I've read all of Rufi Thorpe's novels and this one absolutely did not disappoint. I was hooked from the first page and devoured this book in a day. Thorpe has an amazing ability to write such flawed
and truly human characters yet you still want to hear their story and root for them. I loved Margo's dad in a heart aching sort of way. This story will not be what you expect in all the best ways. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC!

I liked the book and thought the premise was interesting, but I felt like some things were skimmed over in Margo's relationships with the other people in her life. I also found the perspective changes at the beginning of the book a bit confusing, and it was hard to discern the narrator's position in the story at times.

I really enjoyed this one! Margo is a funny, observant, spunky character I really enjoyed following on her journey. She starts the book as a naive, insecure young girl and becomes a smart, capable woman with a strong sense of self along the way. While the characters are quirky and the subject matter can be challenging, I found the overall book very heartwarming and earnest. I also thought Thorpe did a great job covering young motherhood, sex work, and found family; she really challenges you to examine your preconceived notions and think about life from a different perspective. I would definitely recommend this one to contemporary fiction fans!

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Rufi Thorpe for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

4.5⭐️

I legit felt sad when this book ended. The story consumed me; the characters felt so real! Thorpe does a brilliant job of weaving in complex subject matter like infidelity, single-parent life, sex work, addiction, emotionally immature parents, harm reduction, fact vs fiction, self-advocacy, and... wrestling?!?! into a light-hearted, perfectly-paced novel. I'm beyond thankful to Thorpe for showing harm reduction and science-based recovery in action. A+ book. Can't wait for the series!

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this Margo!

I’m gonna preface this review by saying, this book isn’t going to be for everyone. The main character starts an OF account because of money issues. So do with that information what you will. (But I honestly didn’t know I’d be so charmed by a 20 year old giving a pokemon description of body parts so there’s that haha)

But I am utterly fascinated by this book. One, the use of first person and third person throughout but knowing that it’s all coming from Margo is wild. I mean she even acknowledges it, sometimes it’s easier to write about myself in third person. Such a subtle detail, but it’s real.

Also, the way this story is written is raw and feels like truth. Like I’ve never been 19 years old and knocked up with a baby so do I know how that feels? No. But was a very clear picture painted for me and described in such a way that I could feel it? Yes.

It’s a very human story told in a very human way and even if I couldn’t relate, it resonated with me. It’s the struggle of being a woman and how the world perceives you and you can’t win no matter what you do. Also, this was surprisingly less graphic than you would expect a book about a girl who starts an OnlyFans account to be. It’s in there, but it’s not super descriptive.

Unfortunately, I had to put this one down after a few pages. I couldn't connect to Margot's character and what she was doing. I was a bit turned off by it all.
Though I hope another reader can find enjoyment in the book.

This is going to be the best book an awful lot of people read this year. I would not be surprised at all if I am one of them. Hilarious, touching, unexpected, and completely original - I stayed up late reading and loved every minute.

This was a book that I had such a hard time putting down. I didn’t really know what to expect, but the description had me so curious about how all the elements would come together, and I found myself completely hooked. I went in with pretty much no expectations, having not read any of the author’s other work, and ended up enjoying it greatly.

We start off with Margo in the midst of an affair with her much older professor, but most of the book takes place after he has cut ties and she has had his baby, following along as Margo tries to make things work and get money to support her child. The arrival of Jinx is where things really take off. Not only do we get a tale of a daughter and her father reconnecting, but the family unit that develops with Margo, Jinx, Bodhi (the baby), and Suzie (Margo’s last remaining roommate) is so endearing and I loved this weird little crew. The emotional growth and the journey of each character were so rewarding, and the way that they played off of each other was quite compelling.

The combination of using storytelling techniques from pro wrestling and applying those to sex work primarily through OF was so interesting, and often just presented as a matter of fact. Margo’s instinct for merging these two channels was so fun to see grow, and it was quite rewarding to see her come into her own. She goes from being slightly removed from the events she is partaking in, to having a sense of true ownership in everything she does and being empowered through everything she accomplishes.

The way the story is told was interesting, switching between first and third-person POVs from Margo, and I loved the way that that is gradually explained within the work itself. There are also moments where the narration breaks and speaks directly to the reader. It was super meta while also being very earnest, and I was a huge fan of how all of the elements came together to create what is ultimately a heartfelt story. I was so invested in the entire story, and am now interested in reading some of the author’s other work.

I fell in love with Margo. A single mother to Bodie, trying to make it out of poverty. Laugh pitloud funny in places while showing the struggles of real llife. I adored this novel.. not to be missed!

I enjoyed this one. I wasn't sure what I was getting into as I went into this without reading much of the summary. I thought it was a bit of a roller coaster. I'm not a mom so I couldn't really relate with some parts but liked it either way!

This was my first book from this author and I knew nothing about the plot - so this was a complete rollercoaster for me! This book is funny, sad, serious, weird, anxiety-inducing, and so much more. It was an engaging profile of a young mom and what she is willing to do to provide for her child. It's also about relationships, systemic issues, bias, addiction, and the consequences of our choices. This was an engaging and interesting read for me, and I'll be adding other books by this author to my list!

This one wasn't for me. As a new, first-time mom, I did find a good bit of it relatable, particularly with how much Margo had to balance on her plate at once. Some parts made me chuckle, but overall I wasn't a fan of Margo and felt like she kept making one silly decision after another. Of course, we're all human and no one's perfect (especially at 20!), but a lot of the poor decision-making felt more like an entertainment trope than reality - I did feel bad for her, but overall I just wanted to shake some sense into her! Sometimes the plot felt sidetracked, making it a little difficult to follow. I appreciate the ARC!

I was having fun and definitely planned on giving this one a four star rating but the way it kept disrespecting religion out of nowhere and for absolutely no reason was so insanely unfunny. Dnf 51% in,

I’m not quite sure how to review this novel because I had very mixed feelings reading it.

What I liked: I liked how the book attempted to address issues surrounding the impossible situations in which women are inevitably placed. For instance, Margo is judged by her employer for having difficulty caring for her child while keeping a consistent work schedule. She is judged for not working and not having the resources to raise her child. Then, she is judged for the job she choses which allows her to make a living wage while staying home with her child because the work is labeled “shameful”. I also enjoyed some of the clever and unique humor.

What I did not like: I felt like the storyline became very disjointed at times, and the author tried to address too many issues and wrap things up too quickly. There were parts of the story that just felt unnecessary to me, especially in the first half. While I enjoyed some of the humor, there were times where the analogies were mildly disturbing! Additionally, I thought, in theory, the change in the point of view in the narration was novel and interesting; however, I felt the execution was lacking. Finally, something that is just my own pet peeve, some of the storylines around Bhodi were developmentally inaccurate (again, just me!).

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow publishing, and Rufi Thorpe for this free ARC digital copy.

Margo's Got Money Troubles is an interesting, witty, and surprisingly deep story about a new mom who decides to use Only Fans when she needs to support her baby but can't find reliable child care. As a newish mom myself, I found this book deeply relatable, and I loved the cast of characters. Margo was frustrating but lovable, and I was really rooting for her by the end of the book.

This book was certainly a ride! Honestly I liked it much better than I thought I would at first, but it's an honest portrait of a young woman doing her best in a situation she wasn't fully ready to understand. I even liked the switching between perspectives! I do wish there was a little more resolution at the end, though I do like how things were left with the love interest. I guess after being with Margo through everything you want to know that she's going to be okay, and keep making the best choices she can. (And to stay away from her mom.)

3.5 Stars

This is a story about a young woman, Margo, who has an affair with her english professor, and ends up pregnant. What follows is what makes this worth your time.

When Margo comes home from the hospital after her son is born, she is not only still recovering from giving birth, she is let go from her job, and thus struggling to get by on multiple levels. There’s no way her mother is going to help support her, her mother is getting ready to be remarried and is not terribly interested in babysitting at this point in her life.

Money problems are what moves this story often, but it’s what she ends up doing, working from home, that changes her life. It’s also what she ends up doing in her new career that changes her life, as she can now have the best of both worlds, working from home while still being able to be near enough to nurse him when he gets hungry, comfort him when needed, and still manage to create an income that helps her get by.

This is a story about family, and what love looks like even when family may be somewhat fractured. Her father struggles with physical pain, which creates some obstacles, but she is just happy to have him being there to listen and offer help when he can.

There is more to this story, including TikTok, her choice of what she ends up doing for a living, an unexpected turn of events, and her father’s former career as a pro-wrestler.

I loved watching her blossom, feeling more confidant in her ability to make her own decisions, regardless of with others think, and I loved the new bond she was able to establish as her relationship with her father grew. Watching her grow into this new, more confidant, version of herself.



Pub Date: 11 Jun 2024

Many thanks for the ARC provided by William Morrow

This book was not for me. I don't want to tear it apart, but I didn't like it. I really disliked how the POV went from 1st to 3rd person almost from page to page. The characters did not keep my interest. I felt the whole premise was just dumb and immature. Maybe that's how I felt about the the book, the characters were so immature, and to me really played the victim. This just wasn't for me.

Margo got my attention! I love love love going into a book "blind" (not reading much of what it's about) and letting it unfold. I was 100% thinking this was going to be a comedy about a girl going broke and some rom com mixed in with a twist and she's got money. I was 100% wrong and thank goodness for that because what I got was a perspective of a life I'd never thought much of. Camgirls. And all the messed up, contradictions and judgmental folks who have an impact on others. This book spoke volumes about that. Really enjoyed it!

This book was smart and funny - I found myself cheering for our MC and also shaking my head. I think this book will do super well as it feels timely.