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Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Audiobook: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Spice: 🌶️🌶️

by Danica Nava (August 6, 2024) – Many thanks to @prhaudio and @berkleypub for the free audiobook! 

Ember prided herself on her integrity, but after her dozens of job applications resulted in no job, she decided to try checking “white” rather than “Native American” on the next application. It was only a half-lie, but a lie nonetheless. That application lands her a dream job, and Ember shines in the busy corporate environment. In addition to enjoying the job, she also enjoys an intense chemistry with Danuwoa, the hot Native American IT guy. The only problem? There’s a strict no-dating policy at the company. When they get caught kissing during a work trip, Ember is put in an impossible situation and she must decide how far she will go to hide their relationship and save their jobs.

I loved how Nava rooted this story in Native American culture, the complexities of acknowledging that you need help, and embracing your community. Danuwoa and his younger sister were my favorite part of the book – their relationship and his strength of character were the book’s core for me. Ember’s struggles with a toxic work environment, self-involved leaders, and bullying coworkers were something that happens too often in companies that don’t have a positive employee-first culture. It did bother me that Ember lied about not only her ethnicity (which to me was more of a half-truth since one of her parents was white) but her qualifications for the job and then lied for others instead of going to HR. It is kind of like in the Harry Potter books when you want to yell, “Go tell Dumbledore what’s happening!!” However, putting my age aside and checking my privilege at the door, if I were in Ember’s position, I’m still trying to figure out what I would have done in her situation. She had struggled for so long to stand on her own and was scared of losing everything she had worked for. 

The audiobook is a well-done single narration format.