Review by Scribe After Five
Nov 27Oh my, this was such a fun read. I stumbled on some fanart for this book on Pinterest and picked it up on a whim, totally unaware that there were already two books out and another on the way in 2026. Zero regrets.
The playfulness of this story hooked me immediately. The concept of being the assistant to the Villain? Absolutely yes. After reading so many romantasies where the FMC and MMC fall into the same two power dynamics, it felt refreshing to watch things unfold from the perspective of a so-called “side character”—Evie, the assistant to Trystan, our resident Villain.
I adored Evie. She really is a little tornado—awkward, funny, chaotic in the most “fake it till you make it” way, and wildly competent when it counts. She feels like someone who deserves every ounce of love thrown at her. Honestly, she gives Disney princess energy in the best possible way.
And Trystan, who tries so hard to be this cold, brooding Villain when he’s really just morally gray with commitment issues, is the perfect foil to Evie’s sunshine. Their dynamic is quirky, creative, and genuinely enjoyable.
If anything, I wish the book leaned a bit harder into the darker side of things. We lose some of Trystan’s “villain brutality” at times, which could’ve made him even more compelling. But it’s book one, and there’s clearly plenty left to uncover.
Kingsley—with his signs and one-word comments—had me laughing, and I cannot wait to see more of him. And that plot twist? Completely blindsided me in the best way. I’m curious to see how it all unravels in book two.
I’m giving this a solid 3 stars for now—the setup is strong, and the world and characters have so much room to grow. Overall, a delight. Picking up book two immediately.
Song choice: imgonnagetyouback by Taylor Swift
Oh my, this was such a fun read. I stumbled on some fanart for this book on Pinterest and picked it up on a whim, totally unaware that there were already two books out and another on the way in 2026. Zero regrets.
The playfulness of this story hooked me immediately. The concept of being the assistant to the Villain? Absolutely yes. After reading so many romantasies where the FMC and MMC fall into the same two power dynamics, it felt refreshing to watch things unfold from the perspective of a so-called “side character”—Evie, the assistant to Trystan, our resident Villain.
I adored Evie. She really is a little tornado—awkward, funny, chaotic in the most “fake it till you make it” way, and wildly competent when it counts. She feels like someone who deserves every ounce of love thrown at her. Honestly, she gives Disney princess energy in the best possible way.
And Trystan, who tries so hard to be this cold, brooding Villain when he’s really just morally gray with commitment issues, is the perfect foil to Evie’s sunshine. Their dynamic is quirky, creative, and genuinely enjoyable.
If anything, I wish the book leaned a bit harder into the darker side of things. We lose some of Trystan’s “villain brutality” at times, which could’ve made him even more compelling. But it’s book one, and there’s clearly plenty left to uncover.
Kingsley—with his signs and one-word comments—had me laughing, and I cannot wait to see more of him. And that plot twist? Completely blindsided me in the best way. I’m curious to see how it all unravels in book two.
I’m giving this a solid 3 stars for now—the setup is strong, and the world and characters have so much room to grow. Overall, a delight. Picking up book two immediately.
Song choice: imgonnagetyouback by Taylor Swift
