I read this book twice, eBook and then the audiobook. I loved it each time!

Maggie and Garrett have been best friends for years. They support each other, have weekly movie nights, and understand one another. When Garrett confesses has romantic feelings for Maggie, she freaks out. She is worried that she will loss her best friend if they break up. I loved reading about their friendship and seeing their relationship evolves. This was a prefect friends to lovers book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this book and the potential was there, but it ultimately fell flat for me.

From the start of the book, I never felt connected to the story or the characters. And I just think the writing style and pacing were not a good match for me.

this book was alright. just alright. I wasn't that impressed with her first novel either. i definitely think it is a great casual beach read so to speak.

This was my first time reading a Taj McCoy book and hunnyyyyyyyy she did NOT disappoint! So I feel like the dilemma Maggie was going through is veryyy relatable. She was just tired of all the dating she was ready to settle down and find her forever like her best friends. Now I’m not sure how she never realized Garrett, her best friend, was that person for her bc all the signs were there. I mean I get her never looking his way bc she didn’t want to ruin the friendship if anything happened butttttttttttttt if that man love you and you love him 🗣️STOP PLAYING! The writing was literally on the wall every time they were together 😂 then also everyone in her life mention this fact as well …it’s like how girl! Honestly this overall cute “finding my soulmate” romance and I’d highly recommend checking it out

Another DNF for me. I just couldn't get into the writing style and was turned off my the main character very early on. First time reading from this author, so not sure if I should give their other books a try, but this was just not for me.

Cute and fun. The FMC is frustrating at times and will def have you rolling your eyes on occasion, but who does not love a love triangle. This was cute but not super messy given the varying relationships.

I stepped out of my comfort zone with this book and was pleasantly surprised. This book had a good story that was relatable to today's world.

Maggie has been searching for her Mr. Right and with her friends getting married soon, she feels that pressure has been ramped up. Her guy friend of 19 years seems to be the perfect guy, but the friend zone has blinded Maggie to the idea of dating him and what could be for them. When all else has failed, Maggie's friends push her to sign up for a dating app to try to find her man. Will she be able to find Mr. Right on the app or will she realize he has been by her side for the past 19 years?

I am usually not a romance girl, but this was a fun and light read. I loved the food descriptions that Maggie and Garrett shared and I laughed right along with their antics. I also liked that Maggie was an older lady. It made it easier to relate to her struggle.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is cute! While the romance isn't well-structured, the relationships between Maggie and her friends are--I loved reading their banter and seeing them support one another. The descriptions of food are also delectable and nuanced (unlike the romance...okay, I'll stop).

Yak has done it again in showing that thick girls need love too. I enjoyed seeing another friend out of the crew and also seeing what previous main characters were up to. Enjoyed it

Taj McCoy never disappoints! Her latest book offers a great story, laughs, and relaxation. Set in the same world as 'Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell,' we see Savvy and Spencer again (they're getting married!). The simple plot lets characters like Maggie and Garrett shine. It's clear from the start who she'll end up with, but that's perfect! Garrett always knew what Maggie needed, unlike Blake. Their friendship-turned-romance is heartwarming, especially with their shared love for food. Maggie and Garrett are nearly 40 and thriving in their careers. If you love stories about friends-to-lovers, this is a must-read. Can't wait for Taj McCoy's next book!

I wanted to love this book and there were points during the reading process where I felt like the story had some potential, but overall it just did not work for me. The main character in this story is navigating a breakup, so her friends coerce her into getting on the apps to find a date for two upcoming destination weddings.

What I thought would have made this work for me was the fact that there was some clear chemistry between the main character and her male best friend, and I am a sucker for the friends-to-lovers trope BUT this was just -- not done right...

The main character is extremely unlikeable and it made it hard for me to connect to her or her story. A lot of the plot progression was centred around the dialogue between her and her friends and I just felt like she was not a good friend at all. She constantly compared herself to them and would complain whenever she wasn't the centre of attention in the group. Mind you, two of these friends were planning their weddings and she still needed to be the centre of attention and even explicitly states this on several occasions throughout the novel.

We are introduced to one potential suitor at around the midway point of the book; a man who checks all of the boxes and goes out of his way to even hire a private chef for one of their dates. The main character spends the entire date mentally trashing this man's efforts and everything he tried to do for her, and it was really at this point where I just knew this book was not my cup of tea.

The auth0r spent a lot of time over-describing things unnecessarily. The main character is a foodie, which is the only thing we know about her personality (apart from her being competitive). The author bogs us down with the details of every single dish that she eats and it eventually starts to feel like we are being hammered across the head with the fact that she loves food -- I honestly got it after the first five references to her appreciation for food and her mentioning that she is "always being hungry".

Her best friend as a love interest also felt very shallow to me. He was not a fleshed out character either, and it felt like he just existed to pander to her needs.

Major spoiler ahead:

He ends up proposing to her at her friends' weddings and that's when I decided I was fully over this story. Who does that???

This book is a certified rom-com that displays an authentic friends to lovers story to the T. The leads have genuine character growth both as a couple and individually. You almost forget that it's a follow up to the previous book as it's stands strong on it's own story.

The Good Ones Are Taken by Taj McCoy is a heartwarming tale that beautifully captures the essence of a friends-to-lovers romance. The story revolves around 38-year-old Maggie, a woman who has always had her share of difficulties with love. As the maid of honor for her friends’ weddings, Maggie is the quintessential matchmaker, constantly setting her friends up while facing little luck in her own romantic endeavors.

Maggie’s most recent breakup has left her devastated, having believed it would lead to marriage. Faced with the challenge of bringing a date to her friends’ joint wedding in Thailand, she turns to the world of dating apps. Her best friend of 20 years, Garrett, steps in to ensure her safety, strategically placing himself at her dates. Garrett, who has secretly loved Maggie for years, doesn’t believe anyone is good enough for her.

Maggie unexpectedly connects with Blake, a heart surgeon who seems perfect in every way. Handsome, wealthy, and generous, Blake ticks all the boxes. Yet, Maggie finds herself hesitant, torn between the seemingly ideal Blake and the unwavering support and secret love of Garrett.

This thoughtful and sentimental story had my heart swelling with sweetness. The way Garrett has shown his love throughout their two-decade-long friendship reaches a crescendo as Maggie decides to give both men a fair chance, leading to a poignant and heartfelt climax.

The dynamics between Maggie and her friends felt incredibly relatable, mirroring the dialogues I have with my own friends. While the first quarter of the book starts slowly, it’s worth persevering as the story blossoms into a captivating and tender love story.

The Good Ones Are Taken is an incredible tale of love, friendship, and the often complicated journey of finding the one. Taj McCoy has crafted a beautiful narrative that will leave readers both satisfied and touched by the genuine emotions portrayed.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I am usually a friends to lovers girl so I was pretty excited about this one. I enjoyed how the friendships were displayed. It felt like real interactions that I would have with my own friends. I didnt love the constant discussion regarding her obsession with food. its Just felt odd for the sorry line at times and overall I just didnt think the FMC was that great of a friend.

The book does a great job of providing helpful advice and a good dose of optimism to address common relationship problems. Finding satisfying relationships requires personal development and self-awareness, which is why McCoy takes a pragmatic but optimistic approach.

Even though the book covers a lot of ground, there were certain sections that seemed a little superficial. I had hoped for a deeper examination of a few ideas, particularly those concerning maintaining committed relationships and negotiating more intricate emotional dynamics.

All things considered, "The Good Ones Are Taken" is a valuable book for anyone looking for inspirational sayings and advice on finding love and happiness in their lives. Although it might not cover every facet of relationships, McCoy's honest voice and approachable guidance make it an invaluable addition to anyone's self-help library.

The Good Ones Are Taken focuses on Maggie, who is searching for 'the one' after a horrific break-up. She thinks she has found him in Blake, a cute doctor she met at the gym. But then her best friend for years, Garrett, shares his long-term feelings for Maggie. What's a woman to do?
I really enjoyed this story, though we could all see who Maggie was going to pick in the end! I also loved the friendship between Maggie with her best friends, Savvy and Joanie. I recommend this book to readers who love a fun friends-to-lovers story with strong female friendships! Note: I received an advanced reading copy of The Good Ones are Taken, receipt of which did not impact my review.

I wish the Christian undertones were disclosed bc they can be very triggering and this is not something I would’ve picked up had I known.

Did not finish book. Stopped at 60%.
Kink shaming, friends who are fucking mean (not intended to be mean by the author they just were low key bullies?), weird fat re. Audio narration was terrible.

I read through 42% of it, and I just couldn’t get into it. It was way too slow, and while I liked the premise, I got too bogged down in the details. Given that it was an arc, it may have been edited and better in the final version. With how it stood, it was a DNF for me.

black love its just good and amazing, I really love love love this book it made me think a lot about a lot of things and it was amazingly written. sometimes you need this type of books to believe in yourself and love and that you deserve to be loved