What do you get when you throw together a cleaver-wielding soap maker, a broody French vampire, and a small-town zombie breach? Olivia Dade’s ZomRomCom — a paranormal romcom that’s equal parts absurd, sweet, and laugh-out-loud funny.

What It’s About

Edie is sunshine personified: bubbly, plus-size, a soap maker with a sharp wit and an even sharper cleaver. Her neighbor, Chad/Gaston/Max (yes, he answers to all three—“Vampire Boy” included), is a reclusive French vampire whose social battery barely makes it past polite greetings.

“She’s a real pain in the ass. Sadly, however, she’s my pain in the ass.”

When zombies start wreaking havoc in their coastal town, Edie rushes to save him—only for the tables to turn and she becomes the one rescued. From there, the two unlikely partners team up to fight off the undead, uncover what’s causing the breach, and maybe (just maybe) find something more than survival in each other.

Expect ridiculous Gaston-inspired songs, top-tier banter, and a surprisingly tender romance amid the chaos.

What I Loved

• The banter between Edie and Chad/Gaston/Max is pure comedy gold.
• Edie’s wholehearted care and optimism balance beautifully against his sarcastic, guarded nature.
• The Gaston-style songs had me laughing out loud.
• It’s the perfect mix of gory chaos and sweet romance.

Read This If You…

• Love your romance with a side of zombies 🧟
• Enjoy a grumpy/sunshine dynamic with top-tier banter
• Have a soft spot for quirky, offbeat paranormal romances
• Can’t resist a reluctant vampire hero with hidden charm
• Want to laugh, swoon, and side-eye the possibility of a sequel all in one sitting

Tropes You’ll Find

• Grumpy/Sunshine
• Neighbors-to-Lovers (with zombies!)
• Forced Team-Up
• Found Family (in a roundabout, undead-fighting way)
• Hidden Softie Hero
• Musical Comedy Bits (yes, really)

Final Thoughts

ZomRomCom made me laugh, cry, gasp—and scratch my head at the ending. Even with a couple of threads left hanging, the overall ride was hilarious, gory in all the right ways, and genuinely sweet. Olivia Dade, if more of your books are like this, I’ll happily hand over my wallet.