be loved and accepted, who carries more weight than people realize. Watching him open up to Camille was one of the most memorable aspects of this book. And Camille! That woman was as stubborn as a bull and had major black cat energy, which I thought was such a nice difference from Ryker’s personality. I especially enjoyed seeing her character change and grow with the vulnerability she places in Ryker, and her self confidence shift at the end.

With that being said, I am not one to enjoy the miscommunication trope, and this book leaned on it a bit more than I would’ve hoped. Combine that with the stubborn streak between these two that lasts through almost 60% of the book, and there were times I found myself frustrated with both characters. Still, the payoff was worth it. The push and pull yearning between them, the forced proximity tension, and the slow burn chemistry kept me hooked. And when things finally broke open between them? Immaculate.

The balance of spice, angst, and heartfelt moments was perfect, and the side plots with family rivalries and business drama added another layer that I really enjoyed. It wasn’t perfect, but it was captivating, entertaining, and left me satisfied. Now, I cannot WAIT for Jude’s story!!!

[Catarina Vieira | umlivroduplicado · Rating 5 out of 5]

“What is your one goal, then? What do you want to accomplish before you die?”
“I want to like myself again. It’d be nice to have my own approval before I go.”

Every time I pick up a new book by Kat Singleton, it immediately becomes my new favorite. It's incredible to witness her growth as an author, each story is more captivating than the last, deepening my love for her writing.

Bad for Business is the second book in the Pembroke Hills series, and I found myself loving it even more than the first (which I also adored!). Returning to Pembroke Hills was like reconnecting with old friends: the setting is perfect, and Kat has a unique ability to craft billionaire romances that are both well-developed and irresistibly engaging.

Cami, the protagonist, is simply sensational. She's layered and complex, and as we learn more about her, we come to understand and love her decisions, especially her relentless pursuit of her father's approval. Watching her open her heart to Ryker and, ultimately, stand up for herself was both heartbreaking and beautiful. She truly deserves all the happiness she finds.

And then there's Ryker. Protective, charming, and completely smitten with Cami, he was a delightful surprise. His vulnerability,his fears and insecurities was both heart-wrenching and endearing to witness. Ryker has undoubtedly secured a spot at the top of my book boyfriend list.

JF Harding brought Ryker to life with the perfect mix of huskiness, flirtation, and sexiness, while Vanessa Edwin gave Cami a voice that was both realistic and deeply emotional. Their performances made every scene more vivid and unforgettable.

Bad for Business will hold a special place in my heart for a long time. I'm completely in love with these characters, this series, and Kat Singleton's writing.

[Destiny Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75⭐️ This was SO GOOD.
(I think this might be my new fav in the series!!)

Camille needs to prove to her dad she has what it takes to be his partner at Vaughn PR. Ryker needs to clean up his public image to convince the board that he’s capable of being a leader. Match made in heaven?

I ateeee this up!!! From the very start of the book, I was obsessed! The tension was actually some of the BEST tension I’ve ever read! The bickering back & forth had me both laughing out loud & internally screaming.
Both of the main characters had so much depth to them.
I’m not even gonna lie, Camille rubbed me wrong the first 20-30% of the book. She comes off a little strong, & is definitely a little, might I say “bitchy”?…
But as the story progressed, you start to realize she is incredibly misunderstood. She has a lot of layers to her that you have to peel back as the book goes on. Her character development by the end of this book had me tearing up from joy. She took down her barriers & allowed herself to be truly loved.
Ryker is the sweetest golden retriever MMC. He was down sooo bad for Camille & she really gave him a run for his money. He’s such an acts of service gentleman. WHEN HE TOOK CARE OF HER😭💚 Oh & when he defends her? Yeah, I’m obsessed.
I loved learning more about his backstory & learning why he is the way he is. He’s one of the prime examples of the happiest people can also be the saddest. I loved him so much!

I will say, go into this book knowing there’s a lot of miscommunication BUT it’s very worth it!! This was such a sweet read but had so much emotional depth!

[Lynn_G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Publicist Camille is painted into a corner by her father: she must babysit the cocky heir to the Davenport Media behemoth. It just so happens they were each other’s New Year’s Eve hookup, which is something that totally, absolutely, cannot possibly happen again, right?! Until it does.

This was a slow burn in reverse, meaning their initial hookup happens prior to the start of this book and then they don’t see each other for months until Ryker makes some embarrassing off the cuff remarks about a super secret media deal he and his father have been working to put together that’s not yet publicly known, and it’s all captured on video and leaked by a reporter. As the publicist to the media company’s principals, Camille is tasked with cleanup and image rehabilitation. What she ends up doing is babysitting Ryker in a gorgeous Hamptons beach house, and temptation is at hand daily. It takes a bit for them to make the turn from frenemies to something more, and while there’s banter, some of it is very immature, especially for two people who’ve had extensive media training.

I received an advance reader copy from Valentine PR, and I’m sharing my honest review.

[Katie Beasley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid 3.5 star read for me! There is such a fine line with loathe to lovers for me. Like I know that there is a fine line between love and hate, but there is a finesse to it with the characters. And I had a hard time with that line in this one. Camille was a little too bossy. A little too sassy and unfriendly for me. Especially given their history of a one night stand. With that being said, we saw that she was this gooey woman on the inside but had her walls up because of life circumstances. I also thought Ryker was borderline a jerk until he realized he had legit feelings for this woman. I did LOVE their chemistry though I have to say. When Cami let her guard down and you say her feelings, these two were FIRE. I liked the storyline- publicist turned babysitter in the Hamptons for the summer. I did want a little more of the side characters. More interactions with the larger world I guess. Overall though once these two caved, they were electric and great together. I loved how they could read each other and how they both pushed each other to be better.

Camille has one goal in mind- become partner at her father's PR firm. She is willing to do whatever it takes for this to happen. Well almost whatever. She did not think that babysiting her one night stand that left her last NYE for the summer would be in the cards for her but here she is. And now she has to be around this handsome specimen and not acknowledge how her body reacts to him. She has to fight the urge to ask him why he left her and never reached out. She is here for a goal and one goal only- getting Ryker on the good side of his board. But with this attitude of nonchalance, Ryker has turned cold and annoying. She can't see a hint of the man she met on NYE. She is seeing him be that way to everyone else but her. But then her walls start to crumble a bit. She gets to know Ryker- the real Ryker and she realizes that she can't fight this for much longer. After a romp that makes her run and him taking care of her when she is sick, she decides that she wants to explore this. She wants to lower her walls and see what happens. Because she felt something special with him last year and even though she has acted indifferent she knows this man will change her life.

Ryker messed up. He messed up bad. He thought his mistake could be swept under the rug, but apparently it requires a PR firm and a babysitter for the summer to help keep him in line. The plot twist is that his babysitter also happens to be the woman he spent the night with last NYE only to find her gone in the morning. The woman he has found himself thinking about and dreaming about since then. But now it's like she is a different person from the one he met. She is cold and detached. She seems to act like she isn't as bothered by his presence as he is by hers. Which is annoying because he knows they shared something special. So he decides to lean into that. To be annoying to her. To not listen to her. To get reactions out of her. But the more he is around her, the harder it is to fight this attraction to her. And when she gives him a glimpse of it again he is a goner. He will take whatever bread crumbs she will give him. He just wants to get the option to explore a possibility with her since he didn't before. And now they are in. Their chemistry is off the charts. He is excited to see where this can go but then Cami's job gets in the way and he is doing everything he can to believe that she will come back. Because he has figured out she is his forever.

Overall this was entertaining. I enjoy the summer in the Hamptons- how could you not. I just wanted a little bit more from the side characters and had a hard time with the shift that had to take place between these two for them to be lovers. I am curious who book 3 is about- I am guessing Jude??

Thank you to Valentine PR and Kat for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.