First of all, huge thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book in advance of this publication.

I absolutely love Olivia Dade, and was over the moon to be approved for this title. I've read everything of hers that I can get my hands on, most recently, At First Spite, which proved to be my absolute favorite. It felt like Dade's writing reached a maturity with that book that i was looking forward to reading more of. Unfortunately, in many ways, Zomromcom feels like starting back at square one. Where At Frist Spite was intricate, Zomromcom is a bit convoluted and unfocused, like she was really really excited to write a supernatural romance and couldn't say no to any of her own ideas. As a result, the worldbuilding is confusing, the existence of several new species being introduced offhandedly many chapters in. Obviously there is always such a thing as too much exposition, but (as strong as the opening scene of this novel was) I could have gone with at least a crumb of context at any point before the halfway mark.

I applaud Olivia Dade for branching out into a new genre. Her writing has always given the the impression that she's a person who's had many iterations and interests, and the brightest spots of her novels are always the passionate info-dumps her characters give about their careers and hobbies. She writes characters who are believable and likable, whose eventual romance always feels earned. Zomromcom wasn't missing any of these elements. Edie and Gaston (lol) have great banter, and I truly love the conceit of him pretending to be a dudebro to go unnoticed. The humor was there, too, the tone being exactly on par with what I've come to expect from this author. I just wish that the story was pared down.

I enjoy reading Olivia Dade romance books, so I was surprised with how much I struggled with this book. I thought the premise of a vampire romance set during a zombie apocalypse was interesting. However, this book was just too campy for me. I wanted more relationship building and romance scenes between Edie and Max. Instead, I got chapters and chapters of zombie attacks. Also, I felt like this book lacked a real sex scene between Edie and Max. I was fine with the explanation of how the zombies started, but the magic system for witches, vampires, trolls, and fae was not fleshed out enough.

Content: death of parents, gore, graphic sex, swearing, death, violence

After the first 10 chapters I had to DNF this book. Was not something I read normally but the cover is cute and looks like I might enjoy it, but sadly I did not.
The writing style and humor was just not my style.. the FMC was kinda irritating and she was all over the place.

I love Olivia Dade and this book is no different!!’ A soap making, zombie fighting, plus size heroine takes on the undead in more ways than one ;). The spice was just right, the pacing was fun, and the humor interspersed made the experience!

This started with a fun premise: romcom with zombies while falling for a vampire. But I honestly can’t even follow what is going on here. The dialogue is a little painful and the world is just confusing. Are we hiding in a compound from the zombies or did it not say the compound was built by the zombies? I have no idea. This needs some heavy editing to be readable.

This book was great. A light-hearted zombie apocalypse book with "others" that hit all of the spots for a fan of "light" zombie novels. The main characters, Edie and "Chad"/Max were great and their love story came together in a believable/beautiful way. Side characters were alot of fun - I loved our chef friends) and definitely left you with some open ended items to explore in future stories (maybe? Hopefully?) The back story on the zombies was intriguing and left you with some questions (again, more stories -I hope!).

I love zombie books and this was one of the first "romcom" ones I had read - and it hit all the funny notes and the scary/desperate notes I would have expected. For me though, this book knocked it out of the park with the Beauty and the Beast moment - if you aren't signing along as you read it we can't be friends.

Any book that highlights realistic fmc's and totally normal but painful insecurities is my perfect book. I loved these characters so much and felt all the angst, humor, and tension! Already planning to reread around halloween because the zombie aspect was fun. I love the romcom and spooky (non-witchy) vibes.

This is such an incredibly delightful book! Lighthearted but with soul and emotion, somehow hilarious despite all the brain-eating zombies. Loved it!

Zomromcom is the perfect blend of humor, heart, and paranormal chaos. Edie’s initial attempt to save her seemingly harmless neighbor from a zombie outbreak takes a wild turn when she discovers he's actually a centuries-old vampire named Gaston "Max" Boucher, wielding a sword and a whole lot of surly attitude. Despite the shock, Max proves to be surprisingly protective, insisting that Edie stay in his bunker while they figure out how to stop the zombies—and maybe save the world. Their unlikely partnership is full of witty banter, great chemistry, and a growing tension that turns their high-stakes situation into something more personal.

The pacing of the story is fast, filled with suspense as the duo uncovers a dark conspiracy while trying to survive and protect humanity. The romance sneaks up on you, building slowly amidst the chaos, and it’s easy to root for these two as they fight side by side. What could have been an overwhelming zombie apocalypse plot is instead a delightful, action-packed romp with tons of humor, love, and a few unexpected twists. If you’re into stories where unlikely heroes find love in the midst of world-ending chaos, this is the one for you.

Edie has survived the first Zombiepocalypse, and is now living in her family's home in the immediate vicinity of where the remaining zombies are being held. When she isn't making her special candles she's patrolling the area so that no one else dies on her watch. When she finds her laid-back-bro neighbor, Max, in immediate danger of having his brains eaten, she's runs to his rescue. Only it turns out Max (real name Gaston) doesn't need her help, and he is, in fact, much much older than Edie expected and not a "bro" at all, but a fashion-obsessed vampire.

When Max/Gaston whisks Edie away to his underground bunker the two come up with a plan (at Edie's insistence) to save their neighbors. Someone had to have let the zombies loose, and uncovering the zombie conspiracy may be more than Max/Gaston and Edie can handle on their own. This completely delightful sunshine/grumpy paranormal romance was such a fun read! I can't wait for the next in Olivia Dade's new series.

‘Zom Romcom’ delivers exactly what the title promises—zombies, romance, and humor all at once. And as a long time lover of “The walking dead”, “Train to Busan” and even “All of us are Dead”, this was exactly the fast-paced, absurd and swoon-worthy adventure I needed to fill up the hole inside me.

Edie is a fierce heroine who happens to refuses to sit out the apocalypse (could never be me I’ll be locked up in my cabinet or something). Then there’s Max, who happens to be her grumpy-yet-chivalrous vampire neighbor, that is equal parts brooding and begrudgingly adorable.

The dynamic between them was off the charts that will make you giggle and laugh. Filled with so much perfect witty banter amidst a zombie apocalypse.

This book was such a fresh of breath air into the romance genre. However, at times, the plot moves quite fast which leaves certain emotional beats feeling a tad bit rushed.

Still, for fans of action-packed paranormal romance with a side of snark, this is a MUST read because nothing says true love like fending off a zombie like a zombie apocalypse.

I love a rom com set during a zombie apocalypse and had high hopes for this one by Olivia Dade as I love her previous romances. Zomromcom had a lot more world building than I was expecting that got in the way of the central romance. The threat of the zombies kept me reading, and it appears set up for a sequel which I will pick-up. All in all a quick read once you understand the complicated world the characters reside in. "Older" and plus-size heroines always!

I thought this book was a really cool entrant into the supernatural romance genre. Dade continues to write such funny heroines- attacking a zombie with a burrito! The threat of the zombies made this such a fast paced read and I highly enjoyed it.

Olivia Dade’s ZomRomCom is a wildly entertaining blend of paranormal romance, action-packed adventure, and sharp humor, delivering a fresh take on the undead apocalypse. When Edie Brandstrup rushes to save her seemingly helpless neighbor from a zombie breach, she’s shocked to find herself rescued instead—by Gaston "Max" Boucher, a brooding, centuries-old vampire with a big sword and an even bigger protective streak. As they’re thrust into a conspiracy threatening to unleash another zombie catastrophe, their unlikely partnership turns into something far deeper, with sparks flying amidst the chaos. Dade masterfully balances thrilling action, lovable allies, and a swoon-worthy romance, all wrapped in her signature wit and heart. With high stakes (literally), a slow-burn romance, and plenty of undead mayhem, ZomRomCom is a must-read for fans of paranormal rom-coms, offering equal parts laughter, thrills, and swoon-worthy moments. Perfect for readers who love a little bite with their banter, this book is a deliciously fun ride from start to finish.

This was such a weird one from our girl, Olivia! Supernatural! Zombies! Vampires! Others! At least we still got an adorable lil' fat MC. I adore Olivia Dade so much, and this story was no exception. It was funny, it didn't do what I expect, it respected and danced around the tropes we love, and it made me incredibly happy and honoured to read it. My only complaint is that it's never enough. I think it should be required for Olivia to release 2-3 books at a time so my book hangover isn't as bad... or would that make it worse?

I really wanted to like this one, but I found the dialogue to be really cringey and the worldbuilding to be rather convoluted.

This was very fun. I don't think I liked it quite as much as some of Olivia Dade's contemporary romances, but I still had an absolute blast reading this and I'm looking forward to the next book.

Going in with zero expectations was maybe the best idea I’ve ever had. It was definitely a surprise but a pleasant one. It was one hundred percent fun and fast-paced. As an Olivia Dade fan, this one was a no-brainer for me. Honestly though, just what a wild ride. I almost can’t explain it. I can’t wait for the next one to learn more about how this world works!

Edie tries to save her annoying bro neighbor Chad from zombies but it turns out he’s been only pretending to be Chad and he’s really a super hot vampire who intends to save her. Together they must put together a plan to save the rest of the population.
Cute premise, Gaston jokes became tedious. Easy read while I had the flu. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC - my opinions are my own.

Why I read it: Olivia! Dade! My first Olivia Dade was her Lovestruck Librarians series, followed by the Spoiler Alert series (love), and also AT FIRST SPITE, the first in the Harlot’s Bay series (seriously love). Zomromcom is Dade’s first foray into paranormal romance so you know I had to request it when it went up on NetGalley. (Thanks to the Berkley and NetGalley for the advance copy; this is my honest review.)

Review #insixwords: This was fun. Want book 2!

More:
*Books with zombies can often veer toward horror and dystopian, but this was not that. Even though the zombies are super fast. Dade has a fun, lighthearted style with her contemporary books, and that felt like it carried over here too.

*The world here doesn’t just have zombies—it has so many supernaturals. Vampires, demons, werewolves, fae, witches, enhanced humans.

*Our main character Edie attempts to save her dudebro neighbor Chad from a zombie with nothing more than a wrapped burrito, but surprise, Chad isn’t human and he’s not Chad. He’s a vampire. Named Max. (Technically Gaston.)

*The number of times Edie trolls Max by singing Gaston songs is truly wonderful. A real highlight.
While Edie and Max live in an area that’s especially designed to keep zombies out with walls (they cannot climb) and moats (they cannot swim) but somehow zombies have gotten in through the heavily guarded pass zones and the usual government response isn’t happening.

*Max would be content to stay in his underground bunker and wait things out, but Edie wants to warn her fellow neighbors in the containment zone. And Max isn’t about to let her go off by herself. (She can take care of herself but also he has preternatural speed and a massive secret crush on Edie.)

*We’ve got grumpy-sunshine vibes, and Max is definitely a secret cinnamon roll.

*The people they meet along the way are so much fun. I love them.

*But also, this story isn’t done and there’s clearly another book. There is a resolution to this book! Max and Edie get their happily ever after. The next book appears to be about the oracle (World’s Okayest Oracle, yes please)

Recommendation: If you’re already an Olivia Dade fan, yes, pick this one up. If you haven’t dipped your toe into the paranormal romance pool and would like to, Zomromcom is a good one—it leans into the rom com.