Margo is a 19 year old college student who becomes pregnant after an affair with her professor. She has to try to figure out what to do when she has the baby, and how to come up with enough money to survive. She ends up living with her absentee father, roommate, and child. She also turns to OnlyFans to generate income.

I really enjoyed this book and it is one of the most interesting books I’ve ever read. It’s told in first and third person and switches consistently, but it never detracts from the story. In fact, it makes it so much better, because you start to see the parts Margo chooses to tell in first versus third person.

Margo really was dealt a pretty crummy hand, but she always finds her way through. I loved her relationship with Suzie and Jinx. I loved watching her grow and come into her own, especially with confidence. And her relationship with JB, growing from small messages to much more. Not only that, but the book was genuinely funny. The Pokémon puns were hilarious. Jinx said some off the wall things that cracked me up in hindsight. There was a lot of heart packed into these pages.

A couple of favorite quotes:

“When you fall in love with a book, is it the character or the author you’re falling in love with?”

“People are all so lonely. Even when they do horrible things, it often comes down to that, if only you take the time to understand them.”

“Because that’s all art is, in the end. One person trying to get another person they have never met to fall in love with them.”

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book surprised me in all the best ways possible. I always prefer to skim a synopsis, going into a book with very little expectations, as I can get more surprises out of it. When I requested this galley, I knew that it was about a young, single mother, trying to survive all obstacles that came her way. However, given that I’d completely skipped most of the synopsis, I did not know that the father of her child was her college professor, nor that she would become an OF sensation - the fact that I didn’t expect this made it all the more entertaining to read. All that to say, I strongly recommend you skim - or entirely skip - synopses to have a thrilling reading experience every now and then; and of course, I highly recommend this book.

One of my favorite elements of this entire novel was the writing style. The fact that we start off with Margo in class, Mark discussing perspectives and point of views in fiction, and then for Thorpe to switch between first- and third-person POV throughout the novel??? That was absolutely brilliant. I’m a big fan of this type of usage of vocabulary, so I had a wonderful time trying to piece paragraphs together, and was more than happy to give the text a bit more attention than normal to notice when pronouns would switch, most definitely indicating something character-development-related.

The relationships that were portrayed in this story were also interesting to explore. I was especially fond of Margo and Jinx rekindling, or rather building from scratch, their father-daughter relationship. Margo’s relationship with JB was also a very nice touch; I was especially fond of it since I’m a romantic at heart. Although, I do wish we’d gotten to see a bit more of their relationship in person. I absolutely understand and respect how this was most likely a right-person-wrong-time type of scenario, what with everything Margo was going through, but still. I can’t help but be a little curious to know where these two would have ended up if they’d gotten a bit more “on screen” time.

I also enjoyed how the novel was filled with different elements. Did the fact that it was overflowing with content make me feel like some sections were not necessary? A little, yes. But at the same time, I personally rather enjoyed reading those scenes. Were they necessary? Perhaps not, but they were still entertaining to read and I (personally!) would never skip them.

While Margo was definitely in an unfortunate situation, and I can absolutely empathize with the struggle that she had to go through, it definitely gave me baby fever! Bodhi sounds like the cutest little munchkin on earth, and I desperately hope that we get some sort of adaptation for this book. I feel like it would make such an entertaining film.

Thank you so much for the e-ARC, I’m incredibly grateful I got to read this book and truly cannot WAIT to add it to my bookshelf! It’s been one of my favorite reads of the year thus far.

An extremely unique, quirky read that makes a seemingly simple story about a young woman turning to OnlyFans to make money into a more thoughtful, layered, story with memorable, fully fleshed out characters. Easily recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

"The beginning of a novel is like a first date. You hope that from the first lines an urgent magic will take hold, and you will sink into the story like a hot bath, giving yourself over entirely."

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐬𝐭:
Growing up as the child of a Hooters waitress and a former pro wrestler, Margo Millet always knew she'd have to carve out her own path in life. Determined to make something of herself, she enrolls at the local junior college, despite uncertainty about her future. Unexpectedly, she finds herself entangled in a brief affair with her English professor, resulting in an unplanned pregnancy. Ignoring advice to the contrary, she decides to keep the baby, driven by innocence and a desire for a bigger purpose.

Now twenty years old, Margo is a single mother struggling to make ends meet, facing the threat of eviction and in urgent need of money. When her estranged father, Jinx, reappears and offers to move in and help with childcare, she reluctantly agrees. As she grapples with her financial woes, Margo comes up with a bold plan: starting an OnlyFans account as an experiment. Drawing on Jinx's wrestling wisdom, she learns how to craft a captivating persona and engage her audience, turning her venture into a surprising success.

But as Margo's online presence grows, she wonders if the fame and money are worth the sacrifices. Can she navigate the pitfalls of internet stardom while staying true to herself and providing for her child? With humor and insight, "Margo's Got Money Troubles" follows a resilient young woman as she fights to secure her place in a world that often overlooks her. It's a heartfelt exploration of storytelling, self-empowerment, and the complexities of modern life, both online and offline.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬 & 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
🤣 Laugh-out-loud humor
📚 Contemporary fiction
💪🏼 Self-discovery
🤰🏼 Single mom
🤼 Ex-pro wrestler dad
💵 Financial hardship

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖:
✳︎ Women’s fiction
✳︎ Quirky characters
✳︎ Multifaceted stories

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Upon picking up this book, I was uncertain about what I would find inside, but I was pleasantly surprised by how captivating it turned out to be. It evoked a range of emotions within me and prompted me to reflect on my own beliefs and perceptions of morality and character. "Margo's Got Money Troubles" is a rollercoaster of happiness, laughter, anger, sadness, and frustration. The characters are multifaceted and flawed, making their struggles resonate deeply, yet their eventual triumphs are incredibly gratifying to witness. While the alternating third and first-person narrative style initially threw me off, it ultimately complemented the story well. Although there is a subtle romantic subplot, the heart of the tale lies in Margo's personal journey. Her resilience and determination, even in the face of constant challenges, are admirable. The story doesn't neatly tie up every loose end, but it leaves room for possibility and optimism, which I found to be its main message.

CW: parental infidelity, parental abandonment, drug addiction (on page relapse), gambling addiction, extramarital affair, financial instability and concerns, discussion/mentions of abortion

𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (𝟺/𝟻)

𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝙽𝚎𝚝𝙶𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚆𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚊𝚖 𝙼𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚠 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙰𝚁𝙲!

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow for this advanced readers copy. This book was not at all what I expected going in, but I really enjoyed it and there were definitely some laugh out loud parts. How could you not laugh out loud when the main character, Margo ends up pregnant, alone, unemployed and turns to OnlyFans after she has the baby to support herself because it has the best hours for childcare. Also, her father who used to be a pro wrestler comes to stay with her to help her take care of her baby. It is a recipe for disaster, but Margo makes it work and does it will class.

Margo's Got Money Troubles is a funny and heart-warming read following Margo who has an affair with her English professor and falls pregnant and then drops out to raise the baby. She is helped by her father (who had an affair with her mother, resulting in her being born) who is an ex-pro wrestler, and she decided to join OnlyFans to earn money.

It did feel that halfway through the book the author forgot the premise involved Margo using OnlyFans, as she spent more and more time messing around with TikTok videos instead of investing in her OnlyFans account (like making better content, investing in better equipment, doing the "Rate my D" requests to make it more successful).

I sometimes didn't really understand Margo's choices (having an affair with her professor in the first place as she wasn’t in love with him or anything (if felt more like she did it just because she can), choosing to keep the baby and then not trying to get a stable job, allowing her mum to treat her like crap).

The ending was a bit anticlimactic and the JB romance felt tacked on and very rushed (they met twice before he was quitting his job to move across the country to be with her), but overall I enjoyed the book.

[This review is based on NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion]

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow Books for an arc of Margo’s Got Money Problems by Rufi Thorpe. Margo is a young college student who has an affair with her professor and ends up pregnant. Margo’s dad is a retired pro-wrestler and he tries to help her since the professor wants nothing to do with the baby, at least at first. This book is laugh out loud funny, plus a unique story. It comes out 6/11/24. Preorder it today at your local bookstore or wherever you buy books.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book. I enjoyed the characters and their arcs, and found the plot interesting. I look forward to reading more from this author.

What a quirky yet fun read! This one is about a young woman who struggles financially as a single mom and, inspired by the world of pro-wrestling that her dad retired from, becomes a paid social media performer on a site whose initials are O.F. and it rhymes with ShmonlyFans.

• Yeah, that plot description would turn me off too, but it’s actually a lighthearted read despite some of the serious plot points (abuse of power by the guy who impregnates her, narcissistic parents, drug abuse, sex shaming).
• At times I struggled to understand the choices Margo made (having an illicit affair with someone she was only meh about, keeping the baby, forgiving her parents’ selfish behavior), but by the end I was totally on board and rooting for everything to work out.
• This is honestly not like any other book I’ve read where it’s about serious stuff yet done in a way that’s light and not shallow or reductive. I can’t explain it, but I was very much hooked reading it because I had no clue where it would go but needed to know. The characters really grew on me and I was invested!

I think this will entertain lots of people! It’s already planned as an Apple TV+ show with Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, so I think it’s going to be a hit. The book comes out in June and I definitely recommend it in all its weird but fun glory.

This was bizarre yet endearing. I enjoyed the quirky characters but not so sure I was the best audience for this one. It was very well written and leaves the rested with lots to ponder....

Here's the thing, I really did like this book. But it felt very anticlimactic throughout. As if Margo, the fmc, wasn't really caring about what was happening throughout. It was hard to resonate with her due to this.
Now the writing? The changing of POVs? Brilliant. At first it really threw me off, but I ended up really enjoying the switch from first to third.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the chance to read and review this book!

I read Rufi Thorpe's The Knockout Queen back when it came out and the book really stuck with me. I couldn't really figure out why but it did so enough that I was very excited to see Thorpe was coming out with a new book, and then when I got an advanced copy of it. Margo's Got Money Troubles was an equally delightful read- Thorpe writes such good characters. On the surface the characters seem like they're outlandish but it just doesn't read that way. Margo's growth throughout the book and the relationships she cultivates and form were enjoyable to read. I'd recommend this book to my friends and look forward to whatever Rufi Thorpe writes next.

I loved this book.

Margo is a 19 year old college student that gets pregnant by her professor. She is forced into the adult world very quickly without a lot of support from her friends or mother. She has to figure out how to become a mother and support herself.

This book was so well done. I loved all the characters. They were relatable and interesting. I was rooting for Margo and her father. I loved the relationship they built through the book. I thought there were a lot of important themes like the gray area of moral values, women’s rights, sex work, and family issues. I can’t wait to read all the authors other books. This is definitely one of my favorite books so far this year.

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book!

This ended up being a DNF for me. I love Rufi's previous book so I was excited to give this one a try. This book just felt void of emotion, nobody seemed to care about anything which lead me to not care about anything happening in the book.

I really enjoyed this book, and it took me a long time to consider the review that I wanted to write.
There were so many facets to Margo; daughter, mother, friend, ex, victim, entrepreneur, coworker. I found it to be incredibly thought provoking and I saw a different side of a story that is too often played out in our society.

Margo may just be my new favorite person. I was not prepared for this story or how smart and funny it would be. Margo, after a brief affair with her college professor, is pregnant and despite all the warnings from people telling her it will ruin her life, she decides to keep the baby. With no help from the baby's father, and no family or friends support, Margo finds herself without a job and close to eviction.

When we first meet Margo she feels very naive and lacks any kind of support. She is also determined and self-sufficient rarely asking for help, and never expecting it from anyone. I loved every step along the way that we spent with Margo. As she put her life together in an unconventional way, I felt incredibly proud of her. The community of people that she eventually brings together is perfection.

The story has a lot of ups and downs but her love for her son Bohdi is undeniable. There is never a time that we don't know he is her top priority. This was a wonderful story and I highly recommend it to everyone.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is a tough one to review...at times it was hysterical and others just a bit too over the top. Some cringey moments, lots of Gen z speak, and being 50 this was a little out of my depth. I think it was well written, just that it didn't grab me.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Listen, I saw the title and immediately requested it because... same. However, I forgot to read the blurb and I was ecstatic to get this book but when I actually started reading it and it was about a mom I felt some disconnect. However, I was still hooked despite the weird beginning and the story bloomed into something I could not tear myself away from. Lots of Only Fans stories have been popping up lately and the most recent one I read is put to shame when compared to Margo's Got Money Troubles. I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would after that first chapter. I appreciate you for letting me read this!

I requested an ARC from Netgalley after hearing several recommendations on podcasts and loved this book so much. Maybe it's because I have a wrestling and J. Dilla loving husband but also between the somewhat unusual (at least in popular fiction) interests/employment of the characters to the literary techniques/point of view and breaking the fourth wall, this kept me hooked and I can't wait to get a hard copy to highlight!

“This isn’t wrestling, Dad.” “Everything is wrestling.” Oh boy, where do I begin? I’ve already become a one-woman PR team for this absolute gem of a book.

Meet Margo: college dropout, single mom, sneaky talented writer, and unexpected OnlyFans sensation. Her larger-than-life wrestler dad and motley crew of friends bring new meaning to the phrase “it takes a village” as she embarks on a journey that is equal parts hilarious and heartwarming.

This was a genuine JOY to read. Made me laugh. Moved me to tears. I absolutely fell in love with Margo and Dr. Jinx.

Made me think a lot about the stories we tell ourselves about our life, the masks we show to the world, and how far we’ll go to control the narrative. This was an instant winner for me and I can’t wait to read more from Rufi Thorpe.