I went into Assistant to the Villain expecting brooding capes and dramatic monologues, and instead I got a workplace comedy where the boss just happens to run an evil lair. Let me walk you through the Assistant to the Villain audiobook. On audio, it’s the kind of listen that makes you smile at a red light. If you’ve been burned out on grimdark thrones and heavy spice, this one is a palate cleanser: lighter, sillier, and far more charming than most romantasy on the shelf. Consider this your permission slip to have fun.
Get the Assistant to the Villain Audiobook on AmazonListen on Audible · also in Kindle & printSo what’s Assistant to the Villain about?
Evie Sage needs a job. Her father is ill, bills are stacking up, and the local fairy-tale kingdom isn’t exactly hiring. Then, on a very bad morning in the woods, she has a chance encounter with The Villain himself, a devastatingly handsome man with a fearsome reputation, and somehow walks away employed as his personal assistant. Suddenly her workday includes scheduling, filing, managing a very temperamental office, and pretending the occasional bloodstain is perfectly normal.
What unfolds is part cozy office sitcom, part slow-burn romance. Evie is competent, warm, and quick with a comeback, and The Villain is nowhere near as heartless as his title suggests. There’s a mystery brewing in the background, a cast of oddball coworkers worth rooting for, and a will-they-won’t-they that simmers instead of scorches. I’ll keep the turns to myself, but the joy here is watching a “villain” discover he might actually care about someone.
| Author | Hannah Nicole Maehrer |
|---|---|
| Narrator | Em Eldridge |
| Length | 13h 54m |
The narration: Em Eldridge makes the lair feel alive
The audiobook is narrated by Em Eldridge, with a total runtime of 13 hours and 54 minutes. Eldridge is a big reason this story lands. The comic timing is spot-on, Evie’s dry asides get room to breathe, and The Villain’s voice carries just enough menace to sell the reputation while letting the softness sneak through. The ensemble gets distinct, playful shading too, so the office banter never blurs together. It’s an expressive, character-forward performance that leans into the humor without tipping into caricature.
Should you spend a credit on it?
Yes, especially if you want something low-stress and genuinely funny. At just under fourteen hours it’s a comfortable length, and Eldridge’s narration adds real value to the banter-heavy writing, which is exactly the kind of thing that shines out loud. It’s not an epic, world-shaking saga, and it isn’t trying to be. If you know you’re in the mood for cozy and charming, this is an easy credit to spend.
Who I’d hand this to
Press play if you love enemies-to-something romance, workplace comedy, found-family warmth, and a slow burn you can enjoy around the whole family. It’s cozy, low-spice, and heavy on the humor, so it’s ideal for listeners who want butterflies over heat. If you’re chasing dark, angsty, high-spice romantasy or intricate political worldbuilding, you may find this too breezy, and that’s fair, it’s a comfort read by design.
Where to go from here
- Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross — if you want to keep the fantasy-romance slow burn going with a bit more ache.
- The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood — for the witty banter and low-spice, laugh-out-loud slow burn.
- Powerless by Lauren Roberts — another accessible, romance-forward fantasy with a swoony forbidden pairing.
How to listen to Assistant to the Villain
You can find the audiobook on Audible and Amazon. New listeners can grab it with an Audible free trial, or simply buy it outright and keep it in your library forever. Prefer to read along or switch formats? It’s also available in Kindle and print, so you can flip between the page and Em Eldridge’s narration whenever the mood strikes.
Get the Assistant to the Villain Audiobook on AmazonListen on Audible · also in Kindle & printA few quick questions
Who narrates the Assistant to the Villain audiobook?
It’s narrated by Em Eldridge, whose comic timing and expressive character work bring Evie, The Villain, and the whole lair to life.
How long is the Assistant to the Villain audiobook?
The total runtime is 13 hours and 54 minutes, a comfortable length that never overstays its welcome.
Is Assistant to the Villain spicy?
No, it’s a cozy, low-spice slow burn. The focus is on humor, banter, and a sweet, simmering romance rather than heat.
Do I need to read the series in order?
Yes, start with Book 1. It’s the first in the series and sets up the characters and the ongoing mystery, so it’s the natural place to begin.