The Naked Truth: An Enemies to Lovers Road Trip Romance

by Ana Kirk Shaw

Two truths and a
1. I’m crushing on a faceless por—adult content creator.
2. I’m road-tripping to a wedding with my worst enemy.
3. These are totally unrelated problems.

After torching what was left of my reputation at my twin sister’s engagement party, I’ll do anything for redemption—even if it means traveling for a week in a car with my oldest the smug, infuriatingly rich and successful Nico Giannuzzi.

My plan? Keep my head down, survive this sister-mandated road trip, ignore the driver (even if he ruined my entire life), and focus on flirting wi—sorry—ghostwriting the cookbook for the anonymous por—sorry—adult content creator chef whose emails make me smile.

Even if Nico apologizes with my favorite foods.
Even if he defends me in public, cooks for me in private, and looks at me like I’m the next thing on his menu.
Even if he tries to uncover my secrets… and starts to share some of his own.
Getting my act together means not letting Nico under my skin. Or my shirt.

But… why won’t he take his off?
Why does the way he moves in a kitchen seem so familiar?
And why does this man making me laugh over breakfast suddenly feel exactly like the one who’s been lighting up my inbox for months?

Genres: Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Forced Proximity, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Rom Com, Smut

366 pages, Paperback

Published January 14, 2026

About the author

Ana Kirk Shaw wrote her first romance at eight years old. It was a shifter romance starring Scar from The Lion King and Amelia Bedelia. It was weird.

She is now a teacher by day and romance author by night (plus weekends and summer break). She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, kids, and cats.

Reviews

[joni ౨ৎ - busy · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a fun time! rtc!!! loved the emotional aspects and the food

𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
this plot sounds intriguing and i love mmc's who are chefs 😋 the cover is gorgeous and i think it'll be a fast paced read!! book #6

↪ started jan 8
↪ finished jan 10

[Laura❄️📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing this book for review purposes via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Our FMC Annie Li is a beautifully complicated and deeply flawed human being but I loved her anyway, I can understand why she went off the rails, her parents have a lot to answer for. What I loved most about this book was that neither of our main characters were goody two shoes, they weren’t perfect, neither of them could be described as innocent and they both had baggage, this for me made them seem even more realistic. I loved having a heavily tattooed FMC, as someone who is also heavily tattooed I was all for this. I wondered why Annie hated Nico so much, when we got the reveal my heart broke for both of them as all that antagonism was for nothing. I really liked Nico as despite the fact that Annie was absolutely horrible to him, I loved that he took the time to see Annie for who she was and try to break through her prickly outer shell. Overall I really enjoyed this book and have no complaints at all.

[cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this one, but the beginning was a bit hard for me to get into. I felt confused at first and had to pause and reread parts to understand what was going on. The prologue didn’t fully work for me, and when chapter one started, it felt like I was missing some context instead of being eased into the story. Once I found my footing, it was easier to settle in, but the start definitely took some patience. 🥲🥲

After that initial adjustment, things slowly began to click. The story itself is genuinely unique, and not at all what I expected going in. There’s a lot happening beneath the surface—secrets, tension, and overlapping identities—and while it didn’t instantly pull me in, it kept me curious enough to continue. I did struggle with the Annie at first, though. I usually enjoy sharp banter, but her attitude leaned more bratty than playful for me, (she was lowkey evil 😭) and it made it harder to connect early on even once you start to understand where that behavior comes from.

Somewhere in the middle, I realized I was more invested than I thought I was. The pacing evened out, the emotional beats landed better, and the dynamic between the main characters became more engaging. And when the spice finally hits the page… it really hits . The chemistry turns intense FAST—jaw-dropping & face-warming. Nico especially… If dirty talk is your thing, he does not disappoint (AT ALL).

The third-act breakup was where I started to lose a bit of momentum. I’m pretty picky about that trope, and unless it’s handled exceptionally well, it tends to feel unnecessary.🤷🏼‍♀️ This one didn’t fully work for me and leaned more frustrating than impactful, though it didn’t completely derail the story. The ending itself was decent, and overall, the book was entertaining enough that I walked away curious rather than disappointed.

This wasn’t a standout read for me, butttttttt it was interesting, bold, and different enough that I’m still intrigued by this world. I’d definitely be open to checking out more books connected to it.

-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-favorite quotes-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-

”You walk into a room and rearrange the air. Ever since we were kids. Like some sort of volatile reaction-change the tem-perature, shift the pressure, and suddenly nothing around you is the same.”

“She smiles and my world ends, because Annie Li is smiling at me and it's so debilitating it's apocalyptic.”

“Maybe," I say, more to myself than to him,
"stability isn't peace and quiet. It's staying. It's choosing someone. Again and again, even when it's messy. Especially when it's messy."

-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-

things to know about the book ↓

🍳 enemies→lovers
🍳 forced proximity
🍳 secret identity
🍳 third act breakup
🍳 dual POV

A huge thank you to Netgalley, ARC provided by Victory Editing, and Ana Kirk Shaw for allowing me to read this arc. These are all my honest opinions in this review.

spice rating:【 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 】
swearing: yes (a lot)

[booksvanereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

if ana writes it, ima read it.
loved the naked truth so much that i’ve read it twice. i beta read it earlier in the year and then re read the final version.

i am absolutely in love with Nico. it’s like Ana writes her mmcs just for me. the banter, the spice, the comedy, the emotions.

all of it. always good time reading her books.

I have now looked at my husband and I’m just like he is a beefy Guido to me like if he was from Jersey he would be that and he is just my own version of that and I love it and I’m just gonna start calling him an illiterate gorilla from now on.

i loved all the different POV and the emailing between the characters and the plot between the secret identity and enemies to lovers and literally everything abut this book.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a few chapters to get into the writing style. Anna Kirkshaw reminds me of Jessa Hastings because you will always know what the main characters are thinking through their monologues and written thoughts. Once I was a few chapters in, I was invested in the characters and the writing. This is probably one of my top reads ever? I just related a ton to the FMC. I will also never forget the adjectives that Nico uses to describe Annie Li 😭

[ri ⊹.˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

‎ ‎ ‎ the naked truth ꒱ 3.75 stars
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⌗ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥: jan 12, ‘26 ⌇ 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥: jan 12, ‘26

review with light spoilers

the plot of this book had me intrigued from the moment i found it on netgalley. the roadtrip along with them having secret identities was such a fun aspect of the story and i really enjoyed reading it.

the dynamic between the characters was probably my favorite part of the story. seeing the character growth as the book progressed was very rewarding.

anne li, we get to learn a lot about who she is a person and the evolution of her characters from childhood to adulthood as the story progresses. her being a reader was also such a great add to the story, her getting lost in books was so relatable and i loved finding that in common with a character. i am a sucker for tattooed and flawed characters so i really enjoyed her character design. she, easily, was the character that had the most growth and seeing her shed the hard shell that she put up to protect herself was so cathartic .

nicholas giannuzzi, his character was so fun especially with his secret job. it was also very interesting to learn about the chemistry behind cooking. while he was ashamed of being an adult content creator he did it for a novel reason and i was glad to see him come to terms with his profession. i found it sad that he trained himself out of an accent but completely understand why he did it. i wish we got to see a bit more of him and his postdoc research and a bit more of the academic side but i had a lot of fun with his character. his growth was also very much present and he was very understanding as he got to know the real anne li and why she acted the way she did.

the relationship, the bantering was very fun and the miscommunication was not unnecessary as they had years of not seeing eachother alongside animosity. seeing ali and nico talking and finally realizing what was behind years of resentment and hostility was very satisfying. nico was a great partner for anne li and seeing him fight for their relationship, even when the struggle was her insecurities, made him such a great partner.

overall, i had a lot of fun with this book and its plot. the characters had a lot of depth which kept me entertained. i can’t wait to see what else this author has in store for this series.

── preread

super excited to read this cause i was really intrigued by the premise :P

ⓘ thank you netgalley, anna kirk shaw & victory editing for this arc in exchange for an honest review

[Nadine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first book by Ana Kirk Shaw.

I was intrigued by the blurb and the cover and had high hopes. Sadly this book didn't fully convince me. Tbh I almost quit reading in the beginning. But then I went back and read some early reviews. One having the exact problem with the story than I had at this point. It was confusing, the prologue didn't work for me at all. I had trouble finding into the story and a connection with the characters. However, the review recommended to keep going. So I did.

It did get better and easier. But I still missed the spark. To me it also wasn't as funny as I thought it would be. It was entertaining, though. I loved the character development and in the end I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would when I started it.

It was a good read, but nothing outstanding.

[Dani (Daniiireads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect as I've never read anything by Ana previously—something I will be rectifying asap btw, but I loved every messy, chaotic, slightly toxic minute of The Naked Truth. It was so steamy, fun, and chock full of hilarious banter, but was also unexpectedly emotional.

I kind of loved that Annie was an absolute trainwreck (but working on it), sharp tongued, and willing to throw down for those she loved. Not that Nico was a saint by any means, but Annie's character just resonated with me.

& Nico, bless him. I loved him so much. Once he saw past the walls constructed and all the pressure Annie has/had put on herself, I loved how he weathered the hurricane that is Annie and her emotions. She needed someone to stay and see the best in her, and I'm so glad that he did.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧:
- sex worker (naked chef) + ghostwriter
- black cat x golden retriever
- enemies to lovers
- forced proximity
- road trip
- only one bed
- secret identity
- kinks on kinks
- dirty talk

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

ohhhhhhh honey! you have got to be kidding me!

okay, listen, i didn’t really know what to expect when starting this arc. i knew the tropes sounded like my type of book, but i didn’t realize i would be hysterically laughing through the entire thing, then wiping tears at certain moments too.
nico is genuinely impossible not to love. as a mmc, he is everything you could want, wrapped up in a sweet (maybe even caramelized) bow. annie, however, is what he later refers to as “the softest wrecking ball i’ve ever loved.”
she is raw, real, and a character i really needed to read. she can have a sharp tongue, and she will stop at nothing to make sure her people are good, and that her people feel protected and seen. even when she doesn’t.
this was one of the best enemies to lovers/secret identity little crossovers i’ve ever read. ever. i am absolutely reeling. annie’s big moment in chapter 30 is the kind of standing up for myself i wish i could do sometimes.
what an incredible little romcom. wonderful. chef’s kiss

[Samia Vermeulen · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Naked Truth by Ana Kirkshaw
Enemies-to-lovers mayhem, forced proximity, a road trip that tests everyone’s sanity (in the best way), and two beautifully imperfect people who break, heal, and find their way back together.
I picked up The Naked Truth fully aware that I’m a sucker for these tropes—but I wasn’t prepared for how hard this book would hit. One minute I was laughing out loud, the next I was sitting quietly with tears in my eyes. It’s chaotic, heartfelt, swoony, and emotional in a way that sneaks up on you. From the first chapter, I was hooked, and I genuinely didn’t want it to end.
At its heart, this story follows Annie Li and Nico Giannuzzi—two people who truly, sincerely do not like each other. Forced into close quarters on a road trip, all their unresolved history, buried secrets, and sharp-edged tension are dragged straight into the open. This is real enemies-to-lovers energy. Not playful bickering. Not secret flirting. Actual resentment layered with hurt, misunderstandings, and emotional baggage—making the eventual shift toward intimacy feel earned, raw, and incredibly satisfying.
Annie is an unforgettable FMC. She’s loud, messy, heavily tattooed, fiercely loyal, and emotionally guarded in a way that feels achingly authentic. She isn’t softened to be more “likable,” and that’s exactly why she works. Her sharpness has roots, and watching her slowly lower her defenses—sometimes without even realizing she’s doing it—was one of my favorite parts of the story. Her journey toward reclaiming her voice and choosing herself felt powerful and deeply validating.
And Nico… Nico is impossible not to adore. He’s patient, charming, grounded, and quietly perceptive in a way that perfectly balances Annie’s chaos. What stood out most was how clearly he sees her—past the sarcasm, the attitude, the armor—and how he refuses to walk away when things get difficult. He’s golden retriever energy with emotional depth, and the way he shows up makes their connection feel safe, believable, and incredibly swoon-worthy.
Their chemistry is undeniable. The banter is sharp and genuinely funny, the tension builds beautifully, and the slow progression from hostility to vulnerability is handled with so much care. This book doesn’t rush emotional intimacy—it allows it to grow naturally through shared moments, uncomfortable truths, and small but meaningful acts of trust. When everything finally clicks, it feels completely deserved.
Beyond the romance, the structure of the story really shines. The road trip setup, forced proximity, email exchanges, and secret identity twist all add layers that keep the story engaging and fresh. While the humor absolutely landed for me, it was the emotional moments that truly surprised me—touching on self-worth, family pressure, and the fear of letting someone see the real you.
And the epilogue? Perfection. A genuinely satisfying HEA that left me smiling and wishing I could linger in this world just a little longer.
The Naked Truth is the kind of rom-com that delivers exactly what it promises—fun, spice, tension—but also slips in emotional depth when you least expect it. It’s messy in the best way, full of heart, and a reminder that sometimes the most chaotic love stories are the ones that mean the most.
Read this if you love:
❤️ Enemies-to-lovers with real bite
🚗 Forced proximity / road trip romance
🖤 Golden retriever × black cat dynamics
💌 Secret identity twists
🔥 Sharp banter, slow-burn tension, and emotional payoff
This one absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR.
Huge thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing, and Ana Kirkshaw for the ARC. All opinions are my own—and I’ll happily read anything this author writes next. 💖📚

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Maybe stability isn’t peace and quiet. It’s staying. It’s choosing someone again and again, even when it’s messy.”

5 Stars — ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Naked Truth is an intimate and emotionally honest read that surprised me in the best way. The writing feels raw and personal, as if you are being invited into someone’s most vulnerable thoughts.

I loved how the story leans into self reflection and emotional exposure without overcomplicating it. There is a quiet softness beneath the intensity that makes the moments of connection feel genuine and meaningful.

There is a softness beneath the intensity that really stayed with me. Moments of connection, longing, and self discovery are handled with care, giving the book a depth that goes beyond surface level emotion. It is the kind of read that makes you pause, reflect, and maybe even see parts of yourself in the pages

Overall, this book stayed with me in a gentle, thoughtful way. It is tender, introspective, and quietly powerful, a story that lingers after the final page and leaves you reflecting long after you have finished reading.

[Nikole Babcock · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 70%. This book has all the things that normally call to me, but I couldn’t get over the lack of chemistry and the FMC. Listen, I love a bitchy take-no-shit type of gal, which is what I think the book was trying to do, but instead Ani just came off absolutely vile and self-centered. She was unlikable and a literal bully, and up to the point where I stopped there was nothing redeemable about her. She made his life literal hell but all is forgiven after a dry hump sesh? Pass. I tried to push through to see where this would go, but the constant whip lash and immature dialogue lost me.

[Steph Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank the publisher Victory Edititng Netgalley co-op for providing me with this arc for review through NetGalley. The below review is my own personal thought.

❤️enemies to lovers
❤️childhood/ early adult rivalry
❤️ 🌽 star/ creator
❤️ road trip
❤️ hidden identity
❤️black cat FMC
❤️golden retriever MMC
❤️spicy 🌶️

The below may not necessarily include ‘spoilers’ but I don’t want to give anything away

5 ⭐️ read i finished this within 24 hours, found it so easy to go with the flow of the story. I loved the back and forth ‘banter’ between Nico and Annie they were funny and it was definitely clear they had ben like that for a long time. The spicy scenes were spicy and i loved every second of reading them. The sexual chemistry between them unknowingly before that just meant the spice was even better when they got round to it. The connection that grew between them was amazing to read about from both povs’. I did genuinely feel for Annie and her struggles it was very clear how hard it was for her to let anyone in but i was so happy they got their HEA and Nico was not the kind of man to give up.
I think Annie as very misunderstood and no one seemed to take the time to really find out why, she was very much a black cat personality, she was also quite stubborn, snarky and independent but i loved her!
Nico is a golden retriever type of man that seems to have all the love in the world, he seems like such a shy gentle soul but is willing to fight for what he wants. He definitely loves his family that is very clear when you discover the reasons for hiss choices.
There is some cheating which is mentioned and does cause some drama but this is not between the main characters.
The only thing I couldn’t get behind was the way Nico would call Annie ‘honey’ i think this started as a way of annoying her but turned into a term of endearment when he started to get feelings for her. The realisation of that in itself was beautiful it is just not the sort of term i like, i preferred when he would call her anything else.
Overall i absolutely adored this book from start to finish. The ending they had was full of so much love and happiness and was exactly the sort of ending i hoped they would have. It was so warming to jump several years in the future and get a glimpse of their lives together.

[Tanisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing Strictly Extracurricular, the final book in the “Lessons in Love” series, I was genuinely sad to say goodbye to that world. So when the epilogue hinted at new characters and new beginnings, I was immediately curious. Discovering that one of those characters would later become the star of her own book made me even more excited. I could not wait to dive in and see what direction this spin-off would take.

Even though I missed the familiar chaos and charm of the PS 2 staff, I fell in love with the characters in this book almost instantly. The chemistry between them is undeniable from the start, and the fact that it leans into one of my favorite tropes, enemies to lovers, made it even better. I honestly could not imagine how these two were going to move past their prickly dynamic, but watching that slow shift happen was one of the most satisfying parts of the story. Their banter, tension, and eventual vulnerability all worked together perfectly.

All in all, I absolutely loved this book. It had heart, humor, a romance worth rooting for, and a main character who truly deserved her moment to shine. And as someone who is a complete sucker for a well-done epilogue, I am happy to report that this one delivers in the best possible way. It left me smiling and already hoping for more stories set in this universe.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

[emotionALLYreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Naked Truth was the perfect book made with “love and a little bit of chaos”.
Let’s put aside the fact that I was won over by the Romantasy, Jersey Shore, Game of Thrones and My Chemical Romance references, this book was probably the best romcom I have ever read.
I was immediately drawn to both Annie and Nico. They were funny, relatable, and had sexual tension as thick as Nico’s accent.
This wasn’t just a road trip navigating their way to Annie’s sister’s wedding in Florida, it was also a road map on how to accept hard truths. The immense pressure Annie and Nico put on themselves is one that came with a timer that was ready to explode. By finding out that together, they are a perfect combination, they are able to heal for the first time in years. I found that I was able to heal too.
Ana Kirk Shaw wrote a smart, poetic, hilarious book that has me drooling for more. I cannot wait for everyone to experience this magic.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What to Expect:
Hidden Identities
Cam Guy/Ghost Writer
Hate to Love
Forced Proximity
Road Trip

What happens when you end up on a road trip with your high school nemesis? If its Nico and Annie, then they get down and dirty. This book had me cackling one moment and then nearly crying for Annie and Nico in the next breath. These characters are raw, real and complicated and I could not get enough of their journey.

What attracted me most to the story was Nico's hidden identity as a cam guy and Annie's hidden identity as his ghostwriter. The way this revelation played out was brilliant.

[LauraxChristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Thank you Ana Kirk Shaw and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review **

You're so sexy it's gross.

Annie Li was an immediate YES for me. The snark. The insults. The sarcasm. Hiding behind these outrageous personality traits and feeling like a shell of a person on the inside. It was like revisiting a past I didnt want to revisit, but made the character incredibly relatable. I rooted for her from start to finish. I didnt expect to cry reading this book, at all! I laughed A LOT, but cry I did when Annie let herself go a little at rental number 2. It hit so close to home and that right there is superb writing.

Nicholas "Nico" Giannuzzi That Brooklyn accent that reads perfectly on page had me wishing this had an audiobook to pair along. Sign me up!! Another very relatable character, I grew up in an Italian home. Family is everything! Nico picking up his life and making sure his mother was set made me instantly like his character as well.

Know who I didnt like? Tom. What an absolute pile of dog poo. I couldn't stand him from the second he came on page and I absolutely hated how poor May retreated into herself. ANOTHER relatable situation. 100% emotional abuse and making yourself small so someone can be big while you fund their life. YUP. Can this author please stop writing my life as multi-characters?! Lol

The characters were written perfectly. Everything felt very authentic and organic, which made the plot flow flawlessly. I got to about 3/4 in and almost walked away for a few days. Not because it wasn't good, but because I didn't want it to end. I adore Nico and Annie together. Their growth as a partnership and as individuals. They're PERFECT for each other!
You didn't just hug me. You held me together.

I was a little shocked Nico didn't put it all together....

I loved how everything came out. It wasn't some dramatic thing that blew up and took chapters to mend. A true testament to their personalities being the perfect balance for one another.

You walk into a room and rearrange the air

I 100% recommend this book to any style of romance reader. Very ready for hopefully a May book... She deserves it!

honorable mention
Jing and Elton, hilarious! 10/10 scene.

[Lauren Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Naked Truth starts off as a sharp, funny enemies-to-lovers romcom filled with strong chemistry, clever banter, and a compelling secret-identity hook. After a public social disaster at her twin sister’s engagement party, Annie Li agrees to a weeklong road trip to a wedding with her longtime nemesis, Nico Giannuzzi. At the same time, she is secretly ghostwriting a cookbook for an anonymous adult content creator whose emails she has been flirting with for months. Naturally, the lines between these two situations begin to blur.

The first half of the book is where it shines. The pining, will-they-won’t-they tension, and flirtation are extremely well done, and the chemistry between Annie and Nico crackles. Annie is introduced as remarkably smart, capable, and self-possessed, with a sharp edge that makes her dynamic with Nico feel fiery and fun. The banter is strong, the road trip setup works well, and the slow unveiling of secrets adds intrigue without frustration.

However, partway through the story, the characterization of Annie shifts in a way that did not fully work for me. While I understand the intention of showing Nico breaking down her emotional walls, it felt like those walls gave way too completely. Annie’s confidence and swagger gave way to constant emotional spiraling, and she began to feel more needy than nuanced. I found myself missing the earlier version of her, the one with fire in her eyes rather than tears, and felt that the romance lost some of its spark as a result.

Overall, The Naked Truth delivers a strong premise, great early chemistry, and an engaging enemies-to-lovers setup, even if the character arc did not land as well for me in the second half. Readers who enjoy road trip romances, secret identities, and emotional vulnerability may still find this satisfying, especially if they prefer softer character transformations over sharp-edged banter throughout.

Trigger/Content Notes: Explicit sexual references, emotional distress, past reputational harm, family conflict.
ARC Disclosure: Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy.

[Kelsey H · Rating 5 out of 5]

FMC - Annie: ♾️ 🌟
MMC - Nico: 5 🌟

This book completely won me over from the first chapter!

I loved both main characters individually and together. Their chemistry was effortless and electric, the banter was sharp, and the spice? Absolutely delivered 🥵 Every intimate moment felt earned, emotional, and deeply connected to who they are as people

The pacing was spot on. Nothing dragged, nothing felt rushed, and even the third-act breakup actually made sense within the story. It wasn’t drama for drama’s sake. It was grounded in the characters’ emotional and mental struggles, which made the reconciliation and HEA hit even harder. And that ending? So sweet and satisfying it left me kicking my feet long after I finished 💕

I especially loved how the humor was balanced with very real, very human issues! It added depth without weighing the story down, making the characters feel authentic and easy to root for.
This was funny, emotional, spicy, and heartfelt in all the right ways. A standout romcom and an easy five-star read for me 💕

[chelseabrookelikesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so cute in the best, rom-com chaos kind of way. The setup grabbed me immediately…a week long road trip to a wedding with the one man she absolutely cannot stand, Nico Giannuzzi… who also just so happens to have completely derailed her life once before. And somehow they’re supposed to survive this trip without killing each other? Sign me up.

Add in the fact that she’s ghostwriting a cookbook for a mysterious porn star chef and suddenly the anonymous emails that have been making her smile might not be coming from who she thinks. The whole thing unfolds with the kind of banter that makes you sit there giggling to yourself…sharp, effortless, and genuinely laugh out loud funny. (Literally “my family is looking at me because I’m cackling at my Kindle again” levels of funny.)

The chemistry between these two??? Chef’s kiss. It balances enemies to lovers tension with the soft moments. Ana Kirk Shaw nails the humor, the timing, and that addictive rom com energy that keeps you reading for “just one more chapter.”

If you love road trip shenanigans, top tier banter, and a romance that feels both messy and swoon worthy, this one absolutely belongs on your TBR.

[Karlee Skirka · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Naked Truth was so fun and not your average rom com! Take a mc with a wild job, one sided enemies to lovers who grew up with each other, and a long ass road trip together and I give you this book. The tension, banter, humor and yearning was great.

Our fmc, Annie Li is a tatted baddie, but also a saddie. (RETWEET). I related to her in a lot of ways when it comes to not being seen and becoming a shell of yourself. The mmc, Nico, is a literal Italian golden retriever. He was so funny and I loved him the second he was introduced.

Knowing that they have history, their relationship and chemistry was paced perfectly throughout the book, especially knowing it happens on a 7 day road trip. It still was natural and not rushed.

I did rate this a 3.5. Although it was unique and had all the best tropes, something still felt like it was missing for me. Maybe the third act break up did it? I can’t put my finger on it, but if you want a quick, fun, spicy read this is your book!

tropes:
🍪 forced proximity
💕 childhood rivals
🍪 slow burn
💕 secret identities
🍪 one bed
💕 third act break up

Thank you for the arc read!

[kate (austenattachment) · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh my good golly gosh in heaven or hell or the little weird space in between i am absolutely enamored with, infatuated with, gone on, mesmerized by, enchanted by, and i don’t know every other word that the thesaurus can come up with to describe how i feel about this book

y’all. Y’ALL. i don’t think i’ve ever been more in love with both leads of a book than i am with annie and nico. oh my god. two just beautiful, beautifully flawed, beautifully smart, beautifully trying humans who fell into each other when they least expected it and continued to not expect anything coming their way even when it was blissfully obvious to the rest of us that their cutie patooties were falling deeply in love with each other

pls forgive me, i’m delirious from how many emotions this book gave me and am probably not making any sense

to read about annie and nico. they’ll make you laugh, they’ll make you cry, they’ll make you SWEAT (i’m looking at you, nico), and you’ll leave with a few learned lessons about life and loss and hope and love and the maillard reaction

thank you thank you THANK YOU to ana kirk shaw for the opportunity to receive an eARC and share my honest thoughts 🫶🏻 i’m obsessed

[Ali Duggan · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARE-YOU-KIDDING-ME?!

I am so glad I found my way to this book because it was **pure joy** in word form. I cracked open this ARC just after getting approved for it just to feel out the vibes AND NEVER PUT IT BACK DOWN. That truly doesn’t happen to me often. All day yesterday I was consumed. And smiling at the flirting. And giggling out loud at the banter! THE BANTER.

About halfway through this book I couldn’t help but wonder where the heck has Ana Kirk Shaw been and why have I been deprived of her writing this long? Because I enjoyed every bit of this read. I hope this is the first in a LONG SERIES because I could read books focused on just about every damn side character here. (Esp May!!!🖤 she deserves the world.) I will happily read 100 more of these books.

But seriously Nico 🥵🥵🥵 is so so good and I love Annie Li (and relate to her) so damn much. I appreciate Annie’s storyline with the outer armor and it being so hard/impossible to be vulnerable to other people. Especially someone who has hurt you before. How letting people in is such a struggle but it can be so worth it when the person is worthy. How nice it feels to be a softer version of yourself when you’re safe. Nico never giving up. I love them. So so much.

This next part is just for me. Some of my favorite bits from the book. They’re mostly out of context and spoiler-free but scroll on at your own risk! 🫶🏼

Hilarity:
•gym tan laundry
•illiterate gorilla
•LIKE CALLS TO LIKE 🤣🤣🤣
•creatine-soaked shirt
•fecal distress brown
•worst nightmare/wettest dream
•sitting there like a potted fern 😅
•sad Damien Turney, sorry Damien Turney
•”and then I die”
•who taught him to kiss?
•three times in a row, bitch

Less funny (aka more serious) but so memorable:
•miserable hurricane of issues
•mine, must protect 🥵
•THE ADJECTIVES (one of my absolute favorite on-going bits in this book!)
•Nico’s huuuuug
•Nico’s huge hoodie (I need it)
•Nico’s reason for stopping smoking 🫠

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op for the ARC!

[Katie Slater · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
i got access to the arc for this and i genuinely loved it so much. me and angry Annie Li are very alike.

both of the main characters are genuinely likeable with realistic issues. i found Annie and Nico‘s relationship to be a refreshing take on the enemies to lovers trope, with grumpy X grumpier coming into play.

🍯”chef” X ghost writer
🍯 grumpy X grumpier
🍯 enemies to lovers
🍯childhood rivals

this was a really fun and easy read — i can’t wait to read more

[Amanda Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Ana Kirk Shaw for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

4.75 ⭐

The Naked Truth was *chef's kiss*. It balances humor and vulnerability in a way that feels honest rather than performative. I absolutely loved the dynamic of Nico and Annie. They truly felt like real people rather than characters in a book. The only reason it doesn’t get a full five stars is that the self-deprivation lingered a bit too long for my liking. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a funny and emotional romance read!

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

hands down one of the best enemies to lovers romances I have read, and the absolute best road trip romance I have ever read!!
Niko and Annie might have had some pretty serious differences, but once they were able to overcome them, they were perfect together!

[Amanda A · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the stars for this. My first book by Ana and I loved it. The best time was had!

[thara · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

Thank you Ana Kirk Shaw for providing me with an early copy of this book!

I enjoyed this read. It reminds me of wild love but with moreeeee spicy scenes. The story was well written and I am a huge fan of different POV so I loved that we got both sides. Love our it touches on how much pressure we sometime get from certain cultures. Nico is one nasty man in a good way. I’m happy Anna Ali stood up for herself. I had laughing moments and jaw drop moments during this read. I recommend it.

Fav scene

- Nico and Anna Li first time doing it
- the sex tape scene
- Nico founding out that Anna watched him.
- the kids at the end

[shecatchesclouds · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Naked Truth by Ana Kirk Shaw is a 5⭐ read for me. I was hooked from the start — the slow-burn romance hit so hard, the characters are layered and real, and the witty banter had me laughing out loud. The prose flows beautifully, making the story impossible to put down, and every chapter added just the right amount of tension, humor, and heart.

This is the kind of book that leaves you invested, swooning, and wishing it would never end. I loved every moment — the chemistry (see what I did there?! 🤣), the humor, the little nuances that made the characters feel alive. It’s a perfect mix of clever, funny, and heart-throbbing slow burn.

ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man :(…

I went into The Naked Truth with very high expectations, but unfortunately it fell quite flat for me.

Let me just say that the writing is great and honestly I would not write off Ana’s future books because of this — I really enjoyed Beyond the Bell, this one was just not for me. I’m sure I will read the next book in the series! Despite my qualms with one of the main characters and relationship arc, I still think this is such a fun book concept <3

My core issue with this one was how mean and childish Annie was for what felt like most of the book. I tend to be a little apprehensive by default when it comes to romances where one of the MCs was the other’s bully once upon a time, but I have had good experiences with that trope as well, so wasn’t going to write this off. Unfortunately, Annie was Too Mean from the start and while we got somewhat of an explanation for why, we never get a good-enough (in my opinion) apology that matches what she did. I really did appreciate the human, flawed nature of her character, it just didn’t hit for me. The lust between Annie and Nico makes sense, but them moving to strong feelings without an adequate discussion of the hurt caused is where it fell apart. If Annie had been horrible to Nico and showed remorse for her words, it would have worked out, even if she was so mean at the beginning. Instead she only really feels remorseful after a lot of pushing after she starts her relationship with Nico. I just didn’t really want to root for their relationship even by the end of the book. I wanted Nico to end up with someone who didn’t make him feel like an open wound well into adulthood :(

I think if there had been a little more introspection from Annie earlier on and a more serious conversation with Nico about how to make amends before they started hooking up, this one would have worked! The road trip was fun and the secret identity element was so silly and loveable!

I will definitely try Book 2 when it comes out, because I think everything but Annie’s personality did work for me with Ana’s writing!

Thank you to Ana Kirk Shaw for this ARC!