Bad for Business by Kat Singleton Summary: A Scorching Billionaire Romance Breakdown
TL;DR: The Scandal, The Babysitter, and The Ring
Here is a quick snapshot for readers in a hurry.
The novel sits in the billionaire workplace romance subgenre with enemies-to-lovers tension. It is the second book in the Pembroke Hills series.
- Camille Vaughn works as a publicist at her father’s firm.
- She is assigned to supervise Ryker Davenport after a leaked video causes a PR crisis.
- Camille and Ryker share a secret one-night stand from New Year’s Eve.
- Forced proximity at a Hamptons estate turns hostility into attraction.
- Both characters are dealing with grief over deceased mothers.
- The story ends with Camille quitting her toxic job and Ryker proposing with his mother’s ring.
Readers can explore Kat Singleton’s other book summaries on URSummary for more of her work.
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Characters In Bad for Business
The table below lists the main characters and their factual roles in the story.
| Character | Role |
|---|---|
| Camille Vaughn | A publicist at Vaughn PR who is assigned to manage Ryker’s reputation. |
| Ryker Davenport | The heir to Davenport Media who faces a PR crisis after a leaked video. |
| Troy Vaughn | Camille’s father and the manipulative head of Vaughn PR. |
| Mr. Davenport | Ryker’s father, a stern businessman who demands his son’s stability. |
| Jude Kensington | Ryker’s best friend who helps bridge the gap between Ryker and Camille. |
| Beckham Sinclair | A friend of Ryker’s and a fellow billionaire. |
| Margo Sinclair | One of the women in Ryker’s social circle who becomes Camille’s friend. |
| Emma Turner | Another friend Camille meets through Ryker’s group. |
| Winnie Moore | A third friend who accepts Camille into the social circle. |
| Harrison O’Neill | A powerful board member whose approval is critical to Ryker’s succession. |
Bad for Business Summary: Full Story Recap
Spoiler warning: This section reveals major plot details and the ending.
Camille Vaughn works as a publicist at her father’s firm, Vaughn PR. She is pulled away from a promising date when a crisis erupts involving Ryker Davenport, the heir to Davenport Media.
A leaked video shows Ryker drunkenly revealing confidential acquisition plans. Camille and Ryker recognize each other from a secret one-night stand on New Year’s Eve that ended with Camille fleeing the next morning.
Their fathers strike a deal. Camille will live with Ryker at his family’s Hamptons estate for the summer to supervise him and rehabilitate his image in front of the board members vacationing there.
Camille agrees on the condition that success will finally earn her the title of partner at her father’s firm. The pair enters a period of constant verbal sparring as Camille sets strict rules, including a ban on mentioning their past encounter.
At the exclusive Pembroke Hills Country Club, Ryker attempts to ditch Camille to spend time with his friends. Camille tracks him down and gradually wins respect from his social circle through her competence and a hidden talent for golf.
Ryker reveals that his reckless behavior stems from the death of his mother from cancer a year prior. Camille, who also lost her mother as a teenager, begins to empathize with him.
Their professional boundaries blur during a yacht excursion and a charity golf tournament. The sexual tension between them becomes undeniable.
A major turning point occurs when they finally discuss New Year’s Eve. Ryker reveals he had actually left a note and gone to get her favorite donuts. Camille confesses she left because she felt vulnerable and assumed he wanted her gone.
This clarity leads to them finally consummating their feelings. Shortly after, Camille falls seriously ill with a fever, and Ryker devotedly cares for her.
The climax arrives when Troy Vaughn and Mr. Davenport show up unannounced and find Camille and Ryker together in bed. Troy verbally abuses Camille, calling her a “whore” for sleeping with a client.
Mr. Davenport announces Ryker has secured the board’s approval and will take over the company. Back in Manhattan, Troy reveals he never intended to make Camille a partner.
Empowered by Ryker’s belief in her, Camille quits Vaughn PR and starts her own firm. Six months later, on the anniversary of their first meeting, Ryker proposes with his mother’s ring, and she accepts.
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Summary by Chapter: Smart Grouping
Spoiler warning: This section contains specific plot details for each grouped section.
The Scandal & The Sentence (Chapters 1–7)
After a drunken leak of corporate secrets goes viral, Ryker Davenport is forced by his father into an unconventional rehabilitation program in the Hamptons.
Camille Vaughn, the daughter of his father’s PR expert, is assigned to be his constant shadow. The task is complicated by their secret, volatile history from months prior. The two immediately clash over boundaries and a rule that forbids any mention of their previous one-night stand.
The Social Battlefield (Chapters 8–15)
The setting moves to the exclusive Pembroke Hills Country Club.
Ryker attempts to reclaim his independence while Camille meticulously manages his interactions with board members. Despite Ryker’s resentment of having a “babysitter,” Camille’s professional competence begins to shine. Ryker also reveals the deep-seated grief behind his reckless behavior.
Cracks in the Professional Armor (Chapters 16–25)
A series of events, including a yacht trip that reveals Camille’s fear of water and an afternoon of martinis, forces the pair to acknowledge their lingering attraction. The professional walls finally crumble in a heated confrontation in Camille’s bedroom.
However, Ryker’s immediate departure after their encounter leaves Camille questioning whether history is repeating itself.
Vulnerability & The Turning Point (Chapters 26–33)
Following a public golf tournament where their chemistry is noted by friends and board members, a period of coldness is broken when Camille falls dangerously ill.
Ryker abandons his corporate meetings in Manhattan to care for her. During this time, they reveal the truth about their New Year’s Eve misunderstanding, healing the rift that started their animosity.
The Bubble & The Burst (Chapters 34–41)
Embracing their newfound love, Camille and Ryker share a period of domestic bliss in the Hamptons. Ryker gains the full confidence of the board.
Their private paradise is shattered when their fathers discover them together. The confrontation exposes the depths of Troy Vaughn’s cruelty and forces Camille to choose between her career goals and her happiness.
Freedom & Forever (Chapters 42–Epilogue)
Camille realizes that her father’s approval is an impossible goal. She takes the life-changing step of quitting his firm to start her own. After a brief separation to handle family business, she reunites with Ryker at Pembroke.
The story concludes months later with a romantic proposal that honors Ryker’s family traditions and Camille’s newfound sense of being truly loved.
FAQ
What is Bad for Business about?
Bad for Business is about Camille Vaughn, a publicist assigned to supervise billionaire heir Ryker Davenport after a leaked video puts his company role at risk, while the two share a secret past.
How does Bad for Business end?
The book ends with Camille quitting her father’s firm to start her own PR company, and Ryker proposing to her with his mother’s ring six months later.
Is Bad for Business a standalone book?
Bad for Business is the second book in the Pembroke Hills series, but it can be read as a standalone because it focuses on a different couple than the first book.
Who are the main characters in Bad for Business?
The main characters are Camille Vaughn, a publicist at Vaughn PR, and Ryker Davenport, the heir to Davenport Media who faces a PR crisis.
Is Bad for Business spicy?
Bad for Business includes high-heat sensual content and open-door intimate scenes between the two main characters, placed within a contemporary romance structure.
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