Apprentice to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain #2) | Review

Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"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?"

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Apprentice to the Villain is the second novel in Assistant to the Villain, a fantasy series by Hannah Nicole Maehrer.

Let me start off by saying that I loved Assistant to the Villain. It gave me exactly what I wanted in a romance novel, which was witty banter and sass. I ended up speeding my way through the book, only to realize that it was a new series and the second book had yet to come out. I was rather devastated since if it were a complete series, I probably would have finished it. Luckily, though, the next book was due to release soon enough, and here we are.

As expected, I ended up loving this one as well. Thankfully, it didn't end up falling to second-book syndrome, which is a miracle. The characters remained just as lovable and sassy as they were in the first book, and the quips that were thrown were hilarious. Lines like "Does your mind live in the gutter? No, but it does rent there on occassion," and "what a remarkable young woman. An understatement, I assure you," had me cracking up and grinning.

To be fair, I can barely remember the plot since by the time I am writing this review, it has been months since I read it. But I still remember squealing at Evie and The Villain's interactions. Even side characters like Becky really worked. She is what I hoped Nesta from ACOTAR would be like. A bit unberable and a bit of a bitch, but an amusing one.

I am now, once again, waiting for the next book in the series. It is expected to be released in two months, so thankfully not a long wait. If you do like your romances the way I do, with a lot of back-and-forth quips and wit, then please give this series a shot even if you don't like fantasy.