Hate or Fate

by Lucille Burman

Genres: Love

372 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2026

About the author

Lucille Burman is a romance author who grew up in rural Australia. She spent her childhood outdoors with Mother Nature and immersed in the world of fanfiction. She then moved to the big city and trained at the Police Academy, graduating at the top of her class.
Eventually, she embraced her true calling and became a self-published author, all while managing the demands of a full-time career.

Reviews

[Misty Ann]

As a zombie romance fan, I really enjoyed this one!
Definitely some unexpected elements and twists that kept it exciting.

[läri]

ein buch, das während einer zombieapokalypse spielt? ein mmc, der von daryl dixon inspiriert ist???? SIGN ME THE FUCK UP! ich war so gespannt dieses buch zu lesen. es hat mir auch spass gemacht endlich mal ein buch zu lesen, das in einer welt spielt wie bei the walking dead und es war auch so geschrieben, dass es sich gut lesen lässt. leider hab ich irgendwie nicht so eine starke bindung zu den charakteren aufbauen können, da ich sie etwas platt fand (und ehrlich gesagt hab ich auch nicht unbedingt eine tension zwischen den maincharakteren gespürt). der enemies-to-lovers trope war auch ein bisschen forced irgendwie und das ständige erwähnen, dass sie ja eIn cOp iSt uNd eR eIn BiKeR uNd dAs pAsSt jA üBeRhAuPt nicht ging mir soo auf die nerven. den plot mit dem soulmark fand ich schon interessant, aber irgendwie auch ein bisschen random, da das ganze nie wirklich erklärt wurde, sondern einfach gegeben war.
im endeffekt fand ich das buch mal echt erfrischend, weil ich noch nie ein buch gelesen hab, das twd inspired ist and i love twd. it was fun!

[Autumn]

Hate or Fate by Lucille Burman is a gripping, emotional rollercoaster that had me completely hooked, I rated it five stars because it kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Set in a zombie‑ravaged, post‑apocalyptic world, the story blends gritty survival drama with forbidden love, creating a perfect mix of tension and tenderness. Inspired by the motorcycle‑club grit of Sons of Anarchy and the haunting atmosphere of The Walking Dead, it follows Axel, a rugged outlaw biker hardened by loss, and Talia, a former police officer determined to protect her young niece. When fate, or something darker, throws them together, their connection challenges everything they believe about trust, survival, and destiny. The worldbuilding is intense and immersive, full of danger, heartbreak, and fleeting moments of hope. The pacing is relentless, with plot twists that swing you from sadness to joy and back again. I loved how the story constantly shifted emotional gears, you’re sad, then happy, then devastated, and somehow still rooting for love in the middle of chaos. Axel and Talia’s chemistry is electric; their enemies‑to‑lovers dynamic feels raw and believable, full of sharp dialogue and aching vulnerability. Burman’s writing captures both the brutality of survival and the tenderness of connection. The emotional highs and lows make every chapter feel alive, and the twists never let you relax. Hate or Fate is ultimately about resilience, love, and the power of destiny even in the darkest times. It’s thrilling, heartbreaking, and deeply romantic. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves post‑apocalyptic stories with emotional depth, strong characters, and unpredictable turns. Words that capture it best: intense, emotional, suspenseful, romantic, and unforgettable.

[literaturecryptid]

After seeing Daryl from TWD edits for this book, I immediately grabbed it. It was the first zombie romance I’ve read, even though I’ve binged basically every zombie film + series out there. Let me tell you, I absolutely did not regret it.
This book follows Talia, a former cop, as she fights to survive and keep her niece safe. Soon, a strange biker, Axel, appears on her farm. She learns they have matching soulmate marks, and she struggles to decide what’s right as grief and darkness surround her.

I absolutely devoured this book. It’s not what I had expected at all; I went into it thinking it would be survivors vs. zombies and a cute romance. This book held so much more than that. The soulmarks add such a fun touch, and the plot is insane. Yes, there’s zombies, but there’s bigger threats than just them. The longing, the fear, and the softness of Talia and her niece really pulled me in to their world. The ending had me feeling all sorts of ways. I would absolutely read this book again, it was such an emotional rollercoaster!

[kaitlyn_reads]

If you like Walking Dead – READ THIS BOOK

Oh my goodness gracious did I binge this. The pacing, the zombies, the romance, the action – all fantastic! PLUS the child characters weren’t overly dramatized and annoying!! Genuinely this had me hooked from like page two. Not only were the main characters insanely likable and funny, it had the perfect amount of seriousness and gore to match with a zombie apocalypse. Rest assured, my shelf trophy has been ordered.

[R Lolar]

Very well thought out plot! Went into it thinking it was going to feel like The Walking Dead and Days Gone had a fanfiction love child and was wonderfully surprised at the author’s very original and unique voice shining throughout the story. Had very solid plot twists and the last few chapters kept me on the edge of my seat!

[Chelsea Clapham]

I loved this book, such an emotional rollercoaster with lovable characters. I haven’t read many zombie apocalypse stories and this one reeled me in with a motorcycle riding MMC 😍 I could not put it down in the last 15% - definitely recommend.

[Feron Mathilde]

This is the only book that made me cry and scream because of the ending !
It was incredible, and I loved every aspect of it (the cure, the husband, soul mates...).
But I need to stress that the ending was breathtaking, so many emotions in the last 20 pages !

[Georgia burnside]

Perfect if you're a fan of TWD

Engaging and great characters. Story takes some of the best zombie tropes and love stories and merges then together. I loved it.

[Aeryn]

This temporarily filled the aching void in my soul for more Daryl content. The references are there if you know you know. 10/10.

[aya 🐉]

4.5 ⭐️

[Lexi Arlotta]

4.5 ⭐️

[Lena]

Kinda surprised, but also enjoyed it. Solid 3-4/5 ⭐️

[Annie Marie]

A MUST READ! Slowburn! Grumpy FMC and Sunshine MMC

I honestly loved the pacing and especially the writing it was very enthralling. Talia is a cop who hates bike gangs and Axel is the VP for a bike gang. If they weren't bonded I reckon they would have killed each other. Axel was a soft puppy for Talia, like the boy asked for trouble haha Talia was very feisty and brave since her niece was the only thing that kept her alive. The plot was amazing. I really love a post apocalyptic world with zombies and an enemies to lovers. I was expecting Axel to be ruthless and mean but no he was actually very nice toward Talia from the beginning even though she gave him no remorse lol and he loved that about her. He broke all the rules for her.

[Molly]

3.5 🌟

[Alyson]

It’s entertaining but I wouldn’t call it a good book. The characters don’t really feel like real people and the whole “Star crossed lovers” trope doesn’t really work in this context.

I understand Talia’s reservations, Axel was and is apart of a gang. But being a cop is just a profession, a profession in a society that doesn’t exist anymore her title means nothing. It’s not like she’d have to choose between her love or the force, because it no longer exists.

I think the author knows that this story can’t stand with its own merit, the way she advertises it is with edits of Daryl Dixon.

This just feels like a Wattpad novel with the names changed

[Lynda Kelly]

3.5⭐️ rounded to 4⭐️

I found this book from the authors IG, I was just scrolling and came across a video about Daryl from TWD, and had described the book as her love letter to him. That’s all I needed to pick this up 🤣.

I really enjoyed this story, the characters were likeable and I wanted to know more and more about them as the story progressed.

Couple of twists as well that I enjoyed! Some predictable but not all, not for me anyway.

[Belinda Larkey]

Oh this book wasn’t what I expected in the BEST way possible. Loved the tension between the two characters (enemies to lovers is my weakness) and the whole soulmate thing was written so well. Highly recommend this book!!

[P]

m’sorry