Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
"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."
Assistant to the Villain is the first novel in a fantasy series of the same name by Hannah Nicole Maehrer.
I am simultaneously overjoyed and devastated that I found this book. Overjoyed because this book was good, like really good. Devastated because once I finished this book I wanted to immediately continue the series only to find out that this is a newish release, and the second book isn't even out yet. It was so good that I barely took any notes...so this review is going to be pretty much just a short gushing session.
This book managed to be cozy and witty all in one. We follow Evie Sage who, down on her luck, ends up under the employment of a man known simply as The Villain. When their first interaction involves the sentence 'you can't just kill people and be pretty, it's confusing', I knew I was going to love the book if not for their dynamic alone. I love witty banter, that is exactly what I am looking for in a good romance, and this book knocked that out of the park. Evie and The Villain were both well-written characters on their own, but together their interactions were adorable and you find yourself unconditionally rooting for them.
As for the plot, sure it is not the most complex, but the chaos of The Villain and his business are enough to keep you entertained throughout the entire book. The stakes are high enough as well which is a nice touch.
Overall, I 10/10 recommend reading this if you, like me, want a romance similar to Dmitri and Anya from Anastacia with the charm of a cozy fantasy book. For a debut novel, Mahrer absolutely knocked it out of the park and it deserved all the hype.
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