⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book got a lot of - well deserved, imo - attention this summer. The topic is “light” (a single mom who creates an Only Fans account to get by), but the writing is more “literary,” parts of the plot are really original/unique, and there are some deeper messages about motherhood, poverty, and systemic issues that are handled really impressively.

Omg I absolutely loved this one! I had heard that Elle Fanning narrated this and that she did an excellent job. So I immediately requested the audio through Libby. After a long wait, it finally came through. I was a little nervous because I can have trouble listening to literary fiction on audio. But I had no trouble at all with this one.

I’ve seen some mixed reviews on this, and I think it probably comes down to two things: if you love the FMC Margo or not, and if you’re uncomfortable with or judge her for her choice to do “cam work.” I loved Margo, and was not uncomfortable with that aspect, so it was a huge yes for me. Margo being judged and threatened to have her child taken away from her because of said cam work just made me root for her even harder. And for all women who choose to do that kind of work.

Overall, this was a funny, quirky, and sweet book, and I’d highly recommend it to everyone.

Rufi Thorpe's Margo's Got Money Troubles is a fiercely funny and thought-provoking exploration of identity, survival, and the lengths we go to in order to reclaim power in a world that often feels stacked against us. The story follows Margo Millet, a young woman caught in a whirlwind of financial instability, unexpected motherhood, and the complicated return of her estranged father, Jinx, who offers advice straight from the world of pro wrestling.

Margo’s journey to independence takes an unexpected turn when she starts an OnlyFans account as a desperate experiment to make ends meet. As she finds success, the story delves into themes of control, self-presentation, and the shifting dynamics of personal agency in the age of internet fame. Thorpe’s portrayal of Margo is both sharp and endearing—she’s raw, relatable, and navigating a path that many of us can understand, even if not all of us would take it.

Thorpe's writing is laced with humor and biting wit, but beneath the laughs, there’s a poignant look at the struggles of forging a future without a clear roadmap. Margo's Got Money Troubles is not just about money—it’s about building a life that feels real, owning your narrative, and discovering your worth in a world that constantly tries to define you. It’s a smart, empowering, and utterly captivating read that will resonate with anyone who’s ever had to hustle for a better life.

One of my favorites of 2024!

I thought this might be a lighthearted read between many dark thrillers, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Rufi Thorpe's prose and characters.

About a twentysomething who had an affair with her English professor who becomes a single mother and college dropout. She then turns to OnlyFans to make money while reconnecting with her former-WWE-wrestler father who is also trying to redeem himself.

The characters are all so crazy and funny — every choice that is made feels like the wrong one, but realistic?! You can't help rooting for everyone and everything to work out!

Margo's Got Money Troubles was a surprisingly delightful read. I enjoyed how this book played with structure and style by swapping between point of views. If someone had asked me if I'd enjoy a story about a new mother, I would have said no. This book proved me wrong.

I gave Margo's Got Money Troubles a four-star rating because I enjoyed it and would recommend it to a friend, but probably wouldn't read it again.

There were moments of laughs while reading about Margot, but also moments where I really empathized with her and the life she was trying to lead for her son. I did have a difficult time really getting into this book, but I appreciated the author bringing light to this topic.

I need more Margo!! This was over too quickly, I loved Margo and her crazy life.
So freaking excited it’s coming to tv!

I was not prepared to be so moved by this story. I was expecting something very light-hearted and fun. It was, at times, but the characters had very real-world problems and the author did a great job of not letting the plot or the side characters get so silly that it glossed over those issues. I loved Margo and her dad and the way their relationship developed. And I loved that we were allowed to get to know them (flaws and all) and to genuinely feel for them.

This one wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised at its depth. This one will stick with me for a while.

I enjoyed this book. I liked that it was full of messy characters. I like when my characters are flawed and different. It's not really in the vein of what I normally read but i did enjoy it more than I thought it was. I caught myself rooting for Margo the entire way.

I’ll start by saying, I honestly didn’t read the blurb too closely for this book, and instead kept getting drawn to it solely based on the title and book cover. The blurb sounded good too, but I only read it quickly once long before I started reading it. That being said, when I started reading this book it was not what I was expecting, but it turned out to contain such an empowering, important and timely message, but delivered in such a quirky and funny way. It was so fun reading Margot grow and stand in her own power, paving the road before her because no one was doing it for her or even lending much of a helping hand. My favorite character ended up being her dad, Jinx, the ex-pro wrestler. If you are thinking twice about reading this, just pick it up already!

A book of spite and wanting to prove others wrong with as little thought as to what it could do to her future. Margo finds she has money trouble and struggles to survive all while trying to figure out how having a newborn baby is meant to work within her current life. Enter OnlyFans, her ex pro wrestler father and some unlikely friends she makes along the way.
This was such a fun read and at times I wanted to yell at the FMC with her ridiculous antics but for the sake of the book it worked. 3.75

Thank you to William Morrow, NetGalley and Rufi Thorpe for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This was a cute and quirky read while layering in family drama and dynamics. Read it in a weekend. I recommend d this one and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe. Pub Date: June 11, 2024. Rating: 4 stars. When I first started reading this novel, I did not think I would enjoy it as much as I did. The main character seems to be a bit of a train wreck who finds herself pregnant by her college professor. Single, grappling with the realization she is going to be a mother, she finds a way to navigate this new life with the help of OnlyFans. Encouraged by her ex-pro wrestling father who has demons of his own, she somehow figures out how to be successful, take care of her child as well as navigate reconnection with her father. It was such a heart warming story packed with laughter, realness and truth. I really enjoyed this novel. Thanks to #netgalley and #williammorrow for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed reading about this. The rawness of being a newly mother while still struggling to survive amongst life's obstacles was captured beautifully in this book. Margo went through it, she thought she had the right people she needed but at the end she learned that all she could really rely on for her and her son is herself - but it's not out of pity and holding grudges either and I think it's one of the things I liked about her character. She was never really resentful and gave people chances after chances - especially her mother OMG.

[REVIEW: Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rick Thorpe]

Thank you to @NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC. Opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️.5 stars, rounded up.

To summarize, Margo finds herself pregnant after sleeping with her English professor (tale as old as time) and chooses the rocky path of single motherhood after declining his payment for an abortion. She then ditches her waitressing job to create an Only Fans account in order to pay for the expenses of caring for her kid. And a bunch of really cringy, poor judgement calls follow, which in turn had me seriously lacking empathy for her situation. (Am I being too judgey??) I acknowledge sex work as work as much as the next left-leaning millennial but I found the story to be grating above all else.

I also really could NOT make myself care about her ex-pro wrestler, drug-using father who endangers Margo’s infant child by using needles in their home. Just no.

I wanted to love this book with my whole heart but several other elements fell short for me too. I was a big fan of The Knockout Queen and still admire Thorpe for the fresh, original voice I find her to be, however there just was not enough redemption to be found here.

Woof. Tell me why this took me three months to read. I guess that’s a clear indicator of how long I put this one on the back burner and repeatedly chose other books to pick up instead. Hurts to say it, but this isn’t one I’d recommend.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rudy Thorpe skyrocketed this year. A charming, unexpected story about a young mom trying to make ends meet and figure out her path. Laugh out loud funny but contemplative and endearing. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I can't help but smile and laugh a little when I think of this book. I was just so amused at how relevant this was to the times we are living in. OnlyFans, Instagram, starting a youtube channel, algorithms, getting more views. I mentioned to my husband, if I recommended this to his mom (who is 80+), would she understand it?

Margo finds herself pregnant by her college professor with no job and no idea how she is going to make ends meet. Enter her ex professional wrestler Dad who happens to mention another wrestler has an onlyfans account, and off we go.

This was such an endearing look at what a young mom would do to make sure her child has what he needs. I found myself rooting for the characters (most of them) and really liking Margot and Jinx (her dad). Things aren't always pretty and sometimes there is no one coming to rescue you and you have to figure out how to make things happen for yourself.

I feel a bit sad at the idea that I wont know how things turn out for Margot down the road.

4.5 stars! I was so excited to read this one that I put down another book I was in the middle of to read it. I was intrigued by the premise, and it did not disappoint.

Margo had a relationship with (read: was taken advantage of by) her college professor and ends up pregnant. Once she decides to keep the baby, she soon realizes parenthood is more than she bargained for. Desperate for a way to provide for her son, she discovers OnlyFans and starts an account. She then finds herself in the middle of a custody battle and a CPS investigation.

The author did a great job writing characters that were flawed, but you also couldn’t help but root for (except Shyann-she had no redeeming qualities). Margo’s father ends up moving in with her, helping her with the baby while he fights his own battle with drug addiction recovery. The other roommate is a nerd-type girl who finds a home in being part of Margo’s team.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I only took away a half star because I feel like the amount of pop culture references will date the book more quickly. But I loved it, and thank you to net galley for letting me read it early.

I had a really hard time deciding how I was going to leave this review. I went into this book thinking I would love it. But I didn’t.
I’m curious how Margo did not know that she would need money for childcare. That was my first drawback. Such a silly part of the book. Being raised the way she did with a single mother and an absent father, what did she think would happen.

Secondly, the middle dragged so much it was really hard to get to the end.
I think I may of enjoyed it more if I was more into social media. I don’t have a TikTok or anything like that but it was hard to believe they let her post what she was without flagging it.

I enjoyed some of the banter but it didn’t save the book in my eyes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book! I heard so many positive reviews about this book that I really thought it wouldn’t live up to the hype, but it did. Margo Millet is a financially struggling 20-year old college student who ends up having an affair with her college professor and getting pregnant. When she decides to keep the baby with no clear way to support herself or the baby, that is when the story really begins. I found it impossible not to love Margo and root for her to succeed. The author clearly shows how hard it is in this country just to get by, with no system of childcare or support for single mothers. Her father Jinx, a former manager in pro wrestling, and an addict, both helps and hinders her efforts to succeed. I loved all the struggles she faced and the way she dealt with each one, with growing maturity and strength. I was sad to finish this book and would love to see a sequel. One of my favorite books of the year.