Series: Assistant and the Villain (4 books)
Author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Books: Assistant to the Villain (2023), Apprentice to the Villain (2024), Accomplice to the Villain (2025), Adversary to the Villain (August 2026)
Publisher: Red Tower Books (Entangled Publishing)
Genre: Romantasy, Fantasy Romance, Romantic Comedy
Tropes: Grumpy/sunshine, Boss/employee, Slow burn, Found family, Workplace romance
Spice Level: 2/5 (Moderate – explicit open door in later books)
What Happens When The Office Meets Once Upon a Time?
You get a #1 New York Times bestseller, a viral TikTok phenomenon with over 200 episodes, and one of the most unexpectedly delightful romantasy series to capture BookTok's heart. Hannah Nicole Maehrer's Assistant to the Villain began as a series of comedic skits on TikTok and transformed into a publishing sensation that proves sometimes the best job in the kingdom is working for the bad guy.
The premise is irresistible: what if you desperately needed a job and accidentally ended up as the personal assistant to your realm's most notorious villain? What if said villain was devastatingly handsome, surprisingly kind to his employees, and absolutely terrible at recognising his own feelings? What if the dungeon had excellent benefits and the HR manager was more terrifying than any monster?
Maehrer has crafted something genuinely unique; a fantasy romance that reads like a workplace comedy, complete with staff meetings, employee drama, and one very judgmental frog named Kingsley who communicates entirely through hand-held signs.
The Series at a Glance
Book | Title | Published | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Assistant to the Villain | August 2023 | ✓ Available |
2 | Apprentice to the Villain | August 2024 | ✓ Available |
3 | Accomplice to the Villain | August 2025 | ✓ Available |
4 | Adversary to the Villain | August 2026 | Pre-order |
Accolades:
Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller (multiple entries)
Goodreads Choice Award Finalist 2023 & 2025 (Romantasy)
Likewise Choice Award Finalist
Spotify Best Romantasy Audiobooks 2025
Screen rights acquired by Legendary Television (2023)
Book 1: Assistant to the Villain
The Premise
Evie Sage is desperate. With an ailing father, a young sister to support, and no job prospects after leaving her previous position (her boss got handsy, and she refused to tolerate it), she's willing to consider almost any employment opportunity. So when a chance encounter with the kingdom of Rennedawn's most infamous Villain results in an unexpected job offer, she says yes.
The role? Personal assistant to Trystan Maverine, the terrifying overlord everyone whispers about in fear. The workplace? A manor the villagers have dubbed "Massacre Manor," complete with severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the occasional errant eyeball underfoot. The benefits? Actually excellent.
Evie quickly discovers that being assistant to an evil villain suits her surprisingly well. She's organised, unflappable, and possesses an optimism so aggressive it physically pains her grumpy boss. But when sabotage threatens the Villain's operations; someone is leaking information to King Benedict; Evie must help uncover the traitor whilst resisting her completely inappropriate crush on her devastatingly handsome employer.
What Makes It Special
The first book establishes the series' signature tone: sharp workplace humour wrapped around genuine emotional stakes. Maehrer excels at juxtaposing corporate absurdity with fantasy elements. Staff meetings discussing "Dark Things In General." HR policies for handling poison. Performance reviews that might involve beheading.
Evie is pure sunshine; optimistic, kind, fiercely loyal; but she's not naive. She's a woman who has learned to survive difficult circumstances with a smile, hiding her pain behind cheerfulness. Her dynamic with Trystan creates delicious tension: she infuriates him with her brightness, challenges his cynicism, and slowly reveals the man beneath the villain's mask.
The supporting cast shines from page one. Kingsley the frog (who communicates via signs and judges everyone accordingly), Blade the dragon trainer, Tatianna the healer, Becky the intimidating HR manager; each character adds texture to this wonderfully weird workplace.
The mystery of the traitor provides genuine stakes, and the revelation at the book's end delivers an emotional gut-punch that sets up the series' larger arc beautifully.
Potential Considerations
Some readers find the first 75% heavily focused on character establishment rather than plot progression. The workplace comedy elements may feel repetitive to readers seeking faster pacing. The cliffhanger ending will leave you desperate for book two.
Book 2: Apprentice to the Villain
The Premise
Evie has never been happier to be the assistant to The Villain. Who knew working for an outrageously handsome evil overlord could be so rewarding? But Rennedawn is in grave trouble, and all signs; Kingsley's included; point to catastrophe.
Something peculiar is happening with the kingdom's magic. It's made Trystan's manor vulnerable to their enemies, including their nemesis, King Benedict. With The Villain somewhat... out-of-evil-office... Evie must step up to protect everything they've built.
It's time for Evie to learn new skills. Like treason. Dagger work. Conspiring with the enemy. It's all so delightfully fun. But what happens when the assistant to The Villain is ready to become his apprentice?
What Makes It Special
Book two addresses the pacing concerns from the first instalment. Maehrer maintains the beloved banter and workplace chaos whilst delivering a more structured plot with genuine forward momentum. The stakes escalate considerably; we're dealing with dying magic, kingdom-wide threats, and increasingly dangerous enemies.
The romantic tension between Evie and Trystan reaches painful levels. He's desperately in love with her; she's developing powers she doesn't understand; neither will simply communicate their feelings. It's delicious, agonising slow-burn at its finest.
Multiple POVs expand the world. We see events through Trystan's perspective, revealing how utterly devoted (and emotionally constipated) he truly is. Rebecca "Becky" Erring gets development that transforms her from intimidating HR manager to complex character with a tragic backstory.
The mystery of Evie's awakening powers and her complicated family history deepens. The book ends on another significant cliffhanger, with revelations that recontextualise everything we thought we knew.
Potential Considerations
Some readers find Trystan's emotional push-pull repetitive; he commits to pursuing Evie, retreats, commits again. The expanding cast and multiple storylines can feel overwhelming. Fantasy world-building remains somewhat secondary to character dynamics.
Book 3: Accomplice to the Villain
The Premise
REWARD OFFERED: Apprentice to The Villain wanted for treason (light), magical property damage (alleged), and one incident involving a weaponised scone (accurate). Frequently seen with a grumpy frog (crowned, judgmental). Answers to "Evie" or "Stop that."
Evie Sage didn't mean to become the right-hand woman to the kingdom's most terrifying villain. One minute, she was applying for an entry-level position that promised "light paperwork and occasional beheadings," and the next, she was knee-deep in magical mayhem, murder plots, and an entirely inappropriate crush on her brooding, sharp-jawed, walking disaster of a boss.
Now, with a magical prophecy unravelling, assassins showing up in the break room, and a suspicious number of frogs wearing crowns, Evie has to figure out how to survive her job without setting the kingdom on fire; or her dignity, which is hanging by a very sarcastic thread.
Being evil-adjacent was never part of the five-year plan. But then again... neither was falling for The Villain.
What Makes It Special
Accomplice delivers on the promise of Evie and Trystan's relationship. After three books of slow-burn tension, readers finally get payoff; though Maehrer maintains her signature ability to make readers work for every moment of satisfaction.
The book expands significantly on side characters and their arcs. Kingsley's backstory receives substantial attention, including how he became a frog and the increasingly urgent need to break his curse as magic fades from the world. The Clare/Tatianna romance progresses. Becky's complicated family history comes into focus.
Themes of generational trauma permeate the narrative. Nearly every character grapples with terrible parents, childhood wounds, and the patterns that shape us. It's emotionally richer than previous instalments, providing genuine depth beneath the humour.
The prophecy driving the series' overarching plot advances significantly, setting up the finale with major revelations and raised stakes.
Potential Considerations
The pacing divides readers; some find it slower than previous books, with the plot taking a backseat to character development and side quests. Multiple POVs and storylines may feel scattered. The book clearly functions as setup for the finale, which some readers find frustrating.
Book 4: Adversary to the Villain
Release Date: 4th August 2026
What We Know
The highly anticipated conclusion to the series promises to resolve the prophecy threatening Rennedawn, conclude Evie and Trystan's romantic journey, and answer the lingering questions about magic, family, and what it truly means to be a villain; or a hero.
Given the series' trajectory, expect emotional payoffs, surprising revelations, and plenty of chaotic workplace energy. Barnes & Noble exclusive editions will feature alternate covers, sprayed edges, and bonus chapters from new POVs.
The Characters
Evangelina "Evie" Sage
The 23-year-old protagonist who left school at thirteen to care for her baby sister after their mother abandoned them and their father became ill. Pretty, with curly black hair and light blue eyes, Evie embodies the "sunshine" half of the grumpy/sunshine dynamic with aggressive optimism that masks deep pain.
Evie's defining trait is her ability to find brightness in darkness whilst remaining utterly practical about violence and moral ambiguity. She's unbothered by severed heads and quite efficient at organising torture schedules. Throughout the series, she evolves from passive survivor to active agent of change, discovering powers she never knew she possessed and learning to assert her own needs.
Readers particularly connect with her relatable exhaustion with being everyone's caretaker and her journey toward recognising her own worth.
Trystan Maverine (The Villain)
The kingdom's most feared figure is devastatingly handsome, emotionally constipated, and absolutely terrible at processing his feelings for his assistant. His magical ability to see anyone's weakness makes him incredibly dangerous; and incredibly lonely.
Trystan's villain reputation hides a man who genuinely cares for his employees, created his evil empire to oppose a corrupt king, and would have been perfectly happy as a baker if life had gone differently. His dry wit, protective instincts, and obvious adoration for Evie (which he refuses to acknowledge) make him irresistible.
The series gradually reveals his tragic backstory, terrible family, and the circumstances that transformed him into Rennedawn's boogeyman. He's the perfect grumpy hero; sharp edges hiding a soft centre.
Kingsley
A frog. A very judgemental frog who communicates entirely through hand-held signs and facial expressions. Also, secretly a prince cursed into amphibian form.
Kingsley is Trystan's childhood friend and provides some of the series' best comedic moments. His signs range from sarcastic commentary to surprisingly emotional support. As magic dies throughout the series, his condition worsens; he begins forgetting he's human, becoming more frog-like; adding urgency to breaking his curse.
He gets his own POV chapter in book three, which fans unanimously adore.
The Supporting Cast
Blade: Dragon trainer with a mysterious past connected to King Benedict. Falls for one of Trystan's Malevolent Guards.
Tatianna: The healer with a complicated romantic history with Clare and expertise in magical potions.
Clare/Clarissa: Trystan's sister with her own complicated loyalties and slow-burn romance with Tatianna.
Rebecca "Becky" Erring: The HR manager everyone fears. Her backstory reveals tragedy and depth beneath the intimidation.
Lyssa Sage: Evie's younger sister who shows signs of becoming formidable in her own right.
The TikTok Origin Story
What makes this series remarkable is its origin. Before the novel existed, Hannah Nicole Maehrer created "Assistant to the Villain" as a TikTok series; short comedic videos depicting workplace dynamics between a sunshine assistant and her grumpy villain boss.
The series accumulated over 200 episodes, millions of views, and a passionate fanbase demanding more. Maehrer played the title character herself, establishing the comedic tone and character dynamics that would transfer to the novels.
Entangled Publishing's Red Tower Books acquired the project, and Maehrer developed her viral concept into a full novel. Assistant to the Villain debuted at #2 on the New York Times Bestsellers List for fiction in August 2023, coming in only behind another Entangled title, Fourth Wing.
In December 2023, following a competitive auction, Legendary Television acquired screen rights to develop the series, with Maehrer attached as executive producer. The adaptation is currently in development; perfect news for fans who've been fancasting Evie and Trystan since page one.
Perfect For Fans Of
If you love Assistant to the Villain, you might also enjoy:
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree – Cosy fantasy with workplace vibes
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune – Found family with similar warmth
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas – Fantasy romance with fae courts
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood – Grumpy/sunshine academic romance
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson – Fantasy romance with books and magic
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab – Fantasy with romance elements
Heartless by Marissa Meyer – Villain origin story with romance
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books are in the series?
Four books total. Books 1-3 are available now. Adversary to the Villain (book 4) releases August 4th, 2026.
What's the spice level?
Moderate. The series starts with slow-burn tension and stolen glances, escalating to explicit open-door scenes in later books. The spice serves the romance rather than overwhelming the plot.
Is there a TV adaptation coming?
Yes! Legendary Television acquired screen rights in December 2023. The series is currently in development, with Hannah Nicole Maehrer attached as executive producer. No release date has been announced.
Do I need to read them in order?
Absolutely. Each book ends on significant cliffhangers and builds directly on previous events. Starting mid-series would spoil major revelations.
Is this a completed series?
Not yet. Three of four books are published. Adversary to the Villain (August 2026) will conclude the series.
Is this YA or adult?
Adult fantasy romance. Despite the lighthearted tone, the series contains violence, mature themes, and explicit romantic content in later books.
Where did this series come from?
Hannah Nicole Maehrer created "Assistant to the Villain" as a viral TikTok series before developing it into novels. The videos starred Maehrer herself and accumulated millions of views.
Is there an audiobook?
Yes! The audiobooks are narrated by Em Eldridge and consistently praised for bringing the characters to life.
How funny is it actually?
Very. The humour is the series' defining characteristic. Expect workplace comedy, dry wit, absurdist situations, and characters who are simultaneously dealing with severed heads and performance reviews. If you've ever worked in an office and thought "this is hell," you'll appreciate the fantasy equivalent.
Why You Should Read Assistant to the Villain
For the Humour: Genuinely funny fantasy is rare. This series delivers consistent laughs whilst maintaining emotional stakes.
For Evie and Trystan: Their grumpy/sunshine dynamic is executed with such affection and care. Watching these two dance around their feelings across four books is delicious agony.
For the Found Family: The Villain's manor staff becomes a true family; dysfunctional, chaotic, fiercely loyal. You'll fall for them all.
For the Subverted Expectations: The villain isn't actually evil. The hero king is actually corrupt. The assistant is secretly formidable. Nothing is quite what it seems.
For Kingsley: A judgemental frog who communicates via signs deserves his own entry on this list. He's become an icon.
For the Originality: How many fantasy romances genuinely make you laugh? How many feel like workplace comedies? This series occupies a unique niche.
For the Heart: Beneath the humour lies genuine emotional resonance; themes of trauma, family, self-worth, and finding where you belong.
Final Thoughts
Hannah Nicole Maehrer has accomplished something genuinely special with the Assistant to the Villain series. She's proven that viral TikTok content can become legitimate literary success. She's created a world where severed heads and HR policies coexist naturally. She's written a romance that makes readers simultaneously laugh and swoon.
Is it literary fiction? No. Does it take itself too seriously? Never. Is it exactly what readers need sometimes; comfort food fantasy with heart, humour, and an absolutely devastating slow burn? Absolutely.
The series represents modern romantasy at its most entertaining: self-aware, trope-savvy, and unashamed of its purpose. It exists to make you smile, make you swoon, and make you desperately need the next instalment.
Four books in, and readers are still desperate for more. That says everything.
Adversary to the Villain can't come soon enough.
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Books Featured in This Article
Assistant to the Villain
by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
From the creator of a viral TikTok series about the sunshine assistant to the evil villain and their unexpected romance comes the most hotly-anticipated romantic fantasy book of the the year!ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, level-headed 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... Readers cannot wait to read Assistant to the Villain: 'Giggling. Kicking my feet. I can't wait to read this!''I have never been so hyped for a book before''Catch me in line to get one of the first copies wherever it's sold''OMG finally!! I can't wait to have it in my hands!'
Apprentice to the Villain
by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
"An engaging love story about finding strength in vulnerability." ―Kirkus ReviewsThe Instant New York Times Bestseller!A Goodreads Choice Award nominee, Readers’ Favorite RomantasyAn Amazon Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Book of 2024NOTICE TO STAFF: There has been a disturbing increase in cheeriness, sprightly behavior, and overall optimism of late. Please resume your former dark, ominous terrors at your earliest convenience. —MgmtEvie Sage has never been happier to be the assistant to The Villain. Who would have thought that working for an outrageously handsome (shhh, bad for his brand) evil overlord would be so rewarding? Still, the business of being bad is demanding, the forces of good are annoyingly persistent, and said forbidding boss is somewhat...er, out-of-evil-office.But Rennedawn is in grave trouble, and all signs—Kingsley’s included—point to catastrophe. Something peculiar is happening with the kingdom’s magic, and it’s made The Villain’s manor vulnerable to their enemies...including their nemesis, the king.Now it’s time for Evie to face her greatest challenge: protecting The Villain’s lair, all of his nefarious works, and maybe (provided no one finds out) the entire kingdom. No pressure, Evie.It’s time to step out of her comfort zone and learn new skills. Like treason. Dagger work. Conspiring with the enemy. It’s all so...so...delightfully fun.But what happens when the assistant to The Villain is ready to become his apprentice? The Assistant and the Villain series is best enjoyed in order.Reading Order:Book #1 Assistant to the VillainBook #2 Apprentice to the VillainBook #3 Accomplice to the Villain
Accomplice to the Villain
by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
REWARD OFFERED- Apprentice to The Villain wanted for treason (light), magical property damage (alleged), and one incident involving a weaponized scone (accurate). Frequently seen with a grumpy frog (crowned, judgmental). Answers to "Evie" or "Stop that." Evie Sage didn't mean to become the right-hand woman to the kingdom's most terrifying villain. One minute, she was applying for an entry-level position that promised "light paperwork and occasional beheadings," and the next, she was knee-deep in magical mayhem, murder plots, and an entirely inappropriate crush on her brooding, sharp-jawed, walking disaster of a boss. Now, with a magical prophecy unraveling, assassins showing up in the break room, and a suspicious amount of frogs wearing crowns, Evie has to figure out how to survive her job without setting the kingdom on fire?or her dignity, which is hanging by a very sarcastic thread. Being evil-adjacent was never part of the five-year plan. But then again...neither was falling for The Villain. Readers can't wait to get their hands on a copy- 'I have never been so hyped for a book before' 'I will be buying this book so quickly even the dragon will be spooked!!' 'OMG finally!! I can't wait to have it in my hands!' 'As soon as it is out, I am going to run to buy it!! Cannot wait.' 'Giggling. Kicking my feet. I can't wait to read this!' 'I love this series so much, I've been hooked since the beginning. I'm so excited for the book.' 'I love Evie and the Villain so I NEED it.'