Overall: 🐢🐢🐢🐢
Storyline:
Writing Style:
Character Development:
Enjoyment:
“You can’t just kill people and be pretty. It’s confusing.”
Assistant to The Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
The Story:
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.
Key Elements:
New Adult, Fantasy, Young Adult, Villain, Romance, Assistant, Job, Revenge, Magic, Humor, Slow Burn, Kills, Office, Morally Grey
More in The Series:
- Book 2: Apprentice to the Villain
- Book 3: TBD
Why This Rating?
This was a surprising score for me. I didn’t think I was going to enjoy this book as much as I did. The synopsis sounded a bit cheesy. The small snippet I got to read inside didn’t seem like it was going to be a YA or New adult level of reading – childish almost. And, I know we shouldn’t judge book by cover type deal, but this one had me really wondering what kind of villain this person is gonna be if there is a faery in a jar, a toad with a crown holding a “halp!” sign, and a stack of books that are essentially “being a villain for dummies”. Despite all of those factors, this book was such a fun one to read! Yes, there were certainly cheesy moments but it made the story sweet and quite hilarious. No, this is not a book for any young reader simply from all the killing the villain does alone. And yes, there is a toad with a crown and signs. His story is one I’m eager to get more tea on when the next book comes out! (still waiting on that faery though).
I would say the writing had a very direct tone. Everything was to the point with barely any fluff in the pages. Which is exactly how our main characters are too. The two main characters (Sage and Sir) are both literal thinkers and takes what you say at face value more times than not. This leads to some very humorous encounters with others as we watch them speak their minds with little regard. Just full, unfiltered thoughts and honesty spilling from them. The descriptions were good and helped set the scenes, but the author left a bit of the imagination to the readers to fill in the fine details. We get two POVs in this story, Evie Sage (which is almost exclusively called Sage), who is our Main gal and the Villain, a.k.a Sir. Loved that! But I am a sucker for getting both sides of the story while reading. I always want to be nosy and figure out what our counterpart is up to and thinking.
One thing that got old quick in the writing was the fact everyone addressed our villain as “sir”. He is the boss of this rebel movement against the king and the villain that people fear, sure sure, have your underlings call you something like that no problem. But even Sage? “Good Morning, Sir.” “Have you seen the latest cache reports, sir?” “Sir, would you like me to have someone clean the heads up?”. It was so freaking annoying! I will admit though, it put into perspective the amount of times his real name would have been used in place of “sir” and I wonder if I would be as annoyed. After a point talking cues would play a part if names were used and “sir” is addressing both him and the position. *shrug* who knows. That was my biggest gripe against the writing though.
The relationship that these two have! SO CUTE! I loved the budding relationship that happens between our two main characters so much! Nothing crazy happens and we might see a kiss or two spring up in the pages. But that delicate walk that they perform and gradual falling for each other is adorable to watch. And coming from their cute romance is their teenage shyness (they are full adults) in admitting there is something between the two. There is a chunk of time you can tell the Villain is testing Sage’s stomach to work with him and the killing he does unabashedly toward those who deserve it. Hell, she walks in one day to find a deadman draped across her desk or on regular heads are hanging from the front part of the castle. And Sage is both quirky enough and has a bit of darkness in her to accept and appreciate what this man does for a living. Perfect Match!
And finally, a warning to all, this is a cliffhanger book! I wanted to pick up the second one as soon as that final page closed and found out the next one isn’t out till August 2024. I won’t say it is a vicious one by any means. But dang, when I saw Sage wanting blood for something that happened, my jaw was hanging and I was in shock at everything that spiraled the last 20 pages. I was both applauding and cursing Maehrer for ditching me like that.
….. waiting impatiently for August to get here already…
Time to get lost in the next story!
