Doomsdate

by Laura Piper Lee

When a first date between a doomsday prepper and a nerdy film professor goes horribly, zombie-apocalypse-level wrong, the mismatched pair team up on a road trip to safety in this delightfully feral rom-com.

With a new virus spreading and a lockdown on the horizon, Maisie Bennett is determined to check one item off her bucket list: Get laid. But that’s no easy feat for an anxious doomsday prepper who’s never made it past a first date. So when a handsome, stubbly-jawed professor swipes right and agrees to meet up, Maisie vows to act normal—and to leave her taser at home.

Dr. Everett Greer has lost all lust for life after a personal tragedy, but he doesn’t have the heart to stand up the poor woman his best friend catfished to force him back “out there.” Maisie turns out to be surprisingly lovely, but there's something off about her, too, with her clinking cargo pockets, shy smile, and utility belt full of—are those weapons? Unfortunately, their awkward first date goes from bad to doomed when the GI virus that’s trapped half of America in the bathroom starts claiming its first casualties, then reanimates them into flesh-eating zombies. And this is precisely why Everett doesn't date anymore.

As the country spins out of control, Maisie and Everett find themselves an unlikely team of two—well, three, if you count Everett’s cat, Chicken—as they travel north to hopeful safety. Along the way, Maisie and Everett make a deal: she’ll teach the soft, liberal arts professor how to survive, and he’ll teach her how to live—through movies, travel, and, to Maisie’s delight, sex lessons. But when their growing feelings are put to the test, they’re in danger of losing not only their brains to the zombies, but worse, their hearts to each other.

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Horror, Audiobook, Zombies, Contemporary

408 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2026

About the author

Laura Piper Lee writes lots of things--desperate pleas to her partner for emergency caffeine, to-do lists that never get done, impassioned texts on her favorite supplements (it's Berberine, look it up)--but she only gets paid to write adult romantic comedies featuring characters as hapless as she is.

Add her newest book, Zoe Brennan, First Crush to your want-to-reads shelf if you love steamy, sapphic romcoms with professorial butch love interests, power play, and lots of wine!

Things you'll find in Zoe Brennan:
*A lot of on-page spice,
*a sexy, bossy butch love interest,
*a LOT of jokes, and
*a perpetually single lesbian in a small queer mountain town who's married to her vineyard because relationships are scary.

Add Laura's debut Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair to your to-reads shelf, or hell, if you want to be a hero, buy it even!

Things you'll find in Hannah Tate:
*on-page spice
*a hot Golden Retriever boyfriend (he even lives in a treehouse y'all)
*a LOT of jokes, and
* a single mom who's trying to build her whole life from the ground up with two leaky breasts and an infant strapped to her front.

Reviews

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 5 out of 5]

is there anything better than a nerdy completely pathetic, utterly down bad mmc with an absolutely fifthly mouth?!

Pair it with laugh out loud funny adventures during a zombie apocalypse, emotional depth for dayssss, + sex lessons.

I'm so utterly in love with this book.

Doomsdate is impossible to put down.

It is action-packed. Laugh out loud funny. The perfectly pathetic (complimentary) cat dad MMC. The absolute baddie FMC. The way they learn to live & love during a literal zombie apocalypse. The found family. The heart-break. The healing. The absolute bonkers (again, complimentary) concept. The sex lessons!!!!

This is such an unbelievably fun book, with a ton of emotional depth, and if it isn’t on your tbr yet, what tf are you waiting for.

I’m planning to reread the MOMENT I have access to the audiobook, at which point I may come back and add even more praise to this review, but for now this will have to do.

READ THIS BOOK!

While you’re waiting for its release please, please go read Pot Shot, another absolute banger by Laura Piper Lee!

5⭐️ | IG | TikTok |

Thank you Dell & the author for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

[Sophie]

DNF 60% What a strange experience.

This book starts off so strong. We have Piper, a doomsday prepper who really, really wants to get laid, and her target is a sweet guy named Everett. Unfortunately, her only reference material for how to flirt is reality TV. As if that wasn’t awkward enough, a zombie apocalypse kicks off right as they're wrapping up dinner.

As far as first chapters go, this was great. I immediately loved how flawed and relatable these characters were. But they also walked a really fine line between being totally adorable and completely cringe.

For a while, I was 100% team ‘adorable’. But then the romance completely hogged the apocalypse and that’s where it lost me.

It started to feel like they were just going on casual dates while the apocalypse was happening in the background. The sexual tension led to some funny zombie encounters at first, but it also became repetitive and eye roll inducing. I wanted to love the deeper moments where they worked through their insecurities, but there was just so much boring filler and so. much. lust! Ughh

I ended up skimming the romance and getting completely annoyed by the characters, so I thought it was best to DNF.

─ ✦ ────

✎ᝰ.┊ pre-read: an anxious doomsday prepper and a grieving hottie professor VS. a zombie apocalypse. i am sat 👀

⬫ ⬪ ⬫
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the arc!

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Zombie Ridden Stars!

Dating is tough! Toss in Pandemic 2.0 times a thousand, and the odds of a successful connection dwindle fast. As per the blurb, somehow a prepper raised in isolation and a widower who’s barely functioning three years later, reluctantly see a mutually benefiting partnership to travel the zombie ridden countryside to get to their respective destinations. Will they be successful? Will they find love in the process? Well, of course they do!

As Maisie and Everett confront obstacle after obstacle, they do so with grit and determination. Though this was a bit repetitive with lots of personal contemplation and inner turmoil, both have plenty of healing and growth to do regarding their myriad of issues. This definitely runs the gamut of experiences, plunging the reader into smart survivor scenarios, anxiously ridden zombie chases and fights, all peppered with fun pop culture references amongst the silly humor, gory horror, and spicy spice.

Obviously, this was an easy read, and though at times grim and tragic, don’t take it too seriously. Sit back and enjoy the wild ride that this is!

Thank you to Ballantine of Dell via NetGalley or a copy to review honestly

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 3 out of 5]

”I may have taught you how to survive, Everett. But you’ve taught me how to live.”

as much as i love zombie related content, this book didn’t do what i wanted it to. it started off fun, but the characters were driving me up the wall. i’m sick of 30+ year olds acting like they don’t have brains in their head. i also get irritated by virgin characters who somehow lack basic common sense about anything sexual.

the romance between Maisie & Everett did have cute bits, but they were driven by lust and the sex scenes were horrendous. i also thought the whole thing with Everett’s parents & Maisie’s “gramps” was completely out of left field. i didn’t like the reasoning they gave for why the zombie outbreak was occurring either.

Maisie is the capable one out of the two, Everett’s horror movie knowledge was most of what he had to offer for the majority of the book. maybe i just wanted more zombie carnage, but all the elements of the story didn’t mesh well for me & it was honestly distracting. there is some mindless enjoyment to be had though.

➻ thanks to NetGalley, the author and Ballantine for the arc, all opinions are my own.

[MagretFume · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to mix genres like horror, romance and humour successfully but I think this book played very well on the different themes.
I had a great time.
This felt like a fresh take on the usual romance tropes, where most of the rescuing is left to the FMC, it's got a lot of heart and humour, and just enough spice.
The zombie apocalypse part is really good in itself, and felt more developed than just a pretext for the protagonist to develop their relationship.
It's a self aware, not very serious book and it plays it well with nods to pop culture.

[Susan Carolynn · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5 stars! Doomsdate was EXACTLY what I needed out of an apocalyptic rom-com. The author did an excellent job executing this genre blend, and it was so much fun and campy! A bit of an Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt vibe, and I loved it.

The humor was hilarious, and I loved both characters. I didn't expect a doomsday rom-com to be so successful in portraying modern dating, but here we are. And the spice and tension were so fun. I also loved how the FMC knew exactly what she was doing, and the MMC was often helpless. Maisie was such a badass and didn't need a man to save her.

What I liked about this book too is the characters did what most people would dream of doing during the apocalypse, such as enjoying the Smithsonian museums when there aren't any people, going to the top of the Empire State Building alone, thriving in an empty NYC, etc. I also can't with the Oval Office scene, so humorous. Couldn't recommend this more if you're in the mood for a campy zombie book!

Thank you so much to Dell Romance for sending me a copy of Doomsdate. As always, my reviews are one hundred percent voluntary and all opinions are my own :)

[Jenna Levine · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely delicious fever dream of a book that is gory, hilarious, hot, and swoony in equal measure. One part zombie apocalypse story, one part romcom, and one part road trip from hell— and Laura Piper Lee balances them all to perfection. I am low-key obsessed with any author that can come up a premise this unhinged ( affectionate!!!) and execute it so well. All the stars.

[maria · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

homegirl whole purpose was to get her cherry popped in the middle of a zombie apocalypse.

2.75⭐️

I was really excited for this one cause I loved pot shot and throughout the first 40% of it I was having the 5 stars feeling but once the whole romance aspect started I lost my interest in them, oops. It just became so repetitive at one point: go to another state, fight the zombies, have crazy sex somewhere, fight more zombies and move to another state. Over and over again.

I liked that the characters were fleshed out, I can give it that lol. The writing wasn’t bad neither, at least the no sex parts… the sex scenes gave me the ick cause everything felt so forced. Idk, it wasn’t good. But again if they weren’t fighting zombies they were having sex so I guess through half of the book I was just trying my best not to cringe.

honestly, I’ll still recommend the book! If you want to have a fun time this is for sure a good option. it just wasn’t for me right now

[Mo Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

‘When a first date between a doomsday prepper and a nerdy film professor goes horribly, zombie-apocalypse-level wrong, the mismatched pair team up on a road trip to safety in this delightfully feral rom-com.’

Pot Shot was easily one of my favorite books this year. & when I came across Doomsdate on NG, I snatched it up like some hungry hostage at a Bonanza buffet.

So it kills me to say that this book was not of the same caliber. Far from it IMO.

Woofff. I had several issues. But the main one was the MMC, Everett. It’s like he was a mannequin built from parts that just DID NOT MATCH!

A military brat, a good looking nerdy professor type with a penchant for horror movies. He’s a widow and still heavily grieving from his loss. He’s estranged from his parents after they rejected him because he’s “such a disappointment” by not following in their military footsteps. He’s seemingly a loner, a little reclusive with only a single friend to speak of. He’s awkward and goofy and unsure of himself, sometimes downright dim, self deprecating, & woe-is-me…. We find him up some tree, like a scared, fragile kitten, helpless & defenseless when the zombie apocalypse hits, surrounded by the undead, because he’s “never learned how to fight”.

Cue the FMC. Maisie swoops in to the rescue and wipes out every zombie surrounding the damn tree with a mace. A mace! By herself, & saves his life.

And this is where their journey begins.

Maisie’s a 30 yo virgin and asks him for sex lessons along the way🙄 Feelings inevitably follow. Because ofc they do.

My problem with Everett is not that he can’t fight, or that he’s nerdy or sulky or any of that. It comes when he starts “dirty-talking” during “sex lessons”. This meek mountain of a man turns into someone else entirely, saying shit like: I l’m going to drink from your c⛎nt. (Ewwww, cringe.) And: I’m going to put my hard c☮️ck into your tight little p***y.”
Seriously dude? Like, idk...maybe pick a personality, ffs. Who tf are you really? I still dk.

Truthfully, I didn’t like either one of them. And what would eventually happen to them during this bloody apocalypse didn’t make a damn bit of difference to me one way or the other. I just didn’t give a toss.

The issues I had didn’t stop here. But I’m not about to drone on and on.

I thought the premise was solid. But it simply did not work for me. The struggle to get through was nothing short of painful. I am positively jubilant about moving on.
 
Thanks to Ballantine for the opportunity. I am always grateful.
 
Pub: 9.15.26.
All opinions are my own.

[Rebecca]

omg this sounds so good?

Thank you Random House Publishing Group for access to this ARC

[Katie Beasley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think what I enjoyed the most about this one was how original it was. I can't say that I have ever read a zombie apocalypse rom com, and while I didn't love this one, I liked it. I liked how Laura tried to make light of the fact that yes there were zombies but they came about after having extreme diarrhea. I thought the meet cute between Maisie and Everett was hilarous- who decides to go out to eat while there is a potential virus on the loose that the world doesn't know enough about. I think I just liked how eccentric this whole book was. With that being said, I didn't feel like a whole lot happened plot wise- the book felt dragged out in my opinion which also contributed to the three star rating. I liked the forced proximity between these two and how the tables were turned and Maisie was the one who was protecting Everett from the zombies. I just felt like there was a lot of build up toward the end that pointed at there being some sort of confrontation between the zombies and the good guys, and while that happened everything wrapped up rather quickly after that and that fast ending fell flat for me.

Maisie has one thing on her mind. She knows everything there is about the possibility of a zombie apolocalypse happening. She is beyond prepared but because of how she was raised, she had very limited interaction with boys. Which is why she is on the hunt for someone to take her V card. She isn't feeling picky at this point. Anyone will do. But she is pleasantly surprised when she meets Everett for the first time. He is cute. He gives her the tingles. And so she propositions him. She is done waiting but then everything changes. The world is actually devolving into a zombie apocalypse. Everett freaked out when he saw her prep room. And she has been left alone still with her V card. But the plot thickens because Everett needs her help. He asks if she can help him get to his parents. She finds herself agreeing. She likes spending time with him. The more time she spends with him, the more she realizes that there could be something between them. But they might be separated forever when she drops him off with his family. Why does she care though? She has only known him for like two days. And yet there is something there she knows it. She likes how his body responds to her. She likes how much he builds up her confidence. She LIKES him. Which is why when they need to extend their trip she says. Which is why when plans change, she doesn't want to leave him. Which is why when all of this is over so knows she wants to be with him for real. They just have to make it to the other side.

Everett can't believe his best friend has tricked him into going on a date. Everette can't believe he is here right now with this woman Maisie. Who yes of course if beautiful. And there is something about him that makes him sit up straighter. But he has been in mourning and doesn't know if he is ready to try anything new yet. But when Maisie propositions him, he says yes. He wants this. But all of that changes when he finds out she is a prepper. UGH. How could he have not seen that? So he writes her off, but then he realizes he needs her. The world is legit falling apart. People are coming back from the dead and those people are HUNGRY. The only person he knows who knows zombies is Maisie. So he asks for her help. Can she take him to his parents? He will follow her rules and stay out of her way. Or at least that's what he says. But he feels like he can contribute more than she wants him to. He finds himself enjoying their conversations. Enjoying this time with her. Learning what makes her tick. He hasn't had conversations like this or this type of connection with someone since his wife passed. And yet their time together is fleeting. But when plans change and they have to pivot, Everett finds himself ok with that. He isn't ready to walk from Maisie. In fact after they spend the night together, he knows that they have something special. They just have to make it through this apocalypse, and he has to make sure they are on the same page. That she wants this too.

The originality and laugh out loud moments carried this one for me. I liked Maisie and Everett together but again this felt like it dragged on a bit too long. And I had a hard time with everything being sort of wrapped up with the apocalypse after all of the build up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Nicole is Reading Fantasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m obsessed with this book! I didn’t know I needed a romcom with zombies and cat until I picked this one up, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down.

Everything about this story was perfection to me. I laughed, I kicked my feet, and I cried, because wow this story packed an emotional punch. I love when a book can be so much fun and still elicit such depth of emotion.

I loved Maisie and Everett, both individually and together. Their connection and chemistry is palpable, and they’re perfectly matched for one another. And Chicken?! Don’t even get me started on Chicken. She is everything.

This will absolutely go down as one of my favorite books of 2026!

[Dozelina 666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some people prepare for a first date by choosing a cute outfit.
Maisie prepares by making the difficult decision to leave her taser at home.

The world is already dealing with another nasty virus, people are getting sick, and things aren't exactly looking fantastic. Maisie, however, has something considerably more personal on her mind: she wants to lose her virginity before her upcoming birthday. She's been talking to a guy online, they've finally agreed to meet and she has A PLAN.

Except the man she's been talking to isn't exactly the man who shows up.
Everett has spent the last few years pretty much shutting himself away from life after suffering a devastating loss, and dating is absolutely NOT on his agenda. Unfortunately for him, his best friend has decided otherwise and secretly sets him up.

So yup, our Maisie has basically been catfished into a blind date.

Their date is awkward. Like... painfully awkward. Somehow they still make it back to Maisie's house, where things continue to be spectacularly awkward, and eventually they agree this was a one-time thing. Done. Goodbye. Have a nice life... Except that ends up in a disaster. So nothing comes out of their date.

At the same time, the sick people have started dying... And they don't exactly stay dead, instead they start getting back up.
Well...
Resident Evil has entered the chat. ( I did watch the movie at the cinema as well...so yup :D, right on time LOL)

Suddenly Maisie goes from slightly unusual woman with a suspicious amount of survival equipment to possibly the BEST person you could have beside you during the apocalypse. She was raised by an extremely paranoid prepper mother and spent most of her life preparing to survive basically every catastrophe imaginable. It was only after losing her mom that Maisie really started trying to live instead of simply survive.

Everett, meanwhile... (cough). After their date, Maisie rescues Everett from a tree.

Sir!

From there, Doomsdate turns into a wonderfully chaotic zombie road trip. There are plenty of zombie encounters, escapes and ridiculous situations, but what I really enjoyed was the relationship developing underneath all of that. Maisie and Everett talk. They learn about each other. They slowly open up about their losses and the lives they've been living, and both bring their own heartbreak and baggage into the relationship.

And THANK YOU for not immediately going:
Attraction! Pew pew! Zombies! Sex! OMG WE'RE SOULMATES!

There's attraction, obviously, and the circumstances throw them together very quickly, but their emotional connection still gets room to grow. Maisie may be teaching Everett how to survive, but in his own way, Everett is helping Maisie learn how to actually live. I really liked that balance between them.

Oh! and obviously we need to discuss the most important character.
Chicken.
The cat. NOT poultry!!!
Chicken is adorable, Chicken must be protected at all costs, and unfortunately my brain immediately went:

"Chicken wings, chicken wings, hot dog and baloney, chicken and macaroni..."

So THAT was playing in my head periodically while these people were trying not to be eaten by zombies. You're welcome.
I also liked that underneath all the ridiculousness, both Maisie and Everett are grieving. Their experiences are different, but they've both responded to loss by withdrawing from life in their own ways. That gave what could have been purely a goofy zombie rom-com a surprisingly sweet emotional core.

Overall, I had such a good time with this. Zombies, survivalist chaos, a disastrous first date, road-trip adventures, two emotionally bruised people slowly falling for each other, and one extremely important cat.
Pair this book with a Resident Evil movie and you're all set.

4.5⭐

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.

https://turnthepagewithana.blogspot.c...

[Laura Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I obviously LOVE this book!

It is pretty different than my others, though. If you're a Laura Piper Lee fan already, you'll find the same humor, heart, and offbeat personality that shines through all my books here. What's new is that this is an adventure romcom with real horror moments and a lot of big feelings about the end of the world. I also usually populate my books with a ton of lovable side characters, but that's rather hard to do in a zombie apocalypse novel. :) It's more adventure-focused than the pure comedy of POT SHOT, and it's my longest book yet. It's also VERY steamy--these two just couldn't keep their hands off each other!

Along with laughter, silly zombies, and super hot sex lessons, readers should expect death, gore, grief, America in ruins, and an HEA set firmly in a zombie apocalypse. Honestly, writing it in this day and age was pretty cathartic for me, and I hope reading it will feel that way for you, too.

Love,
Laura

[Kelsey reviews•books · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Was I expecting to swoon AND cry during a spicy zombie romance? No. But this book exceeded all of my expectations.

▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★★.5 out of 5
▹Format: 📱 eReader
I received an advance e-copy of this book from Ballentine and Netgalley, but all opinions here are my honest thoughts. This book comes out September 15, 2026.
─────────────────────────

○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○

– FMC: Maisie Bennett (aka “sweetheart” or “baby”). Nearly 30-year-old actuarial analyst who was raised by a hard-core prepper and has had to learn how to ingratiate herself into society with a very sweet naivete, but could also kick your ass.
– MMC: Dr. Everett Greet (aka “professor”). ~36-year-old film professor who watches horror movies and is clinically depressed. Grieving a loss of a relationship and a future.
– Location: North Carolina (and other various east coast locales)
– POV: Dual first-person
– Spice: 5-6 open-door spicy scenes
– Tropes: blind date to friends to lovers, age gap (seven years), doomsday prepper FMC, movie professor MMC, virgin FMC, socially inexperienced FMC, second chance at life and love, cat dad, the MMC is a “babygirl,” FMC is a badass, sex lessons, MMC wears glasses
– Content warning: pandemic-style panic, death, government secrets, colon cancer (off page death of minor character), American food additives
– Representation: women in STEM, “late bloomer” FMC, LGBTQIA+ minor side characters

─────────────────────────

🎯 My Thoughts:

This is my first Laura Piper Lee but consider me a CONVERT. This was campy, sweet, dark, funny, and gave me some anxiety. All of that was achieved through witty writing and fully fleshed-out characters.

I have so many quotes highlighted that I feel overwhelmed pulling my favorites. But between the pop-culture references, the tender moments, and the HILARIOUS camping scene there is so much to love here.

I was not expecting this to have as much heart as it does. Not only with Everett’s grief and Maisie’s passion to live, but with having to adapt to all forms of loss that they experience along the way. It was so reminiscent of COVID in ways that it was terrifying--which was effective in giving me anxiety during some of the higher-action scenes.

What’s weird to me is that normally I struggle with believability (even in fantasy/paranormal books). What do you mean these characters are prioritizing losing virginity and sightseeing during a gastro-intestinal disease that turns people into zombies? I would be crapping myself in their situation (and not because I would be infected)! But somehow here it totally works. I gobbled up the campiness and craziness. I think that’s because it was this beautiful blend of camp and sweetness, or soft and hard.

But my favorite thing here were both Maisie and Everett (and Gramps and Chicken). They balanced each other in such an effortless way.

Would I Recommend?: 100% yes. This was such a fun take on romance. It was darker than Zomromcom by Olivia Dade, campier than I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell by Mackenzie Reed, and one of the funniest romances I’ve read in a long time.


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↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12

Now Playing: Tubthumping by Chumbawumba

╰┈➤ ❝I get knocked down, but I get up again.❞

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⍟»This or That«⍟

Character Driven————✧———————Plot Driven
Fast Burn——————✧—————Slow Burn
Sweet————————✧———Spicy
Light/Fluffy——————✧—————Heavy/Emotional



•♥Consider following me on Instagram @kelseyreviewsbooks for more visual content and bookish discussions.♥•

[Elle G. Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never really been into books or even movies about zombie apocalypses, but I think my feelings on the topic are changing based on this book because I truly LOVED IT! Can you even imagine being on a first date (one you don’t even WANT to go on) and all the sudden the zombie apocalypse happens? What a riot!!! This was such a fun novel. Maisie and Everette are an unlikely duo (and complete opposites). Maisie is a socially anxious, hardcore prepper who is ready for the apocalypse, while Everett is basically nerdier and just not in the mood for dating. But he was catfished by his FRIENDS so… there’s that too LOL. If that isn’t bad enough, imagine the world ending when these two are on their first date 😂 That’s just a double whammy of bad things! But… maybe in terms of love it could... work?

I loved the forced proximity and road-trip romance aspects, especially because they're thrown together in the middle of absolute chaos. Watching them slowly go from two people who barely know each other to genuinely relying on and caring for one another was really satisfying. Then we have the zombies! Them and the whole apocalypse plot added so much to the romance instead of just being background scenery. There was danger, suspense, and humor. I loved it!

If you’re looking for something different, I highly recommend this book. I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did but it has easily become a new favorite!

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘
🧟‍♀️ Zombie apocalypse
❤️ Apocalyptic romance
🔥 Forced proximity
💕 Opposites attract
🚗 Road-trip romance
🌎 End-of-the-world survival

[Kelsey | Pages Between Policy · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC of Doomsdate!✨

It's only September, but I think I can confidently say that Doomsdate is my 2026 dark horse contender for favorite rom-com. I requested this book because the concept was so outlandish - a reclusive professor teams up with a paranoid prepper in the midst of a zombie apocalypse pandemic and they predictably fall in love - yet was so delighted to discover that there was so much more lurking beneath the surface of this seemingly absurd story. This book was unexpected in every way - Laura Piper Lee packed these 400 pages with heart and emotion between scenes of decapitating zombies, adventures traversing major landmarks of the eastern seaboard, and lots (and lots) of pandemic-style spice.

How could I fall in love with a book where the MMC fights a hoard of the undead while grappling with his - ahem - arousal? Any explanation I provide will likely be insufficient, but I'll try. Maisie and Everett leap off the page as complex, interesting characters who have... very different approaches to surviving a pandemic. Without giving too much of their intriguing back stories away, they are both grappling with their own traumas that have left them shut down and resistant to trusting and enjoying the company of another human. But when they go on a date just hours before the world as we know it implodes into reanimated victims of a global pandemic, they realize that they each have something the other wants, and their best chances of forging a path forward is likely together. (Also shout out to the best pandemic side-kick ever, Chicken the zombie alerting feline friend).

At no point could I predict where this book would go next, and I mean this in the best possible way. Maisie & Everett's chaotic adventures kept me on my toes; tearing myself away from this book felt like an impossible task. Mortal danger and terror lurked around every corner, but so did sweltering hot makeout (and more...) lessons. The juxtaposition was ridiculous and admittedly brilliant - the book never felt too heavy or difficult to read, despite, at its heart, being about trying to survive one of the most traumatic events in human history. (There were moments, especially early on, that I worried that this book was publishing too soon after the COVID-19 pandemic, but Lee did an admirable job both recognizing COVID as a notable landmark in the book and simultaneously distancing these events from COVID enough to be enjoyable).

Lee thoughtfully and sensitively handled difficult topics, including loss and grief, suicide, and anxiety, without lingering so much on any one of these issues in the context of an otherwise fun and lighthearted romance. (Please review content warnings for this one, as there might be parts of this novel that hit a bit too close to home for some).

As a long-time romance/romcom fan, I always find it enjoyable when an author branches out of the expected tropes in the genre, but it's even more special when the author can really stick the landing for a creative and well-conceptualized story. Lee does all of this and more with Maisie and Everett's story.

[Gyula · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

A nonsensical fun time

4.25⭐️
3/5🌶️
Dual/first person POV
Standalone
Format: audiobook, duet narration

Spoiler free

Even the name foreshadows utter insanity but I went for it & it’s a very unserious good time. But I’d say the narrators + the duet narration is what has me rating this so high because they may be new to me narrators but wow are they unbelievably talented. I’m not too sure how I’d feel eyeball reading this one honestly.

This caught my attention because I’m always reading about post apocalyptic fantasy romances but what about a romance that picks up right at the time of the big event??

This starts off really well & even though the plot progression & pacing is perfect, somewhere after the halfway point, this starts sounding unbelievable; yes, even in the time of an apocalypse🤣but something about all of it just makes for a low brain power/palette cleanser. I feel like the story doesn’t take itself too seriously but in tandem, the author tackles some strong themes so it kinda balances out.

We’ve got 2 adults (she’s 30/he’s 36) who are in a really vulnerable place in their lives & now the world. What we end up exploring is 2 unlikely people finding love amongst some truly atypical circumstances. This may be spicy but it’s also heartfelt & sweet but also hilarious & absurd. The banter & conversation wasn’t bad. But boy is the actual apocalypse aspect weak so don’t look for it😂just stay for the romance.

There’s plenty that works here but also lots that doesn’t but overall, it’s a hoot on audio.

[Monica Hills · Rating 5 out of 5]

A zombie novel that makes you laugh and gives you spice, what more could you want!

There is a virus that is causing the world to have horrible diahrea and then eventually turns everyone into a zombie. Maisie spent most of her life living in a bunker with her mom and when she finally gets her chance to live the world is on the verge of collapse. She is determined to go on a date and lose her virginity before she turns 30. She goes out with Evertt who is still reeling from a personal tragedy. However he makes an effort for Maisie but their date goes horribly wrong. As everyone around them starts turning they realize that they need to stick together to get somewhere safe. Maisie and Evertt soon discover that the world may be falling apart but the two of them may be meant to be.

This book had me hooked. The romance was sizzling and the zombies were on point. Unlike a typical zombie novel this one was not all death and gloom but the exact opposite. Yet, it still featured great action, interesting twists, and my favorite character, Chicken, the world's best zombie detector and cat. A truly unique read that is not only a fantastic addition to the dystopian genre but also the rom-com one as well.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Sandy (Sandy.Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️

This is my second book by Laura Piper Lee, and I have to say, this author makes me chuckle so many times throughout her books. I know I’m going to have a good time whenever I pick one up!

I highly recommend listening to this one on audio because that’s how I read it, and I absolutely adored the experience.

Just imagine a rom-com thrown into an apocalypse, with a virgin FMC and an MMC who gets set up on a date. 😂 It’s a crazy, zany mess, but somehow it works so well. I loved getting to know both of these characters and seeing everything they had been through. They made me laugh, and I found myself rooting for them along the way.

This book was a whole journey, and I was absolutely along for the ride. If you’re looking for something fun, chaotic, and a little different, definitely give this one a try!

[Afton · Rating 4 out of 5]

LPL knows how to write a dang good time. This book balanced humor, heart, and political topics perfectly!

Absolutely loved this!

[Anna · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

This book was like a romance version of zombieland but wayyyy more horny. I had a GREAT time. the perfect book for spooky season!!!

the narrators were great and the storyline kept me so intrigued.

[V · Rating 4 out of 5]

pre-read:

is it just me or the man on the cover look yum?

edit: OMG I GOT THE ARC

review:

I am very, very picky with romance book. Romance even isn't really my genre, feel free to look at my romance reading list! But this book got my attention—and ... do I like or dislike this book? 👀

Not gonna lie, just from seeing the cover of this book, I really wanted to read it. I mean, just look at it! Doesn't the guy on the cover look yum!? Oh, he looks exactly like my type. And after I read the blurb? A professor with stubble and glasses? Damn, I need to read this! *banging my credit card*

Based on my past experience with romance books that always disappointed me, I honestly didn't expect much. Especially with the blurb that looked kinda silly and I seriously thought it would be very cringe. I mean, seriously, apocalypse romance? I thought the characters would just act dumb and horny all the time, and I was ready to hate it. But well, I can say that I'm glad I was wrong.

I only needed a few pages to feel like this book was a comfortable read, and to know that Maisie and Everett might not be like other romances I've read (even if it's not many lol). Their first meeting really hooked me. Since that, I kept thinking, 'omg this book is so good', so I kept reading.

I do love Maisie and Everett. Maisie is a likable and prepared character, meanwhile Everett is a movie nerd and kinda dumb (for zombie survival), but in an endearing way. Here, we also would meet other characters. My personal favorites: Gramps and Chicken. How I wish to see them more.

I didn't feel their romance was cringe. From the first time they met, I was already rooting for them for some reason. They are awkward in a funny way, have different personalities and inner conflicts too. And I really like that this is not insta-lust/love like I expected or often find in romance books.

This book really exceeded my expectations at some points. When I thought the zombie element would be weak, that's exactly when the world actually started to go into an apocalypse. Crazy. I didn't expect the action and survival parts to be this good and enough for romance books.

Maybe, from the middle to the end, the story gets darker, because well … it's zombies everywhere, and guess who will die? So I feel like the giddy moments become less. Some new characters are also introduced toward the end. I wish their journey was longer and had more moments that made me giggle and kick my feet. But everything I read was already good enough and felt just right.

I recommend this book, even if you were first interested just because of the cover like me lol.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars

This book is laugh out loud funny but also has surprisingly tender and insightful moments especially when it comes to learning how to trust people that I was not expecting from a zombie apocalypse rom com.

What blew me away was how seamless the humor and deep moments intertwine without feeling forced. The jokes hit just as hard as the deeper moments of connection and this book made me repeatedly laugh out loud.

The one thing I was craving more of was Maisie’s background into her life growing up and her dating life prior to Everett to add even more depth to her character.

If you love the sex lessons trope with a hot professor and a darker more anxious version of Kimmy from the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt then I would highly recommend this!

Audiobook Review: 5/5
Dual narration by Hathaway Lee & P. G. Hammock
Hathaway Lee is becoming a favorite narrator of mine after Doomsdate and First Time Caller

Thank you to PRH audio for the ALC

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️
1.5/5 🌶️

First and foremost: BRAVO, Laura! You have successfully written yet another book about shitting your pants. 😂

Laura Piper Lee has now fully cemented herself in my favorite authors category. The way she writes scratches an itch in my brain that no one else can quite reach. Her humor, her characters, and especially the banter between Maisie and Everett are just so, so good.

Is this story absolutely bonkers? Yes. Did I have an incredible time? ALSO YES.

I was rooting for these two lovable idiots (affectionate) from page one. Maisie is an anxious doomsday prepper who is finally VERY useful when the apocalypse actually arrives. Everett is a grieving film professor who is woefully unprepared for zombies and somehow their completely mismatched dynamic works perfectly. Add in Chicken the cat, a road trip through the zombie apocalypse, sex lessons, ridiculous amounts of chaos and genuinely sweet emotional moments and I was sold.

But before I sign off, Laura, we need to discuss one final thing.

Not only did you invent a shitting-your-pants virus, YOU GAVE IT TO THE PRESIDENT.

Who then became a zombie.

While, apparently, shitting his own pants.

And with those not-so-subtle clues, we all know exactly who you were referencing. Picturing that particular monster meeting his zombie-apocalypse end that way had me absolutely CACKLING.

How fitting an end for the diaper-wearing chief in command.

Apparently Laura Piper Lee can keep writing books involving catastrophic gastrointestinal distress forever, because I will keep reading them.

Thanks to Laura and Dell books for the ARC of this masterpiece.

[Lauren (lololovesthings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars.

I absolutely loved "Doomsdate" by Laura Piper Lee. My god, what a hilarious, awkward, engaging, romantic book! I had a freaking blast reading it and consumed it insanely quickly as I was hooked from the very first sentence. This is a zombie apocalypse road trip "teach me lessons" romance that is wholly unique and engrossing. I loved the main characters, Maisie (FMC) and Everett (MMC). She's a doomsday prepper, having grown up in isolation with a mother who prepared her for any and all circumstances... except for social skills, anything pop culture, and how to really live. He is a widow and a college professor obsessed with all things horror movies. They couldn't be more different, but they will both need each other's niche knowledge and skills to make it through GI-27, a new diarrhea virus that makes people, well, have diarrhea, and then d13 and come back to life as zombies. Along the way, they encounter twists, turns, shocking reveals, and new feelings. Everett never thought he would ever feel anything for anyone after the death of his wife. Maisie is a v1rg1n, so before the virus made everything go haywire, she was trying to find someone to be with for the first time before her 30th birthday. The two of them have fantastic, hilarious chemistry. I loved the easy, cheeky banter between them. This book could have easily been cringe in someone else's hands, but Laura Piper Lee manages to make this brash, biting, fast-paced, action-packed, and ridiculously spicy. I loved just about everything about this. I loved how both of their opinions about life and the world slowly change over time. I loved how they work together in tandem to survive. I loved how they want to make each other happy despite their less-than-thrilling circumstances. I loved all of the pop culture references to zombie movies. I loved all of the horror-esque descriptors of gross zombies and their oozing, mutated flesh. I loved how they quickly become each other's person. I loved the zaniness. Laura Piper Lee is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Between this and "Pot Shot," she had a heck of a year! I can't wait to see what comes next from her!

Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Piper Lee, Ballantine, and Dell for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had such a surprisingly good time with this read. I needed something light and entertaining after a heavy read and grabbed this up but I was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. It shouldn’t have worked. It can get totally ridiculous. He’s thinking about the h and gets a hard-on, and then they’re attacked by zombies. A zombie almost bites his dick off but the h saves him. This is the type of slapstick silly stuff that usually pisses me off and ruins the tension but somehow it totally worked here for this book and these characters and only added to the tension and bond between them. Their awkwardness and authenticity were so charming. I adored both characters.

And, ommgeeeee, can I absolutely squeal about how good the virgin trope is here. The want and tension, the sexual curiosity and how surprised they were by the need, the exploration. Their sexual chemistry plus his dirty talk and how attentive she was to him and the way he worshiped her back was so good. Like so so good. It has been a long time since I’ve read the “sexual teacher” trope so I was giddy with excitement.

The zombies were interesting too. Some more horror and gore and higher stakes would have made this even better. There were parts that felt stagnant. We do get it in the end but in the middle I was wanting more. It was sweet the way they explored areas and did the things she never had the chance to do but like instead of them being cutesy and shopping together I wanted them running for their lives and killing zombies. They were a little too loved up and adorable for the zombie apocalypse. I wanted more hysterics lol. The whole it took a zombie apocalypse for us to truly live life was shoved down our throats a bit too much. As was how terrible US foods and diets are. That verged on preachy.

It ends strong. I cried! But the author did lose me a bit there. I think it’s just a tad too long for how early they get together. A tad too much chick lit in the last half.

[Kimberlyyyreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Dell and Netgalley for the e-arc!

Laura's rom-com's are a guaranteed fun trip of chaos and laughter!

Diarrhea caused Zombie Outbreak? and there's romance in the plot?! It doesn't get anymore original than that.

Maisie has basically prepared her entire life for a zombie outbreak? What she hasn't prepared for is actually living life. Throughout this entire novel, we watch Maisie experience a side of the world that is unfamiliar to her and despite her fear she takes it all in with the help of nerdy Professor Everett and his adorable cat, Chicken.

Everett's life has been on hold for a long time, that is until hours before the zombie outbreak he finds out he's been set up on a date by his friend. He reluctantly goes on this date, unaware that his entire life is about to change!

I really enjoyed the dynamic between Maisie and Everett. They are everything chaotic and perfect for one another. Everett isn't the kind of guy that takes control or tries to be the knight in shining armor, which I loved. Alongside this, both Everett and Maisie learn so much from one another, not just in zombie apocalypses and sex lessons but in vulnerability and learning how to love after loss.

Honestly this was such a campy and delightful read! Laura Piper Lee really knows how to write an original and delicious romance. I'm so excited to see what she brings us next ;)

[liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite Doomsdate being about zombies, at its heart, this novel reflects on what it means to truly live.

In the same vein as Zombieland and Shaun of The Dead, Doomsdate is a humor-led action-packed romance novel.

Maisie is a doomsday prepper. She lived a life sheltered and alone by her deceased paranoid mother and is determined not to spend another pandemic as a virgin holed up in her house.
Everett is a film professor (with very minimal survival skills other than his unending knowledge of zombie movies) who fell into a deep depression after his wife died.
Together, they roadtrip to Maisie’s radio friend and ex-vet “Gramp’s” bunker to try to survive a zombie apocalypse and learn to love and live and embrace joy.

The beginning was so strong, unique and interesting. I love how awkward and weird the main characters were during their first date gone…apocalyptically wrong. But by the 40% mark I felt like I was forcing myself to read it. It felt like a medley of 5 books in one.

This had a lot of bright points but my biggest gripe is that ultimately it ended up being a weird mix of try-too-hard humor, nonstop anti-processed food preaching, and one-off dates during the literal apocalypse.

Thanks to Dell and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[thebookish.dragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Format: 📱& 📖
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Series: Standalone (thought I wish it wasn’t)


This is my favorite future zombie rom com movie! The whole book, I could vividly picture the entire movie in my head. Florence Pugh as Maisie, David Corenswet as Everett, Robert DeNiro as Gramps, Rahul Kohli as Sandeep, Kat Dennings as Gemma, and Kirsten Nelson & Timothy Odmundson as the Colonels’ Greer. An unknown as Chicken, obviously. 🐈

I’m not joking when I tell you, scene for scene and shot for shot I saw this book in my head. Laura Piper Lee is the best contemporary comedy author in the game right now, Olivia Dade and Rosie Danan are number 2 & 3, respectively.

I laughed out loud so many times reading this, and I feared for poor clumsy (yet incredibly lucky???) Everett and I rooted for Maisie’s weirdness. I can’t wait to see what LPL has up her sleeve for 2027!


Notable tropes & themes —

🧟‍♀️ Forced Proximity
🚽 Widower Pop Culture/Horror Professor MMC
💩 Doomsday Prepper Virgin FMC
🧟‍♀️ First Date gone awry
🚽 IBS-causing virus turned zombie virus 🦠
💩 Meddling Friends
🧟‍♀️ Found Family
🚽 Zombie Apocalypse
💩 S3x lessons
🧟‍♀️ Fake Married


I received this eARC and physical ARC from Ballantine | Dell as an opportunity to read and give my honest review.