Olivia Dade has a new paranormal romance that’s sure to make you swoon! PEOPLE has an exclusive first look at this bestselling author’s upcoming novel, Zomromcomwhich will hit bookstores next summer. Edie Brandstrup lives in a world where zombie attacks are rare but not unheard of. When the first in 20 years happens, Edie rescues her neighbor, Max, only to realize he’s actually a vampire. Max is determined to protect Edie from harm, but she’s ready to save as many people as possible—and take Max along for the ride.
“Zomromcom” by Olivier Dada.
Berkeley
While on their mission, the duo learn that there is a plot afoot to release zombies into society, join forces with a group of allies, and even as the world around them seems to be crumbling, Edie realizes that she may have feelings for Max—and that she has to reckon with the meaning of love in difficult times.
The PEOPLE Puzzler has arrived! How fast can you solve it? Play now! Dade, who became a hit with her 2020 romance Spoiler alerttogether with its sequels, All the feelings and Shipwreckedtells PEOPLE that Zomromcom it’s as witty as it is sultry.”With ZomromcomI set out to create a book that would make me smile and laugh even on my most challenging days, in hopes that it would do the same for my readers,” says the author. “The joy of writing this story is scattered throughout its pages, and I hope that joy is contagious in the best possible way! (Yes, “infectious” is a zombie pun. I couldn’t resist. Nor did I try.)”
Hungry for more? Read an exclusive excerpt from Zomromcom.
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Illustration by Olivia Dada.
Leni Kauffman
Armed with a burrito, Edie went around her car and ran to intercept the zombie. She would rather carry the knife she took with her on her daily walks in search of zombies or the knife she sometimes used to cut soap. Both weapons would actually kill the zombies—by cutting off their heads or cutting out their hearts, two of only three ways the creatures could be killed—rather than simply dousing them with medium-hot corn salsa. Too bad Chad would have been a headless corpse before she could have grabbed any weapon. People imagined zombies slowly moving towards their victims, arms outstretched as they rumbled brains, brains, but a secret, ill-fated government experiment proved them all wrong. She had seen their astonishing, terrifying speed almost exactly 20 years ago, when she was 18, when she first saw the gaunt, grey-pale creature hurtling silently on all fours toward…
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It doesn’t matter. A burrito was what she had. So, the burrito she would use. Somehow. Although the various self-defense courses she attended neglected to provide sufficient training in tortilla martial arts. Her sweet idiot of a neighbor stood on the unlit front porch of his dilapidated brick rancher as the sun dipped below the horizon and the shadows stretched out to swallow him. Chad was wearing headphones and didn’t respond to her warning. No one else came running to help, and no matter what happens, no one will. There were 11 houses in their cul-de-sac, and only two were currently inhabited. Hers. Chad’s.
Never miss a story — subscribe to PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. She was the only one who could save him. Or at least try to save him. Oh gods, she didn’t want to die. But she couldn’t let someone else… anyone otherwise — to die while she was running to save herself. Not again. The creature was only a dozen long paces away from Chad now, lunging upward and on its hind legs in preparation for the kill, elongated teeth yellowed, sharp and bared, claws outstretched to rip Chad’s head from his absurdly broad shoulders before it snapped. his skull was open like an egg and sipped down the delicious yolk of his brain. She slid into the zombie’s path, panting and terrified, and punched him in the chest with all her might and desperation.
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Error. Big mistake. The creature stopped, true. But she stumbled maybe half a step back and to the side, that was all, as the blow numbed her entire leg and knocked her off balance. As she struggled to stay upright, to take a defensive stance, the zombie snarled something hoarsely –Bonjour? That can’t be right.” his red-rimmed eyes were now fixed on … her. Which was her intention, but still. WITH—. She smacked him on the face with her foil-wrapped burrito. His gaze narrowed, devoid of anything but wild rage. As she took a few hasty steps back, the creature moved forward, slowly now, still upright.
He could tear her to pieces whenever he wanted. He had time to play with his food.From ZOMROMCOM published in association with Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2025 Olivia Dade.Zomromcom will hit shelves on August 5, 2025 via Berkley Trade Originals and is available for pre-order now, wherever books are sold.
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