APPRENTICE TO THE VILLAIN by Hannah Nicole Mahrer picks up where Assistant to the Villain left off – with Evie Sage in a plot to rescue her boss, The Villain. With the help of a mysterious knight in the King’s service, Evie rescues him from the King’s clutches. 

But their victory is short-lived when something goes awry with the kingdom’s magic, and their evil headquarters are put at risk of being exposed.  As they begin to research how to get back to malevolent business as usual, they dive deeper into familial bonds.  The search leads to the mystery of what became of Evie’s mother, and they discover a few long-buried secrets and encounter some of Trystan’s own family's past as well. 

In Assistant to the Villain, Evie was making a place for herself with Trystan Maverine, but by the end, she had more strongly come into her own.  I like that she entered into more “official training” to strengthen herself and become his true apprentice.  Though they are both plagued by constant doubt, it’s clear the pair are incurably in love with each other. 

The style of the book is consistent with the series – easy read, fantasy action with a blend of light-hearted humor.  I admittedly did not relish this one as much as the first book, and I found myself wondering when the romance was going to finally come together.  For characters that work so hard to be villains, they seem to struggle with morality much more than most evil doers.  However, there are touching moments that bring back into focus why you should hang on for the ride.

I did enjoy the new characters and the set-up for some additional slow-burn romance.  It’s a sweet continuation of the story - if only the next book can just get the romantic sparks into a flame!