𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑇𝑟𝑢𝑡ℎ 𝐴𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝐸𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 was everything but the truth! Ember lied about everything, everything! What happens when you lie so much… the truth eventually comes out! She desires to be an accountant and lies on her application to get an accountant job! She does the job well, and she meets dreamy Danuwoa, who is the hot IT guy! All seem to start out fine until her lies start to backfire, there’s a no dating policy at her job, she deals with racial antics, and she’s backed into a corner!

This one was a funny rom-com! Ember was hilarious with her quick thinking to come up with her next lie! Even though I don’t condone lying, she was pretty good at it! She felt that she had to do what she had to do to get what she wanted with her Heritage being a factor, unfortunately. Hearing her having to change who she is to get what she wanted was maddening! I did love learning a little more about some of the culture that was added in, but hated hearing how that affects jobs and treatment. The romance piece of it had some steam with tropes like workplace romance, only one bed and forced proximity! The only thing for me was that the story felt YA at times. I love YA, but I had to remind myself that this was an adult book a few times.

This was a fun debut novel and I look for to Danica’s next book! I recommend this one for a fun and funny, rom-com!

Oh what a tangled web of lies we weave... and Ember did just that in this story.

I have seen much mention of Danica Nava being the first traditionally published indigenous woman in the romance genre which peaked my interest and simultaneously caused me to shake my head because in the 21st century, this type of "first" should've happened a long time ago. I think Nava represented this first well as this was a very enjoyable debut.

The premise of the story-Ember's lying and the reason she does it- is set up early in a way that most people can likely relate to i.e. lying to protect a loved one's feelings, omitting parts of the truth in situations that tend to impact certain groups more than others. I was vested from early on. Coupled with the layering/reveal of the challenges Ember has been faced with as the story progresses, I found myself both anxious at how the lies would catch up with her and empathetic toward her and her reasoning for why the lying was necessary (notwithstanding, some of it was unnecessary but if everything was completely logical in stories we wouldn't have the sauce for the drama now would we?).

I liked how Nava included insights into the challenges Indigenous people face in the workplace and in everyday life. This provided a welcome complement to both Ember and Danuwoa's (the MMC) backstory. This is one of the qualities I especially appreciate about the romance genre- that unique ability to deliver insight into a lived experience wrapped up in swoon, banter and butterflies. The "supporting cast" of characters were developed in a way that allowed for me to glean a better understanding of who Ember was and by extension Danuwoa, outside of their relationship with each other, along with making me want to dig a little more into their own lives (especially Ember's best friend, Joanna).

I did find myself hoping for a chapter or two from Danuwoa's perspective but that was more due to my ideal preference for a dual POV in the romances I read. Also, while I appreciate a textbook specimen of a MMC as much as the next girl, I did chuckle and shake my head a bit at the eight-pack abs and hint at the large "package".

Additionally, on reflection of the timeline, I would've welcomed a bit more development of their relationship post-their initial hookup especially given Ember noting that she had not been in a meaningful romantic relationship (but I am mindful that the author was already carrying a lot with the other plot points).

That being said, I thought this was solid debut and I am certainly looking forward to seeing what Danica Nava does next!

Special thanks to Berkley for facilitating an ARC of this story (and I hope you will continue to meaningfully facilitate diversity in the romances published).

In the past several years, I’ve been reading a ton of romances, but something I’ve never gotten to read yet? A romance starring Native American characters. Mysteries, thrillers, and literary fiction, sure, but no romances. So I was excited to learn of not one, but two new romances out this year by Indigenous authors and about Indigenous characters. The first just came out this week: The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava.

Set at a tech startup, it’s about a Chickasaw woman, Ember, who is tired of not being able to get hired. So she tells some little lies just to get her foot in the door, and starts working at Technix. She and her IT colleague Danuwoa hit it off right away, but it’s against company policy to date co-workers. This just adds to the many lies Ember’s been telling lately… but lies have a way of coming out eventually.

Tropes & Narrative Devices:
- Workplace romance
- Forbidden romance
- Friends to lovers
- Only one bed
- First-person POV (Ember’s only)

What I Liked:
- Native American protagonists: Ember and her love interest, Danuwoa, are both Indigenous. She’s Chickasaw; he’s Cherokee. I loved getting to know them and their family and friends, learning about their culture and language, and seeing how they push back against racism.
- “Native Daddy” (IYKYK)
- Navigating the corporate world, workplace dynamics, and difficult relationships with colleagues. (Co-worker friends? Angering your boss? Blackmail?!)
- The snowball effect of Ember’s increasing lies… and how she survives the aftermath.
- Family relationships. Ember and Danuwoa both have younger siblings to look after in some way. Ember also has a close relationship with her aunt and a troubled one with her parents. I especially enjoyed seeing how she and her brother Sage overcome their recent issues.
- Danuwoa’s cat Patches. He’s right: Ember should learn to love cats!

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Nothing, this book was fabulous!

Final Thoughts
The Truth According to Ember is a smart and fun romance. I loved the characters, and even with Ember’s constant lying, she’s likable and easy to root for. There’s a lot in this book that is relatable and rings true for me, and I enjoyed getting to know more about Chickasaw and Cherokee cultures. This is a book I’ll recommend far and wide, and I’m already excited to read Danica Nava’s second novel, Love and Other War Songs.

Short synopsis: In an effort to better her situation, Ember tells a couple “little white lies” on her job application.

My thoughts: I haven’t read any Indigenous Romances before, I absolutely loved the Representation and felt like the author did an amazing job at helping the reader see the discrimination that can happen in a workplace. Such a great debut!

There were a number of laugh out loud moments where ember found herself in some sticky situations. I especially liked the budding romance between Ember and “Native Daddy” Danuwoa, they had such fun banter.

Some of the lies were a little unnecessary in my opinion, but I think this is also part coming of age and a lot of growth happens to all of us in our early 20s. I liked watching ember learn from her mistakes, and eventually take ownership.

Read if you love:
- Indigenous Rep
- Workplace romance
- Forbidden love
- White lies
- Coming of age stories

eArc received from Netgalley for an honest review

3 Stars

Before I say anything, I want to put in the forefront to pick this book up, please support indigenous authors, and show that we want more books like this! I am so happy to have been approved for this ARC prior to it's release, and wish the best for the author with their debut.

The Truth According to Ember is a romcom that features our two Indigenous protagonists; Danuwoa and Ember.

Danuwoa is a sweetheart. I'd like to have seen more from him but overall he was a likable character to read about. I mean, he has a cat which instantly puts him on a higher pedestal for me. He works in IT which mean he's also incredibly smart and tech savvy. Instant approval.

Ember on the other hand is a bit difficult to like at times. I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing, but it does make it hard to get attached to her when she lies so consistently. The book does a good job dealing with the situation by the end, but up until that point, it becomes TOO much and her lies seem redundant and unnecessary.

I didn't hate Ember though, I think she has a lot of room to grow the same way many of us do. She did stress me out a bit, especially near the end, but I think the beginning of her lies made a whole lot of sense, and I will not fault her for those whatsoever due to the prevalent racism in the workspace and world.

There was a very strong focus on the workplace environment within the office itself and I think it may have taken from some of the romance. I would have liked to see more build up and focus on the main couple rather than Ember's job. It wasn't badly paced, but some more development between them and moments of Danuwoa and Ember would have been nice to see.

A debut novel is a huge step, and all authors start somewhere. I think there is room to grow but I believe this book is worth a read. As mentioned, we need more BIPOC characters written by BIPOC authors in the bookish space, so please support any way you can. Give Ember a chance, see her learn and grow, and make a difference in the publishing world.

I really enjoyed this contemporary romance featuring an extremely flawed but relatable FMC, Ember. As the book opens, she's received her umpteenth job rejection. She's so frustrated that she decides to doctor her resume and lie about her ethnicity on the job application. And guess what? She lands the first job she applies for on the first try. Even better? The hot Native guy she met at the coffee shop before the interview works there, too. ⁠
⁠
I appreciated Ember SO MUCH as a character. She's one we don't see often in romance. I'm not just talking about the fact that she's Native American, although for sure we don't see enough books with Native characters. No, what I'm talking about is that Danica Nava allows Ember to make some truly egregious mistakes. Ember doesn't just pump up her resume, she invents credentials she doesn't have, and lies about everything she thinks might make her look even the tiniest bit bad. (A non-exhaustive list of things Ember lies about: the kind of car she owns; the part of town she works in; whether she's flown on a plane before; whether she's allergic to cats.) The best part of her character? Ember even lies to herself, mostly about how she's not a dishonest person. I absolutely loved this characterization, even if I was absolutely frustrated with her choices about 95% of the time.⁠
⁠
Often when I arrive at the third act conflict of a romance, I roll my eyes at how easily the issue could be solved. Here? I honestly wasn't sure how Ember was going to get herself out of the deep, DEEP hole she'd dug for herself. Nava lets Ember feel the full consequences for her bad choices before finding redemption. ⁠
⁠
This is a first person romance told entirely from Ember's POV. I am on the record as preferring third person, dual perspective romances, but I thought this book benefited from having the reader live in Ember's head for the entire book. I also laughed out loud several times at the goofy humor. This was a great contemporary and I'll definitely be looking for more from Danica Nava!⁠
⁠
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC!

tropes/representation: workplace romance, Indigenous main characters (finally! and better not be the last time we get this in traditionally published romance!), only one bed during our work trip,

CW: workplace racism and harassment, estranged family members, incarcerated family members

I cannot wait to read what Danica Nava writes next! She's incredibly lovely and I gushed about this novel at SteamyLit Con when I met her and she was so excited to hear that I loved it. She asked me, "What was your favorite part?" to which I said, I didn't necessarily have a favorite part, but as a character-focused reader I loved your characters! I literally would love to read another book about any/all of them! Ember's family comes to life on the page from her Auntie (a caretaker who will call you on your bs) and her estranged little brother who has been in (and out) of the criminal justice system who Ember is frustrated with but he really wants to make things right. Ember's best friend and roommate, Joanna is a bisexual queen who is so funny and is responsible for the nickname given to Danuwoa (Native Daddy). Danuwoa is so smitten with Ember and so we love him but he also is just an incredibly stand up guy. This is the sort of hero who just goes to work to get by but isn't OBSESSED with his job. He will tow your broken down car, he will cook you dinner, he is so competent it is so sexy! He's a great big brother to his amazing little sister, Walela, who is a Native pageant winner and has Downs Syndrome. She is a completely realize character and assertive and awesome. I would read a short story just of a day in her life she's my hero. This book is also genuinely funny! There's Native Joy which is so important!

Ember does lie/stretch the truth a lot, that's sort of the premise of the book, but she does have a full character arc that makes all the stress of going through her lies worth it. Without spoiling it, she learns to really accept help and lean on her community to make her dreams come true after trying to make it in the city and in corporate America (and learning it sucks).

IN SHORT: READ THIS BOOK. I cannot wait to re-read on audio.

The Truth According to Ember is a hilarious and cleverly written romcom by debut author Danica Nava.
The story follows Ember Lee Cardinal, a Chickasaw woman who tells some white lies in her resume to land her dream job. As Ember navigates her new corporate life and a secret romance with Danuwoa Colson, an IT guy who shares her Native heritage, her little white lies start to snowball. The chemistry between Ember and Danuwoa is palpable, and their dynamic drives the story forward.
Ember's struggle highlights the challenges Indigenous people face, making her an empathetic character. The book has the nostalgic feel of the old school romcoms, blending humor, romance, and heartfelt moments.
Nava's debut is a page-turner with wonderful characters, a touch of steam, and a satisfying happily-ever-after. This entertaining and original read is perfect for romcom fans.

Very grateful to the publisher @ for my copy, opinions are my own.

This is a cute romcom that lives up to the genre—I found it actually funny. At the beginning of the book, Ember’s default is to lie to solve ANY problem, big or small. She has a lot of growth during the book, but if lying to a romantic partner doesn’t work for you, you probably won’t like this book. I didn’t struggle with that as much as I expected, but the secondhand embarrassment from Ember’s antics was ROUGH.

The characters in this book are so well-written, from heartthrob Danuwoa, and clueless coworkers, to Ember’s friends and neighbors. I fell in love with this community. It’s a workplace romance, but a lot of the book takes place outside of work.

Thank you Berkley for my free ARC of The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava — available Aug 6!

» READ IF YOU «
🪶 love a workplace romance with a Native Daddy
😹 enjoy laughing at the dialogue in your books
💜 want to support the first trad-published indigenous romcom!

» SYNOPSIS «
Ember is a liar. But it's okay, she's using her lies to further her career and get ahead in life. And as long as no one ever finds out, what could possibly go wrong? Except, a gorgeous coworker throws a wrench in her plan to be the perfectly professional corporate-y accountant. and when her lies start to crumble around her, Ember will find herself in hot water that's only getting hotter.

» REVIEW «
I absolutely LOVED this story and these characters!! If you've ever felt like an absolute noob at a new job (especially a corporate one), you will find this book so hilariously relatable. I found the banter between Ember and Danuwoa laugh-out-loud fun at times, and other times I got teary at the heartfelt revelations from both. This is a lovely story of not just romance, but also about finding your place in the world and trusting in your own abilities and connections. Adored it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

First I want to congratulate Danica on the release of this novel and for the accomplishment of being the first traditionally published Indigenous rom-com author! 💖

This book was so fun and I knew early on that this was going to be a book that I enjoyed! I don't typically like stories that involve lying but Ember was a hot mess (in a good way) and I just couldn’t look away.

The MMC Danuwoa (aka Native Daddy) was everything that I like to see in a love interest - caring, attentive, hot, and crazy about Ember. The banter and flirtation between the two added to the anticipation in the best way.

This is perfect for anyone looking for a fun, entertaining, and slightly steamy rom-com!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Pub for the advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Hilarious and cleverly written! Loved the heart and soul of this story. Danica Nava is an author to watch! For fans of Romcom, especially those who loved My Lady Jane Grey and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

—Dianna Rostad USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of You Belong Here Now

fun, light-hearted, and relatable.

'The Truth According to Ember' is a debut novel by Danica Nava that follows a Native American woman, Ember Cardinal, trying to get her professional career started in Oklahoma City. With a few minor fibs, she lands a job at a tech company and finds herself tangled with a fellow coworker and Native American Danuwoa. As her half-truths catch up, she finds herself in a tough situation with work and her relationship. Ember must return to her roots and get support from her community and family.

Overall, I loved this book because of its simplicity and how the book had such an easy flow to it. The groove immediately started going and I did not have to think too hard about things. I loved the friends-to-lovers trope, the drama, and the love. I was not a fan of all the lying done by my girl Ember, but I can understand where she is coming from as a woman of color and her background in poverty. It is hard to do anything in corporate America without networking. Danuwoa was very charming a super green flag to me and I just love everything about him. EMBER DON'T LIE TO HIM AGAIN.

Wonderful rom-com from a new-to-me writer. Ember trades working at the local bowling alley behind for the corporate jungle. But the jungle is complicated. I loved the story of family, life struggles and finding true love. Word of warning, keep a box of tissue handy. I am looking forward to the next book. 4 Stars

✨Summary:

Ember Lee Cardinal, struggling to find a job, tweaks her resume and half-lies about her ethnicity. As Ember leans into the white half of her identity, she lands her dream accounting job in Oklahoma City and catches the eye of Danuwoa Colson, a fellow Native American in IT. They start a secret relationship despite the company's no-dating policy. Their romance becomes more thrilling, but everything changes when a colleague catches them together during a work trip and blackmails Ember. Now, she faces a difficult decision - to keep quiet and continue living a lie or risk everything by telling the truth.

✨Review:

This is a debut Native American romantic comedy and it delivered. The FMC, Ember, was hilarious and so was the MMC, Danuwoa. One of the things I loved the most was how realistic this story felt. Ember’s lies and their ultimate consequences, white corporate America, and the blossoming romance between Ember and Danuwoa felt so real.

Another aspect of this book I love is how the characters are written in this. It felt like everyone’s personality shined no matter how small the character is. And I would be remiss not to mention how masterfully the author handled the heavy themes of racism, sexism, identity, and cultural appropriation. These important topics were seamlessly woven into the narrative, all while maintaining the light tone of the story. 4.5 ⭐️

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Berkley, and Danica Nava for this arc!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Never knew how much I needed Native RomComs. There's just not enough of them. Truly loved Ember and all her white lies. Danuwoa is a total dream boat. It's hard not to love them instantly.
I loved the reality that everyone that is mixed faces, lying on the resume to get the interview. Choosing which nationality will get the call back. Which part of you to hide for the job. Never felt so seen.
Really hope Danica Nava has more romances planned. <3

Dear Danica Nava: thank you for this book

This was a highly anticipated 2024 release for me… and this one didn’t disappoint

I will say, at times, the characters were super frustrating. As the reader, you can see things a little more clearly than the characters in the story can… but, our female main character (Ember) made some VERY questionable decisions that were obviously… not the best.

HOWEVER, despite some poor judgement calls …. Nava made sure you were rooting for Ember throughout the whole book. Which amped up the stakes and the drama… my poor cuticles were gnawed to bits during the climax of this story.

And there’s spice, great chemistry between the love interests, a perfect ending (including a nice epilogue), and even an excellent discussion guide at the end.

I’m hoping to read more from Danica Nava in the future, and I’d love to see more Indigenous rom coms published.

Suggested snack pairing: fried corn bean burritos

Triggers: racism, sexual content, abandonment, death of a parent/s (off page), pregnancy (side character)

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an ARC of this novel.

My is posted on my Instagram @bedtimesandbooks

What happens when a few little white lies snowball into something beyond your control? That question is at the heart of The Truth According to Ember.

While Ember’s reasons for fudging the truth are quite valid and shed light on the challenges/barriers that Indigenous groups face, her lies could irreparably harm her budding relationship with co-worker Danuwoa. The push-pull dynamic between these two characters is the fuel in the engine of this book. Ember and Danuwoa’s connection is palpable, and Danuwoa’s golden retriever energy is what all the best book boyfriends are made of.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book (save the stress that was caused by waiting for the other shoe to drop, but that’s a me problem) and the author’s writing style. I will definitely be reading more from Danica Nava in the future.

I was beyond excited for more Native romance, but especially the first one from a Big Five publisher! I knew I had to get my hands on it somehow!
This book follows Ember Lee Cardinal who in searching for new job tests a theory and clicks the "White/Caucasian" box on the employment form instead of "American Indian/Alaskan Native" box, a little white lie that's also more of a half-truth as her father -is- white. Luck was on her side and she gets a job in the accounting department of a tech company with good pay and benefits, things Ember really wants to have. At the job, she runs into Danuwoa Colson, a Cherokee man in the IT department she had accidentally run into before her interview. Danuwoa is good at his job and good at navigating corporate life so he can be stable and give his little sister Walela, who has down syndrome and lives with him, the best life he can after the loss of their parents. Sparks start to fly between the pair as they begin a friendship and work in close proximity on various assignments.
Ember has her own family drama she doesn't want to think about, namely her brother Sage who is fresh out of jail and the reason she had to drop out of college (and lie about graduating on that resume). We get to see a lot of how her life growing up has impacted her as an adult, especially as the "fixer" in the family. Although Ember stressed me out at times with all of her tiny lies, I did really appreciate her arc throughout the story. She has to learn to take help from people: her roommate/best friend Joanna (who I adore! She is an artistic vibrant contrast to Ember), her Auntie, her brother, Danuwoa, and especially her community. I also really like the dynamic between her and Danuwoa. It's fun and flirty, but heavy on sarcasm as he sees through a lot of her little lies. I also love how Ember embraced Danuwoa's little sister, Walela. Honestly, Walela is an absolute gem and so funny. She is Miss Indian Princess (a title from a pageant in the community that gives her fun little tasks and events to host). Speaking of, I love the little dynamic between Walela and Sage. It's so cute! Actually, let me also gush about Joanna a bit. She reminds me a lot of one of my best friends. She is outgoing and so supportive of Ember while still pushing her. I would love to have a Joanna book! The best part being that her love interest could literally be anyone as she is open to any gender.
Although this book deals with some different tougher topics like casual racism in the workplace (and just in general), loss of parents, incarceration, and abuse of power in the workplace, the author is able to balance this out with funny and more lighthearted moments. I genuinely had a really good time reading this book and found myself laughing at some of their antics.
I think people will really enjoy the cast of characters and the steamy romance!

3.5⭐️3🌶️

Contemporary Romance
Own Voices Author
Workplace Romance
Forbidden Romance
First person POV
Indigenous MC’s
🏳️‍🌈 Side Character
Disabled side character



The plot of the book highlights heavier themes throughout from racism/micro aggressions, sexism, corporate nepotism, feminine hyper awareness, complicated family ties, historical oppression and common generation issues among the native population. There is something of a lived experience in the pages of this book, and you can feel it. I respect this author and that this is an OwnVoices story.

With so much being packed into the plot lines of this book, it’s no wonder that the main character feels locked in a mentality that makes her seem immature or naive when it comes to certain aspects. Her lies and constant anxiety was giving me major secondhand anxiety that made this story harder for me, personally, to enjoy.

The MMC is depicted as the perfect man… I was always waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop. We didn’t get to know him as a person other than the hot IT guy, which was a real disservice to his potential.

I hope that more indigenous authors make contemporary rom-coms. I enjoyed reading!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.