I came in expecting a great story, but this still managed to defy my expectations!

This story is filled with bits of everything: mystery, romance, comedy. I loved meeting all the new characters and I felt the pacing of the plot was great.

There were also some surprise twists I didn’t expect, which made the story even more enjoyable for me. I am looking forward to seeing what happens next!
Thank you for this amazing ARC!

This felt a little too over the top for me. The comedy in romantic comedy felt forced and it wasn’t at all comedic to me. From the first chapter it felt more cringe than funny (not-Chad is literally in a thong). I didn’t feel connected to either character and the zombie plot was again a bit too over the top for me.

Thank you Berkley Romance for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was really not for me.

I thought it would maybe be fun, because I do love zombie movies, including campy ones, and I don't mind a silly romcom either. However, I felt like this tried to pack about 100 more things into the story than actually fit within the text, leaving most things unexplained and just there for what appeared to be laughs. There are trolls, for example, that I feel like, as a species, were only included so that the author could make a job about "trolling" people. There's also vampires, zombies (obviously), fae, demons, witches, enhanced humans, elves, shifters, the concept of soul mates for humans with an accompanying soul mark (which is never again discussed), oracles, and I'm sure I'm missing some from this list. The problem is, these things are not really integrated in a way that makes sense. It's more, our MMC knows everything ever and randomly lectures the FMC regarding his knowledge, and we listen, and then the plot continues. It's like if the concept of deus ex machina was used as a plot point over and over and over. No one in this book makes any correct choices, ever. I also don't understand how this is supposed to be "cozy" or a romcom when it's life or death and brutal, gory battles over and over again? It's actually really stressful.

All of this I could maybe get over (though it's truly so, so, so much), if I liked the main romance more. It is definitely spicy, and they are very into each other, but. Why? Why does the MMC want the FMC? Just because she is kind? That can't be the basis of an entire "I would die for you even though we've only been dating for 3 days" twilight-style type of love. It felt like we went from 0 to 1000 so quickly.

Lastly, I was a little taken out of the book by how many characters are content creators and how recognizable they are to every other character they meet as content creators, and also how much we discuss content creation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to review this ARC!
DNF at 25%
I really wanted to enjoy this one, especially with the promise of vampire romance and fat representation, but unfortunately, it didn’t work for me. While I appreciated the inclusion of a plus-size protagonist, I just couldn't connect with the story. From the very beginning, I found the worldbuilding vague and confusing. I thought it would become clearer as the book progressed but it did not. I was excited by the premise of a zombie apocalypse, but the execution just wasn’t what I was hoping for, and the humor didn’t land for me personally. As a fan of vampire romances, I expected to enjoy the dynamic between Max and Edie. While I could see Max is very protective of Edie, their connection felt flat to me. It is possible that I just wasn't in the right mood for this book but for now it's a DNF for me.

This book was an incredible story! I loved all the banter between Edie and Max and the wittiness that it brought! Also let’s talk about how she’s a soap maker, like that’s so cool! The zombie break was really interesting and i think that it was really cool how this story had quite a bit of world building even through it was in containment zones. Also Max is such an enduring characters! The way he carries himself is just so grumpy and is everything I aspire to be! He really only cares about Edie and to really see their love story blossom was something that I simply cannot put into words but it just gives your heart hope. I think that there is a lot of baggage and past trauma that they had to face and the fact that that he only cares what she thinks is just so darn cute! I think they have such good chemistry and they were able to give the full Rom Com vibe so well! One thing I will say is that I hope there is another book because that ending left on quite a cliff hanger and there are so many questions to be answered and characters to explore their backstories.

When a book opens with burrito as zombie attack weapon, it's a pretty good indication of the bananas good time you're in for. Olivia Dade delivers another hilarious romcom full of banter and cozy warmth with an FMC who is never going to be content to sit out the action on the sidelines.

I so enjoyed being taken along on Edie and Max's journey. Olivia is known for writing plus-sized FMCs, and one of the things I've always really liked about her books is that the FMC's size isn't the focus. She's just a fat woman living her life and experiencing love and adventure like anyone else! And what an adventure Edie has in this book.

As for Max, the different sides of his personality made him such a fun character. The costumes, the videos, his alter-ego, and his outright horror at Edie's snacks all cracked me up, while at the same time, his fierce protectiveness and yearning made for a dreamy MMC.

Quirky, creative, and full of hijinks, this was such a good summer read!

I know a lot of people speculate about what they'd do in the zombie apocalypse. I’m not sure that anyone would pick falling in love with a vampire and being annoyingly chirpy all the time.

Edie is a human living inexplicably right next door to a wall that surrounds the source of all zombies. Max (first name Gaston) is the “influencer” vampire next door.

When the zombies escape (of course they do!), Edie and Max join forces to defeat them.

I had trouble understanding Edie’s motivation. She lives alone in isolated area and yet cares so much about her fellow humans that's she's willing to mount a battle against zombies, rather than stay safe and cosy in Max’s luxury lair.

Max basically doesn't tell Edie anything about himself or his history.

The title of this book indicates that it includes some comedy. I dunno. Is the fact that Edie has digs at Max about his age and endlessly sings the Gaston song at him supposed to be funny?

This wasn’t for me. The world building was clunky, there were a bunch of characters who didn’t contribute much to the plot, and I kept wanting to yell at Edie and Max whenever they got hot and heavy because…there are zombies!

2.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC!

This lighthearted paranormal romance finds Edie, a human, saved from zombies by a vampire, Max. They hide out in his underground basement, meet other Superhumans, and plan for the zombie apocalypse. While enduring unsure travels and encountering all manner of obstacles, Edie and Max start to connect and fall for each other.

This book had such an appealing premise but failed to deliver, in my opinion. I read Dade’s “Spoiler Alert” series and loved it. This did not hit the same for me.

I enjoyed the representation of a female character that was described as fat but still considerably confident. There was no great obstacle for her to endure in order to secure a relationship with a typically attractive MMC. I rather enjoyed the premise that they both had a modicum of internet influence with their more peculiar interests. Although there wasn’t an influx of other Superhuman characters until the latter part of the book, I appreciated the diversity.

The main character, Edie, seemed to be portrayed like an almost bumbling idiot. She was gross, reckless, and naive. I am not sure the point was for the reader to not like the female main character. As for the MMC, Max made many proclamations about vampires not caring about others and only caring for self-preservation but his connection with Edie sure felt like insta-love. I would’ve enjoyed seeing the idea of someone having the mark of a soulmate explored further too. The world building was unsteady for me. The author turned common phrases using “god” or “hell” into plurals (i.e. “oh gods,” “what the hells”) but there was never an introduction or explanation of what any gods represented to the characters. There was little backstory as to how Superhumans came to be so assimilated into a normal human culture either.

Unfortunately, I do not plan to continue with this series.

I usually love Olivia Dade--and I love Zombies! --but this one fell a bit flat for me. The banter, usually her strong suit, was grating. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood! I still look forward to what I hope will be many more books from her.

ZomRomCom is exactly what it sounds like it would be, a post apocalyptic zombie romantic comedy. ZRC features Edie, a plucky and sweet soap maker doing her best to get by in the containment zone, and Max, her previously aloof and mysterious neighbor. One day, a rescue attempt goes wrong and these two neighbors must join together to fight mysterious forces at work that are making the zombies even more of a danger than normal. Can they join forces (with each other and with other survivors) to save the day?
I have been meaning to read Olivia Dade FOREVER so when I saw that they were offering folks a chance to read this on NetGalley I jumped at the chance. I am so grateful for the opportunity and I had a grand old time. The action picks up from the get go and doesn't let up, but at the same time doesn't rush through so I never felt lost. I appreciated the humor, the banter (grumpy v sunshine, so fun), and the fun supporting cast. Definitely pick this one up if you like to get into a fall reading mood with spoopy picks!

Zomromcom
✨ 2/5

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! I had previously read and enjoyed a couple other of Dade's books, and I was particularly looking forward to reading this one when I came across it as I do love a good vampire romance. Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me. I felt like we fell into this world with zero introduction that is definitely not here but also maybe is here because Pottery Barn exists? I would have loved for even the tiniest amount of world building to give us context to what is going on and why it matters.

I tried to look past the lack of world building in hopes that the romance would at least make up for it but it fell flat for me too. I feel like the dialogue was supposed to be funny but just came out cringy and after a while the running jokes got tiring (looking at you, Gaston song). The main characters got together so quickly I actually stopped to make sure my kindle hadn't jumped ahead. Reader, it hadn't. It just felt so rushed and forced to me.

The reason I'm going with 2 stars overall is because I DID like the representation throughout the cast of characters. I appreciated that the FMC was in a bigger body and that none of the internal thoughts drifted into the "I like my body but what if he doesn't" realm. That was a refreshing thing to read when I feel like other books have a tendency to go that way.

Zomromcom by Olivia Dade is the story of Edie and “Max” (My what a guuuuy! - IYKYK) as they navigate their way through a sort of zombie apocalypse (the second one). They are neighbors who live close to the breach site and join together to try to warn as many people as they can because the government hasn’t responded. They meet a handful of other colorful characters along the way as they try to save themselves as well as all of humanity.

I loved this book!! This is the sixth book I have read by Olivia Dade and she is absolutely one of my favorite authors. The banter between the two main characters is unmatched and I literally laughed out loud multiple places throughout the book. She has the ability to truly make you empathize with the characters and experience a range of emotions while reading. I recommend this book for anyone, it has everything - sci-fi, romance, humor, tragedy, and zombies! Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Berkeley for the advanced copy.

A fat, 38 year old main character who falls in love with a vampire. Sigh me up!

The feelings I have when I see a fat main character where weight is not the main focus! Growing up as a fat teen in the 90s was brutal, and reading books like Zomromcom heals something in teenage me. Seeing a woman existing in a body like mine, fighting zombies (with a burrito no less :)), flirting, being seen as sexy, and doing the damn-surviving-the-zombie-apocalypse-thing is just joyful, fun, and freeing.

This book was entertaining. I enjoyed the comedic banter between Edie and Max. I enjoyed the fat representation and the overall romcom vibe of the book. I liked the quirky side characters, especially Doug. This is my second Olivia Dade book, and I enjoy the subtle intellectual humor throughout her books (like a Robespierre joke). I really enjoy that about her writing.

-Grumpy/Sunshine
-He falls first
-She saves him
-Fat representation
-Cozy with Spice

If you are looking for a fun cozy zombie read, I think this is worth checking out. And if you enjoying seeing an older main character in a fat body as a love interest, then definitely check this out.

Olivia Dade is a master of fandom literature. This was so fun and so chaotic I could not put it down. I loved the main character characters, the wildly chaotic plot, and the romance at the core of it all. An auto by author without question

I've been a longtime fan of Olivia Dade and it's so cool to see her branch into other subgenres. I'm also not a regular paranormal romance reader, so a lot of the zombie/vampire/seer/etc. aspects were brand new to me. The action was propulsive, and Dade does a lot of work to world-build (perhaps too much at times, but your mileage may vary!), but more than anything -- this book is really funny. Edie is always giving Chad shit, and in turn he gives her *****. ;-) I'll definitely be sharing this one with the paranormal fans!

Let’s start with the good: the banter, as always with Olivia Dade’s books, was fun, quirky, and unexpected. Edie has a sense of humor that makes me want to hang out with her. I think she would be a great friend, funny, kind, clever, and more than a little off-the-wall.

I appreciate that the story wastes no time introducing our romantic interest, Chad/Max, and that the story opens with some simultaneously horrible and funny action with a zombie. It immediately reminded me of Zombieland, and I thoroughly enjoy that movie.

Things get messy in this book though. For one, the world building is mostly done in dialogue, discussing what could be, what happened, what the situation is. It’s a lot of exposition in dialogue, and I can’t help but wish we had more opportunity to learn these things in action rather than clearly told stories by the characters. I still have questions about the whole containment zone community—why did her parents move there to begin with, before the first breach? Why did anyone move there before the breach? How big are the zones? How far away are they from other civilization? It’s all a bit of a hazy blur in my mind because that world building was so sparse.

While I find Edie and Max’s relationship sweet and endearing, the hyper speed instalove of it all was a problem. The book covers only a few days—a week, tops. And in that week, Edie learns her stoner bro neighbor Chad is actually a super old vampire with a bat-cave level lair underground and has been surveilling her for years. She goes from this revelation to in love with him within a few days? Meanwhile, Max has been obsessed with Edie but has intentionally kept his distance for reasons revealed later in the book, and has never had a genuine interaction with her before. The escalation on his part makes a bit more sense, but overall these two jump from loose acquaintances to making out, making out to intimate acts, and intimate acts to love all far too rapidly.

This book also seems to struggle from keeping its romantic pair in a vacuum. They have no other relationships in the containment zones, and without a familiar foil, the ephemeral connections they make with other residents they encounter feel transactional and unnatural. I wish Edie had someone she could go to and bounce her perspective off of and get feedback from outside the two-person microcosm she is building with Max.

Overall, this isn’t my favorite Olivia Dade book. I think this one struggles with the added complications of world building and developing a society with magical creatures, enhanced humans, and normal humans. It’s bogged down with those details at times, and yet I am still left with fundamental world-building questions at the end.

I have really enjoyed some of Dade’s other books, and I hope she keeps trying in the fantasy/sci-fi space. I think some of these issues would be avoided in future books the more she works in the genre.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for granting me an advance copy of the book!

First of all, thank you so much to Olivia Dade and Berkeley Romance for the advanced reader copy of “ZOMROMCOM,” and a special thanks for the glow-in-the-dark physical galley! It gave me so much childlike joy to sit with my copy in the dark and watch it glow 😂

ZOMROMCOM follows human Edie Brandstrup, your typical candlemaker in a post zombie apocalypse world. Edie is one of the last residents in Zone A, the closest zone to the breach and the same place her parents were when they lost their lives protecting her. In an ill-advised attempt to save her seemingly harmless also human neighbor, she ends up face-to-face with a vampire named Gaston Max Boucher, who is definitely not a human named Chad like she thought he was, and he’s definitely very interested in her safety. For some reason. The unlikely pair are thrust into saving the world from a murderous plot alongside a rag tag group of enhanced humans and superbeings, with the hope that they may live to see another day… and maybe even fall in love.

Overall, this was a really cute romantic comedy and a great palate cleanser in between multiple more dark romance books I’ve been reading for work. I loved that Edie was plus-sized, but it wasn’t her whole purpose in the book, which is very rare to find in romance or any other genre. I loved that every character had a wide range of sexualities and again, it wasn’t their whole personality or purpose in the book. Every character was diverse but not for the sake of diversity, just because it is who they are, and that’s beautiful. It’s so rare and I wish it wasn’t, but I’m thankful when I do find it.

The one thing I just was quite confused by was how quickly Edie and Max became romantic. Like WOW that was fast. They were intimate so quickly. Lots of yearning still to be found, but it wasn’t a slow burn in any way. I couldn’t tell if it was truly that fast or if it was because I have been reading SO many slow burns recently, but they liked each other real quick, and it seemed a little fast to me.

Olivia Dade is very conversational, which even as a journalist where my job is to write like I talk, did take getting used to, but it was really fun once I did. She writes with a lot of heart and humor and tons of spice, and I really enjoyed reading this book!

Stay tuned to 12News for my upcoming article. Happy reading, Arizona!

3.75 / 5 Stars
What a crazy, fun, supernatural world! When she sees a zombie coming for her hapless, dumb, dude bro neighbor, Edie has a burrito and a will to protect him. It’s been 20 years since the last zombie breach, so Edie isn’t necessarily prepared but the burrito is hefty so it’ll do. Turns out that Chad is saving her and he’s doing it while only wearing a sheep skin thong and leather hoodie. Edie thought she was hallucinating and so did I. Bethonged Chad is actually Gaston "Max" Boucher, a sardonic vampire and emotionless vampire, who is also very protective of this human. When the zombie breach protocols are not initiated by the government, Edie and Max venture out to try to save everyone from further zombie deaths. As they unravel a conspiracy and meet some real strange strangers along the way, Edie and Max realize that opposites do attract. But do they live long enough to do anything about it?

You will probably like this book if you like:
🧛‍♂️ Paranormal romance
🧟‍♀️ Grumpy x sunshine
🧛‍♂️ She ribs him and he rolls his eyes but loves it
🧟‍♀️ Forced proximity
🧛‍♂️ FMC in her late 30s and plus sized
🧟‍♀️ Quirky and zany
🧛‍♂️ Fast burn and spice
🧟‍♀️ A dash of mystery and conspiracies
🧛‍♂️ A rag tag team of weirdos

This whole world was really weird and super silly and tilts a lot of expectations on its head. In this world, zombies were created in a government experiment gone wrong (they were going to hunt werewolves) and somehow speak French (so enjoy having them say “bonjour” as they kill you). Max, our vampire friend, is a fashion and makeup influencer (hence the sheepskin thong, of course) and he sleeps on a memory foam mattress (not a coffin - gross, how dare you insult his sensibilities). Money counterfeiters are actually really nice and make you tiramisu. This whole book leans into the ridiculousness at every turn and I think that is what makes it work. Occasionally, it felt quirky for quirky sake (still not sure why Edie is a soap maker out of all other occupations), but this book never backs down from a joke or a laugh and I really appreciated that.

Mixed in with this zaniness were some really poignant discussions about grief and what it means to continue living when those you love are gone. Edie is both so full of life and so full of grief while Max is so closed off and full of grief and it was important to see both of those representations. I also think that for these two opposites, grief gave them something to connect over and to help each other through.

I also so deeply appreciate the body representation with Edie. She has a bigger body and not once does she say, “I am not sure if Max will like me because of it” or even “I am confident in myself but …” Her body shape is just a fact with no qualms attached and her body kills zombies just like everyone else’s and I loved that. Oh and she is in her late 30s so hallelujah for more diverse body and age representation.

My only complaint is that it did feel like insta-love. Perhaps in a zombie apocalypse you might be quicker to jump to love (pickings are slim when you live near a zombie compound), but they have only really known each other for a few days. And I liked the quickness of their physical connection but the emotional connection was too fast to feel justified. But they are a human and a vampire who both keep trying to sacrifice themselves for each other and maybe in this world that is love. I did feel like it was setting up a sequel so hopefully there are more Gaston jokes to come!

Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: August 5, 2025

This book was a super fun romp! The premise is preposterous but the story was so engaging and entertaining. The mythology around the different types of creatures (supernaturals and zombies) was a fresh and interesting take.

I especially liked the FMC, a heartwarmingly kind, smart, capable person with a regular body. The MMC was such a hoot, and what a character! I enjoyed many of the side characters, as well, and the banter between them. Several times I laughed aloud. The tension, verbal sparring, and eventual spice between our two MCs was so fun and satisfying!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House I was able to read the eBook and listen to the audiobook as well. The audio version was well produced and the narrator did a variety of voices well.

I was a bit shocked and dismayed when the book ended abruptly because I didn’t realize going in that this is the first in a series—I’m committed now, so bring them on!

I would recommend this book to fans of Janet Evanovich, Elle Cosimano, and Jo Segura. I would also recommend it to readers looking for adventure and romance with a heavy dose of humor.

I wanted to love this. Incredible premise. So much potential. Horribly executed.

I didn’t like the first Olivia Dade I read either, but I had hoped that a comedic, supernatural story would work well for her style.

It did not.

The good? There was some. Several of the more humorous moments could have worked if the rest of the book had been different. The Gaston song made me laugh, at least. And the spice was well-written (though, admittedly, I don’t love spicy scenes in my books—I’m not deducting anything for their presence though because I knew it was part of the package when I picked up the book). And… that’s about it. Oh, wait. I did like the way she sets up the sequel in the last chapter. That was clever.

The bad? So much.

First of all, the world-building was so disappointing. You’re just tossed into the middle of this world with zombies that were created by and then contained by the government, plus there’s other supernatural beings as well as “Enhanced” humans. And it takes soooooo long to start to understand what the world actually looks like. By the end, I still didn’t feel like I had a full picture.

The dialogue had so much potential, but it was very cringe-y. I had a visceral reaction every time Max called Edie “woman” or “human.” Ugh. And then there were some moments that felt too serious for the funny dialogue Dade attempted. It just didn’t work.

The characters were awful. I never bought Max as a character; his job (!!!), his personality, his love for Edie… It never came together. Edie was insufferable; I wanted to love her, but she was just annoying. The sex/falling in love happened way too fast and came out of nowhere; it was jarring, honestly. The first set of additional characters were fine, but the second set (like 2/3+ of the way through the book) never had the time to mean anything.

The plot was dumb. I understood what Dade was going for, I guess. Again, it just didn’t work.

Overall, I hated this. I’m disappointed because I want to love stories about fat ladies doing cool things, and I love vampire novels. Ugh.