What an amazing romcom!! We need more!!! This had me smiling, kicking my feet, and squealing. I love Embers character and her sense of humor. The characters were easy to like and I can’t wait to recommend this to everyone!

We’ve all told some white lies in our lives to help us get where we need to go. Ember Cardinal is a Native American women living in Oklahoma. All she wants in this life is to be able to finish school and become an accountant. In reality, things are starting to feel hopeless. She's constantly stuck in survival mode, working at the local bowling alley just to make a living and save money to go to school. When her brother causes her to lose all her school savings, she decides that she can't continue to live that life. When Ember decides to tell a white lie to land her dream job, the lies continue and become harder to keep track of. They all seem harmless until she risks her new job and losing someone that has come to mean so much to her.

I LOVE this book. It is so funny, romantic, and heartwarming. Ember is hilarious, I love that she cares so much about those around her and she’s really just trying to make it in this world. I love the representation of indigenous Native American groups. It was such a great book. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Danica Nava for the opportunity to read this book!

Some good, but mostly bad.

Indigenous representation is cool, and it's so cool to hear that this is the first book published by a large publisher by an Indigenous author. What I really liked was also how Ember being Indigenous doesn't mean an automatic entry into the job industry. I think, quite often, nowadays people think that there's an advantage to being BIPOC, when in reality the minority groups are still at a disadvantage. Ember's lie about being Caucasian (cause she is, but only half) wasn't something that bothered me and instead something I could sympathize with. It's something done for the sake of passing, for the sake of having an advantage and not being looked down upon. I also liked Danuwoa enough to have a good impression of him. He's proud, but also vulnerable; his personality contradicted with Ember's but in a good way. I loved their opposite dynamics, different personality types, and differences in how each one approaches their own personal struggles.

That being said, I was not a fan of Ember in the slightest, and when the main character is difficult to connect with or root for, my enjoyment is minimal. I couldn't help but get so much second hand embarrassment for how she acted, for her constant lying, with no remorse to what she was doing and saying. Her attitude felt childish at times as well, making me think she was younger than she actually was. The dialogue and inner monologue did not help, as I think it made it worse with how Ember was not willing to change how she was acting (not until the end, at least, which makes sense considering the third act conflict). Some of the lying she did was too out of hand, unnecessary, and was just done out of her sake, for her benefit, without any thought about who else it would affect. I wasn't able to connect with her and found her annoying, childish, and unavailable. It's as if she needed to get her life together first and settled, and then worry about other people or things in her life. Instead it was as if everything was just coming together at her once and she only focused on what she wanted. I also think she lacked character development. It was as if she took a full 360, from being manipulated and giving in to the toxic workplace environment so suddenly feeling like she has had enough. This would be great and all had we seen this transition being done, meaning we would see this development slowly unfold, watching her slowly take in hear surroundings and slowly realize how bad it is.

I didn't feel anything for the romance. Once again, I think Ember was unavailable, and I think her feelings were mostly based off physical attraction for Danuwoa and now much on the emotional side. The forbidden aspect of being coworkers and having feelings for each other felt irrelevant, hardly plausible, as if the author didn't really know what side to take the story in. There wasn't any tension, and most of it was mostly physical, which didn't help the lack of chemistry I was feeling.

All in all, there is potential but it all fell so flat for me, everything was dull, and the characters were not really likable, the romance was lacking, and everything from the writing, to the plot, to the lack of development had no spark.

I love a good rom-com that doesn't shy away from discussing real life issues, and I feel that this book did it well. It balanced the humour and the more serious topics well.

Ember was a bit of chaotic for me. I have never had to worry about whether or not my ethnicity would be a factor in me not getting a job, so I can't know what I would do when faced with her situation. So I can definitely understand why she initially listed her ethnicity as Caucasian instead of Native on her job application! However, the anxiety she put me through with all her unnecessary lies and fibs was too much. I just kept shaking my head, thinking to myself.. "how in the hell will you sustain this long-term and keep all these lies straight?!"

Danuwoa is literal perfection. He is strong, steady and kind.

If it weren't for Ember making increasingly chaotic choices, I might have loved this more.. but it just felt a little unbelievable that she could lie herself into her job so easily (in terms of qualifications not her ethnicity) and the anxiety it all gave me was too much.

Honestly, there is no way she could have taught herself everything she did with just a few internet searches. I work admin in an accounting firm, and it's definitely not that easy..

overall though, I loved the story. I loved the discussions on racial inequity and racism, not just in the work place, but in every aspect of life.

and I just loved the sweet romance.

I can't believe this was a debut either!!

Ember is trying to get some stability in her life. Tired of working in a run-down bowling alley for poverty wages, she aspires to get a salaried job in an office. But when her applications keep getting ignored, she gets creative and lies about her educational attainment and ethnicity. Her strategy proves successful- when she submits an application that identifies herself as white rather than Native, and claiming she possesses an accounting degree -she promptly gets her dream job.

But now Ember can’t stop lying, not even when she meets the hot IT guy at the office, Danuwoa who she immediately falls for. Danuwoa seems to like her despite all her lies, but romantic relationships violate company policy, and Ember can’t risk losing her job and the security it affords her.

Struggling to keep up with corporate culture, forced to endure racist microagressions, and denying her growing love for Danuwoa proves to be challenging. The challenge becomes insurmountable when Ember falls victim to a blackmailer who exploits her dishonesty.

With relatable storylines about identity, family, and self-worth, and endearing characters, this steamy romcom is a strong debut and a must-have for Romance collections of all sizes.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley, and the author for an early copy in exchange for my honest review!

The Truth According to Ember follows a young Native American woman struggling to find her feet after a familial betrayal. A series of rejections for office jobs leads her to a drastic decision - she lies on her resume, checking the “white” ethnicity box and claiming that she has completed her degree. At the same time, she meets Danuwoa, the man of her dreams. Juggling her big and small lies while trying to build a relationship proves to be very difficult!

I absolutely flew through this book! Ember’s choices were frustrating at times, but all too relatable. Her perspective as a Native American woman living in Oklahoma is so needed in the romance space. I was also pleasantly surprised by how deep this book went into issues of family dynamics and micro (and macro)-aggressions. I would actually say the romance came second to the personal growth of the main character, which was unexpected but not unwelcome!

I really enjoyed this debut and can’t wait to see what this author puts out next!

I love forbidden romance so I was immediately drawn to the premise of The Truth According to Ember. And when I realized I had never read a Native American romance, I knew I had to read this one. I loved it. Absolutely loved it. Great story, great romance, great spice. Add it to your bookshelves or request it from your library immediately.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

The Truth According to Ember follows Ember, a Chickasaw woman who, despite life beating her down again and again, is determined to make a place for herself in the world. A place with stability, financial security, and peace. However, when one white lie snowballs into an avalanche, she finds herself buried. With a new job, an off-limits office smoke show named Danuwoa, and too many lies to track, Ember must learn how to find herself amidst the person she presents to the world, and the person she actually is.

I was so pleasantly surprised with this book. The premise sounded fun, as I am one to love an office romance, but this was so much more than that. It is a story that touches on systemic racism, sexism, familial healing, and childhood traumas. Between layers of humor and love there were poignant moments of grief and heartache and anger, and all of it felt so well done. The author truly did a beautiful job with Ember's character- her emotions were palpable, and the introspections she provided felt so real. There were very real parts of her childhood- poverty, parental separation, and addiction especially - that hit rather closely to home, and Danica presented them in a way that felt healing, and for that I thank her.

Amidst the heavier themes, there was so much humor to this book. I was actually laughing out loud while reading, and watching the friendship, and then subsequent relationship, evolve between Ember and Danuwoa was so precious. Their moments of joking together, of ragging on each other, made their attraction for each other that much more believable. The chemistry between them was absolutely there, and the whole time I was rooting for them to find their happy ending.

AND THE SPICE. Wowwww, Danica certainly knows how to write some steamy scenes to make you blush. Danuwoa is ultimate book boyfriend material and I was most definitely swooning over his dirty mouth and giving attitude. I mean, he is certainly not one to leave his partner wanting, and we love to see it.

The ending felt so perfect to me, and seeing Ember finally find her path, with her community and family beside her, was a beautiful way to wrap it up. Oh, and the POS white finance bro getting his was a definite plus, too.
Overall, this was an amazing read and I CANNOT wait for more from this author. She made me laugh, cry, swoon, and race to the finish so I could see these little babes happy and in love. I highly recommend if you are looking for a romance to make you feel ALL the feels.

A much needed #OwnVoices Indigenous love story and a love letter to romcoms.

Summary:
Ember is DONE plunging bowling alley toilets.

Losing her college savings when her brother skipped bail, Ember's modest dreams of becoming an accountant have never seemed farther. She needs an education to get a stable job, but needs money to get career training; there's no winning. After 37 rejected job applications, she decides to embellish her resume... just a little bit!

When her little white lie lands Ember an accounting position at Technix, it seems like a dream come true. Ember is good at her job, and quickly gains notice from upper management. But the corporate environment is hostile, bigoted, and cutthroat; Ember has never felt like more of an outsider. Her situation is further complicated when she starts to fall for hot IT guy Danuwoa--especially since Technix forbids relationships with coworkers. As one fib turns into many, Ember finds it harder and harder to keep up with all her lies.

Review:
I am not typically a romcom lover, but this book drew me in and I really enjoyed it!

Though there is the dreaded third-act breakup and at times I wanted to scream at my book "STOP LYING!!!" I thought The Truth According to Ember was a really well executed romcom and endearing story.

Danica Nava writes in her Author's Note about how her own experiences inspired the novel--the bias Native Americans face in hiring, the significant impact social privilege has in determining who stays financially wealthy and who must fight to even get a foot in the door, the nastiness and hostility people of marginalized backgrounds must then endure in the workplace to keep those jobs.

The Truth According to Ember is enjoyable in the way that good, classic, memorable romcoms should be, yet also an important book. The first half of the novel truly shines. Nava's writing is exceptionally funny, yet Ember's story also reflects the real trauma and challenges Indigenous communities face (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, chronic illness, access to resources and opportunities, cultural appropriation). And while Ember's actions are sometimes incredibly frustrating, it's so significant to have a romance where an Indigenous woman can just be messy and have a happy ending.

Tropes and Details:
-Chickasaw and Cherokee representation
-OwnVoices
-forbidden romance
-workplace romance
-romcom
-secret identity
-third act breakup

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Loved every single word of this laugh out loud romantic comedy. This was a bold and fearless story and each character felt so real and alive that they would simply walk right off the page.

Love love loved The Truth According to Ember! Long overdue in the romance space, this had me kicking my feet and giggling!! Ember’s sense of humor was so perfect, Johanna and I have the exact same palate (down to the dipping fries in ranch) and I want her to be MY bestie, and Danuwoa has my entire heart and soul at this point. Like, I’m just obsessed with him 🥵🔥🙌🏾

10/10 recommend, I loved it!!

A charming, lough-out-loud debut and first ever Native romcom published by a major publishing house. This was such a fun, compulsively readable story infused with heat and heart. I can't wait to see what Danica has next for us.

Thank you Berkley for the ARC

I think because I’m such a romantic at heart this book was right up my alley. It was my first book by this author and it left a very good first impression. Highly recommended!!

The description sounded unhinged (in the best way possible) so I was so excited to request this from NetGalley.

Apparently this is the first Native American romcom to be published by a major publishing house. More indigenous contemporary romances! More Danica Nava, please! This story follows Ember who has been rejected from job after job and is just looking to find some stability in her first corporate gig. She lands a job but unfortunately canNOT stop lying. Especially when she meets the hot IT guy working in the office, she works overtime to create a facade that she has her life together. She struggles to balance her first big girl job, an office situationship, being professional, and also being blackmailed!

Overall, this book was so funny. It is a genuine rom com. Ember was so relatable and I immediately laughed at the princess diaries reference. As a liar, I approve of this book.

I loved Ember as a main character! I was truly rooting for her and understood her quest for stability. I really enjoyed the scenic descriptions of Oklahoma and the native representation. Native fiction has quickly become one of my go to categories and this has risen to the top of the list. I absolutely love learning more about indigenous culture. So excited For Danica Nava and her success with this one.

The beginning felt a bit YA to me and I think it would’ve been nice to have some of Dan’s perspective. I think those were the only things keeping it from being a 5 star read for me.

Lastly, I feel like as a girl, it’s okay to have a silly little lie going. It’s okay Ember!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'm thrilled to have had the chance to read the first-ever rom-com from a major publisher before its release. "The Truth According to Ember" had me hooked from start to finish.

One of the things I loved most about this book was its fantastic representation of Indigenous characters. It's great to see tough issues like racism being addressed in a rom-com setting. Ember's struggle with her identity and the tough choices she has to make hit close to home.

The romance between Danuwoa and Ember is delightful, filled with all the classic rom-com tropes like forbidden workplace romance and the one-bed scenario. Their chemistry kept me turning pages, and I couldn't get enough of their story.

The spicy scenes were steamy, and Danuwoa's caring nature towards his sister added an extra layer of depth to his character.

Ember's journey towards empowerment was inspiring. Despite the consequences of her lies, she stays true to herself and fights for what she wants. The message of embracing your authentic self shines through brilliantly.

Overall, "The Truth According to Ember" is a fantastic read that deserves all five stars. I can't wait to see what Danica Nava comes up with next!

I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I read it in basically one sitting, I enjoyed it so much. Ember and Danuwoa were a delight to spend time with. I can't wait for more from this author.

I LOVE the representation of indigenous people in this novel. I love the focus, I love their culture, I love everything about that. All that aside however, I personally cannot handle the second hand embarssement that comes from someone who is a habitual liar and just continues to lie over and over and over again. I can't handle it. This is a personal thing, so no criticisms of this book, but I personally can't do it. That being said, I want more by the author. The writing is great, the character development is there, the story seemed cute, and I want more, just without a bunch of lying.

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was when I saw this book on NetGalley. I've been waiting my whole life for a NATIVE ROMANCE by a NATIVE AUTHOR!! And Danica Nava delivered!!!

It was so refreshing and special to be in these cultural references, the slang, the lived experiences of a mixed Native woman, and everything else that came with this novel. The story of Danuwoa and Ember was so cute, I was immediately hooked. The pacing was good and I stayed entertained throughout. I just at times felt it was a bit hard to suspend my disbelief with the plot, and I thought that the lie of Ember saying she was white for the job would factor into the story more but it didn't. I wish there had been a bit more in terms of convo around race, identity, assimilation, etc. through the lens of Ember's new experiences in a predominantly white space. She experienced a lot of microaggressions but I ultimately feel they were learning moments for the audience and didn't build towards much in the plot.

Overall, I think Danica Nava has some room to grow as a novelist but wow, what a debut. I really can't wait to see how she grows in her writing, her storytelling, and her artistry -- and I hope to see more romances (or even just fiction in general) from her in the near future!

I'm OBSESSED with this book!

It exceeded my romcom loving expectations in so many ways. Ember is an amazing character with such a well-rounded arc.

Things I loved
-Ember
-Danuwoa (Native Daddy :)
-Ember's Family
-Plot
-Pacing
-Sexual tension
-Ending (although I want to know the rest of their life story)

There character's are going to live rent free in my head for awhile. I can for sure see this being a reread for me! I can't wait to read more from Danica Nava.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

Danica Nava’s THE TRUTH ACCORDING TO EMBER does not disappoint! Just like I expected, Ember is full of hilarious banter, grounded characters, scorching chemistry, and wonderful depth! Ember is out August 6, so thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for an early copy! Make sure you pre-order the first big 5 rom com written by a Native author featuring Native characters!! 🥳

One little lie in exchange for a life changing job isn’t so bad, right? Ember Cardinal has been fighting against a system designed to keep her down her whole life. Desperate to escape the cycle, she fudges her application, bending the truth about both her work history and her ethnicity.

Ember settles into her new role and starts making connections with her new colleagues—including Danuwoa Colson, a fellow Native employee she feels an instant connection with. But between the new lies growing out of the first and the company’s no-dating policy, Ember will have to figure out what risks she willing to take, and whether or not something can ever be real when built on a lie.

This book was so much fun! Danica’s voice is hysterical and fresh, and the characters are so relatable. I’m a textbook good girl (as in I don’t like breaking rules… get your heads out of the gutter, folks), but she makes Ember’s motivations so relatable that even I—with my rule breaking anxiety—understood and sympathized with her situation. Danuwoa was absolute FIRE! So sweet and genuine, and their connection was clear from the jump. Danica deftly navigates the systemic mistreatment of Native people with so much wit and humor, giving the story incredible depth.

I loved this book and am so excited to see what Danica gives us next!