I don't read much contemporary fiction, but I loved this. It's even more than the description, which already sounds like a lot. The writing is strong and the author never judges her characters, making you imagine yourself in all of their shoes too. I am incredibly uninterested in content creation and social media influencers, and there were only a few paragraphs detailing making tiktok videos that I could have lived without, so I think it works even if you're not that fond of the Gen Z internet. The book has a lot of heart.

All it took was a blurb from Kevin Wilson and I knew I had to read Margo’s Got Money Troubles.
The book’s plot is funny on its own but there’s also this whole other level of weird humor. For example, the story is told in the third person, but yet it’s Margo writing the story in third person about herself. And then it’ll switch back to first person. Like Thorpe just wanted to mess with my head. I didn’t find this book laugh-out-loud funny. It was more of a ha - made you think there, didn’t I - funny. It’s this sort of philosophical humor about real vs. fake. Does that make any sense?
Margo is 19 when she gets pregnant by her married English professor. Typically, he professes undying love until she decides to keep the baby and then poof. Broke, unemployed, she creates an OnlyFans account. Meanwhile, her mostly absentee dad, Jinx, a retired wrestler, moves in with her after a stint in rehab. He becomes a font of helpful info about creating a persona.
Margo isn’t a character I’d usually relate to. But I loved that she found a way to make things work for her. And I adored Jinx. His unique way of seeing the world drew me in. I may never think of pro wrestling in the same light again. Flip side, her mother was a real piece of work and I found it wonderful that Margo was willing to be so understanding.
Kudos to Thorpe for a unique premise that was well executed. It’s rare that a book can combine humor with what are some pretty deep thoughts, especially when it comes to a woman’s empowerment. It’s been a while since I read Kurt Vonnegut, but it kind of had a similar vibe. This would be a great choice for a book club that wants something a little offbeat but still makes you think.
My thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this book.

okay, I was dragging my feet with this one at first, but I ended up really loving it. so full of heart. I was truly rooting for Margo at the end, though there were times at first I wasn't sure I would be. the Only Fans/wrestling/TikTok aspects of blurb were alllllmost enough to put me off from this book. but it's so really about so much more: family, who deserves love and respect, navigating modern motherhood. Margo and Jinx really grew on me, and even the unlikeable characters were well fleshed out and ended up being relatable.

I do think the baby (sleep, milestones, mannerisms) was pretty unrealistic though lol

Margo’s Got Money Problems is not one of my typical reads but I loved it! Filled with many laugh-out-loud moments, this unique story is also surprisingly emotional at times. I absolutely loved Margo and rooted for her throughout. This was such a fun, contemporary novel and I highly recommend it!

Even though the book hasn't been published yet, it has already been adapted for television as a series and will be produced by David E Kelly and A24. The series will stream on Apple TV and will star Dakota Fanning.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe will be available on June 11. Many thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the gifted copy!

A young, single mother (and daughter of a professional wrestler) clumsily turns to the digital world of OnlyFans to make a living. I found this book to be thoughtful, funny, and heartwarming! I fell in love with the characters and simply didn't want the story to end.

I was very fortunate to receive an advanced reader copy from NetGalley but all thoughts are unbiased and my own!

I never would have picked up this book on my own based on the blurb, but after seeing how it was picked up by Apple and A24 I wanted to give it a shot. Long story short: I loved it.

This book gave me the whole range of emotions! I was laughing out loud, feeling very stressed for the characters because of choices they made, but also I got the warm fuzzies at times. I loved how Margo and her family was written, I had a love hate relationship with her parents, but it made them human. Speaking of Margo, that’s my GIRL. She was so realistically written and the entire time you couldn’t help but root for her.

The book itself covers lots of modern day topics like OnlyFans and TikTok and social media. When I read books that tackle these modern elements I worry they won’t age well, but for this book it really didn’t seem like a problem. It wasn’t “chronically online” if that makes sense, but did a great job capturing the realistic side of these social medias and their impact on our society.

From a technical perspective readers are introduced early into the book the flipping of points of view from first to third person which I found to be really interesting and cool. I almost like analyzed the why behind this when I was reading which made me feel closer to the character.

Loved it and want to already read it again.

This book is a solid 4 star read and is unlike anything I have read in a long time. Margo gets knocked up at 19 and decides to keep her baby. Despite being so young she knows she has to do something to make ends meet and provide for her baby. Margo decides to delve into the world of OnlyFans to see if she can make ends meet. This book was quirky and I loved every minute of it. The characters were so likable. I loved how strong and smart Margo was even though she was young and naive. I fell in love with her dad Jinx- the lovable ex pro wrestler. My WWF/WWE loving heart absolutely loved the wrestling references sprinkled throughout.

Dear Rufi- WIll you please make another book with these characters? There are so many places you could take this book- or please make a more wrestling heavy book! This was fantastic!!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you William Morrow and Netgalley for an advanced copy of " Margo's Got Money Troubles". I didn't really know what I was getting into after reading the synopsis of this book, and I honestly am not sure if I liked the book or not after reading it. Margo is a college freshman who gets pregnant by her college professor. Even though everyone in her life is telling her not to have the baby, she does and is shocked how her entire life changes. She realizes quickly that taking care of a baby is time demanding and expensive, so she sets up an OnlyFans account to get extra money. While I honestly didn't love the premise of the book, I genuinely liked Margo who showed how far parents would truly go for their children.

Here’s my confession: when I read the premise for MARGO’S GOT MONEY TROUBLE I initially passed this story by. I was confident I was not the target audience for a book about a young mother supporting herself by being a cam girl on Only Fans and her father who is an ex WWE wrestler.

Boy, was I wrong.

Dare I say these characters doing life on their own terms captured my heart? Margo’s uphill battle and abrupt entrance into adulthood/motherhood had me rooting for her successes, despite her unconventional methods to get there. I have to hand it to Margo– this girl is creative!

Rufi Thorpe challenges reader’s perceptions of what it means to be not only a good mother, but a good person. Themes of addiction and consent loom heavy, but the found family trope brings the story straight to heart.

READ THIS IF YOU:
-are skeptical about this premise (please try it anyway!)
-have ever felt down on your luck
-are intrigued by a screen adaptation starring Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning

RATING: 4.5/5 (rounded up to 5 stars)
PUB DATE: June 11, 2024

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun and wild look at what it takes to make it in the world in 2024 with little resources and a bit of ingenuity.

Margo is a freshman in college when she starts a 6 week affair with her professor, Mark. She ends up getting pregnant and Mark wants nothing to do with the baby as he’s already married. Margo forges ahead, having the baby named Bodhi (yay! Also my sons name!) but finding herself totally unprepared to actually make a living with a newborn. Margo’s dad is an ex WWE wrestler and addict and her mom totally unhelpful so she decides to be a cam girl on OnlyFans. It’s a lot but so is the money.
I certainly learned a lot about OnlyFans! This was a weird one to rate for me in all honestly. I found the premise hard to relate to and a lot of the shenanigans were really childish. Some of the “deep thoughts” by Margo, including pontificating about the Virgin Mary, were a little out of place for me as well. That said I found the book enjoyable and it’s definitely one that you could talk endlessly about with a book club. Lots to discuss around parenting, how we view woman and mothers, etc…Also it’s being made into a show with Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning apparently?! Kind of elevates the content knowing that. Anyway, if you’re into coming of age and can stand to hear all about online cam work give this one a go!

Loved it. Margo is such a likable character. This book is fun but also serious—we seemingly force (or guilt) people into choices but don’t give them the support they need, then create a world where we critique their ability to take control. No spoilers, but when Mark is criticizing her in the mediation office GRRRRR I wanted to jump through my kindle screen. Loved the ending. Uplifting and inspiring.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the gifted e-book.

Margo's got money problems and a whole lot of other problems! I completely understand the cover of this book as Margo has clearly flopped on the couch in an act of not knowing what the heck to do under her current circumstances!

This book sucks you in as the reader becomes completely engrossed in Margo's major life changes and the problems that arise with those changes. I couldn't help but want to step into the book and help her!

I walked into this book blind and by mid-book my eyes were wide open with moments of concern and disbelief in here choices, yet very understandable. I love that Thorpe takes us deep into the reality of Margo's life and shows why and how Margo gets in the position that she does. It's hard to blame Margo. I really fell in love with Margo and her attitude, personality and genuine kindness and love.

Where I thought I was reading this to see Margo's money problems, perhaps the takeaway is the look at parenting and what good vs bad parenting looks like. What are the expectations adults have of their parents. What does a good parent look like? How do we express our love for our parents and our children.

Anyways, be warned that the subject matter is not going to be everyone's cup of tea, and honestly it isn't mine, but it worked. The book gives you a step into someone else's life and allows readers to attempt to set aside their biased unthought opinions and come to a more compassionate understanding. While this is fictional, there are or will be times that a time will come where a woman needs us to not be quick to pass judgement on her.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! It was my first by the author and I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. This was like a fun, fresh, coming of age story that was kind of chaotic but in a good way. I loved Margo and found myself really rooting for her throughout the majority of the book. Now that the story is over I think I’m actually going to miss her! Also I really need to checkout The Knockout Queen now!

AHHHH!!! This book put me through the emotional wringer. Margo finds herself pregnant with her boyfriend/professor's baby. While overall, the decision to keep the baby is Margo's. It is by no means an easy decision to be a single parent. To support herself and her son, Margo turns to OnlyFans, the only job that will allow her to be a stay-at-home parent and be able to support her son. Margo ends up building a group of family and friends that end up being her support group.

This is a really interesting premise and I found it hard to rate it as a result. Margo gets pregnant after a short relationship and decides to keep the baby. With a less than supportive mother and the baby’s father not really in the picture, Margo has to figure out how to take care of her baby. With a roommate and her recently retired father, Margo learns how to use social media to make money. I learned more about OnlyFans than any ever expected to, but it was interesting to learn alongside Margo. I think that section of the book dragged for me a little at this point, but around halfway the book picked up again and Margo’s character developed exponentially. Overall I give this book 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the arc.

I really loved Rufi Thorpe's "Knock Out Queen", and this book in a similar way did not disappoint. From the first chapter I loved the style of the writing, it was different, engaging, fun and easy to read. I wanted to know more about these characters. I loved the flip flop between 3rd and 1st person and how as Margo matured the 1st person became the prevalent style. Every once in a while I felt like maybe it was doing too much, or too much was going on, but honestly I just shrugged, kept reading and let it go. It was quirky and fun to read. There were parts that made me laugh out loud and parts that I felt my heart rate increase right alongside Margos. I loved her development and evolution as a character, and I just adored the supporting cast of Jinx and Suzie. I also loved the tone and approach to sex work, that Margo and Jinx didn't make it a shameful experience. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5

This was a heartfelt and fun novel primarily about Margo, her baby boy Bohdi, and her retired wrestler father. Margo finds herself without a partner, a new baby, or a way to earn an income. Her dad, mostly absent from her childhood, also needs a place to stay, so they reconnect and help each other navigate the next steps of their future. Overall this was a funny and warm story about unconventional paths life takes us in.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars.

Pros:

*I grew to love our MC Margo. She is a young teenage mom who is just trying to provide for her son in any way she can. She doesn't have a lot of support in the beginning of the story, and I empathized with her situation.

*It had a unique writing style, in which the main character writes herself as first and third person. I could see what the author was trying to do, and I didn't mind it.

*The second half of the book was more interesting to me, and I found the ending to be unexpected but for the most part satisfying.

*And a small thing but as someone who has worked in the substance use disorder field, I was pleasantly surprised reading how the author did her homework on methadone treatment for opioid use. There is nothing worse than when you are an expert in a field, and a book has blatantly wrong information. I'm glad that the author did her homework.

Cons:

*I usually dislike when books mention social media. I really can't stand it when it is a main theme to the plot. I dislike social media in general, so to read page after page about Margo's Only Fans, and TikTok's and followers and views was just a big eyeroll for me.

*This book felt way longer than its claimed 304 pages. I don't know what it was about the story, but I think it dragged too long in certain parts. The second half of the book went faster because it was more interesting, but I couldn't believe how long it took me to finish.

So why three stars? I guess it's just a hard book to rate. There were things I liked about it, but overall, it was just an okay experience for me.

This is not the kind of story that I usually enjoy, and it started out a bit slow for me, though intriguing enough to keep me reading. Then - I got more and more pulled in, first, trying to sneak in reading time whenever I could and finally culminating with staying up past bedtime to finish. So - if you are ambivalent about character driven plots like me, or even better - actually enjoy them! - then you will like this book. Margo is a 19 year old smart but broke community college student who finds herself pregnant, has the baby and then is sort of like "whoops, now what do I do" It is a very interesting look at decisions that young, single mothers are forced to make, and how difficult it is to survive and thrive. But, at the same time, it has excellent writing and a cast of characters that are hard not to root for. Really enjoyed this book, so well done!

SYNOPSIS
- Margot is nineteen when she becomes pregnant after her married 30 something college professor with questionable morals initiates an affair with her. She ends up becoming a single mom to her son, Bodhi.
- Margot was raised by Shyanne, her single mother, and her estranged dad, Jinx, is a former pro-wrestler. Jinx was married to another woman and has other kids.
- As Margot navigates becoming a new mom, two of her three roommates move out. Jinx simultaneously gets out of rehab & is fresh out his marriage ending, and he moves in with Margot, Bodhi, and Susie (the remaining roomie).
- After loosing her waitressing job due to lack of affordable childcare options, Margot turns to OnlyFans for income.

MY THOUGHTS
- Contemporary fiction
- This is my first Rufi Thorpe read, and I was blown away.
- I flew through this book in a day and a half.
- Thorpe expertly crafted a story that made me feel so many feelings & challenged me to reexamine how I view certain things.
- I really enjoyed how the notion of perspective is introduced, and Thorpe alternates between first person & third person.
- Thorpe’s writing is truly a master class in character development. Each character is flushed out, and all are human, flawed, nuanced, and real.
- The book explores a lot of deep themes and questions. What implicit biases we have toward other people based on what they do for money or limited information we have? How quickly do we judge others? What makes someone a good person? What is a good life? What preconceived notions do we carry about people we don’t know?
- I thoroughly enjoyed watching Margot navigate challenges

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ one of the best books of 2024. a master class in character development.

Thanks to William Morrow and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on June 11, 2024.