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A review by bookishmillennial
The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
This is a workplace / forbidden romance / forced proximity / there's only one bed indigenous romance, set in Oklahoma City. Ember, a Chickasaw woman, has had zero luck in her job search, so she finally changes her ethnicity on job applications to "white," and gets hired for an accounting role! She meets IT guy, Donuwoa (who she later calls "the Native daddy of my dreams" lmao get it girl!!!!), who is 100% off-limits due to the company dating policy. However, their tension continues to build, and they can't deny it any longer.
Beyond the romance, which I felt was a bit awkward and struggled in pacing (their first kiss felt very forced, and almost read as "insta love" to me), I appreciated the commentary on Ember's lived experience as a Chickasaw woman in a white corporate world. Though it may read as a bit heavy-handed to a more well-rounded and/or informed reader/human, I do recognize why authors include the racist, sexist, and classist micro-aggressions they do in their work.
I found the background of Ember's trauma to be written with great care and compassion, and think that is where Danica Nava's writing shone through brightest. I am excited to read more characters from her, as I do think she has got the character arc of her main character down very well.
Overall, this definitely reads to me as a debut novel because the writing felt a bit goofy, awkward, disjointed and relied heavily on exposition, but I think the author has promise and I have faith that Danica Nava's writing will improve with more experience.
With all that said though, I'm really excited to see this author's growth in her writing journey, and will definitely give her another chance.
steam rating: 2.5 out of 5
This is a workplace / forbidden romance / forced proximity / there's only one bed indigenous romance, set in Oklahoma City. Ember, a Chickasaw woman, has had zero luck in her job search, so she finally changes her ethnicity on job applications to "white," and gets hired for an accounting role! She meets IT guy, Donuwoa (who she later calls "the Native daddy of my dreams" lmao get it girl!!!!), who is 100% off-limits due to the company dating policy. However, their tension continues to build, and they can't deny it any longer.
Beyond the romance, which I felt was a bit awkward and struggled in pacing (their first kiss felt very forced, and almost read as "insta love" to me), I appreciated the commentary on Ember's lived experience as a Chickasaw woman in a white corporate world. Though it may read as a bit heavy-handed to a more well-rounded and/or informed reader/human, I do recognize why authors include the racist, sexist, and classist micro-aggressions they do in their work.
I found the background of Ember's trauma to be written with great care and compassion, and think that is where Danica Nava's writing shone through brightest. I am excited to read more characters from her, as I do think she has got the character arc of her main character down very well.
Overall, this definitely reads to me as a debut novel because the writing felt a bit goofy, awkward, disjointed and relied heavily on exposition, but I think the author has promise and I have faith that Danica Nava's writing will improve with more experience.
With all that said though, I'm really excited to see this author's growth in her writing journey, and will definitely give her another chance.
steam rating: 2.5 out of 5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual content, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism