Zombie Marry Kill

by Mackenzie Bates

314 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 25, 2026

About the author

Mackenzie Bates believes in the full power of yearning in a romance novel. She is a professional communicator with a master’s degree in strategic communication and bachelor’s degrees in business and Spanish. A Texas native and dog-mom, she can often be found browsing her local library’s catalog, indulging in a daily sweet treat, or performing solo karaoke to her favorite pop songs. Zombie Marry Kill is her first novel.

Follow on Instagram, TikTok, and X (Twitter): @mackenzielbates

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Reviews

[Angela]

“The worst thing about a zombie apocalypse is how much money you need to survive it.”

Okay, THIS was such a fun freaking read. Zombie Marry Kill takes a zombie apocalypse, throws in a road trip, marriage of convenience, years of unresolved feelings, danger, forced proximity, and a whole lot of “we are definitely just friends” energy, and somehow makes it all work.

Sienna is struggling to keep her infected father alive, and when money becomes the thing standing between him and survival, marrying Josh might be the answer. Except Josh isn’t some random guy. He’s the man she’s had feelings for for YEARS, and those feelings are definitely not one-sided.

What I loved most was that the apocalypse wasn’t just a backdrop. It actually affected everything. Jobs, money, healthcare, travel, relationships, and even the decisions Sienna and Josh make feel shaped by the world they’re living in. There are zombies, dangerous situations, an apocalypse gang, antiviral research, and plenty of moments where I genuinely wondered what the hell was going to happen next.

But Josh and Sienna absolutely stole it for me. Their history made the romance hit so much harder because you could feel how long they’d been circling each other. The teasing, tension, friendship, yearning, and FINALLY getting somewhere had me completely invested.

And Josh? Sir. “I remember every moment I’ve ever been with you.” EXCUSE ME?! Then this man follows it up later with: “I only go where you are from now on.” DONE. Goodbye. That’s it for me.

I also loved that this book could be funny and ridiculous one minute and then unexpectedly emotional the next. It never forgot that these characters were trying to build actual lives while the freaking world was falling apart around them.

Zombie apocalypse romance was not something I knew I needed, but apparently I DID. If you like marriage of convenience, friends-to-lovers, mutual pining, road trips, forced proximity, survival romance, zombies, danger, humor, and a man who has been hopelessly gone for his girl for YEARS, add this one to your TBR.

Zombie Marry Kill was chaotic, romantic, funny, stressful, and ridiculously fun. I would absolutely read more romances set in this apocalypse.

[Pranav Bhatnagar]

This was such a wonderfully entertaining and surprisingly heartfelt romance, and I loved how Mackenzie Bates managed to take a zombie apocalypse and turn it into a story about love, friendship, family and choosing someone even when the world around you is falling apart. Sienna immediately won me over because she is funny, caring, fiercely determined and completely overwhelmed by the impossible responsibility of trying to keep her father alive. Her situation is heartbreaking, especially because survival itself has become something people have to financially fight for. Then there is Josh, whose proposal begins as a practical solution but quickly becomes something far more emotionally complicated. I loved the chemistry between them, especially because there is clearly so much history, affection and attraction hiding underneath their friendship. The road trip adds so much fun and chaos, with Cori, Daya, Michael and Gary turning what should have been a simple journey into an unforgettable group adventure. I laughed so many times at their interactions, but what really got me was the emotional honesty underneath all the humour. Sienna and Josh both have fears and regrets about what they could have had if they had simply been brave enough to admit their feelings earlier, and watching them finally confront those feelings was incredibly satisfying. Their relationship feels like something that has been quietly growing for years, waiting for them to stop running from it. I also loved the way the zombie apocalypse remains a genuine source of danger while never completely overpowering the romance. There is suspense, danger, sacrifice and uncertainty, but there is also so much warmth between these characters. The result is a romance that made me smile, laugh, worry and completely root for two people who finally realise that sometimes the person you have been looking for has been beside you all along.

[Sherry Thomas]

Zombie, Marry, Kill is Book 1 of the Apocalyptic Love Series from Mackenzie Bates.
The story follows Sienna and Josh; a couple getting married for financial reasons.
The catch? Josh and Sienna have to embark on a cross-country road trip from their respective locations during a zombie apocalypse. Sounds fun, right?
That’s exactly the case with Zombie, Marry, Kill!
I devoured this book and can’t recommend it enough.
This is ideal for those who enjoy found family and will they or won’t they with the undead and crazy biker gangs. The story flowed with ease and kept me entertained.
Perfect as a beach read or palate cleanser.
I’m looking forward to Book 2!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Danielle Grohmann]

Zombies, a marriage of convenience, a chaotic road trip and found family…. What more could you want?

One of my favorites quotes from the book is the first sentence at it is “The worst thing about a zombie apocalypse is how much money you need to survive it.”

This is a take on the zombie apocalypse that I never would have thought of and it absolutely sucked me in and I devoured it.

The slow burn and yearning between Sienna and Josh is very much worth the wait

This book was such a fun read and it was hard to put down.

I need book 2 like yesterday and cannot wait to see what the next book has in store for us readers

5⭐️

[shannon]

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for a review! ❤️

3.5/5

What a sweet book! A great read if you want something a little cozy, horror lite, and zombieish.

Sienna and Josh must navigate a zombie-filled apocalyptic world in this modern-day adventure romance/romantic comedy from first-time author Mackenzie Bates.

I felt that Sienna and Josh had a great relationship, and it was refreshing to read about two characters who aren’t enemies—they like each other the entire time.

I thought the pacing was good and I didn’t feel bored while reading–always a plus!

I feel like there was a slight use of the miscommunication trope (which I really dislike), but it was resolved!

Zombie Marry Kill ends with a HEA, which is my favorite way to end a book.

This romance is what I would consider a fade to black romance, so know that before you start reading if that’s not your thing.

My one slight issue is this is a slow burn--maybe too slow. The characters barely kiss until the last few chapters. I would have loved to see some more romantic, emotional moments alongside the slightly horror-esque environment.

Overall, a great debut. If you're into tropes, here's some more that are in Zombie Marry Kill: situationship, will they or won’t they, marriage of convenience

[Kayla Frey]

Zombie Apocalypse Chaos

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Zombies, a marriage of convenience, and an absolutely chaotic road trip? I loved every second of it.

The group dynamic between the FMC, her best friend, a nine-month-old baby, and an elderly neighbor was hilarious and unexpectedly heartwarming.

I came for the zombies and stayed for the found family chaos.

[Micah Woodbury]

I finished this book & immediately needed book 2. This is an amazing debut!

The world building is vibrant. The book sucks you in & gets you invested in Sienna and Josh. But not only them, everyone traveling with them as well. The burn was slow but the yearning? The anticipation? Worth it.

Like I said, I can't wait to see where this story goes because I can only see great things happening!

[Louise]

This was a fun, ad odd, read for me.
Loved Sienna and Josh how they get together and make the decisions work for them, in the New World s it is for them.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sam]

I did enjoy this book, something a little different for the zombie genre. A fun read that was lightly amusing at times, with an interesting storyline. A good fun read, a nice zombie escape. I will look for more by this writer.

[Drea quijada]

Personal Love:
OMG! The plot! Zombie Apocalypse with a plot twist, suspense, light horror, yet funny, very wholesome...A zombie Apocalypse told in a way I wouldn't had even though about...not your normal zombie story where society is erased ✨️
Arc Received by Author

[Ladnamal]

This book was a fun roller coaster ride full of hijinks and adventure. I loved the plot and was rooting for Josh and Sienna all the way.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Victoria Muhlestein]

I absolutely loved this book! I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t put it down. Definitely one everyone should read!