A while back, I found myself aimlessly scrolling TikTok and came across a video of a book idea about a morally gray villain and his sunshine assistant. There was a hint that there might be romance…and I was hooked. After following the creator’s page and waiting months, I am so happy to say the book has finally arrived! This might be the first book that social media has nudged my way that I have been so excited to have in my hands, particularly as a sucker for a good villain. and this one might win over a few hearts before all is said and read!
Evie Sage is a young woman without a lot of job prospects. Unfortunately, being jobless isn’t an option when you have a sick father and a sibling to take care of. After a mishap with the infamous Villain of Rennedawn, she accepts his job offer. Though the job comes with the odd severed head and smattering of eyeballs, the biggest issue is her developing crush for her boss…and the traitor hidden within the Villain’s empire. Evie’s going to have to hunt for the truth and ensure that she makes them pay.
Let’s start this review with the characters. I didn’t know what to make of Evie Sage—she’s pretty much a walking hazard with how clumsy she is, she’s generally positive (of course, she’s the sunshine assistant), and doesn’t often make sense when she speaks. She wasn’t likeable at first, but she definitely grew on me as time went on. My favourite character was certainly The Villain. Not only do we get to read from his perspective, but I found him a bit refreshing, even if a little trope-y at times. Between Evie and The Villain, I would say that I see more character growth from him, but I’ll stop there to prevent any spoilers!
Something that Maehrer did really well was develop some great side character relationships as you’ll enjoy getting little glimpses into other characters’ lives and the secrets that Evie inadvertently uncovers in trying to find the rat within the Villain’s ranks. Blade had to be my favourite side character, but there are certainly others that are in the running as well. Maybe it’s the way the characters interact with Evie or with The Villain, but it’s both fascinating and entertaining.
There are many things to talk about, but it’s difficult to discuss without spoiling anything! What I will say is that I really enjoyed the set up of this book and gives readers a day-to-day view of the life of a villain’s empire with a larger plot afoot. The developing relationships are all intriguing, and many will be dying for the romance aspect of this book. You’ll definitely find yourself thinking about the way the book ended because it was both satisfying and left a lot of questions that I am hoping will be answered by another book.
My expectations of this book were really high and although I try not to fall for a lot of the hype of social media because they can often fall short of the mark, I would be remiss to point out that it does have some pacing issues in the beginning. It made it a little difficult to get into the book until about a quarter of the way in. The dialogue feels a bit forced at first, but eventually develops into a more natural dialogue. Also, for a romantic fantasy, I felt like there wasn’t enough world-building happening, so at times it felt like the plot twists didn’t quite flow together as well as they should.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I am very hopeful for the next book because I want to LOVE this book. Although there were some areas that I struggled with, by the end I was invested in the story of Evie and The Villain. With that said, this would make a fun read for those looking to dip their toes into something a little quirky and new!
Assistant to the Villain is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah Maehrer’s laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.
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.
