Apprentice to the Villain

The hijinks and inner battle between good and evil continue in Maehrer’s heart-racing sequel to BookTok favorite Assistant to the Villain. With Trystan, the eponymous villain, kidnapped, Evie, his improbably cheery apprentice turned lover, will do anything to get him back, even if the plan she hatches involves her temporarily dying. As her ruse is revealed, however, so are Evie and Trystan’s secret identities, putting them in even greater danger from the forces of good, led by the king. With help from surprising new allies, the duo work together to thwart the king and save magic. When Trystan receives a dire warning, however, he realizes that to protect Evie from harm, he has to stop loving her—but fighting his feelings proves harder than he expected, especially as stubborn Evie won’t let him go without a fight. The cast is as funny, imperfect, and endearing as ever, and the central romance sings. Fans of the first book will get all that they came for. Agent: Brent Taylor, Triada US Literary. (Aug.)