Assistant to the Villain (Special Edition Hardcover) (Assistant and the Villain #1)

by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

This book ticks a great many boxes—humor, horror, fantasy, romance. And it manages to fully embrace all of its elements, delivering a compelling narrative oozing with hilarious personality and with no lack of emotional resonance. It's great for fans of Legends & Lattes and The House in the Cerulean Sea.

Don’t miss out on the stunning SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION while supplies last. This breathtaking collectible is only available in the US and Canada only, a must-have for any book lover.

Once Upon a Time meets The Office in instant #1 NY Times bestselling author Hannah Nicole 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 and 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682816349
Publisher:	Entangled Publishing, LLC
Publication date:	09/16/2025
Series:	Assistant and the Villain , #1
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Hannah Nicole Maehrer—or as TikTok knows her, @hannahnicolemae—is a fantasy romance author and BookToker with a propensity for villains. She grew up in Eastern Pennsylvania, watching Disney movies in her favorite rocking chair, where she spent hours imagining her own stories, creating entire worlds among the green walls of her living room. She kept her big dreams close as she went on to graduate with a bachelor’s in psychology from Pennsylvania State University. Until one day her aspirations carried her to a small app on her phone that made those big dreams a reality. After developing the viral Assistant to the Villain TikTok series into a book, Hannah watched that world she always dreamed of take form.

Editorial Reviews

★★★★★ “[...] If The Princess Bride and The Addams Family had a love child, it would be this book. I was laughing from page one to basically the last page [...] It’s just feet kicking, giggling all-around good time. This is high fantasy and yet it’s cozy high fantasy. It’s a warm hug. It’s a good laugh. [...] I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like it. [...] [I]f you’re looking for a good time, if you want to giggle a little bit & swoon, I highly suggest this book.”

★★★★★ “[...] [T]he more I think about this book the more it gives me the warm and fuzzies and total joy and if that's not worth [...] 5 stars I don't know what is ❤️”

★★★★★ “If How to Train Your Dragon had the humor of The Office. Nonstop fun! 👏🏻”

★★★★★ “This book earned every single star. From the sarcastic FMC to the flabbergasted Villain. [...] To say I did not want to put this down was an understatement! [...] [I] went [...] and pre-ordered the second book [...] immediately after finishing this book.”

★★★★★ “Excellent writing! Great twist at the end. I cannot wait to read more by this author. I wish I could give 6 or 7 stars on a 5 star scale.”

★★★★★ “Laugh out freaking loud funny.”

★★★★★ “I never thought this book would make me this happy. I was laughing throughout at all of their antics. [...] Man, I loved all the eccentric and quirky characters in this book along with the beasts. The story and characters had depth. When the twist hit, my jaw was on the floor. The ending was so unexpected and I’m so glad book 2 is already out. Can’t wait to see the new adventures of The Villain, Evie and their mismatched family.”

★★★★★ “I loved this book! I had to force myself to put it down at times! (Early hours times) I will also be forcing everyone I know to read this book! The grumpy sunshine vibes are immaculate and it’s everything you want all in one!”

★★★★★ “6 FREAKING⭐️ OMG🫶🏻 NEW FAVORITE BOOK ALERT [...] I don't think I've ever laughed so much in my life. I was laying down and I had to get up bc I started choking😭😭😭”

★★★★★ “Alright let me just say that this is quite possibly the funniest book I’ve read in a while. The grumpy x sunshine trope is one of my faves (rightly so) and this one just made me FEEL. I went from being giddy to laughing, and then I was shocked and confused. I like being made to feel all the feelings in my fantasy books and it gave me that and so much more. Definitely recommend this one. [...] After that cliffhanger ending I need book 2 please and thank you!”

★★★★★ “The easiest 5 stars I’ve ever given. It was clear from the beginning of the book that this would be 5 stars. [...] I DEVOURED THIS BOOK WHOLEEEE [...] YALL BETTER READ THIS ASAP CUZ YOU MISSING OUT ON THE BEST AND CUTEST GRUMPY X SUNSHINE IVE EVER SEEEEEEEN🙂‍↕️✨️ Excuse me now, i gotta go find the 2nd book CUZ I DO NOT DESERVE TO BE HANGING.”

From the Publisher