Apprentice to the Villain

by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Return to the world of TikTok favorite and former B&N Monthly Pick Assistant to the Villain. Fall in love with the villain — and have a deviously fun time doing it.

LIMITED FIRST PRINT RUN―featuring spray-painted edges, while supplies last in the US and Canada only.

"An engaging love story about finding strength in vulnerability." ―Kirkus Reviews

The Instant New York Times Bestseller!

NOTICE 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. —Mgmt

Evie 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 Villain

Book #2 Apprentice to the Villain

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781649377173
Publisher:	Entangled Publishing, LLC
Publication date:	08/06/2024
Series:	Assistant and the Villain , #2
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	3,481
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(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

09/02/2024

The hijinks and inner battle between good and evil continue in Maehrer’s heart-racing sequel to BookTok favorite Assistant to the Villain. With Trystan, the eponymous villain, kidnapped, Evie, his improbably cheery apprentice turned lover, will do anything to get him back, even if the plan she hatches involves her temporarily dying. As her ruse is revealed, however, so are Evie and Trystan’s secret identities, putting them in even greater danger from the forces of good, led by the king. With help from surprising new allies, the duo work together to thwart the king and save magic. When Trystan receives a dire warning, however, he realizes that to protect Evie from harm, he has to stop loving her—but fighting his feelings proves harder than he expected, especially as stubborn Evie won’t let him go without a fight. The cast is as funny, imperfect, and endearing as ever, and the central romance sings. Fans of the first book will get all that they came for. Agent: Brent Taylor, Triada US Literary. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"An engaging love story about finding strength in vulnerability." ―Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

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.

Kirkus Reviews