The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava ~ a Review

by MK French

When Ember Lee Cardinal's resumé is rejected for the thirty-seventh time, she erases her Native American heritage. Before she can change her mind, she gets an accounting job. Everything seems to be looking up. Danuwoa Colson, the IT guy and fellow Native seems to actually be interested in her too. Despite the no-dating policy at work, they start seeing each other secretly. After a scheming colleague blackmails Ember, her lies begin to grow exponentially. She must make the hard decision to either stay silent or finally tell the truth, which could cost her everything.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review. 

August 2024; Berkley; 978-0593642603
audio, ebook, print (384 pages); romantic comedy

Ember starts off down on her luck, and embellishing her education and work experience gets her a job. With trying so hard to fulfill her duties, she stands out enough for the CEO to tap her for a job her new work friend wanted. Her little lies earlier were more in the realm of slapstick comedy than harmful. They grow more frequent and complicated, and she gets caught up in the little lies about a boyfriend she doesn't have, where she lives, what her family is like, and then as she attempts to hide her relationship. She and Dan grow beyond flirting during a work trip, which is where their first kiss is caught and then used against her in increasingly damaging ways. Ember already was afraid of losing her job and too determined to make it on her own that she doesn't point out the racist comments made or the microaggressions she sees, let alone ask for help, which sends everything tumbling down.

Hidden within this romcom are very real concerns about what it's like to be Native American in modern business. While she and her roommate laugh about it at times, it's very hurtful to have one's heritage used as a joke. She feels bad about that heritage because of her prior failures, which is part of what made it difficult to reach out to her family and community. It's only once she let go of her fears and reached out that she was able to move forward with honesty and her family truly on her side. That's as important to see as it was that she and Dan could have their happily ever after at the end.

Buy The Truth According to Ember at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever. 

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