In Good Company Book Review - No Spoilers
Yesterday Rebecca was making dinner and announced she'd "perfected" her mac and cheese recipe. I watched her add three different cheese blends, a splash of truffle oil, and fresh thyme like she was auditioning for a cooking show. When I asked where she learned that, she said, "YouTube, obviously." The confidence of a teenager who believes she's mastered gourmet cooking after watching five videos is peak Gen Z energy. But you know what? It was actually delicious. Sometimes people surprise you when they're doing what they love. That's the heart of In Good Company, where Lucy's passion for cooking becomes the unexpected gateway to love with the one man she's supposed to avoid—her ex-boyfriend's brother.
Plot Summary
In Good Company by Kat Singleton is the first book in the Pembroke Hills series. Lucy Owens is spending her last summer in the Hamptons working at the exclusive Pembroke Hills Country Club before returning home to Virginia to take over her family's struggling diner. When Callahan Hastings, a wealthy and charming billionaire—and her ex-boyfriend's older brother—offers her a dream job as his private chef for the summer, she can't refuse despite the complicated history. Cal is relentless, possessive, and completely taken with Lucy. What starts as a professional arrangement quickly turns into something much more personal. As they spend their days at the farm stand, golfing, cooking together, and sharing meals, the chemistry between them becomes impossible to ignore. Set in the glamorous world of the Hamptons with an exclusive country club backdrop, this is a story about forbidden attraction, found family, and choosing your own path.
Why I Love This Book
I love how In Good Company gives us a swoony billionaire romance without unnecessary drama. Cal is protective, obsessed, and genuinely sweet—he makes sure Lucy eats dinner with him instead of just serving him, teaches her to golf, helps her film cooking videos, and calls her "Lucy baby" in the most endearing way. The way he spoils her and wants to take care of her melts my heart. Lucy is relatable and grounded, dealing with real family pressures about taking over the diner while also pursuing her passion. The private chef element adds such a fun dynamic to their relationship. The slow burn is delicious, and when they finally get together, it feels earned. I appreciate that the ex's brother trope doesn't create manufactured angst—the ex and Lucy weren't in love, and there are no lingering feelings. The Hamptons setting with the country club vibes gives everything a glamorous summer feel.
Who Will Like This Book
If you enjoy billionaire romance, ex's brother trope, private chef/boss romance, or forced proximity, you'll love this story. The book delivers on swoony moments, possessive heroes, and summer vibes. It's perfect for readers who like their billionaires charming and obsessed rather than cold and aloof. Fans of Kat Singleton's other books will appreciate her signature style of emotional depth mixed with steamy scenes. The spice level is moderate with several well-placed scenes that feel intimate and connected to the relationship. If you're looking for a feel-good romance with family themes and a hero who falls hard, this is for you.
⚠️ Trigger warning: family pressure, financial stress, mild emotional conflict, sexual content (open door), brief mention of past relationship
Tagged As
contemporary romance, billionaire romance, ex's brother, forbidden romance, private chef, boss romance, forced proximity, Hamptons setting, country club, slow burn, possessive hero, summer romance, Pembroke Hills series, book 1, found family, food/cooking, age gap, standalone, HEA
Steam Level
🌶️🌶️🌶️ Moderate
The book features open-door intimate scenes that are steamy and well-written. There are four main spicy chapters that span multiple pages, showing Kat Singleton's talent for writing heat with emotional connection. The scenes feel intimate and natural, never gratuitous, and always serve to deepen the relationship between Cal and Lucy.
