Member Reviews
This was an interesting read that turned out to be one that is hard to forget. The character development was great and had my emotions going all over the place. This book will give you much to think about.
This book was moving and meaningful while being relatable and funny!
My heart just felt for Margo. I haven’t been in her exact shoes but that was because of mere luck.
Loved this story!
4.5/5 Stars
Margo's Got Money Troubles was such a surprisingly wholesome read and wildly entertaining. Right off the bat, you may want to check trigger warnings as there are several themes that are heavier throughout the story.
Margo Millet is a little lost. Even though she is enrolled at her local junior college, Margo has no clue what she wants her career to be. Somehow she falls into bed with English professor and has a brief affair, resulting in Margo becoming pregnant. Margo decides to keep the baby and be a single parent, but as she quickly realizes, it's nearly impossible to be a full-time parent and work full-time. Unemployed and needing help, Margo's estranged father, Jinx, moves in and provides childcare. Inspiration strikes and Margo decides to start an OnlyFans to see if she can make enough to support her family. Much to her surprise, she makes more than enough and things start looking up. But while her career takes off, we see her family life start to fall apart.
Honestly, this whole book was incredibly realistic and the characters were complex. Jinx struggles with addiction while Margo was struggled with finding her place in the world as a person and as a mother while working a job that is judged harshly. I really enjoyed Margo's overall tone and apathy towards life. I think it's something a lot of people feel as they are aging and attempting to navigate the world we live in. Thorpe navigated these difficult themes well and highlighted some of the ways that the current system/society falls short while handling these topics. The writing is thought provoking and current which may turn off some readers. However, if you are a pretty empathetic person, I think you'll find this read interesting and informative. I could not put this book down!
Rufi Thorpe is an insta-buy author for me now and I'm looking forward to reading their other books!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, William Morrow, for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.
This book took me by complete surprise! Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe is a down-to-earth, engaging story about a woman facing the everyday stress of financial difficulties. Thorpe does a great job portraying Margo as a relatable character, dealing with issues many readers may recognize—bills piling up, tough decisions, and the impact money troubles have on relationships.The book balances humor and seriousness, making it a quick but meaningful read. Thorpe’s writing captures the emotional ups and downs of trying to stay afloat in tough times. I would recommend this book!
I was so surprised by this book! All the characters were fully realized and truly felt like friends along with me in early adulthood. There were such profound moments of insight that I wasn't expecting but made the book so much more special. This felt like a Sally Rooney book but more outgoing? In any case, Rufi Thorpe is becoming an auto-buy author for me!
Oh boy, females could relate to Margo! This book was funny and the best part is how relatable it is! I loved that I was actually laughing out loud during this book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful book by Rufi Thorpe – 4.5 stars!
Margo is the child of a Hooters waitress and an ex-pro wrestler, and neither provided a stable upbringing. Margo knew she would have to rely on herself, so she enrolls at the local junior college, although without a set goal. After a brief affair with her English professor, she becomes pregnant and decides to keep the baby. Now at the age of 20, she’s alone with a baby, unemployed, and about to lose her apartment. When her estranged dad, Jinx, shows up and asks to move in with her, she agrees if he will help with childcare. But she needs a plan to make money – fast. She comes across OnlyFans and sets up an account on a whim, only to start making it a success. But could it come at too steep a price?
This is such an endearing, hilarious, and insightful coming-of-age story. It’s a joy to watch Margo begin to own her story and take charge of her life. It’s definitely a look into classism and how quickly a house of cards can come tumbling down, even with the best of intentions. Because I’m behind on my reading backlist, I snagged the audiobook from the library and Harper Audio. The narration by Elle Fanning was fabulous, and she and Nicole Kidman are set to star in an adaptation by Apple TV. But always remember to read the book first!
Since I'm not familiar with OnlyFans, I had no idea what to expect when I started reading "Margo's Got Money Troubles." Let's just say, what I found was a bit uncomfortable. Ultimately, I couldn't finish the book, which is essentially about a young unwed mother who decides that the best way to support her newborn is to become an online sex worker.
I read about half of it, but then had to give up... This story simply wasn't for me...
Well, that was certainly different! At its heart, Margo’s Got Money Troubles is a coming-of-age story, but not a typical one.
Margo gets pregnant at 19 by her married junior college professor. For a smart guy, he sure didn’t act smart. Margo decides to keep the pregnancy and have the baby. What she doesn’t realize is how hard it’s going to be (even though she was raised by a single mother for the most part). So what’s an unemployed, new mother with no college degree, and no financial cushion to do? Her father, a retired professional wrestler, shows up and winds up helping with childcare and the apartment. (The publisher’s blurb gives away way too much information, by the way.) Margo lights upon an idea; she starts an account on OnlyFans. This was something I had no knowledge about, but it’s explained pretty well. Sounds creepy to me, but hey!
I enjoyed watching Margo gradually get less naive, use her creativity and figure out life. There are a lot of wonderful characters in this book, starting with Margo and her dad, Jinx. Her mother, on the other hand, is a real piece of work, as is the creepy, conservative man she finally marries (the mother, not Margo). There’s a subplot about opioid addiction as a result of pain management, which was dealt with beautifully.
The story is told in both third person and first person by Margo, which was an interesting technique.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
This book was unfortunately not for me. The subject matter just didn't connect for me. Despite that, I can appreciate that the writing was incredibly strong and the storytelling and plot were incredibly unique. The writer really brought these characters to life and gave them so much more depth than I could have anticipated. Even though this book didn't connect for me the way it seems that it did for others, I'm glad that I was able to read it.
This was such a funny, heartwarming story about a young woman trying to find her way in the most unconventional of paths. The characters were flawed but lovable, and I truly enjoyed this story.
Everything about this story felt fresh, different, cutting-edge and yet 100% authentic. I wouldn't want to say too much about it and ruin it for anyone else -- going in without expectations is part of the fun. This was in my queue for way too long and my only regret is not getting to it sooner. A rare read that manages to be both irreverent and deeply felt.
Margo’s story while a bit wild is so relatable- a woman just trying to survive and raise her kid. The book injects humor amidst struggles- isn’t that what life is? Equal parts wonderful and hard? I truly enjoyed this story
In the world of TikTok and Only Fans, only a talented author could incorporate those platforms and give us an incredible story where you want to shake the main character but also root for her to succeed. What a book. Worth picking this one up!
What a wonderful but odd book. I literally cringed at times bc of the main characters bad decisions. And yet I couldn’t stop reading - the storytelling had me invested. So good.
The Knockout Queen was one of my favorite books a few years ago so I have been anxiously waiting for Rufi Thorpe’s next book. While I didn’t love this one quite as much, I couldn’t put it down. I loved Margo and the supportive cast of characters. Some of it felt a bit unrealistic, but maybe that’s just me being too picky. Overall it’s a great read.
As the founding member of the "Make Everyone Read the Knockout Queen" club, you knew I was going to get my hands on Margo's Got Money Troubles any way possible. Thorpe's writing is always concise, sharp-witted, and honest and Margo's Got Money Troubles was no exception. Thorpe always gives you characters who are complex and make mistakes but that you still root for.
In Margo's Got Money Troubles, our MC, Margo, is a student at her local community college, trying to figure out what she's doing with her life, when she has a brief affair with her professor. She becomes pregnant and a series of road bumps follow, leading Margo to start an OnlyFans. This is an Internet Novel with a capital I. There will be many readers who hate that and many readers love the way it feels topical. I feel somewhere in the middle. I love Margo's character and story but I do find Internet Novels to be a bit trying in the way I find Covid Novels to be a bit wearying. We all already live in this moment and it never holds up as well as you might think. If Thorpe wasn't such a fantastic writer, that would be enough to make me skip it but ultimately I'm glad I didn't Margo's story makes you ask what you'd do in her situation and provides many, many laughs along the way.
LOVE LOVE LOVE. Rufi Thorpe is an auto-buy author for me, and I absolutely adored this book. Thank you for the opportunity to review!
Margo is a college student who is barely getting by. Things go from bad to worse when she gets pregnant by her married English professor. Despite everyone's advice, Margo decides to keep her baby and raise it on her own. Margo turns out to be a good mom. A really good mom, in fact. However, motherhood has cost her her college career and her job. On a whim, she starts an OnlyFans account to earn enough money to keep herself and her son afloat. While becoming an online sensation, she risks losing her son to the child welfare system. I found this book to be both humorous and full of insight into the challenges of single motherhood. If you're looking for a fresh read, check this one out.
One of the best books I’ve read this year! Margo is so loveable and real, I just wanted to hug her. Great dealing with heavy, nuanced topics without ever feeling preachy.