The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava
A Chickasaw woman who can’t catch a break serves up a little white lie that snowballs into much more in this witty and irresistible rom-com by debut author Danica Nava.
Ember Lee Cardinal has not always been a liar—well, not for anything that counted at least. But her job search is not going well and when her resumé is rejected for the thirty-seventh time, she takes matters into her own hands. She gets “creative” listing her qualifications and answers the ethnicity question on applications with a lie—a half-lie, technically. No one wanted Native American Ember, but white Ember has just landed her dream accounting job on Park Avenue (Oklahoma City, that is). Accountant Ember thrives in corporate life—and her love life seems to be looking up Danuwoa Colson, the IT guy and fellow Native who caught her eye on her first day, seems to actually be interested in her too. Despite her unease over the no-dating policy at work, they start to see each other secretly, which somehow makes it even hotter? But when they’re caught in a compromising position on a work trip, a scheming colleague blackmails Ember, threatening to expose their relationship. As the manipulation continues to grow, so do Ember’s lies. She must make the hard decision to either stay silent or finally tell the truth, which could cost her everything.
Review:
Okay, all you rom-com lovers, I have a book recommendation for you! Get ready to dive into the hilarious, touching, and sometimes steamy world of Ember, a Native American woman so desperate to land her dream career that she pushes her little white lie game a tad too far.
The story follows Ember Lee Cardinal, a Chickasaw woman who really wants a career in accounting. She was taking classes toward an accounting degree, but thanks to her younger brother landing himself in jail, her tuition money went out the window. She’s confident that if she could manage to land an entry-level job, she could get plenty of on-the-job experience and a nice salary to help pay for her education. Faced with rejection after rejection, Ember decides to get a little creative with her resumé. She also decides not to select Native American as her race and instead picks Caucasian (not a total lie – her dad was White), and before she knows it, she has landed a dream accounting job – albeit under a false pretense. As Ember tries to navigate her new life as a corporate accountant, she also finds herself falling for Danuwoa Colson, the sexy, charming IT guy who also just happens to be Native American.
The chemistry between Ember and Danuwoa is electric, and their secret office romance adds a juicy layer of drama to the story. But when Ember’s lies start to catch up with her, she must choose between keeping up the facade or coming clean, risking everything she has worked so hard for. As the stakes get higher and the tension rises, Ember finds herself unable to dig her way out of a pile of white lies, forcing her to face the consequences of her actions.
Nava’s writing is a breath of fresh air, brimming with humor and heart. The author’s talent for fashioning characters you can’t help but connect with and crafting clever dialogue that will have you chuckling one moment and cringing the next really make the book shine. Ember, with all her flaws, is a protagonist you’ll find yourself rooting for, even when she’s making questionable choices. The diverse supporting cast – from the charming and sexy Danuwoa to Ember’s privileged and racist colleagues, her larger-than-life best friend, and her supportive family – all contribute to the story’s depth and authenticity, making it a truly engaging read.
While the tropes are predictable, it was refreshing to see Native American characters take the lead for once. The struggles Ember faces at work and the casual racism thrown at both Ember and Danuowa are sickening but, sadly, all too real in a world built and run by privileged old white men. That said, the struggles Ember and Dan faced made their victories along the way all the more sweet.
Overall, I found this to be a fun and easy read. If you’re in the mood for a feel-good rom-com that will make you laugh and swoon in equal measure, then this is the perfect book for you. Danica Nava has crafted a gem of a novel full of characters that will work their way into your heart. If you are a rom-com lover, then trust me when I say you won’t want to miss out on this one!
