Wanted: Rogues and Bards

E.V.I.L.

by A.J. Sherwood, Jocelynn Drake

Welcome to E.V.I.L! (Every Villain is Legendary.) Mission

Be evil. (Except, y’know, when someone’s in trouble, or might need a rescue out of an open grave, things like that.) Adopt new members. (At least, Fenric would love to keep the sexy bard, but would Lirion even want to join them?)Retrieve Fenric’s mother’s stolen treasures (and beat up the heroes who stole them if possible)Rescue Lirion’s sister and wait, what do you mean breaking up a sex ring and helping a village from being overrun by finfolk LOWERED our villain rankings overnight? Future climb the villain rankings, find a lair, get revenge, and trash talk The Box

Welcome and try not to die (but if you do our necromancer will raise you).

This book questionable baking practices, Tub Time™, and emotional support pecs.



LitRPG, gay romance, shapeshifting, high fantasy, possessed clubs, accidental poisonings, chosen family, heroes vs. villains, band of brothers, a shapeshifting rogue, an elf necromancer, a loquacious barbarian, a warlock with a talking stick, a half-merman pirate, a poisonous Puppy, quest of vengeance, Fenric’s not sure how he became the mother hen of the group, Maxie doesn’t need more seduction lessons, Lirion begs to differ, Tub Time is sacred, incompetence can be sexy, apparently, High Seas Hijinks, another example of a bard f*cking his way in AND out of trouble, if villain bad, why hot?, calling all Hop on board, the shenanigan ship is about to sail! Skelebabies

Trigger sex ring (that they break up)

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Shapeshifters, Paranormal, LGBT, Musicians, Found Family

504 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 11, 2026

About the author

AJ Sherwood believes in happily ever afters, magic, dragons, good men, and dark chocolate. She often dreams at night of delectable men doing sexy things with each other. In between writing multiple books (often at the same time) she pets her cats, plays with her dogs, and attempts insane things like aerial yoga.

She currently resides in Tennessee with aforementioned cats, dogs, and her editor/best friend/sister/partner in crime.

Reviews

[Foxx Writer]

i have never laughed so hard in my life. this book was absolute hilarity, absolute chaos, absolutely perfect. it was exactly what i needed to get back into the reading mood. i absolutely, desperately, need more. the characters were all absolutely brilliant, hilarious in each their own way. this ragtag found family group is absolutely going to burn the place down, and somehow still come out the good guys, even though that's the last thing they wanted. XD from the sweet innocent 'puppy' who is desperate to do the right thing while also desperately wanting to be a villain, to the necromancer who has to keep raising his party from the dead, to the poor incubus who go dragged along into the mess while saving his sister. i actually laughed so hard my sides hurt, multiple times, and yet the intense risk they were all taking, the high stakes, kept me absolutely gripped. i devoured this book in two days and i only stopped reading because i had no choice but to sleep. if you love the absolute chaos of critical role / Dropout, then this is absolutely a series you will love.

thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and Netgalley for this ARC

[Ami]

4.25 series

I usually balk at books that are more than 400 pages long nowadays. But I missed Drake's books (I've enjoyed a few of her fantasy romance series), and I thought, why not take a chance on one of her collaborations? I didn't even realize it was almost 500 pages until I loaded it onto my Kindle. At first, I thought I would bow out, but then I figured, well, I'll at least give it a try for the first three chapters.

And well, I was hooked!

This wasn't exactly a traditional adventure romance, per se. The tags mention LitRPG - a genre that I'm still not familiar with - there are heroes and villains with different ranks (which is apparently one of the features of RPGs, whatever that means). What I experienced instead was an introduction to a ragtag group of (questionable) villains - because they really are SOFTIES - and their various skills and missions.

I just adored these people!

The main "couple" (again, I'm using the term loosely because I don't think romance is the main menu here) doesn't even meet until several chapters into the book. Instead, it's all about Fenric and his friends, how they accept a new member (whom Fenric found buried alive in a coffin), and all their shenanigans as Fenric tries to find his mother's treasure. Lirion joins the group a bit later, as he is also on a mission to save his sister from a sex-trafficking ring.

I was really INTO this!

I finished it within two days (which is quick by my standards considering the length), and I already can't wait to read more adventures set in this world. There is still so much to uncover, each of the characters is interesting, and I would LOVE to learn more about their pasts.

Especially the youngest, Maxie a.k.a. Puppy.

Because I KNOW that boy has an important past to tell.

[Book Hoarder]

Lirion was a bard in serious trouble. When the man who smirked at him admitted he had lured Lirion’s sister onto a ship bound for a sex trade brothel, he sliced his throat. Because they had been in the main room of another brothel and there had been a lot of shouting, the town watch was in hot pursuit. Incubus or not, that was not going to get him out of this mess. Fenric ran his pursuers all over town trying to escape the drunk card players he had been trying to fleece. Getting turned around, he ended up out by the poor cemetery. After getting his bearings, he set off across the cemetery toward their rental house a short distance away. But the thumping followed by sobbing from a nearby fresh grave had Fenric prying open the lid and taking the poor bedraggled young noble with the puppy dog eyes home with him to feed him and introduce him to his companion. Rescuing Maxie was not going to improve their villain’s ratings but that fact that he turned out to be an accidental deadly poisoner will help. Now if Fenric could just figure out Lirion, whom he keeps crossing paths with. That encounter in the alley woke something up in Fenric he hadn’t felt in years.
Rogues and Bars is Book one of Wanted. It is such a delight to have AJ Sherwood and Jocelyn Drake writing together again. Oh the snark and AJ writes the best blurbs. Current tags: Tags:
LitRPG, gay romance, shapeshifting, high fantasy, possessed clubs, accidental poisonings, chosen family, heroes vs. villains, band of brothers, a shapeshifting rogue, an elf necromancer, a loquacious barbarian, a warlock with a talking stick, a half-merman pirate, a poisonous Puppy, quest of vengeance, Fenric’s not sure how he became the mother hen of the group, Maxie doesn’t need more seduction lessons, Lirion begs to differ, Tub Time is sacred, incompetence can be sexy, apparently, High Seas Hijinks, another example of a bard f*cking his way in AND out of trouble, if villain bad, why hot?, calling all passengers: Hop on board, the shenanigan ship is about to sail! Skelebabies
Heroes and Villains. Who’s really the bad guys here?
I received this book to review as the authors Patreon member

[Bronwyn Heeley]

this was everything I expected from these authors. They are just brilliant along and wonderful together. I loved the found family vibes, the party. I enjoyed the world, the plot was great and I enjoyed the romance. I do believe I liked the world most of all and can’t wait to for more.

tropes:
LitRPG, gay romance, shapeshifting, high fantasy, possessed clubs, accidental poisonings, chosen family, heroes vs. villains, band of brothers, a shapeshifting rogue, an elf necromancer, a loquacious barbarian, a warlock with a talking stick, a half-merman pirate, a poisonous Puppy, quest of vengeance, Fenric’s not sure how he became the mother hen of the group, Maxie doesn’t need more seduction lessons, Lirion begs to differ, Tub Time is sacred, incompetence can be sexy, apparently, High Seas Hijinks, another example of a bard f*cking his way in AND out of trouble, if villain bad, why hot?, calling all passengers: Hop on board, the shenanigan ship is about to sail! Skelebabies | CW: sex ring (that they break up)

[Katie]

Thank you Netgalley for the arc

Wanted: Rogues and Bards follow two main characters; a sneaky rogue named Fenric and a succubus bard called Lirion. They esch have a mission, one needs to rescue his sister and the other wants some missing family heirlooms. They stumbled into each other on their individual missions, before eventually teaming up with E.V.I.L., Fenric's band of misfit villians, to complete their quests.

I really enjoyed this book. It felt like I was reading a book about someone's D&D campaign. The magic was familiar, the world easy to understand, and the characters likeable. I personally the intelligent barbarian and necromancer. The story is overall interested and the romance between Lirion and Fenric is adorable.

The only reason it didnt get 5 stars from me is that is fell into a pitfall a few times that every D&D campaign hits at some points: a few times the story felt a bit lagging for me.

BUT overall I enjoyed it and will definitely be continuing the series.

[Lois]

Well that was bonkers and I loved it!

A fantasy world ruled by a Royal Family and a mystical box? I'm here for it.

A bunch of Villains with hearts of gold who can't help but do good? Loving it

A quest to free an enslaved succubus and retrieve a stolen treasure? Where do I sign up?

I laughed so hard at some of their antics. Held my breath as they were attacked by Finfolk and wondered about their sanity during Tub Time.

Fenric and Lyrion our two protagonists for this story were so sweet together, going from enemies (or adversaries at least) to lovers to happily ever after. I enjoyed their emotional journey as much as their steamy shenanigans and was so glad they finally pulled their heads out of their asses and communicated.

This was a fun story full of heart, heat and insanity. I can't wait to see what befalls Hapi in the next book

[Angelena]

A 500 page book that flew by in a flash and left me eagerly awaiting the next in the series. This isn't a surprise to me as I adore A.J Sherwood and her books are an instant read. The comedy and characters in the books were truly fantastic as you both root for them and roll their eyes as their antics. Both the found family and DND adventure vibes are delightfully strong in the strong.

The romance was solidly built and the group as a whole were a delight to read, I'll be interested to see if the next book stays with Fenric & Lirion or if we focus on another in this found family as I already love them all. Judging by the the title though I'm guessing its the later so I can't wait to see who else with join this group.

[isthisakink]

I tried to sit here and come up with something to say, but idk. Mostly it felt like doing a ttrpg planning sesh with folx who don't actually play ttrpgs, just act like they do bc they think they'd be really great at it and they have seen a lot of CR vids. The details I actually cared about were kinda tossed aside for ones I didn't think needed as much attention as they got. The characters were cool and I'd prolly come back specifically for that reason and not for the litrpg-ness. I have the attention span of a fucking gnat right now, and I'm struggling to place thoughts into coherent sentences. This is what you get. It sucked, I think? But it was also okay? If you don't think ab it like it's a litrpg? It was a good attempt? Ugh.

[Golden Child]

Fenric & Lirion

This was a fun read! Villains with a soft heart. E.V.I.L tries really hard to climb the ranks of the villains but between the better villains and the heroes messing with the rankings, they are just squeezing by with some light villainy and maybe some heroics. Trading favors, Fen and Lir team up with the rest of the gang to get a couple personal jobs done and hopefully score some loot. With Lir being an incubus, he must be fed on the journey north and Fen just happens to taste mighty fine. As the two become closer, it’s obvious to everyone it them that whatever they are telling themselves about why it would t work, isn’t true. Fun plot, great characters and lots of laughs.

[Cynthia M Brow]

Wanted: Rogues and Bards is the first book in the new E.V.I.L. series by the authors AJ Sherwood and Jocelynn Drake. This is the story of Fenric and Lirion. This was a wonderful story that I couldn't put down once I started. I loved the characters and world building that went into this book. This was everything I hoped for when reading a story from AJ Sherwood and Jocelynn Drake. This book had me laughing out loud so many times. I loved the found family aspect of the story because found family is the best. I can't wait for the next book in the series. I would definitely recommend this book as a 5 star read.
received a free review copy

[Judy]

Great start to a new series

I love these two authors. Great world building to set up the series. All of the members of EVIL are special with a giant heart. There are so many secrets to still uncover. Our first happy couple is Fenric and Lirion. They run into each other several times each ending in chaos. They finally end up joining forces with the rest of EVIL and a crazy and heartfelt adventure commences. The book of course is hilarious, sexy and passion filled. I can't wait to read the next book about Happi our resident necromancer. I highly recommend this book. Enjoy!

[Danielle Norris]

A.J. Sherwood is my current favorite author, and I have enjoyed all her collaborations with Jocelyn Drake. This one is no exception. They have such fully fleshed-out characters that it is easy to imagine what they look like and what their actions would be. I read this book more slowly than I usually read books, mostly because it was so fun; I didn't want it to end. The book is obviously setting up for the series, as there are many unanswered questions about the supporting characters. I look forward to reading them all.

[Twinflower Archives]

A lively fantasy adventure with an offbeat premise, a lovable cast and plenty of chaotic attempts at villainy.

The E.V.I.L. ranking system is a fun twist, but the characters are what really make the story work. Their growing loyalty, distinct personalities and repeated failure to be properly evil give the book most of its charm. The romance adds warmth without taking over the adventure.

Funny, fast-moving and easy to enjoy. I’m definitely curious to see what this group gets up to next.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

————————————————————

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Abbi]

This was such a fun romp of a book, I had a great time reading it! Fenric and Lirion were fantastic main characters, and the whole E.V.I.L. gang was just so much fun. Total found family vibes, "villains" who keep accidentally rescuing people, and a rogue and incubus falling in love along the way. So much sass and sarcasm, and lots of adventures and weirdness. I was entertained throughout the whole book, and I'm looking forward to the next in the series!

[Jasmine Hall]

Thanks to NetGalley and ARC provided by Xpresso Book Tours for providing me with the advance copy for an honest opinion. This book was fun to read, and I enjoyed it more and more. Fenric and Lirion are amazing main characters who give off the whole energy the entire time. Plus, the E.V.I.L. gang was amazing to read and enjoy. The book kept me entertained while I was sick, and I was laughing a lot. I would definitely recommend this book.

[Dawn Siemer]

Worst Villains ever

These guys claim to be villains, and they do a lot of thievery and some murder, but somehow they end up saving people just as often.

Fenric is a shapeshifter and accomplished thief. It's his goal to get his mother's stolen jewelry back. Meanwhile, there's a handsome bard that keeps getting in his way while looking for his sister. When they team up, sparks fly.

Expect found family vibes, chaos, and sexy times.

[Shan]

🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵+

This is a fantasy adventure story with a touch of romance, the first book in a series that must be read in order. I LOVE THIS STORY! Basically, there’s a group of “Villains” who are out to improve their listing. They use their dastardly deeds and live by an unorthodox code for villains! I absolutely could not put this book down and had to read portions of the story to my partner as I was so tickled with humor!

[Melissa]

The whole team is brilliant! The story does focus on Fen and Lir and how they meet but the group is such a tight found family that you just fall in love with all of them. The adventures how how they never turn out as expected are a riot especially when they keep trying to convince everyone they are acting as Villians.

[Christy]

Wonderfully charming, witty, funny, snarky, and wild with a group of villains who really aren’t, and shenanigans abounding. This first introduction to this world was quite typical of these authors and I enjoyed it immensely. Fenric and Lirion’s love story was appropriately epic and fun. Each of the characters brought something to the story and I look forward to reading more of their stories.

[Constance Harker]

Great fun!

Fun story with many twists and turns. Pirates! Kraken! Villians! Daring rescues!

All in all a fun and entertaining read. And yes, this is A J Sherwood, so M/M sex with HEA.

[Megan Darbyson]

Such a great book, I feel like this is different then what is usually written. I wasn't sure about this book to begin with but as I read on I fell in love with the characters and I cant wait for book 2!

[Sylvie]

Very funny story, I’m already looking forward to reading the next one !

[Amy]

I love this book. It had me laughing so much. I fell in love with Maxie, I do hope he eventually gets his own book. No matter what, I cannot wait to see what's next for the E.V.I.L. team.

[yekcal2]

What a WILD romp!! Thank you to the fabulous authors who had me laughing hysterically over E.V.I.L antics, awwwwing over Fen and Lir, and cheering for Maxie’s lessons…Absolutely Fantastic Book! :) :)

[J]

I think I just prefer playing a campaign rather than reading one, and I was hoping for a different style of humour. DNF at 22%-- just not for me.

[Sniege]

Funny and chaotic, and absolutely perfect!