There is no shortage of excitingromantasysequels arriving in 2025, andAccomplice to the Villainby Hannah Nicole Maehrer is officially on shelves. The third installment in the author’sAssistant to the Villainseriestakes a deeper dive into its characters and their relationship dynamics. It also sets the stage for an epic fourth and final book.
Accomplice to the Villainpicks up where the prior sequel,Apprentice to the Villain,left off.It digs further into the Rennedawn Prophecy, as well as Kingsley’s backstory, slowly unraveling how the characters will or won’t factor into it. The characters spend much of the book trying to decipher the prophecy and attempting to collect the pieces they need to fulfill it before King Benedict.
The fact that magic seems to be dwindling makes it even more pertinent that they succeed. However,Accomplice to the Villainleaves the fate of Rennedawn — and all our favorite characters residing there — in the balance until the final installment.
Unfortunately, it does feel likeAccomplice to the Villainspends most of its run setting up this finale. The good news is that it ramps up the great character moments and dynamics ahead of the series' ending, ensuring that emotions are running high as we approach what’s sure to be a gripping conclusion.
Accomplice To The Villain’s Character Dynamics Help The Book Shine
The Sequel Places A Greater Focus On Their Relationships
Accomplice to the Villainspends more time on the characters and their relationships than Maehrer’s previous two books, whichbalance the fantasy and romance elementsof the story just a bit more evenly. To be fair, Maehrer’s slow-burn romance between Evie and Trystan is begging to spill over by the time this installment opens. So, it makes sense to place a greater focus on their love.
Those waiting for Evie and Trystan to finally acknowledge their feelings won’t be disappointedin this installment, as it contains many great moments between the two leads. There’s banter, there’s a self-aware approach to romantasy’s best tropes, and there’s plenty of angst to boot.
Like the prior book,Accomplice to the Villainadds new POVs, as there are multiple storylines unraveling at once. Unfortunately, this can feel a bit overwhelming at times, as it takes those narratives a while to finally intersect. Once they do, it’s easy to see the bigger picture and appreciate what’s happening.
The pacing of book three feels slightly slower than that of the first two, with the overarching plot taking a backseat to smaller quests and individual character arcs. These will no doubt be important in the long run, but readers shouldn’t expect answers and twists right away.
That said, the journeys the characters embark on do help them grow, andAccomplice to the Villaintakes a particular interest in trauma and generational patterns. It’s not just Evie and Trystan grappling with their complicated families — though theirs are front and center. Everyone from Becky to Keeley has demons to confront, and they learn to be vulnerable in the process.
This sort of character development is the highlight ofAccomplice to the Villain,serving as the novel’s emotional core.
This sort of character development is the highlight ofAccomplice to the Villain,serving as the novel’s emotional core. There are more than a few scenes that will leave readers teary-eyed, and Maehrer manages to balance these serious moments with the series' signature humor incredibly well.
Kingsley Is The True Star Of The Third Assistant To The Villain Book
Readers Will Grow More Attached To The Prince-Turned-Frog
If we’re being honest, Kingsley has stolen the show in Maehrer’sAssistant to the Villainseries since book one. However,Accomplice to the Villainplaces more importance on the character, and it’s one of the greatest things about the sequel. Kingsley really comes into his own in this novel, which will leave readers more attached to the prince-turned-frog than ever.
Whether that’s a good thing remains to be seen, as Kingsley’s narrative is as tragic as it is humorous throughout this sequel. AndAccomplice to the Villain’s ending promises to flesh him out in even more interesting ways — but it’s not just Kingsley who’s in for an epic journey in the final book.
Accomplice To The Villain Sets The Stage For An Epic Finale
The Tensions And Stakes Promise To Be Higher Than Ever In Book 4
AlthoughAccomplice to the Villaintakes a little time before progressing the series' main plot, things really pick up towards the end of the third book — and they’ll leave readers desperate for the final installment. There are several major twists at the end, andMaehrer does an impressive job at hiding some of them.
Trystan and Evie’s roles in Rennedawn’s Prophecy are more intriguing than ever when the book closes, and the tensions between the pair are at a boiling point. A particularly devastating turn at the end ofAccomplice to the Villainalso vows to raise the stakes of the series overall, meaning our beloved characters aren’t necessarily safe heading into book four.
This makesAccomplice to the Villain’s increased emphasis on them cleverer, as it lays the groundwork for the upcomingromantasyfinale to break readers' hearts.Accomplice to the Villainmay not hold all the answers readers want, but it promises a follow-up that will end theAssistant to the Villainseries on a high note.
