[Review] Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
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.
My thoughts: Assistant to the Villain was one of my most anticipated reads for the second half of 2023, and I was so glad to see that it exceeded my already-high expectations. The characters, the plot, the delightfully ghastly little details, every reveal and interaction between Evie and The Villain - it all brought a smile to my face, page after page.
I started this book prepared to fall in love with the "villain" of the story, and I definitely did. He was snarky and sarcastic, had nefarious plans, but still somehow managed to show all the cards he kept closest to his chest. He might do bad things, but he had compassion (even if he wanted you to believe otherwise). This villain is the very definition of a lovable morally gray character.
It's hard to come up with individual reasons why I loved this book. Just as a whole, it felt like every detail, every character, every new twist came together to form the perfect book for me. I devoured this book, and I had a smile on my face the entire time. Maehrer's writing was easy to get lost in, and this was definitely one of those books that made me carve extra time out of my day just so I'd have more time to read. Even at over four hundred pages, I still didn't have enough time with these characters and I can't wait for the next book.
In short, I have nothing bad to say about this book and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a lovable, snarky villain.
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Release date: 8/29/23
Format: paperback
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