Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer Summary

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer follows Evie Sage, a young woman who desperately needs employment to support her ailing family. After losing her previous job, she accidentally encounters her kingdom's most notorious villain and ends up working as his assistant at Massacre Manor. The story combines fantasy, romance, and dark humor as Evie navigates severed heads, office politics, and an unexpected attraction to her temperamental boss while uncovering a traitor within his organization.

Hannah Nicole Maehrer is a fantasy romance author and BookToker known on TikTok as @hannahnicolemae. A 2015 Emmaus High School graduate, she studied psychology at Pennsylvania State University before becoming a bestselling author. Maehrer developed her viral TikTok series during the COVID-19 pandemic as a creative outlet, posting fictional storylines that eventually became Assistant to the Villain. The book reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in September 2023.

Assistant to the Villain is perfect for readers who enjoy fantasy romance with dark humor and unconventional workplace settings. Fans of grumpy/sunshine romance tropes, villain-centric stories, and books described as "Once Upon a Time meets The Office" will find this particularly appealing. It's ideal for those who appreciate clever contrasts between good and evil, quirky characters, and slow-burn romance. Readers seeking lighthearted escapism with romantic tension and mystery elements will thoroughly enjoy this debut novel.

Assistant to the Villain is worth reading for its unique premise and viral popularity that launched it to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. The book successfully blends fantasy, romance, and workplace comedy with dark humor. Its origins as a viral TikTok series demonstrate its broad appeal and engaging storytelling. Readers praise its clever spin on classic fairy tale tropes and the entertaining dynamic between the sunshine protagonist and her villainous boss.

The grumpy/sunshine dynamic in Assistant to the Villain centers on the contrast between Evie Sage's optimistic, cheerful personality and The Villain's dark, temperamental nature. Evie maintains her sunny disposition despite working among severed heads and eyeballs, often making jokes and finding humor in macabre situations. The Villain, Trystan, rarely laughs but finds himself drawn to Evie's brightness, creating tension as she develops feelings for her terrifying yet undeniably attractive boss. This opposites-attract romance drives the story's emotional core.

The traitor mystery in Assistant to the Villain revolves around someone sabotaging The Villain's operations by compromising his cargo shipments. The Villain's business runs on illegal goods stolen from King Benedict, but for the first time, the king appears to be striking back. As shipments are intercepted, The Villain suspects a mole within his organization at Massacre Manor. Evie must navigate office politics with rivals like Becky while investigating who is betraying her boss and threatening to destroy his entire nefarious empire.

Assistant to the Villain originated during the COVID-19 pandemic when Hannah Nicole Maehrer created fictional storylines as a creative outlet on TikTok under @hannahnicolemae. These storylines featured consistent characters, personalities, and settings that eventually formed the plot of her debut novel. The series went viral on TikTok, gaining massive popularity before Maehrer developed it into a full-fledged book. This unconventional path to publication, combined with traditional fairy tale inspiration, created a unique blend that resonated with modern audiences.

At the end of Assistant to the Villain, Evie and Trystan are ambushed by King Benedict and his Valiant Guard, who use special restraints to capture The Villain. The king gives Otto permission to kill Evie, but she overcomes the cursed blade's pain and kills Otto instead. With help from a mysterious Valiant Guard member, Evie escapes and returns to the manor. Embracing her evil side, she displays Otto's severed head and vows to rescue The Villain or become a villain herself.

Assistant to the Villain is the first book in a series by Hannah Nicole Maehrer. The subsequent books are titled Apprentice to the Villain and Accomplice to the Villain. The series continues following Evie Sage and The Villain's story beyond the first book's cliffhanger ending. The ongoing series allows readers to further explore the fantasy romance world of Rennedawn, the developing relationship between the main characters, and the larger conflict with King Benedict.

Evie Sage and The Villain, whose name is Trystan, share a slow-burn romance built on workplace proximity and unexpected connection. Despite his evil deeds, Evie finds herself distracted by Trystan's good looks and rare moments of humor. The relationship develops over five months as Evie works as his assistant, with tension building through protective gestures and near-kisses interrupted by Kingsley the magical frog. Trystan eventually begs for Evie's life when she's captured, revealing deeper feelings beneath his villainous exterior.

Family is Evie Sage's primary motivation in Assistant to the Villain. She desperately needs employment to support her ailing father, Griffin Sage, who has contracted the Mystic Illness, and her ten-year-old sister, Lyssa. Evie's mother, Nura Sage, disappeared after accidentally killing Evie's brother Gideon with magic. The family tragedy and her father's declining health drive Evie to accept the dangerous position working for The Villain, as financial necessity outweighs safety concerns. She lies to her family, telling them she works as a maid.

Assistant to the Villain stands out through its workplace comedy setting within a villain's lair, blending fantasy romance with office dynamics reminiscent of "The Office". The protagonist works as an actual assistant handling paperwork, ledgers, and bureaucratic tasks alongside the mayhem. Its dark humor—featuring severed heads as office décor and casual torture as workplace background noise—contrasts sharply with Evie's cheerful optimism. The villain-as-love-interest perspective and TikTok-to-book origin story also distinguish it from traditional fantasy romance narratives.