Book Review :: Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
ISBN: 1649375808
Series: Assistant to the Villain #1
Also in this series: Apprentice to the Villain, Accomplice to the Villain
Published by Penguin Publishing Group
on 29 August 2023
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult
Pages: 342
Goodreads

ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem, terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer—naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain—and his entire nefarious empire—out.
Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find.

Last updated on 8 April 2024

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What is Assistant to the Villain about?

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer is the tale of Evangeline ‘Evie’ Sage, who literally runs into the notorious bad guy known as the Villain in the woods one day. Instead of being slaughtered, or tortured, or thrown in a dungeon cell, the Villain hires Evie as his assistant.

In desperate need of a job to help support her younger sister and her ill father (and after being fired from a job in the village), Evie agrees, and so begins her assistant to the Villain role at his mansion.

“We’re all monsters in the end. At least mine lives in the light.”

While it’s a lot of paperwork, keeping track of various villainous happenings, hanging out with the dragon trainer and healer, avoiding Becky, another annoying employee of the Villain, and oh, did we mention trying to figure out who is after the Villain and wants him dead? Apart from the obvious – everyone he’s ever done something to him – someone is trying to blow up the castle and ruin the Villain.

As the Villain and Evie try to figure out who in their midst is the mole for King Benedict, the story follows them talking to various people, beheading others, attending parties, deciphering what Kinglsey the frog who speaks by holding up little signs is trying to say … and more.

And Evie is also 100% falling for the Villain.

My thoughts on Assistant to the Villain

I loved this book. Chatter on Goodreads is vast – some people loved it, some thought it was just a booktok book for a booktok community (Maehrer is on TikTok and there’s a lot of chatter over there on this book, or so I’m told), and some who thought it was a waste of time.

“Problem number one: She was growing emotionally attached to her boss.
Problem number two: Her boss was also the most hated man in the kingdom.
Problem number three: Someone wanted her boss dead-who would severely affect problem number one.”

But me? I had such a great time reading this book. It was a brilliantly sunshine-and-grumpy trope, and Evei is so sunshine it’s hilarious. She clumsy and bubbly and booky and I loved everything about her character, even if there were definitely moments where she was super annoying (can’t be brilliant all the time, though right?). The Villain, whose perspective we get occasionally, too, is a moody, grumpy soul but who is equally enamoured with Evie (though neither will admit it).

The other characters who are in the story are actually a lot of fun, too. There are some characters who are around the manion all the time, doing various roles – dragon trainer, healer, office manager, guards etc – and then we meet some other characters who weave in and out of the story a little bit, too.

“There is so much that can be fixed by honesty, if you’re brave enough to use it.”

While the plot isn’t elaborate or complicated – the main goal of the book is to really figure out who is trying to kill the Villain – it’s still a very enjoyable read. Maehrer has written it in such a way that feels lighthearted, very funny (I laughed out loud on the plane when I was reading this. Thankfully I had 3 seats to myself so I don’t think anyone noticed), and made me sad that I read it too fast.

Also: Kingsley is a frog who holds up signs to communicate. Come on. Brilliant.

If you’re looking for an in-depth fantasy read, this ain’t it.

But if you’re after a lighthearted, funny, super sweet, sunshine-grumpy trope fantasy story with some deeper themes and messages in there, too, then check out Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer. The second book is called Apprentice to the Villain and will be released in August 2024.

Have you read Assistant to the Villain? What did you think? No spoilers!