Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of the most unique reads I've read so far this year. I felt like I was reading an episode of Shameless the entire time!

Margo is a 19 year old college student who is sleeping with her college professor, Mark. In 6 weeks, she is swept up in a whirlwind of lust and dating ultimately culminating in her becoming pregnant accidentally. Deciding to keep the baby, she now faces a huge financial hurdle and struggles with how to support her son, Bodhi. Mark is out of the picture, her former Hooters waitress mother wants nothing to do with raising another baby, her ex-pro wrestler father swoops in and out of her life at his leisure and just about every one of her friends has abandoned her. With little options left, she turns to creating an OnlyFans page and ends up changing her entire life not only by financially supporting her baby, but also by creating a family for him and finding the support she desperately needed through some of the most unlikely sources.

This book was a laugh out loud, heart warming, emotional rollercoaster. Margo fought to overcome her upbringing and better her life, she was resourceful in creating an income stream to support her son, and, despite the constant obstacles lobbed at her, she kept getting back up after each one tried to knock her down (just like Fiona and Lip in Shameless!) The many emotional twists and turns to this book had rooting hard for just about every character. This was another book that truly conveyed family isn't blood, it's the people that love and care for you.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles is the story of a young woman named Margo who becomes pregnant from an affair with her college professor. In desperate need for money to raise her child Margo begins a TikTok and OnlyFans account with the help from her WWE father and some OnlyFans friends. I received this ARC from NetGalley. I really liked Margo as a character. She was very likable as were most of the other characters. I felt the book was a bit too long and started to find myself getting bored of the plot. I also did not love the ending with JB, it seemed rushed and out of place. Overall though it was a fun read.

Try as I might, I just could not get into the characters. I appreciate the grittiness and realness of Margo’s character, especially the descriptions of her life when she first leaves the hospital with her baby. I found her mother to be exasperating and I just could not finish this one.

4.5stars

I really wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked this book up, but it was truly unputdownable! I felt so many emotions while reading it and it made me examine my own ideas and judgements about what is right/wrong and who is good/bad.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles will make you happy and laugh, but it will also make you angry, sad, and frustrated at times. The characters were flawed and complex and seeing them struggle was difficult, but it also made it so satisfying to see them rise and overcome. It took a bit to get used to the writing style (it switches between third and first person POV - the reasoning is explained in the book), but it worked for the story. There is a small romantic sub plot, but the focus of the story is Margo’s journey. I appreciated that even though she didn’t get it right all the time, she still never gave up. She pushed, fought, and hung on sometimes by her fingernails, but she kept going. The book doesn’t end with every plot thread tied up in a neat bow, but the possibility and hopefulness is there and I think that’s the point.

Note: I didn’t list all the content warnings below, so please take care when reading.
CW: parental infidelity, parental abandonment, drug addiction (on page relapse), gambling addiction, extramarital affair, financial instability and concerns, discussion/mentions of abortion

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

This book was a delightful quirky surprise! I loved this story and how different it was from books I’ve read. This author was new to me and I can’t wait to read more of her work. Margo is terribly naive in the beginning but smart and creative and forced along a painful coming of age sort of journey. While there are very sad and challenging moments throughout the story, there is so much humor. So glad I picked this book up! Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is such a great book, I've never read anything quite like it. And while it wasn't quite as perfect as the author's last novel, it was close and I'm so glad I read it.

The story is about a woman who unexpectedly becomes pregnant from an affair with her professor and decides to keep the baby. Of course it's about Margo's journey as a woman and anew mother but it's also about family - both biological and found.

The professional wrestling references throughout the book are amazing. Thorpe paints an understadable portrait of addiction as well.

There were moments I laughed out loud and others where I almost cried. I learned a lot about what sex workers deal with and have more respect for them than before.

Highly recommend.

I picked up this book because of how highly anticipated it was. Already picked up by Apple TV with Elle Fanning signed on?? I was curious to read this book to say the least.

I don’t think it was what I was expecting, especially the plot.

Margo is a freshman in college when she gets pregnant by her English professor. She quickly finds herself at a rock bottom, with very few resources to take care of her child- enter OnlyFans.

Not going to lie, I didn’t know much about Only Fans, but I do now after reading this book!

Though I wasn’t a big fan of the OnlyFans element of this book, I do have to agree with other reviews of this book. Margo is a great character- readers will quickly become sympathetic of her situation, fall in love with her wit and humor, and be rooting for her throughout the book.

You might like this book more than I. It took me, like, forever to finish it & were it not a NetGalley read (thank you, NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC), I'm not sure I would have finished it. I kinda liked Margo.

This was my first Rufi Thorpe book and I was a little nervous going into it since I’m more of a thriller person. However, I was pleasantly surprised! I loved the characters and the newish plot line. I think it gave an interesting look at the lives of many people we don’t see (adult content creators) and the choices that have to be made. This would make a really compelling limited series. I’m looking forward to reading Thorpe’s backlist of books now!

Ok so you know when you read a book and it immediately becomes clear it's going to be an all-time favorite and how that's just like, the best feeling in the world? Well good news folks - Rufi Thorpe's MARGO'S GOT MONEY TROUBLES fits the bill for that unicorn of a novel.

I have been a fan of Thorpe's writing for a decade now, and it is clear she is just getting better and better. I ripped my way through this one in about 24 hours, having such a hard time putting it down because I was in love with the writing and the story of Margo, a 20 year old new mom who is feeling isolated, scared, and strapped for cash. The father of her baby was her English professor, and out of the picture as soon as the baby arrived. She has a strained relationship with her (terrible!) Mom, and a Dad who wasn't always around.

That is when Margo discovers the joy of OnlyFans, a way to make cash somewhat fast without having to leave the house. Her estranged father shows up around the same time, asking to crash, put as a wrestling promoter, also has some great tips on how to build her fanbase. As she enlists the help of her other roommate (who is hilariously also a LARP-er), she gains some traction and the plot soars.

I just adored Thorpe's characters. Margo, her Dad Jinx, and the whole world that is created is both hilarious, heartfelt, real, and moving. The plot has a fun catch with the OnlyFans of it all, but it deep down a coming of age novel that will make you cheer and cry along with the ups and downs of Margo's journey into motherhood. It's also about art and human connection on deeper levels that I would not have expected. I can't shout from the rooftops more about this fabulous book! Absolutely beautiful and incredible.

Rufi Thorpe is the best at taking unique, flawed characters and bringing them to life in way you can’t help but root for them. She pulls you into a world that is weird and wonderful and I couldn’t put this book down.

Such a hilarious, weird, and unique story! Couldn’t recommend this enough for a romance that you surely haven’t read anything like!

I loved this book so much that I think I'm going to reread it again before the pub date even though I have nine gazillion other books to read.

I don't even know what to say other than it was weird and smart and funny and emotional without being gross and thought-provoking without being preachy, and if you don't love Margo, I'm pretty damn sure I don't like you.

Definitely one of my favorite books of 2024.

All the stars. Rufi Thorpe has done it again. I've been waiting since The Knockout Queen for another book from Rufi, and Margo's Got Money Troubles is well worth the wait! It absolutely loved this book. Thorpe's writing is clever, funny, and raw, and I could not put it down. The story is so propulsive and the characters felt so real. It's one of those books that just works its way into your heart and makes you not want to let go.
Highly recommend!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an eARC.

I devoured this delightfully fresh story. Rufi Thorpe is a force!

Margo's extensive money troubles begin multiplying after she decides to keep the baby from an unsatisfying and brief affair with her occasionally sweet but often gross English professor. Postpartum with no support system and roommates that want her newborn to keep it down, Margo becomes desperate and, like so many of us in times of need, she turns to the internet for answers, She starts an OnlyFans account with many mixed feelings, including shame and hope. She approaches her account with a businesslike determination as she brainstorms ways to drive traffic and paid subscribers to her account with mostly *not tasteful* nudes. All in the name of keeping a roof over her and her son Bodhi's head.

Thorpe writes this story and Margo with a tender understanding of motherhood and becoming an adult. Margo is raw and honest as she struggles with how to find her own narrative and identity in a situation that gets messier by the day. Her father, Jinx, comes to live with her and he honestly almost steals the entire book and rips it miles away from poor Margo. As a former wrestler and manager of WWE wrestlers, he has a beautifully unique way of looking at the world. He quietly helps build Margo's confidence in herself while he is battling his own demons. There is a moment when Jinx says to his daughter, "Oh, Margo, Margo! You delight me." and it just about ripped my heart open. The thread of fatherhood throughout the book is interesting and poignantly written. Margo's former professor/baby daddy makes his way back into the story and the book grapples with what it means to be a father.

Heart spills from the page in this book without making the reader feel manipulated. Thorpe has a unique ability to delve extensively into emotional and complex issues (unwanted pregnancy, drugs, sex work, internet personas, etc.) with a light touch and open mind. And humor! I think this is probably due to how well she develops and writes her characters. They are all flawed, stumbling their way through hard and scary situations. But there's no condescension or outside voice ringing through trying to guide the reader to a certain conclusion. The story unfolds in a way that still allows the reader to have lots of different feelings because Margo herself has lots of feelings about it all.

I just absolutely loved this book and hope it gets the attention and recognition it deserves! I loved The Knockout Queen and I think readers that loved that book will also enjoy Margo. It is a story with meat and substance that is also a page turning, messy, funny read that feels almost a little trashy and juicy at times in the best possible way.

Rufi Thorpe obviously needs to be added to my favorite authors list because after reading her two latest novels - The Knockout Queen and Margo’s Got Money Troubles - and loving both of them, it is apparent she can do no wrong by me. Perhaps what I love most about Rufi’s books is that she writes stories that I have never heard before. As someone who works in a literary profession and who reads well over 100 books a year, you start to notice that some plotlines are just recycled over and over again with little variation. Not with Rufi Thorpe’s books though! Her novels are refreshingly unique and substantive, while also being wholly compelling.

Her newest novel, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, has already been optioned for a TV series before it has even been published, so that tells you that Rufi has something special here. And she indeed does, although potential readers should be warned that the content of this book may be deemed unsavory by some as it dives into the seedy corners of the internet by way of Only Fans.

The book follows college dropout Margo as she navigates life as a teenaged single mom, pregnant by none other than her professor. Margo is having a hard time supporting and caring for herself and her new son Bodhi, so on a whim, she turns to Only Fans to make some quick cash. The only problem is creating content that actually pays is no cake walk, and Margo is fast running out of ideas. In the meantime, she is surprised when her ex-professional wrestler father Jinx decides to move in with her to help out with Bodhi. Jinx was rarely around when Margo was growing up, but she takes comfort that he is in her life now, providing her fatherly advice and support. But who would have thought that his advice would extend to her Only Fans account? While Jinx doesn’t necessarily approve of the way Margo is making money, he still has some ideas for how she can grow her following … and they are all rooted in pro wrestling philosophy.

When Margo puts some of Jinx’s theories to the test, she finds that her dad actually knows what he is talking about, and she soon finds herself going viral. But as they say, more money, more problems. More subscribers means more eyes on her account and body, which means there’s a greater chance Margo will be recognized and outed. Is Margo willing to risk it all to make a quick dollar?

Margo’s Got Money Troubles is a book for the modern age with more and more women turning to Only Fans to make ends meet. Both a piece of thought-provoking social commentary and a hilarious coming-of-age-the-hard-way novel, Margo’s Got Money Troubles is an authentically engaging read. Rufi Thorpe has a gift for writing intriguing characters and inserting them into even more intriguing plots. You’ll find yourself rooting for Margo and her crew, while at the same time holding your breath when you realize the mess she has gotten herself into.

A quirky, unconventional standout, Margo’s Got Money Troubles is recommended to readers who love offbeat books and films.

I loved it! That’s the long and the short of it. I was hooked right away, as Margot is a great character. In fact, the characters are all great. Not only that, so are the settings. I felt like I could really see them and the characters fit so well. (Speaking of characters, I was really rooting for them throughout the book.)

Needless to say, the plot was fascinating and was not only interesting but also makes you think about morality, judgement and all of the issues in the book and how our society looks at them.

The book ends a bit tidy but not in a negative way. Rather, it feels realistic and healthy for the characters. Which after reading this book, I definitely wanted.

Advance reader copy provided by NetGalley and William Morrow Books but all opinions are mine.

Who knew professional wrestling skills were transferable?!

MARGO’S GOT MONEY TROUBLES is unlike anything I’ve ever read and I doubt I would have picked it up had I not seen a few glowing reviews from readers I trust. Plus, a TV series is currently in the works with Elle Fanning starring and producing (alongside Nicole Kidman, I might add)!

First and foremost, this book will not be for everyone. To start, the writing style is very quirky, but so unique, and I ended up absolutely loving the way the story was told.

Now for the story: When Margo becomes a single mom at nineteen she finds herself in an unimaginable position and turns to OnlyFans to make ends meet.

This is mature but also weird. It’s equally irreverent and smart and it touches on important societal themes while also being downright hilarious. I truly loved it, but I don’t take things too seriously and it takes a lot to make me blush.

Margo is incredibly endearing. She’s a teenager forced to grow up very quickly and at times I wanted to shake the naivety right out of her but there were also moments that I found myself so impressed with her strength and character.

Margo’s father, a former pro-wrestler and current hot mess, was also an amazing character. I didn’t really want to root for him, but I couldn’t help myself. He’s flawed but so lovable and I am absolutely dying to see who they cast to play him in the Apple TV series.

The majority of this book is really fun but it honestly made me think so much about how quick we are to judge others when we know literally nothing about their circumstances. While I have nothing in common with Margo, I also have no idea what I would do in her situation. Her career might be unconventional and looked down upon, but she’s doing whatever she can to put her kid first just like any good mom would.

There were parts of this book that made me uncomfortable but also had me reevaluating my opinions on things and questioning why I had opinions on them in the first place. Basically, a huge round of applause for this phenomenal story that took me out of comfort zone, made me laugh out loud, and encouraged me to see a lot of things in a new light.

I loved Margo’s Got Money Troubles! Rufi Thorpe is a true master at creating fully realized characters who feel as real as your friends and neighbors. I was rooting for Margo’s success from page one: she is so endearing and her experience of new motherhood is completely convincing. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book!

I’ll admit I was skeptical coming into this one, but Margo (and the rest of this novel’s cast of misfits) stole my heart.

In Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Margo is a young, single mother who’s dropped out of college and lost her waitressing job. To make ends meet for herself and her son Bodhi, she starts an Only Fans, drawing inspiration from her dad’s wrestling career to create a character who will make men fall in love - or at least lust.

The heart of the novel for me was the love between Margo, Bodhi, and Margo’s (formerly absent) father, Jinx. They’re an unconventional family you can root for. Jinx has substance abuse issues and Margo is making all kinds of bad decisions, but the author never judges them for it - even if Margo, “writing” this tale in alternating first and third person, judges herself. They’re fully fleshed out characters who you want to see get a hard-earned win in life.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles is a moving and funny and sometimes sad portrait of the family at its core. If you’ve ever struggled to make ends meet or struggled trying to understand your parents as an adult, you’ll relate to Margo.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC.