The Assistant to the Villain Series in Order

About the Assistant to the Villain series

Series Premise

At its core, the premise follows Evangelina "Evie" Sage, a kind-hearted, perpetually optimistic young woman struggling to support her family after repeated job losses. Desperate for employment, she literally bumps into the notorious Villain of the kingdom of Rennedawn and—through a mix of bad luck, quick thinking, and sheer sunshine energy—lands the job as his personal assistant. Evie finds herself thrust into the chaotic, morally ambiguous world of villainy: managing schedules for terror plots, handling severed heads in the office, wrangling dragon trainers, and dealing with a frog who communicates in sign language. As she navigates the "functionally dysfunctional" lair, Evie uncovers a mole threatening the operation, all while forming an unexpected, slow-burn connection with her grumpy, terrifying boss. The stories explore how an ordinary, relentlessly positive person can humanize even the darkest villain, blending office hijinks with fantasy adventure, budding romance, and the gradual revelation of deeper loyalties and secrets.

Main Characters

• Evie Sage (Evangelina Sage) — The sunshine protagonist and assistant; relentlessly positive, quick-witted, and empathetic, she brings order to chaos while slowly melting her boss's icy exterior with her kindness and competence.



• The Villain (Trystan Maverine) — The brooding, terrifying overlord; outwardly ruthless and intimidating, he hides deeper layers of complexity, vulnerability, and surprising protectiveness, evolving through his growing bond with Evie.



• Kingsley — The sign-language-using frog; a quirky, loyal mascot who adds comic relief and unexpected wisdom to the lair's daily antics.

Setting

The setting is the fantastical kingdom of Rennedawn—a classic high-fantasy world of magic, dragons, enchanted forests, and looming castles, but viewed through the lens of a villain's headquarters. The lair itself is a hilariously bureaucratic nightmare: dimly lit corridors filled with minions, torture chambers repurposed as break rooms, dragon stables, enchanted artifacts gone awry, and an endless supply of baked goods. The contrast between the grim "evil" aesthetic and the everyday office absurdities (paperwork for world domination, employee morale issues) creates a delightfully grounded, relatable fantasy space that feels lived-in and chaotic in the best way.

Tone & Themes

Tonally, the series is playful, irreverent, and heartwarming—think The Office meets Once Upon a Time with a generous dash of cozy fantasy romance. Maehrer's writing sparkles with witty banter, absurd humor (severed heads as office decor, anyone?), and genuine warmth beneath the chaos. The tone stays light and uplifting, even amid villainous schemes, balancing laugh-out-loud moments with tender vulnerability and slow-burn tension. Central themes include seeing the humanity in "monsters," the power of kindness and positivity to change even the darkest hearts, found family in unlikely places, redemption through understanding, loyalty versus self-preservation, and the joy of embracing one's true self amid moral gray areas. The narratives celebrate optimism as a strength, not naivety, and show how connection can thrive in the most unexpected environments.

In the end, the Assistant to the Villain series is a joyful, addictive escape that proves even villains deserve a competent assistant—and maybe a little love. Hannah Nicole Maehrer crafts a world where paperwork meets peril, grumpiness meets sunshine, and the line between hero and villain blurs in the most heartwarming ways. These stories wrap around you like a cozy lair blanket—funny, tender, and utterly charming—leaving you grinning at the absurdity of it all while rooting fiercely for Evie and her Villain to find their happily-ever-after amid the mayhem. If you crave romantasy with workplace comedy, slow-burn tension, and characters who make you laugh and swoon in equal measure, this series will steal your heart faster than a dragon snatches gold.