“You just can’t kill people and be pretty. It’s confusing.”

This book was cute, and it does have a lot of potential, but I’m not sure it deserves all the hype it gets. I enjoyed the characters and the setting very much though. I’m also really digging the slow burn happening between Evie and The Villain (Trystan), and I love that we get The Villains POV from time to time, but I think it was a bit too long for what it was, and I had a hard time with the level of cringe it contained. There were some very funny, laugh out loud moments, but the cringe levels were so high before and after such moments that they weren’t enough for me to love it.

The ‘bad guy’ was kind of obvious and when it was revealed the personality turnaround was truly insane. I honestly had a hard time reading that dialogue.

This book ends on a cliffhanger, and a lot of questions about a lot of things, and I didn’t dislike it enough not to find out how everything is going to play out. Therefore, I’ll more than likely be reading the rest of the series in 2026. Might be best not to read the rest in between prose heavy books like I did this time though, best to hang onto them for when I’m feeling in the mood for something light hearted and whimsical.

“Of all the foolish, horrific things he’d ever accomplished, falling in love with a woman he so completely didn’t deserve made the top of the list.”

Synopsis:

Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah 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.