Title: The Truth According to Ember
Author: Danica Nava
Narrators: Siena East
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: August 6, 2024
Print length: 343 pages
Audio length: 9 hours 8 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Library
Rating:
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 too: 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.
The Truth According to Ember generated a lot of buzz in 2024, notably for being one of the lone examples of a rom-com written by a Native American author and with indigenous characters in the lead roles, rather than being relegated to secondary/supporting character status.
This story of a woman resorting lies to change her life has a lot of charm and a nice flow, but very questionable choices and actions drag it down and make it hard to truly root for the main character.
Ember works a dead end job at a bowling alley, lost the money she’d been saving toward her education when her brother skipped out on bail, and keeps getting rejected from every job she applies to. She’s taken accounting classes at the community college and dreams of becoming an accountant, but can’t seem to get her foot in the door. Fed up, she pads her resume with a degree she hasn’t earned and work experience that she doesn’t actually have, and ends up getting not just an interview, but a job.
Hired as an accounting assistant for a tech company, Ember is elated about finally breaking into the corporate world. Once she starts getting her paychecks, she fully intends to continue taking classes and getting the degree she claims to have. Meanwhile, she’s a quick learner — she doesn’t actually know how to do most of the work her job entails, but after quickly googling how to use QuickBooks, she’s on her way.
Complicating things at the office is the super hot IT guy — a gorgeous man named Danuwoa (who allows himself to be called Dan in the office, since no one seems capable of learning his actual name). Ember is smitten, and and the feeling seems to be mutual, but since the company has a strict no dating policy, he’s off-limits… or is he?
As Ember and Donuwoa begin secretly seeing each other and Ember gets a surprise promotion into an interim role as executive assistant to the CEO, the lies she’s told are a ticking timebomb. If the truth comes out, she’ll imperil not only her own job, but Donuwoa’s as well.
I should pause here to stay that because of my “day job” — I work in HR — this book made my brain hurt in so many ways. When she lies on her resume and lies about her job skills, I wanted to scream. But also, during her interview, the HR rep not only asks non-work questions but also basically comments on how hot Donuwoa is when he walks by. Just, no. No, no, no.
So clearly, I am not the best person to assess this book. There is quite a bit to enjoy, especially the observations on racism and sexism in the workplace, even when the worst offenders believe themselves (and declare themselves) to be “woke”. The vibe between Ember and Donuwoa is flirty and sexy, and they have great chemistry. Donuwoa is almost too perfect, kind, caring, understanding, and an amazing big brother to his sister Walela, who herself is all kinds of awesome.
I appreciated Ember finally coming to certain realizations about looking to community for support and not having to do everything on her own. Obviously, she also learns some major lessons about honesty, in her work life and in her relationships, once her lies catch up with her and blow up in her face.
Still, the workplace lies and poor judgement (like hooking up in a supply closet) made it hard for me to enjoy the book as a whole, and when Ember’s lies spread to not being up front with Donuwoa about what’s happening, I lost most of my sympathy for Ember.
I’m glad I gave The Truth According to Ember a try, and did appreciate many aspects of the setting, the challenges faced by the characters, and the dynamics between Ember and her friends and family, as well as her connection with Donuwoa. However, the problematic issues repeatedly took me out of the story and prevented me from fully feeling immersed.
[Note to self: Maybe HR professionals just shouldn’t read books about workplace romances… ]
Bookshelf Fantasies 
I didn’t know you were in HR but I can see how this subject matter would bug you! I think the whole lying thing would be hard to get past for me.
It’s funny, the synopsis only mentions her lying about ethnicity, and if that were all, I wouldn’t have been as annoyed — but so many of her lies are pointless, and she just doesn’t stop. Ugh. We’re supposed to find her feisty and endearing, but really, so much of what she does just seems immature (on top of the dishonesty).