This book was fine. A little over the top with the humor sometimes (or at least it’s not my type of humor). There also seemed to be some weird jumps between scenes. It was steamier than I was expecting which to me is a good thing.

This was a DNF for me. I normally love Olivia dade books but couldn’t get into the zombie component of the booj

I read and enjoyed two of the author’s previous books, from the Spoiler Alert series, so I was excited to read this one, but it didn’t quite meet my expectations.

The author’s note said this was her first paranormal novel, and I think the characterization suffered a bit in service of the plot. At the same time, I felt like the plot moved a bit too slowly. I didn’t quite understand what Max and Edie’s goal was for roaming around the potentially dangerous areas.

That being said, it seemed to come together a bit more at the end, and I’m potentially interested in reading the second installment.

Spice level is off the charts, if that matters to you either way. 😄

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.25/5

I don’t think I will ever get tired of the way Olivia Dade crafts her characters. A quirky soapmaker FMC and a vampire MMC who is also a fashion vlogger? Nothing I ever could have expected. The FMC is so vibrant her personality jumps off the page. Even the supporting characters receive the same treatment, all with their distinct personalities. Was some of the dialogue odd at best and cringey at worse? Yes. But I think that makes the characters all the more loveable.

Unfortunately, I think this book bit off more than it could chew. The concept of a world full of supernatural beings and enhanced humans among regular people seems compelling at first. But with all the different creatures and powers, the worldbuilding fell a bit flat. Outside of vampires, which we learn through the MMC, there are very limited details into the rules of the world. The most we understand about the different kinds of supernatural creatures is how they die and not much else.

I’m still interested in reading the next book. I found the characters loveable and compelling enough that I want to keep going. I hope that the worldbuilding gets more fleshed out, since the next book is set up to be from an enhanced person’s perspective.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced copy of this book.

Zomromcom by Olivia Dade is ideal for readers who enjoy witty, fast-paced romantic fantasies where opposites attract amidst chaotic supernatural threats, blending humor and heart with high-stakes adventure.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - 3.5/5
Spice level: 🌶️ - 1/5
Genre: Romance - Paranormal

First off I want to say thank you to @netgalley and @berkleypub for the advanced copy!

This is my first Olivia Dade book so I had no expectations going in. I found the book’s premise really engaging, with a zombie apocalypse and the unlikely partnership with a vampire neighbor to save the world. The dialogue was clever and humorous, and the scenes with singing were definitely standout moments in the book. I loved the plus size representation with our FMC, Edie. I enjoyed this for the most part but the pacing felt uneven at times, with some parts dragging, and some of the dialogue felt a bit too cheesy for my taste. Still a good fun read that I would definitely recommend. Especially with Olivia Dade writing more books for this planned series.

I cannot gush about this book enough! If you love zombies, romance, and comedy, this is an absolute must-read. I was giggling out loud from start to finish. The story hooked me from the very first sentence, and I found myself laughing my head off as a soap maker and her vampire neighbor join forces to unravel a zombie conspiracy. Of course, it wouldn’t be a romcom without a little romance, and their banter and quirky personalities had me totally invested.
My absolute favorite part was the singing! The quirky lyrics are impossible not to sing along with, and be warned—you’ll have Disney villain songs playing in your head for days. I also loved the fresh twist on zombie creation, which made the world so intriguing and fun to explore.
The pop culture references hit all the right notes for me. The grumpy, fashionista vampire with daddy vibes was a fantastic character, and the curvy FMC with her heart of gold and endless jokes was just delightful.
If I had one piece of feedback, it’s that the romance felt a little fast, these two went from strangers to ride-or-die in record time. Maybe with zombies around every corner, falling in love quickly just makes sense!
Overall, this book was a total joy. Highly recommended!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the chance to review this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I love Olivia Dade’s books and I always appreciate authors willing to take risks and branch out. Overall, I really enjoyed this. Eddie was as lovable as all Dade’s FMCs are. I did feel like there was just a LOT going on and a lot of world building in a really short book. It was hard to really connect with all the supporting characters. Still, good fun and would definitely recommend.

I loved the plus size representation in this. I enjoyed this for the most part but found the pacing to be off a bit. Some parts dragged. Some of the dialogue was a little campy.
Overall though, I loved Max and the vampire lore was fun. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys vampires and zombies.

I loved the book so much it was so fun to see all the weird food in a can she was eating and how her first instinct was to hit the zombie with a burrito

Thanks so much to Berkley Romance for the free book. This was received as part of Berkley’s Influencer Hub for Underrepresented Voices (fat representation), but all opinions are my own.

▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★.5 out of 5
▹Format: 📱 eReader
▹TL;DR Review: The writing and banter was very funny, the premise was interesting, but the execution left something to be desired.
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– FMC: Eden “Edie” Brandstrup. Sassy, yet highly empathetic, custom-soap maker with a beautiful full figure. She doesn’t take grief from anyone but she’s fiercely loyal and supportive of everyone. Loves creating alternate lyrics to a specific 90s Disney song to annoy a certain vampire. Doesn’t want to lose anyone, especially not if she’s the cost.
– MMC: Not Chad (aka, Gaston Maxime “Max” Boucher). The bestest, hottest and strongest of all of all species (according to him), Max is a vampire who uses condescension as a weapon of choice, much to Edie’s chagrin. Has a soft spot for neighbors who unapologetically sing to zombies. Deep down, he is surprisingly tender and devoted and carries layers of emotional scars. Bonus: he looks good in a macrame thong and gold lame MC hammer pants on his YouTube fashion channel
– Location: Virginia
– POV: Single third-person
– Spice: 4 open-door spicy scenes
– Tropes: zombie apocalypse, paranormal romance, found family, neighbors to lovers, he falls first, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, protective MMC, hidden identity
– Triggers: grief (parental), violence/gore, slight manipulation, sacrifice of self for someone else, government failure during crises
– Representation: FMC in mid-to-late 30s, body positivity, full-figured FMC, trauma processing
─────────────────────────
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:51 ──ㅇ────── -2:36
Now Playing: Only Exception by Paramore
╰┈➤ ❝And I’ve always lived like this, keeping a comfortable distance; And up until now, I had sworn to myself that I’m content with loneliness, because none of it was every worth the risk; well, you are the only exception❞
─────────────────────────
★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Comedic paranormal TV shows with romance like iZombie, What We Do in the Shadows, Santa Clarita Diet, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer
➼ Zombie movies that are funny vs. scary, like Shaun of the Dead, Fido, and Warm Bodies
➼ Putting on your denim overalls and drop-kicking zombies in an attempt to fix what the government is failing to do
➼ A main female character that annoys the crap out of the main male character by teasing him with altered lyrics to the tune of “Gaston” from the 90s Disney movie Beauty and the Beast
╰┈➤ ❝no…one…bites like Gaston, drinks Miller Light like Gaston. In a zombie match nobody fights like Gaston. He has neutrals in all of his dec-o-rating, my, how he lies, that Gaston!❞
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven—————✧——————Plot Driven
Insta Love/Lust———✧————————Slow Burn
Sweet————————✧———Spicy
Light/Fluffy———✧————————Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
The Good: Overall, I enjoyed the story and the main characters. It was really funny and clever. I loved Edie and very much appreciated the representation of a fat female main character who was as strong emotionally as she was in spirit. I felt seen in Edie as someone who has struggled with weight my entire life and to see a character like myself in size revered romantically and not criticized for being empathetic to all was a huge deal for me. It also was done in a way that it was prevalent to the story, but not shown as shameful by anyone. It was refreshing to read about a fat character without any of the basic body-shaming that is usually embedded into the story.

The (Maybe) Not So Good: The start of the romance felt like it came out of nowhere. I don’t mind that it wasn’t a slow burn, but it was like they went from strangers to emotionally attached without any bridge between. Additionally, the plot execution felt dragged out.

Would I recommend? Absolutely. This is funny, sexy, and body positive. Just know that this is part of a series, so a lot of the world building happens in this book, but at the same time, it can be slow to get to the point at times.

Still not convinced? Here are some of my favorite LOL quotes:
╰┈➤ ❝Of course I have feelings, human. I experience many emotions: Anger. Impatience. Disgust. Boredom. Schadenfreude.❞ Wow, his daily existence sounded fun.

╰┈➤ ❝Your fancy shirts can go f&ck themselves for all I care❞ ❝That’s fair. Not to mention logically possible.❞

╰┈➤ ❝Your concern is noted and appreciated, human. But my ego is fine. Exemplary, in fact. The envy of all. Much like the rest of me.❞

I am a 100% Olivia Dade stan. I will read anything and everything she writes because they are witty, laugh out loud funny, and capture my attention the whole time. But I got to this book and I thought to myself...self! You don't like zombies or horror-esque type stuff, are we going to like this?

And I did really really enjoy it. You have an FMC who laughs in the face of danger and is armed with a foil wrapped burrito and then you have her next door neighbor who is not in fact a vapid idiot but actually a sexy vampire. Together they do their best to warn those in charge of a zombie breach while also unravelling the mystery of why, exactly, no one has sounded the alarm already.

It has fun world building, fun and interesting characters, exceptional dialogue, and SO SO MANY versions of "no one [blanks] like Gaston, no one [blanks] like Gaston, no one [blank blank blanks] like Gaston" that just....it's perfection.

Even if you don't like zombies this is a winner because it will legit have you cackling while you unwrap your zombie proof, foil wrapped burrito.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for this ARC.

This was a fun adventure. Really just settle in and enjoy the hilarity and zombies because this is not a book the be taken seriously. But I really enjoyed this one and found so many scenes that made me laugh. I wasn't sold on the romance, but I still enjoyed Edie and Max getting together. Definitely seems like there's another book based on the ending.

I was intrigued when I heard Olivia Dade was trying something new with Zomromcom. While paranormal romances (including those of the romcom variety) are very hit-or-miss for me, I had high hopes that Olivia Dade could pull it off. And while it’s not a case of complete love like with her contemporaries for me, I still had a ton of fun.
I did struggle a bit with the lack of world building. I’m not surprised, as it’s not uncommon for paranormal romcoms to be very shallow in this department beyond that the zombies were government engineered to kill supernaturals. However, it’s not massively to the book’s detriment.
However, Dade definitely makes up for it with her characters and their dynamic. Edie is a delight, and it’s great to see a fat woman fighting to defend herself in such an extreme situation, albeit with her own unique flair. Max (real first name: Gaston) is also fun, with him being a vampire. Their banter carries the book, especially the constant riffs on “Gaston” from Beauty and the Beast. Their chemistry is fairly solid, and I did root for them.
But the book stumbled a bit more when it came to the plot. There are some solid action/zombie fight scene moments, but I feel like all of those were a means to an end to get the couple together. And that’s always important for a romance, but I just feel like the book felt otherwise pretty directionless beyond the selling point of that banter and the allure of the supernaturals.
I respect Olivia Dade for trying something a bit different, and I am hopeful she can craft something better as she adapts to the genre more, as it does sound like she has more installments planned for this series. I do think that if you’re just looking for a paranormal romcom that’s all vibes, low plot, and has zombies and banter, I think you might enjoy this more than I did.

Here’s a book that delivers on its title: There were zombies! There was romance! There was comedy!

This was genuinely one of the most fun reading experiences I’ve had in a long time. I don’t usually read paranormal romance, but I was enthusiastically all in on this one.

Edie is a delightful heroine—kind-hearted, quick-witted, resourceful, unpretentious, and oddly obsessed with bizarre processed foods. She’s the perfect foil for her vain and broody vampire neighbor, Max, who previously posed as a clueless dude-bro named “Chad” to avoid suspicion. When a long-contained zombie horde escapes confinement, the unlikely pair teams up to alert the authorities.

Along the way, they encounter a colorful cast of characters. This world includes not just zombies and vampires, but a whole host of supernatural and “enhanced” beings: werewolves, witches, oracles, fae, trolls—even a band of rogue tween Girl Explorers. There’s a lot of lore packed in, but it’s surprisingly easy to follow.

The banter between Max and Edie is top-notch—silly, sarcastic, and sexy in all the right places. It’s a classic opposites-attract dynamic, and not just because he’s a vampire and she’s a human. If I had one nitpick, it’d be Max’s bizarre YouTube channel, which feels slightly out of sync with the rest of his character.

If you’re looking for a book that’s pure fun from start to finish, this is it. Even the discussion questions at the end were hysterical. I laughed, I cried, and now I’m eagerly awaiting a sequel.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

I tried to get into this book. I really did, but I found myself constantly cringing and I didn't make it far. Thank you, Berkley for allowing me to read this.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for the eARC, all opinions are my own.

This was a quick, fun read. I enjoyed it, but there were also some things that bothered me about it. This review is going to focus more on the bad than the good, but there were definitely good things.

Pros:
- Quick read that kept me entertained.
- FMC is older (late 30s) and competent. We aren’t necessarily shown that she is competent, we’re told, but I’ll take it.
- FMC is not magical, which is always nice to see when so many FMCs are super-special and/or all-powerful.
- Interesting premise. Granted, I haven’t read a lot of zombie books to compare it to, but it was new to me.

Pro & Con: There were a lot of overly silly things. While this helped keep the overall feeling of the book light, some of it was so far fetched (zombies learning from a French-style Dora show??)

Cons:
- The world was a smidge confusing/contradictory. The FMC had friends in her done, but she didn’t go talk to them or see if they were okay? She talks about neighbors, but we don’t meet them. Do the FMC and MMC live completely alone in Zone 2?
- There was a tiny mention of a soul mark for humans, but that’s it. Why introduce a concept but then not flesh it out? If the MMC was somehow soul-connected to the FMC, it would make their connection make more sense.
- Lots of insta-love here. While the FMC and MMC have been neighbors for 3 years, they don’t really know each other. But on day two, feelings are getting thrown around already? I get that there may be some scary experience-bonding, but it was way too quick for my tastes.
- The MMC’s side job is never really explained. I don’t understand what exactly he does and then why he does what he does….
- There was some political drama that felt kind of thrown in. I know there are more books to come in this series (or at least I think so), but the whys here were not very fleshed out.
- The MMC sacrifices himself to save the FMC, but then he is just going to get his immortality back? We weren’t ever told how this is possible, and he seems very certain he will, which definitely lessens his sacrifice. If the next book focuses on a different couple, how will we see this?

Honestly Infinity Stars ♾️ ⭐️ 🧟‍♀️💘🩸Zombies, vampires, and one ridiculously large sword?? Say LESSSS. ZomRomCom had me laughing, tearing up, and swooning like it was my full-time job. Max is the grumpy vampire of my dreams, and Edie? She’s brave, hilarious, stubborn, soft-hearted, and wonderfully real. I ADORE these characters with my whole undead-loving heart.

They felt like old friends I didn’t want to say goodbye to the kind you root for with everything in you because they deserve love, safety, and the chance to save the world and hold hands while doing it. I would happily read 400 more pages of just Max and Edie arguing about bunker snacks.

Huge thanks to @berkleypub and their Underrepresented Voices program for this advanced copy it meant the world to see a badass plus-size girl not only on the cover, but saving lives and falling in love on the page. As a plus-size reader, this book felt like a hug I didn’t know I needed.
Seeing plus-size characters in books especially as leads who are loved, desired, powerful, and fully human matters more than words can say. It challenges the narrow beauty standards we’re constantly fed and reminds readers like me that we are worthy of taking up space in every story. Representation like this doesn’t just reflect reality it heals. It says, “You belong here, exactly as you are.” And that is everything. One of my favorite romances of the year. Will be added to my all times to recommend.

This one’s got bite (literally), but also so much heart. 🧛‍♂️🧟‍♂️💞 Would risk the zombie apocalypse again for Max and Edie, no question. #ZomRomCom #PlusSizeMainCharacter #GrumpyVampiresAndGirlsWhoSlay #ThankYouBerkeley #Bookstagram

I went in without any expectation, and this was the first Olivia Dade book I have read. I loved the premise of this book, zombie apocalypse, teaming up with your next door neighbor who happens to be a vampire to save the world! The dialogue was witty and funny. There's even a few parts in the story where singing is involved and those were some of the highlights of the book. Despite the banter and the laugh out loud moments in the book, the storyline was a little disjointed. There seemed to be too many things happening at once and the pacing was uneven. I wish there was more of a backstory and world building (since there's so many other supernaturals in the story too) but the story was dominated by the banter and moderate action. As much as I loved the FMC Edie for her big heart and need to try to save others, the romantic development with the MMC Max also seemed too forced and instant in my opinion. Overall I still enjoyed this story but you definitely have to keep an open mind going in because there's a lot of ridiculousness in it. The story doesn't seem finished, and I'm curious to see where it will go from here if there's another book Thank you NetGalley, Berkley Publishing, and Olivia Dade for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a fun and easy read. I loved Max and Edie. Their romance felt a little like insta-love but I thought it worked for the story. The world was interesting, if slightly underdeveloped.

My main complaint was that the ending felt pretty rushed and abrupt - I was really hoping for a long epilogue of Max and Edie in the real world.