Doomsdate

The deliciously feral new zombie apocalypse rom com, for fans of Ali Hazelwood and Olivia Dade

By: Laura Piper Lee

A first date between a doomsday prepper and a nerdy film professor goes zombie-apocalypse-level wrong, forcing them on a road trip to safety in this delightfully feral rom-com for fans of Ali Hazelwood, Olivia Dade and Zombieland!

With a new virus spreading and lockdown looming, Maisie Bennett has one goal in mind: get laid. Not easy for an anxious doomsday prepper who’s never made it past a first date. So when a handsome professor swipes right, she vows to act normal – and leave her taser at home.

Dr Everett Greer isn’t looking for love, but he agrees to the date anyway…only for it to spiral spectacularly when the viral outbreak turns distinctly undead.

With the country spinning out of control, Maisie and Everett strike an unlikely deal as they travel north to hopeful safety: she’ll teach him how to survive, and he’ll teach her how to actually live.

But as their connection deepens, could the only thing worse than losing their brains to the zombies be losing their hearts to each other?

DOOMSDATE is for you if you love:

- apocalypse stories
- light machete action (non-sexual)
- sex lessons
- touch him & die
- hot professor MMC
- doomsday prepper FMC
- road trip romcom

© Laura Piper Lee 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

Critic reviews

Only the delightful Laura Piper Lee could pen a romantic comedy set in the midst of a zombie apocalypse that manages to be both laugh-out-loud funny and heart-meltingly tender. This book is a real good time. Brava!

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

High-stakes horror with comedy and heart, perfect for readers who can handle the gore of battling zombies but also crave swoon-worthy romance.

This was delightful fun! An ultra-competent heroine takes on the zombie apocalypse and a hot professor at the same time—naturally, shenanigans ensue. Doomsdate was frothy fun that managed to hit all the notes that zombie fans enjoy while still managing to pack in a ton of spice and emotions . . . A fast-paced joyride that kept me smiling the entire time

Bloody brilliant! I absolutely adored this hilarious, sexy, un-putdown-able, fabulous zombie- filled book. Maisie and Everett are spectacular—such wonderfully written characters. I loved every second of road-tripping with them, machete and Taser in hand!

Who would I trust more with the zombie apocalypse rom-com of my dreams than Laura Piper Lee? Laugh-out-loud funny and sexy as hell, Doomsdate is a blast from start to finish, from the strangest blind date you’ve ever heard of, to road-tripping through the end of the world. If a zombie apocalypse ever happened in real life I’d be done for, but in case I made it out . . . could I bring this book?

Lee adds high-stakes horror with comedy and heart, perfect for readers who can handle the gore of battling zombies but also crave swoon-worthy romance. Recommend to readers who also enjoy Navessa Allen or Brynne Weaver

Fans of horror and zombies as well as of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will find themselves delighted by Lee's latest story of love