If you finished Assistant to the Villain and immediately thought, well crap, now I want more villain office romance, welcome to the club.
This book absolutely blew up because it does something a bit different in romantasy. Instead of war colleges and constant trauma, it gives us villain headquarters, workplace comedy, awkward attraction, and chaotic minions. It is light, very funny, and weirdly comforting while still delivering a genuinely swoony villain love interest. Check out my review for Assistant to the Villain to see more of my thoughts on this amazinf read.
In this blog, if what you want is books like Assistant to the Villain with sarcastic heroines, morally questionable bosses, slow burn tension, and fantasy worlds that don’t take themselves too seriously… here are the ones that actually scratch that same itch.
Some of these are ridiculously fun. For even more romantasy recs check out this hub.
Takeaways
- If you want the closest quirky villain energy, start with The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy or Swordheart.
- If you liked the humour and workplace style banter, The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels is a brilliant next read.
- If you want slow burn romance with sarcastic characters, try Half a Soul.
- Most books like Assistant to the Villain lean low to medium spice with strong banter and character chemistry.
| Book | Vibe | Spice | Villain/Morally Grey Love Interest? | Standalone or Series? | Best for |
| The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels | Chaotic historical comedy, flying pirate houses, enemies-to-lovers | Low–Medium | Not a villain, but an assassin sent to kill her | Series | Readers who want comedic chaos and banter above all else |
| Swordheart – T. Kingfisher | Cozy road trip fantasy, grumpy warrior in a sword | Low–Medium | Grumpy protector, not a villain | Standalone | Readers who want warm, funny fantasy comfort reads |
| The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy – Megan Bannen | Workplace rivals falling in love via anonymous letters | Medium | Rivals-to-lovers with hidden soft side | Standalone | Readers who loved the grumpy villain tension and slow burn specifically |
| Half a Soul – Olivia Atwater | Regency fantasy, witty sorcerer, social satire | Low | Morally complicated sorcerer with hidden heart | Standalone | Readers who want emotional slow burn and sharp dialogue over action |
| Legends & Lattes – Travis Baldree | Cozy fantasy, orc opens a coffee shop, found family | Low | No villain — retired warrior | Standalone | Readers who loved the workplace/daily life chaos more than the romance |
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What kind of book is Assistant to the Villain, really?
Before we start throwing books at your TBR, it helps to define what made Assistant to the Villain work so well.
At heart, it’s:
- Cozy comedic romantasy
- Villain x sunshine assistant dynamic
- Workplace fantasy chaos
- Slow burn attraction with lots of banter
- A fantasy world that’s dangerous but mostly played for humour
So when we say books like Assistant to the Villain, we’re not just looking for fantasy romance.
We’re looking for:
- sarcastic heroines navigating ridiculous situations
- morally grey love interests who are secretly soft
- humour driven fantasy worlds
- slow burn romance that makes you grin like an idiot
If that’s the energy you’re chasing, here are the best matches.
What books feel most like Assistant to the Villain’s kooky humour?
The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels
Feel
Ridiculous historical fantasy where lady pirates conduct aerial heists from flying houses while arguing about etiquette.
Spice
Low to medium. The romance is more about banter and tension than explicit scenes.
Why it’s like Assistant to the Villain
- Constant sarcasm and absurd humour
- Characters who treat ridiculous situations as completely normal
- A romance built on clever banter and mutual exasperation
Read this if
You loved the comedic tone and chaotic energy of Assistant to the Villain and want something equally unhinged but very charming.
Skip this if
You prefer serious fantasy worlds or tightly logical magic systems. This book runs entirely on humour and nonsense.
What Readers Are Saying
- Readers mostly agree this book is completely ridiculous… and that’s the point. A lot of fans describe it as Bridgerton but with flying Victorian pirate houses and assassins flirting while trying to murder each other. If that sentence makes you grin, you’re probably the target audience.
- The banter and chaotic romance are the biggest selling point. Readers love the enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Cecilia and the assassin sent to kill her. The flirting while plotting each other’s deaths seems to be exactly the kind of nonsense people signed up for.
- It’s very tropey, but intentionally so. Reviews constantly mention things like only-one-bed, grumpy-sunshine energy, ballroom fights, pirates, and assassins. Fans say it leans fully into the absurdity instead of pretending to be serious.
- The plot is widely described as messy. Even people who loved it admit the story wanders all over the place and introduces too many characters. But a lot of readers also say they didn’t mind because the humour and chaos carried the book.
- Some readers expected more adventure and got a romance instead. A few lower reviews say the marketing made it sound like a pirate adventure when it’s really more of a rom-com with pirates.
- Overall reaction: unserious in the best way. Fans call it ridiculous, chaotic, and very funny. Critics mostly say the humour didn’t land for them or that the plot felt too scattered.
Swordheart by T. Kingfisher
Feel
Cosy fantasy road trip with a sarcastic widow and a magically bound warrior who lives inside a sword. Yes, really. It’s that silly and fun.
Spice
Low to medium. Slow burn with emotional payoff.
Why it’s like Assistant to the Villain
- Awkward, funny heroine constantly trying to survive absurd situations
- A grumpy protector who slowly softens
- Humour driven fantasy that feels comforting rather than grim
Read this if
You want funny fantasy romance with excellent character banter and a genuinely warm story.
Skip this if
You want high stakes battles and epic war plots. This is much more cosy fantasy adventure.
What Readers Are Saying
- Many readers describe this as fantasy romance comfort reading. The premise alone sells people: a widowed woman inherits a magical sword that contains a warrior bound to protect whoever holds it. Naturally, chaos follows.
- The heroine is a big highlight. Readers love that she’s in her thirties, already has life experience, and feels more grounded than the usual fantasy romance protagonist.
- The humour and banter are classic T. Kingfisher. Fans say the book has a very dry, slightly absurd sense of humour that makes even the slower parts entertaining.
- But pacing seems to divide people. Some readers say the middle drags and that the story loses momentum after the strong opening.
- The romance doesn’t land for everyone. A few critics say the relationship felt more like attraction than a deep connection, and they wanted more development.
Overall reaction is it’s charming but uneven. Fans love the quirky characters and cosy fantasy tone, while critics say the plot feels stretched thin.
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What if you loved the villain romance specifically?
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen
Feel
Grumpy rivals who exchange anonymous letters while unknowingly falling in love, set in a strange fantasy world full of undead marshals.
Spice
Medium. Slow burn with a satisfying romantic payoff.
Why it’s like Assistant to the Villain
- Grumpy love interest with a hidden soft side
- Workplace style rivalry turning into attraction
- Humour mixed with surprisingly emotional moments
Read this if
You liked the grumpy villain energy and slow burn tension between Evie and the Villain.
Skip this if
You want purely comedic fantasy. This one gets surprisingly emotional in places.
What Readers Are Saying
- Readers love the strange mix of cozy romance and slightly creepy fantasy. The book blends undertakers, zombie-like corpses, and magical mail systems with a slow-burn romance.
- The comparison that shows up constantly: fantasy You’ve Got Mail. The anonymous letters between the characters are one of the most loved parts of the book.
- The worldbuilding and odd little details charm a lot of readers. Talking bunny mail carriers and magical bureaucracy are exactly the kind of weird touches people seem to enjoy.
- But some readers struggled to connect with the romance. A few reviews say they never became emotionally invested in the couple.
- Others say the pacing is slower than expected. Even people who liked the story admit it can feel a bit draggy at times.
- Overall reaction is it’s cozy but quirky. Fans adore the heartfelt romance and unusual setting, while critics say the execution didn’t quite match the premise.
Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
Feel
Regency fantasy where a young woman cursed to feel only half her emotions navigates polite society with a deeply sarcastic sorcerer.
Spice
Low. Romance is emotional rather than explicit.
Why it’s like Assistant to the Villain
- Sharp humour and witty dialogue
- A morally complicated magical man with a hidden heart
- A heroine who refuses to behave the way society expects
Read this if
You want clever dialogue, romantic tension, and slightly chaotic magical situations.
Skip this if
You want lots of action or adventure. The story leans heavily into character interactions.
What Readers Are Saying
- This one gets a lot of love from cozy fantasy readers. The story follows a young woman who literally lost half her soul to a faerie and therefore struggles to feel emotions normally.
- The Regency fantasy atmosphere is a big draw. Many reviews say the book feels like Pride and Prejudice with magic, which is exactly what attracted them.
- The romance is very swoony for fans. Several readers say they finished the book still thinking about the couple.
- But the cozy tone doesn’t work for everyone. Some critics say the story feels slow or overly gentle.
- Others felt the social commentary was a bit shallow. The themes around class and poverty are mentioned, but some readers say they wanted more depth.
- Overall reaction is it’s a soft, romantic fantasy. Fans adore the charming tone, while critics say it’s too light or predictable.
What should you read if you loved the workplace dynamic?
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Feel
Cozy fantasy about a retired orc warrior opening a coffee shop and accidentally building a found family.
Spice
Low. Romance is sweet and understated.
Why it’s like Assistant to the Villain
- Workplace style fantasy setting
- Strong found family energy
- Comforting, funny moments mixed with small stakes adventure
Read this if
You liked the daily-life fantasy chaos and quirky characters more than the romance.
Skip this if
You need high drama or intense romance plots.
What Readers Are Saying
- Readers constantly describe this book as cozy fantasy comfort food. The story follows an orc who retires from adventuring to open a coffee shop, which immediately tells you the kind of story this is.
- The found family and friendships are the heart of the book. Many readers say the relationships between Viv and the people she meets are what make the story so lovable.
- Food and coffee descriptions are basically a character. A lot of reviews mention how much the pastries and drinks made them hungry.
- But the low stakes don’t work for everyone. Some readers expected an adventure fantasy and were confused when the biggest conflict involved running a café.
- Critics often say the plot feels too slow. Without big battles or major drama, the story can feel uneventful to readers who want more action.
- Overall reaction is that it’s very vibe-dependent. Readers who embrace the cozy, slice-of-life tone tend to love it, while those expecting traditional fantasy usually bounce off it.
For more books with spice check out my blog for the Best Standalone Romantasy Books With Spice.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Books Like Assistant to the Villain
Yes. Romantasy with villain love interests is growing quickly thanks to the popularity of Assistant to the Villain and other books that cling to this trope. Books like The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy and Half a Soul capture the same morally grey romance and witty dialogue.
Not really. The book leans low spice with strong romantic tension, focusing more on humour, character chemistry, and slow burn attraction.
Probably the sequel Apprentice to The Villain but if you’re done with the whole series start with:
– Swordheart for cosy fantasy banter
– The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels for chaotic humour
– The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy for grumpy romantic tension
Yes. Cozy romantasy is becoming a huge trend. Books like Swordheart and Legends & Lattes focus more on character relationships, humour, and small scale adventures rather than epic battles.
Assistant to the Villain was written by Hannah Nicole Maehrer. It is the first book in a trilogy — the sequel, Apprentice to the Villain, picks up directly where the first book ends, so if you haven’t read it yet, that’s your next stop before exploring any of these recommendations.
The tropes are enemies-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine dynamics, workplace or forced proximity tension, morally grey love interests with hidden soft sides, and slow burn romance with heavy banter. Most of them lean comedic rather than dark, which is what makes them feel like a genuine match.
It’s a mixed bag. Swordheart, The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, and Half a Soul are all standalones, which is great if you want a complete story without committing to a series. The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels has sequels, and Legends & Lattes has a companion novel. None of them require you to read more than one book to get a satisfying ending.
Most of these recommendations sit at the same low-to-medium spice level as Assistant to the Villain, because the tone leans comedic and the romance is carried more by tension and banter than explicit scenes. If you specifically want more spice with a villain or morally grey love interest, you’d need to step outside this particular cozy-comedy subgenre — something like The Shadows Between Us or From Blood and Ash gives you a darker, higher-heat villain romance, but the tone is very different.
Yes, it reads as clean romantasy. The humour and tone skew toward adult readers, but the content is mild enough that older YA readers who enjoy romantasy would be comfortable with it. Most of the books on this list follow the same pattern — low explicit content, with the romantic tension doing most of the heavy lifting.
If you want fantasy books with the same comedic tone and morally grey love interest, the closest matches are Swordheart by T. Kingfisher for cozy adventure, The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy for strange worldbuilding with romantic tension, and Half a Soul for Regency-style fantasy with sharp humour. All three keep the light, character-driven tone that makes Assistant to the Villain feel like a breath of fresh air compared to heavier epic fantasy.
Yes. If you want the romance front and centre with that same slow burn, witty banter, and morally complicated love interest, Half a Soul and The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy are the strongest picks. Both prioritise the romantic relationship over plot-heavy fantasy adventure and deliver the same satisfying tension between two stubborn characters who are clearly perfect for each other but won’t admit it for most of the book.