Leisure Reading

Antagonistic Hero

Assistant to the Villain

by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

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, 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.

Review by Alex Boris - Social Sciences Librarian

This was such an oddly cute, funny, and adventure-filled read. Evie lost her mother and older brother at a young age, and soon after, her father became ill, leaving her to be the breadwinner for her father and younger sister. However, keeping a job in her small town is a hard task. After losing another job, Evie goes into the woods on her way home and runs into none other than the infamous villain. "The Villain", who is surprisingly attractive, accidentally drags Evie with him back to his lair when he randomly offers her a job as his assistant. With nothing to lose, Evie agrees and so goes her first 6 months as The Villain's assistant. 

Honestly, I love the main character, Evie. She is optimistic to a fault, even when faced with severed heads and dragons at work. Also, her work ethic is impeccable. Loyal to the end, Evie will do anything to help her new boss succeed, whether she agrees with his methods or not. The Villain is also an interesting character. He is dark, mysterious, and surprisingly soft towards his new assistant. If anyone tries to hurt Evie, or even says too harsh of a word about her, he immediately gets defensive and doesn't understand why.

Filled with severed heads, dragons, and a bit of romance, this book is a great read for anyone looking for a light fantasy read. If you like a book where the main male character asks "who did this to you?", then you have found the right book with Assistant to the Villain. 

You can find this book in the Pendergrass Library Leisure Reading Collection. Check it out and let us know what you think of the book! Make sure to tag your responses on social media with #utksharedshelf so we can see what you think! 

* Book Description and image provided by Goodreads