Assistant to the Villain: Assistant to the Villain, Book 1

THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

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 and 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.

The Assistant and the Villain series is best enjoyed in order.
Reading Order:
Book #1 Assistant to the Villain
Book #2 Apprentice to the Villain
Book #3 Accomplice to the Villain
Book #4 Adversary to the Villain

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Published Aug 29, 2023

368 pages

Average rating: 7.5

765 RATINGS

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✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *Assistant to the Villain* is a lighthearted, witty fantasy featuring fun villain/assistant banter and quirky characters like Kingsley the...

Karla
Apr 10, 2026
10/10 stars
I loved this book!!
I love their slow burning love and I can’t wait to get more of it! I thought it was a great, fun little read.
Sharpquill14
Mar 05, 2026
10/10 stars
This quirky take on enemies to lovers will have you laughing, crying, and have you questioning everything you thought you knew! This book has it all!
Sarah Habeeb
Oct 20, 2025
10/10 stars
One of the funniest things I’ve read all year! I loved this book so much and I can’t wait to read the rest!
fromlizaslibrary
Oct 22, 2024
10/10 stars
LOVE! This was such a good book! I liked the fantasy of this because it was nothing too crazy but was still fantastical enough (ie, Kingsley my fav!) I loved Evie SO much! I felt a lot of similarities to Feyre which might be why but I think she's such a badass and does not even recognize it! Now Trystan... SO HOT! Talk about a morally gray MMC; he is top notch and I am obsessed! I also think having his POV made me love him even more since we get to see how much he cares for Evie. I wish there was some more romance or even a little spice but I just really wanted some shared feelings between the villain and Evie! I enjoyed the plot twists we got especially when they are setting us up for the next book, because I just love a series! Even though it stinks we have to wait until August for book 2! Plus, I guess I gotta check out the TikToks that this book stemmed from!
faetedfantasy
Aug 18, 2024
8/10 stars
If you’re considering reading this book, please do!
It’s not super high stakes, it’s cute, witty and has a great grumpy/sunshine slow burn romance.

I can’t wait to read the next book in the series’

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