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. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)
I absolutely loved this book! I can’t even count how many times I laughed out loud while reading this story. Danica Nava has an incredibly witty and fun-loving writing style. Her ability to grab the reader's attention with her humor but also touch on the deeper human emotions, really made this book special.
Many can relate to the plight of Ember Lee Cardinal, Nava’s main character and heroine, with trying to find a job, better her finances, and find someone to love. What made this story unique and gave me even more to relate to, is that the main characters are Indigenous. Ember, half Chickasaw and half Choctaw, moves to Oklahoma City from Ada, Oklahoma, to work in the big city and leave country life behind. Even though she struggled, she did everything she could to make ends meet. After countless rejections from entry level accounting jobs, Ember and her best friend decide that she should embellish her resume and leave out that she is Native American. The story takes us on a wild ride from that moment on. I enjoyed all the different characters' personalities and quirks, they felt so real to me.
As a citizen of the Muscogee Creek nation (also in Oklahoma), I am always so proud and excited to see stories centering around Indigenous characters, by Indigenous authors. This truly is one of the funniest books (with lots of heart and emotion too!) that I have read in a long time. If you are looking for smart, witty, and hilarious, with a dash of romance, run out and grab this book!
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