Dear BookTok fiends and romantasy fans: you get a gift today. Legendary Television has acquired rights to Hannah Nicole Maehrer’s novel Assistant to the Villain (via Deadline). I think of the recently published book like Once Upon a Time meets The Office. Evie Sage, who desperately needs a job, any job, decides to work as an assistant to the nefarious Villain in her village. But is he actually so bad? It’s a romantasy ( romance and fantasy) story so you can imagine where things go.
Published by Red Tower Books, an imprint of Entangled Publishing, Assistant to the Villain started as a TikTok series. In the series, which has been hugely popular on TikTok, Maehrer played the title character. Maehrer then adapted the premise into a novel.
Assistant to the Villain has plenty of elements that would make for an entertaining series, and I can’t wait to see who will play Evie and the Villain. Their chemistry is enchanting, especially backed by quite unusual workplace antics. Here’s the synopsis for the book:
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.
Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.