From the Publisher
★★★★★ “An engaging love story about finding strength in vulnerability.” - Kirkus Reviews
★★★★★ “I laughed, I cried, and I wanted to smack both Evie and Trystan over the heads and shout, ‘Get on with it!’. Such a frustratingly wonderful slow-burn of a romance!”
★★★★★ “If you liked 'Assistant to the Villain', RUN to pick this book up. [...] It takes every trope and elevates it with better writing and more feelings. This book came to me at the precise moment I needed it. And I will always be grateful to it for that.”
★★★★★ “Love love love!!! everything about this is just so good 🤌🏻🐸👑🪧”
★★★★★ “Delightful. [...] Exciting. Goofy. Fast paced. I enjoyed this one so much. Perfect book to read.”
★★★★★ “I have no words.”
★★★★★ “UGH I’M IN LOVE.”
★★★★★ “The amount of times i cried during this book was a tad ridiculous 😭 i love these characters, i love this world, i never want it to end!!”
★★★★★ “I need this imprinted on my SOUL. STAT. This was everything 😭”
★★★★★ “⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ALL THE STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved this. I ADORED THIS. I am obsessed. I ate up every single word and I am begging for more. This was one of the BEST books I’ve read this year!! [...] I would read 20 sequels to this series. Incredible.”
★★★★★ “Hannah Nicole Maehrer has done it again with Apprentice to the Villain-a book that spans genres-romance, comedy, fantasy-it’s a little bit of all. This book is funny, suspenseful, surprising and romantic wrapped into one quick read. [...] The only thing I regret about reading this is that I finished it so quickly.”
Kirkus Reviews
2024-06-21
Maehrer presents a fantasy romance novel about a very bad man and his very good employee.
Evie Sage is the resilient and cheerful assistant to Trystan Maverine, an evil overlord known only as The Villain. Despite Trystan's numerous attempts to intimidate and drive her away—including placing a corpse on her desk—Evie’s unwavering optimism and competence gradually disrupt his office’s grim environment. Trystan is a complex character who grapples with his role as his society’s primary antagonist while dealing with various perilous situations and his own deep fear of light and color. Evie’s presence brings a spark of light into his world, challenging his perceptions and stirring long-buried emotions. The plot thickens with the introduction of King Benedict, who falsely accuses Trystan of causing a devastating illness in his kingdom, of being responsible for Evie’s death, and of keeping a mythical creature called a guvre. This leads to Trystan’s capture; later, however, Evie appears at a royal ceremony, revealing that she’s very much alive.This reignites Trystan’s determination, with the help of allies, to expose King Benedict’s true nature. The novel weaves together themes of redemption, loyalty, and the transformative power of love. Throughout, the characters navigate perilous events and heartfelt moments, leading to unexpected alliances. The narrative is marked by fun dialogue (“Nice to see you, too, boss. Might I ask why you just kicked me?”) and a good balance of amusement and seriousness. Evie emerges as a well-developed character, particularly after she and her brother, Gideon, discuss their familial history: “Her mother had loved art, had loved portraits and landscapes of people and places that held meaning to her, but her father had put nearly all of them into storage when her mother disappeared. He said he couldn’t bear to look at them, but now she wondered if his motives were less romantic and more nefarious.” The book’s motifs of personal growth, romance, and overcoming adversity will resonate well with both YA and adult readers.
An engaging love story about finding strength in vulnerability.
