Naked Truth

Tough Love #1

by Tami Lund

Jack is an FBI agent, a playboy, a man who is happy tasting the flavor of the month and not staying for breakfast. He’s perfectly content with his life and has no interest in finding his happily ever after. So when he is attracted to Kennedy at his partner’s wedding, he naturally takes the opportunity to seduce her. Now it’s time to focus on the next good-looking woman who comes along, right?

Ah, you don’t always get what you expect.

Kennedy was burned by her ex-husband—badly. She told everyone he cheated on her, because the truth—that he stole all of her money before disappearing out of her life—is far more embarrassing. For the last three years she’s struggled to pay off her debt, ignoring her libido and refusing to consider allowing another man to get close.

A one-night stand with Jack is the perfect way to break her sexual fast—until she discovers that he’s pouring her morning coffee and frying bacon.

While Jack goes undercover at a male strip club, the two begin an affair that distracts him from his job and puts their hearts—and Kennedy’s life—in danger. Now there’s only one way Jack can stop this killer, and it involves making that declaration they both swore they didn’t want.

Genres: Romance, Amazon, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Romantic Suspense, Novella, Suspense

164 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 30, 2014

About the author

Author. Wine drinker. Award winner. Lover of romance.

As Tami Lund, I write contemporary - suspense, romcoms, rock stars - happily ever after guaranteed.

As TJ Bell, I write paranormal, fantasy, and sci fi. Shifters. Vampires. Aliens. Demigods. Monsters. Happily ever after eventually guaranteed.

Reviews

[Lp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tami Lund is officially my new favorite romance author! As with all of Lund’s books, once I started reading Naked Truth, I could not put it down. With stimulating and believable characters—and just the right amount of suspense and intrigue—this is a wonderfully fun, engaging and steamy read!!

[Kathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great summer read! A little sex, a little romance, and a mystery all rolled into one. An emerging author. I can't wait to see what's next.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

NAKED TRUTH featured a sexy FBI agent turned exotic dancer, a nurse who can't resist him and a serial killer that keeps the two of them close. I loved every minute of it!

Kennedy should've known better. After all, a hurricane happened on her wedding day. She's been humiliated by her ex-husband, and is dreading walking down the aisle as a bridesmaid for her BFF. Until she meets the groom's BFF, FBI partner Jack Boudreaux. Both Kennedy and Jack are definitely up for a one night stand...for Kennedy to take her mind off of wedded bliss and for Jack to get into the luscious brunette's pants!

A month later, Kennedy has avoided any sighting of the playboy, embarrassed that their hookup couldn't be blamed entirely on alcohol. When she spots Jack undercover as an exotic dancer, she's shocked but incredibly turned on! She's even more so when he makes it a habit to visit her and rock her world after the shows.

Jack is uncharacteristically obsessed with Kennedy. He can't seem to get enough of her, confusing both of them. When the killer Jack is chasing comes after him and Kennedy both, Jack will soon realize that Kennedy is much more important than he ever dreamed possible. Will the playboy be able to change his ways before it's too late?

NAKED TRUTH is full of fun and frisky sex, but also full of suspense and danger and an irredeemable playboy being tamed. The chemistry between Jack and Kennedy was out of this world, and despite the fact that there wasn't anything groundbreakingly unique in NAKED TRUTH, it was still a terrific vanilla erotic romance. I adored Jack and Kennedy together, they were perfectly suited for each other (though I thought Kennedy let Jack get away with too much too often). The suspense element was perfectly balanced with the sex, making for an excellent read fans of any erotic romance sub genre will enjoy.

It was fun to see Jack up to his nose in adoring Kennedy, even when he's on stage shaking his groove thang for hundreds of women (in the name of work, of course). The story line was well done and the story overall was very well written. And seriously, the comic relief of cousin Vanessa cracked me up! I can't imagine someone being so insane about wanting to sleep with Jack, and his attempts to thwart her were perfect! Between Vanessa and the stripper killer, the elements of crazy that Ms. Lund included were both creepy and fun and I definitely wanted more! What a great book!

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazeballs!!!!

to be fair, I was given an ARC for an honest review.

Still, this books rocked my socks off. You should go buy it. Quick. I mean now!

A fast read, a great story, steamy sex and characters you really enjoy. This book has it all. You would not be disappointed.

[Sonja van der Merwe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so hard!!!! I've been totally hooked from the 1st page and haven't put it down since.

... its been a long time since I've read a whole book in one sitting!!!

I will definitely be looking into more books by this author!!!

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon & on Apple iBooks today (5/29/2021)!🎁

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

WARNING: THIS BOOK CAUSES DIRTY CLOTHES TO REMAIN UNLAUNDERED, DIRTY DISHES TO PILE UP, AND HUSBANDS AND CHILDREN TO MAKE THEIR OWN DINNER!!! DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE CHORES TO COMPLETE!!
The Naked Truth is a riveting tale that will capture you with the first page. The characters are wonderfully written so that you feel their doubts and their desires in each chapter. Lund provides a fast entertaining plot with a climatic twist that will have you on a roller coaster of emotions!
So if you're looking for a HOT summer read, this book is for you.

[Tami Lund · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so excited to share Naked Truth! This is such a fast-paced, exciting read. I adore Kennedy and Jack and I hope you will too! Please let me know what you think about the book here or on whatever website from which you purchased it. Thank you!

[Jessica Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t really like this book or author. The plot was kind of Interesting, but the dialogue and characters were tedious.

[Judy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC !!!
Wow! Lund dazzles her readers again with her amazing talent and incredible skill in her riveting romantic thriller, Naked Truth. The story is smart, very well written, exciting, thrilling, suspenseful, compelling, romantic, arousing, and sexy as hell. The dialog is well articulated, sassy and smooth as silk. The characters are fascinating, relatable and intriguing. These elements all combine to make an absolutely perfect read. When devilishly handsome FBI agent, Jack Boudreaux, meets lovely Kennedy St. George at his partner's wedding, he is instantly attracted to the beautiful bridesmaid. Kennedy St. George has completely sworn off men. After her failed marriage three years ago, she hasn't dated a single guy and plans to keep it that way. She spends all her time and money trying to crawl out of the hole and mountain of debt in which her ex left her. But when she meets the sexy groomsman Jack Boudreaux, she is instantly smitten and quickly begins to lose her resolve. Her cousin Sabrina, the bride, has warned her that he is a notorious womanizer and playboy and to stay away from him but he's just so darn charming and seems to be hot for only her. What's a girl to do? It's only a one time fling - right? But when things begin to heat up, Jack and his partner Cullen are assigned to to a case that requires the two agents to go undercover in a club as part of a male dancers revue to apprehend a serial killer murdering the dancers. And one of them has to be one of the dancers. What? As the case heats up and the suspense builds, the killer gets a little too close for comfort and Kennedy finds herself in mortal danger. Will Jack be able to recognize his feelings for Kennedy in time to save her? Oh my! Sparks fly and the attraction sizzles between Jack and Kennedy. Will the two finally be able to tell each other the truth? Deliciously cute, completely captivating, seriously sexy and delightfully entertaining! Absolutely fantastic! This is one you don't want to miss! This is stand alone story with NO cliffhanger, so enjoy! A wonderfully entertaining read!

[Dawn F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

You. Must. Buy. This. Book!
I started Tami Lund's newest book thinking I would read a chapter or two and then call it a night. The next time I looked up I was halfway through this page turner explaining to my husband why the light was still on! From the opening scene you're hooked. You just have to know how it all turns out. The characters are real, and cleverly written. They are people you can hate, and people you'd like to be you friends. Fair warning - don't pick this one up unless you're ready to put everything else aside until you've finished it. What'Tami Lunds next Tami Lund?

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I am so glad I recently found this amazing author :) I was drawn into the story from the 1st page to the last! ... In fact, I did not want to put down my kindle whenever my "personal life got in the way" of my reading-for-pleasure time ;) LOL

Each must read in the "Tough Love" series stands alone, coz I actually read book #3 first :) The characters are well defined and the story-line was unique, full of romantic suspense & sprinkled with humor to keep the pages turning :D

I was gifted this to read in exchange for an honest review, and I honestly loved this & recommend this to all readers that love fiction, especially contemporary fiction :D Now I can't wait to read the 2nd book :D

[Joy Whiteside · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read that I was very happy that I took a chance of reading. The story will keep you captivated from beginning to end, you will not want to put it down until you have finished the very last page. The characters are amazing and you will feel as though you are there with them experiencing what they are doing. This book has to be read, so add it to your TBR list now, you will not be sorry.

[Brandi Patchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insomnia and a hotel room with 4 sleeping kiddos = Late night read-a-thon! I thought I would read for a few minutes to shut down the brain and get some shut eye…Not with this book. The characters pulled me in and I couldn’t put it down. The story has well developed characters you can connect with and a storyline that keeps you guessing until the end. Great summer read!

[Celeste Hund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tami Lund's Naked Truth is Un-put-down-able! I started reading and couldn't stop. A very nice blend of suspense, romance, and intrigue, The characters are believable and easy to feel connected to. Engaging and steamy read!!

[Kelly Suchanek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot, Sexy and Fun!! A perfect summer read!

The main characters are interesting and the story line has some great twists and turns that keep you reading. Really enjoyed this book and will look for more by this author.

[Jessica Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tami Lund did it again! I started reading thinking I would just read a little before falling asleep and BOOM! Next thing I know its 1am and I finished the book. A great fast saucy summer read! The characters are complex and believable. I just hope there is more to come with Kennedy and Jack!

[Brenda Deane makarov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tami Lund is my new favorite romance author. The story flows well with like able characters and a good story line. The third and favorite book of hers I have read, and like the others I couldn't put it down!! Perfect read for the start of summer vacation. Highly recommend this author!

[Sami love's Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smirk count: 2... Well done author! I'm so glad to read a book that has more facial expressions than just smirking!

[Deliah Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of contemporary romance novels. This month I read one by Tami Lund. The storyline piqued my interest and I couldn’t wait to see how Kennedy who was burned by her ex-husband would give her heart to Jack, a federal agent/playboy whom she met at her cousin’s wedding.

The attraction between these two characters was instant. Their one-night stand turned into a passionate relationship neither of them said they wanted. Kennedy told everyone her ex-husband cheated on her but the truth was he stole her money and disappeared. She was too embarrassed to tell anyone and shied away from opening her heart to love again. Jack, on the other hand said he was lousy at relationships. But when he went undercover as a male stripper to catch a serial killer knocking off the dancers, he found out how much he wanted Kennedy in his life when she was kidnapped by the killer. He would risk anything to save her.

While I enjoyed the story there were parts that needed to be fleshed out. For instance, Kennedy thought she was divorced for three years until Jerry, her ex-husband showed up and told her he didn’t sign the papers and they were still married. After what Jerry did to Kennedy, she should have made sure she received a divorce decree from the court. Also, I didn’t understand how the killer got the upper hand on Jack, a trained federal agent when he could’ve shot the killer. Additionally, Jerry was part of the kidnapping scheme but there was no explanation how he connected with the killer and when he took off this wasn’t addressed.

Nevertheless, it was a fun read with an interesting twist. And yes, I would read something by Tami Lund again.

Some of my favorite lines:

He watched the confused look crawl across her face. Clearly, she’d moved on from the conversation they’d had on the couch. Well, he hadn’t. It was still bothering him. He needed to know what she thought of him. What she felt. For some reason, it was important.
“Do you think I’m a player?”
She arched that brow again and took another sip of wine. “Aren’t you?”
Do you think I am right now? That I’m playing you?
Kennedy hesitated. Her confused look turned serious. He suspected she didn’t like these types of conversations any more than he did.

[Charlotte Speed · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did this book have an editor? This could have been an amazing book if the author had been given good guidance from a seasoned editor. I read four or five books a week and enjoy light romance, but one night stands, instant love, repetitive explicit sex scenes, characters who have no valid reason for even being in the story, and poor character development ruin a potentially good plot.
The murder mystery kept me reading just to see who was the villian. It is a stretch to believe that a middle aged woman could kill so many men without being caught. How did Jerry make contact with Marie? How did Kennedy clear her credit rating so quickly if she was essentially bankrupt? Why was Vanessa even in the story and why did her cousins allow her to walk all over them? How could Marie outsmart and/or injure a trained FBI agent more than once? What kind of lawyers don't follow through with a client to insure that a divorce is completed? Additionally, I have an aversion to reading a book that has major grammatical errors. The author needs to learn to use the proper tense of the verb LAY . People LIE down in the present tense. Also, ALL RIGHT is always two words. I could go on, but will just encourage writers to at least review grammar rules that should have been learned in elementary school.

[Mandy (MP Book Reviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

FBI agent Jack has a reputation as a playboy and is content with his life of no attachments. So when he is at his partners' wedding he is attracted to Kennedy he performs to type and seduces her. Kennedy was badly burned by her ex-husband who stole all of her money and then disappeared and so to avoid embarrassment she told everyone he cheated on her. Three years later she has cleared her debts and is sworn off men and so feels that a one-night stand with Jack is a perfect way to break her sexual fast until she discovers that he is pouring her morning coffee and frying bacon for her. While Jack goes undercover at a male strip club the two begin an affair that distracts him from his job and puts Kennedy's life in danger. Now in order to stop the killer, Jack is going to have to make the kind of declaration that they both insisted they didn't want.

I enjoyed this book with the complex relationships between the women involved in the wedding, the killer of the male strippers and the relationship between Kennedy and Jack that wasn't serious but behaviour certainly disagreed with that as time passed. A dramatic end to the story with a few twists and turns but a lovely happy ending. Easy to read and understand it was easy to become invested into the story. Contains explicit sexual content.

[Hayden Doughty · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a quick read and I enjoyed it for the most part. There were a few typos in the kindle edition, though. The main couple had great sexual chemistry, but their relationship lacked any further depth. I didn't find them to be believable.
The crime portion of the book was okay. I like the mystery aspect, but wasn't thrilled that the killer was "revealed" about halfway in. The dramatic irony wasn't as great as it could have been because for FBI agents, Cullen and Jack were pretty dense. Knowing everything from their perspectives as well as Marie's at that point, it seemed entirely obvious what was going on. Jack had seen her at a table while he was dancing, he had been attacked while at Kennedy's house, and Danny had told them about his girlfriend. Marie's backstory at the end also felt a little rushed/underdeveloped, like it was just thrown in to get to the climax.
Overall, not my favorite book, but it kept me interested throughout.

[Polly Barreto · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first read by Ms. Lund.

I enjoyed this plot and the story kept me going with interesting and likable characters, except Vanessa. Just not quite sure what to say about her – well maybe other than to get over herself.
Kenndy St. George is a nurse at a local hospital, who has just been burned by a gambling ex-husband. He took all the money she had and them some – and ran on off.

Jack Boudreaux is an FBI agent and not looking for any commitments. Just enjoys the no-strings attached life-style.

Low and behold, these two characters decided to hook-up and there are fireworks and total chemistry. After that one night, they both decided that they needed more, but how much more was the question.

Insert their jobs, their friends, Vanessa’s crazy antics, murder and mystery – it all made for a good read.

[Nicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kennedy is a divorced woman looking for a ONS. Jack is an FBI agent and a player. ONS is his middle name. They meet at the wedding of his partner to her cousin and they decide to hook up. They don't see each other for awhile, but accidentally bump into each other when he's working an undercover gig as a male stripper. They decide to hook up again. And again. And again. And pretty soon, they're in a normal kind of relationship without realizing it. And without realizing that they've fallen for each other. But his job puts them both in danger, making them realize that things aren't as casual as they thought they wanted.

The book was okay. The plot was interesting but the characters and the writing were kind of off, so I didn't really love this one. There was a definite lack of communication between these two and that kind of annoyed me after a point. But overall, not too bad of a story.

[Paige Norman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved *almost* everything about this book! Jack is the typical playboy, not interested in the relationship, but the sex is great! Kennedy is definitely off men, but is attracted to Jack and decides a one-night stand is just fine. I love Jack's attitude and emotional changes over the book, and his eventual acceptance is at just the right time. Kennedy's all over the map with her emotions, but she's definitely into Jack. Standalone, and a HEA/HFN.

The *almost*: I felt the resolutions were rushed through, and their reconnecting didn't feel complete. There's also a sentence in the book between Jack's FBI partner and Jack that I read about six times, but it's never mentioned again in the conclusion of the book. (it obviously thew me).

[Stan Hutchings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different from my usual Fantasy/SF genre, this is about a casual hook-up that deepens into a relationship. Both think it is going to be a one-night stand, but mutual attraction changes their minds. There is a lot of hot sex as the relationship deepens, followed by remorse and regret, repeat. Then Jack’s job, danger from a deranged psycho to both of them, and the reappearance of her ex-husband asking for more money stir the pot. The frequent sex comes to a halt as Kennedy is kidnapped and held for ransom by the psycho and her ex-husband, who are in cahoots. Excitement and tension increase until the final pages of the book, when Jack and Kennedy finally resolve their feelings and get their HEA as the sex resumes.

[Kate G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read by Tami that I read in one sitting. What can I say about this besides...
I want an FBI agent to be my new lover!
Kennedy was perfection, even when she was a mess. Jack is a hunk of a man with great dance moves.
Its a romance, it's a mystery and it's going to suck you in!

*I had a hard time with the cousin in this one. She annoyed me and I found her character very very hard to understand the importance of or relate to. Luckily she was only a side character and easy for me to ignore.

[AnneMarie Davee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looking for the perfect man

This is not a bad story of you like insta-lust that turns into insta-love. It’s a story about an FBI agent who falls for a woman he meets at his partner’s wedding.

Jack and Kennedy have a hot first encounter in the back of a limo, but then go their separate ways. He’s not the relationship type, and she’s been burned by her (ex) husband. They eventually make it work in the HFN ending. Not sure if he will end up her perfect man, but they do semi-work out their differences.

[Rose Boniello · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too many TSTL Moments

If Jack joined the real FBI he’d be canned in a week. And as a nurse Kennedy needs to grow a spine. I absolutely hated the way she let so many people walk all over her! Her cousin shows up at her door and says she’s staying because she wants to have sex with Jack, who is involved with Kennedy! And she lets her stay?! Give me a break. Jack never became likable. I’m being generous with 3*