I thought this was a cute romantic comedy, and can see this happening in real life. However, I didn’t like Ember lying most of the time. Oklahoma City is a great city & she got her dream job she should be so happy. The love interest is cute and great banter. I just didn’t like the lying especially about your ethnicity which is very critical to who you are as a person. It did not read like a debut. I would read this author again. Thank you so much to the author, and the publisher!

Ember Cardinal needs money. Her brother, Sage, is in trouble, and she has been sending him money. She can't get a job when she submits her resumes stating that she is Native American. Her friend suggests that she submit a resume as a white person. She pads her resume with lies, saying she has her degree as an accountant, and she does land a job.
Meanwhile, she meets a fellow Native American, Danuwoa Colson, who is the IT guy at the accounting firm. They become attracted to each other, but the firm has a no dating associates policy. As the story continues, Ember's lies continue, which threatens her job and her relationship.
Cute romance while highlighting the prejudice in hiring.

Thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing Group for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun read! My favorite part is how Ember climbs the economic ladder by jumping from a crappy bowling alley job to swanky accountant corporate job. It was really fun to read her thoughts on all the odd changes in lifestyle and manner of speaking--so much of it is ridiculous in hindsight.

Now, I totally understand why many people are turned off by her lying. I understand where she's coming from. Though, I don't lie half as much as she does, but a lot of her lies were rooted in embarrassment of her low social status. Who wants to admit their last job was cleaning toilets at a bowling alley? No one!

I do feel like it crossed into ridiculous territory when she was still lying to her boyfriend which was Not Great. I don't think it got wrapped up very well and I feel like Ember needs a therapist if anything, ha. Still, her constant lying reminded me of many rom-com movies so it wasn't entirely out of place. "Oh? This wedding ring? This is my wedding ring and I'm marrying this random guy I just found in the jewelry store but turns out we are really compatible and like each other!" Y'know what I mean?

A very well-written read, and from an Indigenous author no less! I'm hoping we can get more books from more Indigenous authors as well--goodness knows there's barely any as it is. Especially ones that aren't afraid to show all the micro-aggressions and vaguely racist things people say. Ugh, spirit animals...

I found this book to be incredibly well-written. Ember and Danuwoa are such complex and relatable characters. Ember especially with her desire to control situations and be the 'responsible' one in her family, and internally she is so anxiety-ridden. I also loved meeting the rest of the people in their lives, especially Walela, Sage, Joanna, and Ruth, Ember's aunt. I appreciated the support that they had for Ember and Danuwoa and for their relationship.
In all technical aspects, the book was excellent. The character development was great, the setting was vibrant (such a beautiful of description of Oklahoma that it makes me want to make a trip!), the sex scenes were intimate and hot. My only dislike, and this is extremely personal, is how high stress the conflict in the book is.
Ember's constant lying and the situations with Kyle and Gary at her job was so difficult to read at times. I appreciate that Nava is putting her characters into realistic situations, especially considering how frequent we know racism, sexism, and violence towards Native people is. Because of the heavy themes and high stakes of the conflict, I would not necessarily categorize this as a rom-com.

An absolutely amazing and important debut book for Danica Nava!

First off, it is long overdue for a Native American romance be published by a traditional publisher. Native American people deserve to be represented in all forms of literature, including romance.

I think Danica did a fantastic job of telling a story that is, in many ways, unique to Native Americans. Far too many experience discrimination on a regular basis in just trying to do everything things, like working. The way Danica writes about this discrimination is, I think, important to the story and to Ember's motivations in why she lies to get ahead, and also is done in a way that can help readers to understand that this is a very real reality for many Indigenous people around the world.

I love the relationship between Ember and her best friend and roommate, and how they support one another through the ups and downs.

And Danuwoa. What a guy. He's by no means perfect, but he's perfect for Ember. He becomes an ally in the workplace as the only other Native American, and while it may have been that they are both Native that sparked initial interest between the two, their relationship grows to be much more than that. Danuwoa challenges Ember, helps to show her that she can accept help and not be weak, shows patience and kindness, but also becomes another person in Ember's life who understands what it is to be Native in a, frankly, racist world.

I devoured this book and am amazed that it's a debut. I'm so excited to read the future stories Danica writes and to also see more Indigenous romances in the mainstream.

Thanks to Berkley for an eARC of the book. All opinions are my own.

I was not expecting to be so stressed out by book! Ember’s lies seem to take on a life of their own and once she starts, she just buries herself deeper and deeper. I was SO worried she was going to get caught. Even with all the lies, I still found myself rooting for Ember and wanting for her to succeed. I’m glad we did see some character growth from her along the way. I loved the moments between Ember, her brother, and their aunt. I almost wish we got more.

Danuwoa was everything as a love interest. He was such a sweet and easygoing character. A cat dad who takes care of and has a great relationship with his sister? Say less. I loved how he was able to see through so many of Ember’s lies when she thought she was being so sneaky. The relationship between felt authentic and the heat was there.

Thank you so much to Berkley and NetGalley for a review copy. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future!

I requested this for consideration for Book Riot's All the Books podcast for its release date. After sampling several books out this week, I decided to go with a different book for my review.

DNF and it makes me a little sad to say that. I will try to come back to this book another day. I just couldn't get into the book and I'm not sure if I gave the main character enough time to like her.

I was really excited to read an Indigenous romance, but I’m not interested in all of the lying and dishonesty in this plot line. From Goodreads reviews it looks like it only gets worse, so I’m DNFing at 8%. Thanks anyway for the ARC.

I was all excited to read this romance book. From the few people I follow, they literally love this book so much. Unfortunately, it just wasn't the case for me. I literally love the Native American representation in this book. It's truly amazing to have. However, I had a huge issue with the main character and her relationship with her love interest. I just don't understand why she had to keep lying so much, especially to her love interest. And how can their relationship stay strong after discovering her lies? There is no way that's an honest relationship. There is no trust when someone keeps lying nonstop, especially in the beginning of the relationship. I just don't get it. It literally rubs me the wrong way. Sorry, I just didn't like the main character, so the book was a bit of a letdown.

Danica Nava is a refreshing Native American writer that I hope to read more of in the upcoming years!

Ember believes she cannot catch a break, thinking every job application denies her because of her culture. With a little white lie, she answers her ethnicity question how the company wants (so she thinks) and gets a job working accounting for a corporation. Quickly, she realizes the mistake she made as a friendship is started with IT guy Danuwoa. She wants to be with him but knows it's frowned upon in the company policies. But who will find them if they plan to not get caught? Soon each little lie spools into something else and Ember will need to tell her truth, whatever version she believes to be hers.

I really enjoyed this novel, as it forced me to realize and think why Ember put herself in the situations that she did. For me, I would never have to lie on a resume however; for others, like Ember, things of that nature are sadly happening because of the way society is. This book was fast paced, with some quick chapters that had me thinking oh snap, she won't go there and then shortly after the oh wait, she DID. The writing was unique with several open door sexual scenes spread during the second half. Readers wanting a BIPOC story who can suspend disbelief should open up Nava's debut.

Hooray for a romance featuring Indigenous characters written by an Indigenous author! The romance here is adorable, and Danuwoa is perfect. In fact, he did not deserve to have Ember lie to him constantly--her lies made me anxious, even though I understood her reasoning behind at least a few of them. Overall, I loved the joy inherent in this novel even though it's set against the (unfortunately realistic) backdrop of racism and a toxic work environment. Give me more, Danica Nava!

I was very excited to dive into The Truth According to Ember, a romcom by Danica Nava. It’s refreshing and important to see a contemporary romcom featuring two Native main characters written by a Native author in traditional publishing—something I haven't come across before.

Ember, our protagonist, is working a less-than-glamorous job at a bowling alley, cleaning toilets and serving nachos, all while desperately trying to land a job as an accountant. When her job applications keep getting rejected, she makes a few "creative" adjustments to her resume, which leads to a career built on a series of lies. Things get complicated when she meets Danuwoa, the charming IT guy at her new office. Though there’s an immediate attraction, their company’s no-dating policy keeps them as friends at first, but soon enough, their relationship grows into something more. Of course, Ember has to keep the web of lies intact, not just with her boss, but also with Danuwoa.

One of the standout aspects of this book for me was the depiction of Native joy, which felt fresh and heartwarming. I also appreciated how the book navigated the microaggressions Native people face in a predominantly white workplace—an uncomfortable but necessary topic to bring forward in a romcom setting. It added depth to the otherwise lighthearted tone.

However, I’m not always a fan of plots centered around deception. Throughout the story, I found myself wishing Ember would just come clean. Many of her lies felt unnecessary and, at times, even implausible. Yet, I could empathize with the desperation that led to her initial lie and how things spiraled out of control. That said, it did keep me on edge, waiting for the inevitable moment when all her lies would come crashing down.

Overall, The Truth According to Ember is a cute romcom from a fresh and unique voice in romance. While the story didn't feel as dynamic as I had hoped, it was still an enjoyable read, especially as a debut novel. I look forward to seeing what Nava writes next!

DNF @ 11%

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance, Netgalley, and PRH Audio for providing advanced copies of this. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

This was one of my most anticipated romances of the year and couldn't wait to fall in love with it. Unfortunately this plot just didn't work for me the way I'd hoped.

First - I did try this via audio for the first 5% and definitely do not recommend going down that route. The narrator was very stilted and every conversation was clunky and awkward. It just didn't flow the way a normal conversation would.

So I switched to the physical copy which I did prefer.

But while I was looking for a workplace romance with some secrets, instead this was heroine who just kept lying. Often unnecessarily. It made me so anxious and uncomfortable that I just couldn't get behind routing for her.

It also seemed like the focus of the story was going to be far more on her career journey, with the romance as a side plot. Which is just not what I was looking for from this.

While this was a miss, I am still very curious to see what this author does next. If you love miscommunication and secrets, this romance might work fantastically for you! It's just not my own personal romance preference.

This was a really good read. First by this author. Won't be the last.
Liked the plot and the characters.
Also really enjoyed the indigenous rep.

The Truth According to Ember is a standout novel that offers a powerful exploration of personal truth and growth. Danica Nava’s skillful storytelling, combined with her ability to create deeply relatable characters and a richly immersive setting, makes this debut a memorable and impactful read. The novel’s themes and emotional depth ensure that it resonates long after the final page is turned.

For readers who appreciate character-driven stories with emotional depth and thought-provoking themes, The Truth According to Ember is a must-read. It’s a beautifully crafted novel that speaks to the heart of what it means to seek and understand one’s own truth, making it a remarkable addition to contemporary literature.

This title had long been on my "looking forward to" because a romcom featuring Indigenous leads, written by a Native author, is long overdue in publishing. Ember was easy to root for as she strived to change her options--even if it meant fudging her resume to land a job that would make her future less of a dream and more of a reality. The compounding lies kept tension high in the novel, along with the sparks between Ember and Dan. I'm already looking forward to Nava's next tale!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this advanced copy. I recieved this as part of the #BerkleyBesties program. I also was able to recieve the ALC from Libro.FM's Librarian Program. All thoughts are my own!

This book was so unncessarily stressful.

After continously hitting dead ends in the pursuit of a corporate job, Ember decides to fib on her resume by claiming her accounting classes are actually a degree and rather than Native American, she's Caucasian. She manages to land an interview and to her surprise, she's hired at a Kansas City based tech start-up. She continues to fall upwards, eventually landing a temporary role directly under the CEO, but the lies she tells continue to pile up and she finds herself getting closer and closer to Danuwoa, the very handsome indigeonous IT guy.

This book wasn't terrible, but I definitely found myself too frustrated to say that I enjoyed this. I listened to the audiobook and found myself zoning out at times. I kept getting so frustrated with Ember, especially towards the middle and back half the book as some of the lies she were telling were just so unnecessary. I'm not sure how Danuwoa could say that he fell in love with her when it felt like a lot of their interactions were based on or directly affected by a lie Ember told.

Siena East was a good choice for a narrator, she did a great job of differentiating between different characters and I liked the choices she made in terms of inflection. I particularly think she did a good job with male voices.

What I did really appreciate about this book is the representation of Native Americans and I know that this is a big point of appreciation for a lot of other readers. While this book was not for me, I have seen others say they really enjoyed this. I hope this book being published by a major house helps bring about more indigenous main characters in the romance space.

This is a great romance featuring two Native American leads, but the leads could be anyone with strong family ties.

Ember works in a bowling alley in Oklahoma City and wants to be an accountant. She is unable to finish her studies and can't even get an interview so when she lies on her resume, she obtains an assistant position with a tech company (consistently called a "start up" when it is clearly a huge established company, but I digress).

On the way to the interview Ember meets Danuwoa, who is also Native American and happens to work at said company. They have a few run ins and end up being friendly at work. When Ember is surprisingly promoted, they have more time together and start unofficially dating. but that is when her lies start catching up with her.

Both leads were lovable characters, with even more lovable side characters (like Danuwoa's sister) and I highly enjoyed this look at someone trying to better themselves and learning to ask for help along the way. This book reminded me of some great Jasmine Guillory romances and I hope to hear more from Nava in the future.

I received an advanced copy and am giving an honest review.

OMG this was amazing! Like I’m shocked as to how much I ADORED this book. Went in with no expectations and came out with a new fave 2024 rom-com.

Legitimately had everything I loved in a rom-com—chemistry, humor, and perfect pacing. I absolutely loved Ember and Danuwoa’s chemistry. Their relationship progression was so cute, and I loved their banter. And the few spice scenes were amazing. Danuwoa was incredibly attractive…new book boyfriend unlocked.

I feel like Ember’s lying definitely would be irritating to some readers, but I wasn’t bothered by it? I feel like especially when the whole premise is centered around lying on a resume, there’s bound to be white lies lol.

I also loved how this book captured the essence of corporate life. And it did a good job with the commentary on how it can be such a struggle to climb the ladder and get your foot in the door as a Native American and POC. The microaggressions from some of Ember’s coworkers made my blood boil, but I loved how she stood up to them.

I do wish that the synopsis on the back of the book didn’t giveaway so much of the story. For example, the work trip mentioned doesn’t happen until what seemed like over halfway through. Though I literally couldn’t recommend this book more, and I can’t wait to see what the author writes next!

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for sending me a copy of The Truth According to Ember. As always, my reviews are one hundred percent voluntary and all opinions are my own :)