While I wasn’t sure what to really expect from this book it was definitely a pleasant surprise. The story, although the actual single mother thing, wasn’t something I could personally relate to it was something I could easily connect to. This story had all the feels and definitely one to read!

I can almost certainly predict that the responses Margo and her story will be either glowing or scathing. At times it felt like I was reading someone’s attempt to be edgy in a high school writing course. It’s hard to adequately explain how the story was simultaneously trying too hard and doing too little, but it’s also the exact thing that made me stick with it. Ultimately, I’m just not sure I was the correct audience. Margo’s character encapsulates that strange combination of unerring confidence and crippling insecurity of being in early adulthood. Jinx was a delightful addition to the dynamic. I was struggling a bit before he came into the picture on a more permanent basis. Mark and Margo’s feelings towards Mark were entertaining, but that whole situation also seemed disingenuous and unrealistic. Mark was a terrible human, but he turned it around a tiny bit in the end. Shyanne ranks as my least favorable character by far. She was utterly self-involved and determined to become someone she clearly was not in order to snag a husband.

Not the book I was expecting, and definitely the book I didn’t know I needed. Such a heart warming journey. Loved the character development.

Unique premise, fascinating characters. I can’t really explain this book, other than to say it was truly well written and thoughtful. 5/5 stars!

Disclaimer: At the beginning of the book, the switch from first person to third person narration was super irritating, but by the end of the novel, it makes much more sense. Great literary terms tied in throughout the book as well.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! This review is not influenced in any way. I would still tell you if the booked sucked. (which it didn’t! It was great!)

I really wanted to like this book but I just had too many problems with it to say I really enjoyed it. There were many truths. It was also outlandish at times. It went on way too long even though it was half as short as most of my current reads. I couldn’t stop reading it though, I couldn’t put it down. It felt like it was trying to be anti-preachy that it came across as preachy at times. I’m very confused about how I feel, but overall there were too many things I didn’t like about it to actually recommend it.

I received an advanced copy from netgalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

Margo was such a frustrating protagonist. This may seem like a bad thing; however, I found it made her feel relatable and human. Nobody is perfect, especially in new, high-stress situations. We’re going to have moments where we act out and act badly, and I think we should all extend ourselves a little grace in that regard.

The humor in this book is definitely not for everyone. It is staunchly quirky millennial; I found myself cringing more than laughing. However, the side characters were well-rounded and memorable, and it was a great insight into the modern workings of sex work. All in all, it was a cute read.

This book ripped me up emotionally. I felt connected to heroine on a lot of different levels so her emotions felt like my emotions. I simply couldn’t put it down.

So this is definitely gonna be a more personal review than what I usually do. I requested this ARC after reading The Knockout Queen and devouring it. As I read this title, I realized I related more to it than I expected.

I am a former camgirl myself. I quit theindustry after becoming pregnant (currently six months along), and while I never dealt with all the obstacles that Margo did as a sex worker, I was thrilled to find a story where the sex worker isn’t vilified or seen as a “slut”, but rather just an empowered girl trying to make her way.

This book meant so much to me, as I felt seen and vindicated as a former sex worker/soon to be mother. I’ve been lucky to have an amazing support system, but so many in the industry have similar stories to Margo. I found it incredibly well-researched and humanizing. The only thing I didn’t relate to was falling in love with a client, but then again I’m happily married and most clients are not as cool as JB.


Rufi Thorpe is very quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, and I can’t wait to read what she comes up with next. I know sometimes the authors get to read these reviews, so if you’re reading this, thank you for telling this story and giving a voice to sex workers.

A heartwarming & luminous coming-of-age tale of a 20-year old single mother trying to make it on OnlyFans by getting business tips from her ex-pro wrestler father so she can support herself & her son is starting a new year of reading on a high note. You are rooting for Margo the whole time and can't help but fall in love with the wacky cast of characters, especially her dad. Thorpe perfectly captures the intensity of caring for a newborn while crafting a smart & relatable heroine in Margo. I also love the meta descriptions of the narrative point-of-view and asides to the reader. Overall, such a standout that makes me want to read everything Rufi Thorpe has ever written!

Wow! I thought I was getting into a juicy book about Only Fans and Tik Tok but it was so much more. The cast of characters with their own troubles and moral dilemmas was exceptional (and often hilarious)

Absolutely delightful. I loved Margo and her motley band of misfits so, so much. Thorpe’s writing sparkles and is the perfect blend of fun, witty, and heartbreaking. The rare book where I would look at the percentage tracker as I read and be glad that I wasn’t as far into the story as I thought. I did not want it to end!

Wow I really really loved this. I think I’ve found my favorite genre in books… what I like to call the “weird contemporary”? I enjoyed Rufi thorpe’s other novel The Knockout Queen but this one was even better.
I couldn’t put it down, read it in 2 days. I was fully rooting for Margo and her little clan. 5 stars!

I really enjoyed this book. It was different from anything I’ve ever read, not only because of the POV shifts, but because it dealt with a subject matter of OnlyFans I haven’t ever read on in novels. I think a lot if people will be able to relate or at least empathize with Margo, loving her even in the moments when her mistake make them want to blame her for her lot in life. Overall, great read!!

2024 is off to a hot start with this 5 star read, Rufi Thorpe hit it out of the park again! I couldn't love this book more, and I will continue to read whatever Thorpe writes. She has a way of making characters who have completely different situations from me feel so relatable, her character's voices are so distinct and authentic. Margo is the daughter of a Hooters waitress and a professional wrestler, and finds herself pregnant from her English 121 professor at the age of 19. Against everyone's advice, she decides to keep the baby. As the title suggests, money troubles ensure, and Margo realizes she's over her head. She reconnects with her father, and starts an unconventional side hustle that proves more lucrative than I thought. I really think it's worth not knowing much about this story when you start, it was so much fun being surprised.

Nobody could have prepared me for the true plot of this book—though the synopsis promises an array of juicy details.
For yes, this is about OnlyFans and TikTok and pro-wrestling. It’s about a 20-year-old single mother, her son the result of an affair with her english professor.
And yet…oh man, oh yet. It is also a deeply, agonizingly human story about the judgments we make, the way we try and decide who “deserves” a Good Life.
Rufi Thorpe, master of fleshing out realistic characters for people to relate to, has somehow surpassed even herself. Here is a novel full of people who keep handing you reasons to root against them….though I promise you’ll stay glued to the story for the exact opposite reason. You will love them.

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 so 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 the 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 for each character was 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 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.

This is a solid 5⭐️ for me!

Was I so intrigued by the synopsis that I started reading this the day I got approved in spite of having more than ten other titles to read? Absolutely. Did I read this to the point of a book hangover because I just couldn’t stop? You know it. And finally, did I read this in one day? Do you really even need to ask?

Margo’s Got Money Troubles pulled me in immediately - the author managed to capture the panic one feels when caring for a newborn alone, and the memory of being an older teenage girl involved in a situation with an older guy who should know / do better.

On the whole other end of the spectrum now, as a mother with daughters nearing Margo’s age and I couldn’t stop reading this, and I will tell you that all of these characters come across as so real, in all their nuanced depths and layers. If you’re like me, you’ll be rooting for Margo throughout the entire book.

Strong recommendation.



Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the DRC

This book cemented me as a lifetime fan of Rufi Thorpe - I will read whatever she writes. This novel is simultaneously so charming and yet so deeply emotional - the relationship between Margo and Jinx was so nuanced and lovely and complex. OnlyFans is something I know very little about, and honestly it was fascinating to learn more about the behind the scenes gears of it - I would like to read more books that treat sex work as work! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fiction about families, chosen and otherwise, work, and humor.

Margo Millet, impressionable student, becomes pregnant by her junior college professor Mark, who wants nothing to do with her decision to keep the baby. The novel follows her struggles to make enough money to survive - by using social media, getting followers, and making them pay for her various online services. I was amazed at the ways Margo makes money online. In a slightly pornographic way, she gets paid to describe pictures of male private parts, and also writes brief essays, on demand, for people who give her their writing prompts. Because she is creative in her writing, she gets attention and soon is making enough money with her web activities.

This kind of web activity must happen a lot in real life, I came to the conclusion, and it's interesting to be reading a book about it. There is romance at the end but this is in no way a rom com. That Margo is able to retain sole custody of her child when the father surfaces and demands custody, is both amazing and cleverly plotted.

A book for people who are social media fans and who interact with others online in a significant way, the book was an eyeopener for me about the direction our society is going in relation to the web and social media.

Though what Margo does in the beginning was iffy and barely legal, she finds ways to monetize her online activity and later heads into advertising and a more acceptable way of supporting herself.

Meta narrative doesn’t negate another book about female writing student sleeping with her male professor. Rufi Thorpe has a deft hand, but it’s in service of this story that keeps getting told. Not a fan of this.