When I read the synopsis for this book I thought it sounded cute but as I read it there were times where I was annoyed. The beginning of the book was a little too repetitive for me with Maggie continuously talking about how she was single and unhappy and how there were no good guys out there after her ex broke up with her. At first it also didn't seem like her friends wanted her to actually be happy with someone but rather just find a date for their wedding and they seemed to be unconsciously rubbing their happiness in her face with their relationships and impending weddings. It also didn't appear as though she was as happy for them as she should have been because she was single which was a little bothersome.

Once she found someone who she seemed to be feeling everyone she talked to about Garrett, the best friend, were putting ideas in her head that he liked her and when she confronted him about it and he admitted he did and she admitted she liked him too and they crossed the line of more than friends I thought we were going to get more of that and it wasn't written that way which made me more annoyed. At that point I felt there was no need to continue to date the other guy and just go with what you know and your heart.

Overall it was a nice story and had a HEA which I want in a romance but there were times where I felt it was dragged out unnecessarily so for those reasons I gave it 3.5 stars. If you are a fan of Zora Books Her Happily Ever After then you would probably like this one too as there are a lot of similarities between the two.

Thank you to the publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The story line was good and it had it's cute moments. I believe at one point we all want love and sometimes don't know how to go after it or scared to seek it when it's right in front of us. This story portrayed that and I appreciated that POV. I would recommend this story to others and thoroughly love the cover, will purchase a physical copy when it's released.

I wanted to love this one so much. But I had a tough time getting into the book. The FMC really annoyed me. I related to her love of food and needing to be fed to remain happy. But when it came to the decision between her best friend and the doctor, it was an obvious choice and her approach just truly pissed me off.

Maggie and Garrett have been BFFs for 19 years- their entirely adult life-and now that friendship is under threat because Maggie's found her "dream guy" in Blake the doctor. Well, maybe not. The impending weddings of her girlfriends have sent her off looking for her own HEA and that might be Blake. Or it might be Garrett. Admit that you know how this is going to work and enjoy the novel for its look at friendship and food (Maggie loves to eat). Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Good characters, a familiar trope or two, and nice storytelling make this a fine read.

Maggie wants to find her Prince Charming and a date to her friends' weddings so she tries online dating. As the maid of honor in both weddings, she is tasked with finding a date along with bridal party duties. After finding frogs, she meets a handsome doctor that might be the one.

Meanwhile, her male best friend Garrett points out all the red flags and encourages her to keep looking for the right match. Maggie just wants him to be happy for her but things come to a head when Garrett admits he can't if he's not with her. When he blurts out his feelings, Maggie has to choose between a friendship and a seemingly perfect guy.

The Good Ones are Taken is a friends-to-lovers rom-com that is perfect for spring reading. Taj McCoy knows how to hook a reader into a slow burn romance that will make you blush, giggle and root for a happy ending. The characters are like your best friends IRL. Pour a fruity adult beverage, open the windows for a breeze and enjoy this cutesy comedic book.

Happy Early Pub Day, Taj McCoy! The Good Ones are Taken will be available Tuesday, April 23.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

It was a slow start but once we get to the “meat” of the story you can’t help but cheese throughout the book because you see everything aligning as it should. Maggs looks like she’s getting what she want and hopefully it’s WHO she truly wants.

I’m not sure if this one just wasn’t my thing it took me awhile to get through it because it didn’t have that much excitement to me and there wasn’t much chemistry. Granted there were a few parts that made me smile because it was cute but it didn’t hold my attention and wasn’t something I felt I needed to hurry and read to finish

Thanks hearourvoicestour for the ARC

Maggie is still recovering after her last break up. She has been unlucky in love and every guy she meets is a dud. Her 2 best friends are getting married soon and are pressuring her to get a date for their weddings. They sign her up for a dating app, and the guys she meets are all walking red flags. That is until she meets a heart surgeon at the gym. On paper he is everything she could want, attentive, smart, independent, takes care of himself, and successful.

Then there is Garrett, her college best friend. They have always had a special bond, and have kept it relatively platonic for the last 2 decades they have known each other. Garrett encourages her she can always do better and has criticism for every guy she meets. When Maggie and him finally confront the feelings and chemistry that has always been there between them, she must decide between the perfect guy on paper, or the perfect guy in her life.

This was a single POV friends to lovers that really worked for me. Garrett was honestly the ultimate book boyfriend. The chemistry between them was off the charts, so was the mutual respect. The story was very well paced and flowed so well. I got so invested in the characters and their love story. I have nothing but wonderful feelings about this book, and am definitely going to go back and read some of the author's backlist.

When Maggie's best friend admits he's in love with her, she'll have to decide whether it's worth giving up something good for something that could be amazing in this laugh-out-loud friends-to-lovers rom-com.

After a bad breakup, Maggie wants to find her Prince Charming, but all she’s finding are frogs. When her best friends, Savvy and Joan, apply pressure and demand she find a date worthy of attending their respective weddings, she agrees to take her own advice and try online dating. Since she's the maid of honor for both weddings, her bridal party duties are massive, but both brides insist that Maggie prioritize finding a date. After an onslaught of maybes, noes and hell noes, she’s close to giving up, when she meets a handsome doctor at the gym who just might be the one.

Meanwhile, her college bestie, Garrett, throws salt in everyone’s game. At every turn, he points out the red flags and tells Maggie to keep looking. Things come to a head when Maggie demands that Garrett be happy for her, and he finally admits that he can’t. Not when he’s not with her. When he blurts out his feelings, Maggie’s world is turned upside down. Now she must choose between the perfect guy and a friendship that is the foundation for everything she’s ever wanted.

My Take:
I often start my reviews by noting if the premise of the book has been achieved or not. In this case, it is. In fact, if you read the description and said, "yes, this book speaks to me," you will not be disappointed. The Main character, Maggie, gives me Molly from "Insecure" energy and those in the dating pool may get triggered, but I enjoyed this book. Please note that this is a Black romance with spicy love scenes-a treat on all accounts.

I loved this book so much!! It was so fun and so relatable and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!! I’m in love with the characters and their development through the story and the reflection they go through. It really made me stop to think about my own life!! Highly recommend if you are feeling fed up with your own dating life to find inspiration from this book! Thank you for the free copy NetGalley!!

The Good Ones Are Taken by Taj McCoy was a really enjoyable read. I stayed up reading later than usual on several occasions because I wanted to see how it was going to end.

I loved the themes of family and friendship interspersed throughout the story, as well as the main character’s body confidence. I got frustrated that she couldn’t seem to see the clear right choice of who she needed to be with! But again…I’m realizing that is the nature of a romance novel haha. And it did keep me reading!

I don’t want to give away too much, but if you like a little spice and you’re a fan of the “friends to lovers” trope - this book is for you!

Whew it’s like Taj know me and she telling my business 🙄 lol ! This book is so relatable because it’s so many of us navigating dating and these dating apps 😭! lol I really enjoyed this story . Maggie didn’t pay enough attention to what she had in front of her all this time ! Because I knew from the beginning what it was , not too many men will go the lengths that Garret did for GP ! Such a cute love story ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ !

ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️
Releases April 23rd, 2024

The Good ones are taken follows Magnolia Jones who is recently out of a relationship and looking to find love. She decides to take her best friends Savvy, Joanie, and Beth’s advice to get on Tinder to start dating again. Maggie also has a male best friend (Garrett) who she met in college and has him following her on her dates, in case anything goes wrong, which they ultimately do until she meets Blake at the gym and they hit it off and go on a few dates (without Garrett). Throughout the book it becomes very clear that Garret is in love with Maggie but has never had the guts to tell her (20 years). it’s between Blake the brain Surgeon and Garrett the Sports Journalist… who will she pick.

Honestly, this book was very predictable. It was cute and i loved that the characters were in their late thirties and had solid careers and friendships. Everything just worked, it just didn’t give me any of the feels i like from romance books. I’m also in my messy book era, so this just didn’t hit for me. It is very well written, if you’re looking for a sweet story, with a great group of friends and characters with great jobs, this is the book for you.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a real quick read for me. Fries to lovers is one of my favorite tropes to read and this story was cute. Maggie was blind to Garrett's feelings but it was so clear to me. I didn't think Blake had a chance. Maggie had me scared tho. I thought that she wasn't gonna pick who I thought was the right one but they figured it out.

This was the closure that I never knew I needed from Savvy, Maggie, and Joan. I loved that we get to dive deeper into who Maggie is and her friendship with Garret. Then Maggie having to do what she made Savvy do was icing on the cake. This was definitely a fun ride and I enjoyed it.

“𝓖𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓪 𝓴𝓲𝓼𝓼 𝓪 𝓵𝓸𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓰𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝓪 𝓹𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓬𝓮, 𝓼𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓼𝓪𝔂…” 🐸👑

This was such an honest and refreshing take on the ups and downs of dating, especially in today’s world. Dating can be fun, but obviously the outcome is to eventually find your person, which can be tough. While Maggie wasn’t originally open to the idea of dating, I’m glad she stuck her toe in the dating pool because it showed her the possibilities. Any time I think of someone going on a bunch of dates, the scene from Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls always pops up on my head. “Julia you know I’ll never make a fool of ya” 😂I wanted to rescue poor Maggie a few times, but she knew when to call it a night.

Love showed up in so many ways via friendship, family, and all of the delicious food eaten throughout the story. I loved seeing the return of my favorite girl Savvy, Joanie, and Beth. They were a great support system to Maggie, they offered hugs when she needed comforting, but they didn’t shy away from the tough love. Garrett was a great addition, the chemistry between him and Maggie was such a delight to read. I love when authors don’t shy away from showing us why the friends have the potential to be lovers. I enjoyed seeing their bond, Garrett is that guy!

If you’re looking for a funny romance that captures the realness of dating, highlights what having a great community is like, and features head strong characters that you can’t help but love, look no further.

I think this book is like my favorite friends to lovers book! It was so cute and the humor.. omg I love! Love the friendship representation as well! The ending was chef’s kiss! Taj McCoy has done it again!

2.5/3
This is going to be hard, because I wanted to love this book so badly. It had a lot of potential, but it fell very flat for me.

Let's start with the main characters.
I did not like Maggie at all. She was selfish, self-centered, and completely self-absorbed. (There's a theme here.) Every conversation with her friends, family, and coworkers were all about her. I mean, both of her best friends were getting married, but she still made everything all about her. Even Savvy's wedding dress fitting was all about Maggie. And her Maid of Honor speech? That was ridiculous. I also didn't realize at first she was 38, because some of her actions and words led me to believe she was younger.
Garrett was a good guy. He deserves a medal for putting up with Maggie for 19 years, let alone having feelings for her. I honestly thought they were dating in the beginning just because of how he treated her. He continuously bought her food, and they spend every Saturday together having "date night" by watching movies and eating and typically falling asleep together. Um... Hello? That's basically dating in a nutshell. Plus, he has his own key to her place.
Blake was wholly boring. He didn't have any substance to him outside being a surgeon. I'm not even sure why he was a contender. He was allergic to cats, and Maggie has a cat. He watches his calories judiciously, and she's a huge foodie. The whole "incident". They were an odd pairing, and even the friction he caused was lackluster because we all knew who she would pick. There was no angst.

The relationship between Maggie and Garrett was stale. I didn't feel any chemistry between the two. And you'd think after 19 years of pent up sexual frustration there'd be some heat. But sadly, they were barely lukewarm. Also, he waited 19 YEARS?!?! That seems highly unrealistic.

The friendship between Maggie, Savvy, and Joan (or is it Joanie? Her name kept going back and forth so much I thought it was a whole separate person!) was realistic for the most part. How Savvy and Joan put up with Maggie's arrogance and selfishness should put them up for sainthood. Though, I am glad they didn't hesitate to put Mags in her place most of the time.

Let's move on to the plot, what little there was. The main plot of Maggie finding a boyfriend for her friends' (starting separate and ending up joint) weddings was okay. The side plots of her wanting to make partner at the firm, Garrett's podcast, and the other things that popped up were also all fine. But that's all. They were just fine. There was no anticipation or tension. It was slow moving.

When you get to the crux of the plot, Maggie having to choose who she wanted to be with, the way she went about it made no sense. Things happened in the big scene between the three - Blake, Garrett, and Maggie - that made the choice obvious. But yet she couldn't decide. And we spend multiple chapters seeing her asking everyone - her friends, her dad, and Garrett's MOM (I'm not even going to start with how I feel about that) - what she should do. Maggie is supposed to be this smart woman, but I guess it's all book smarts because she's lacking in the common sense.

There were quite a few time jumps throughout the book that made it choppy. Some of these jumps happened in the middle of a chapter. Just randomly, with no warning. This happened with scene changes a lot, too. It left me feeling like I was missing pages and took me out of the story.

The writing was not the best. There was so much repetitiveness throughout the entire book. I'd say at least 150 pages were devoted to heavy descriptions of what everyone was wearing and what foods they were eating. I get mentioning foods and clothing choices in some scenes, but the extensive details for every meal and outfit change was unnecessary. Plus Maggie's profession was mentioned no less than twenty times. We get it; she's a badass tax attorney. Other topics were also reiterated numerous times, like she was in her busy month at work, she loves food, the world revolves around her, etc.

The blurb was also misleading. We don't find out about Garrett's feelings until 61% into the book. Starting a love triangle that far into the story was lazy writing. Although, Maggie didn't even meet Blake until around 50%. You don't need 50% of a book to "set the scene" for your entire plot when it's a 300 page book.

I really wanted to love this book, but it just wasn't for me.

I received an ARC copy full of grammar mistakes, formatting issues, punctuation errors, setting/date inconsistencies, and various other issues. Hopefully the final copy will have everything straightened out.

Maggie’s last relationship ended in a rough breakup but she’s ready to try again. The problem is that all she’s finding are duds. Her best friends are getting married and since she’s the maid of honor for both, they all agree Maggie needs to find a date. Meanwhile her best friend from college, Garrett, is criticizing each guy and doesn’t seem to approve of anyone. After feeling defeated by all the unsuccessful matches, she unexpectedly meets a good looking doctor at the gym. After finding what seems like a perfect guy, Garrett has to admit the reason he doesn’t want Maggie to date anyone is because he has feelings for her. Maggie has to figure out if she wants to take a chance and change everything. This was a fun read and kept me interested. Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book! The girl group was one of the things I liked most about this book. The women in this book love and support each other so much, I’m excited to go back and read Savvy’s book.
Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and you could tell from the start how much Maggie and Garrett cared for each other. I was rooting for these two to *finally* get together.
The love triangle storyline was an interesting premise to me since I haven’t read many books with a love triangle. I think it was done well in this story and I liked that this was different than a lot of other romance books.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the arc!!

This is such a hard one for me to rate and review. I wanted so badly to love it, but I don't think I did. There were some parts and aspects that I loved, but I think those things were overshadowed by what I didn't enjoy and what made me a bit uncomfortable.

Lets start with what I loved:

Maggie's friend group. This aspect felt so real and relatable. They were all hilarious and just seemed like a good time. Garrett's mom was also so lovely. I also really loved Garrett for so long and then he started giving me secondhand embarrassment. He did seem like a really good guy. While the story was a bit predictable, I did like the friends to lovers trope (but could have done without the love triangle ).

Here's what I didn't love:

Initially I loved Maggie. She seemed ambitious, funny, and like a girls girl. As the story went on she was still those things, but she also started to rub me the wrong way. She came across a bit selfish and inconsiderate. The main thing that drove me nuts was how she treated Garrett and his feelings. This man has loved you for almost 20 years and once you find out his feelings, you still leave him on the hook like it's only been 2 weeks. Her initial hesitancy when they had a moment back in the day was the fact that she didn't want to do anything to jeopardize their friendship, but it seemed like all of her actions after finding out his feelings were doing just that. At that point it felt like she was solely focused on her feelings and what she wanted.

This brings me to Garrett. I felt so sorry for him to an extent, and then it was like dude, come on. His character didn't feel very real to me. He waited almost 20 years for this woman, they finally have some steamy moments and he professes his love to her, then when she tells him she's still unsure, he's like "cool, I respect that. You do what you need to do. I'll still be here." WHAT!?!?!?! That was just wild.

Overall, this was a very quick, predictable romance that I think it will be great for fans of love triangles, great friend groups, and friends to lovers.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to be an early reader. All opinions are my own.