Rufi Thorpe’s latest, MARGO’S GOT MONEY PROBLEMS, deals with heavy topics, unwanted pregnancy, drug addiction, sexual predation, pornography, to name the most obvious ones, in such a light-hearted manner that readers willingly go along for the ride. At least I did. So likable, so buoyant, so periodically insightful, Margo is the gravitational center to a cast of laugh-out-loud characters, what used to be called misfits but increasingly are becoming neighbors and friends. The only completely normal character is her baby, Bodhi, who seems at every turn to be developing on cue.

The book’s main misfire was switching between first and third person narration. While it was not confusing or off-putting, I kept waiting for it to pay off. Which never happened.

With thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

*Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing this book, with my honest review below*

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe opens with a description of what most everyone picking up a book must wish for, “that from the first lines….you will sink into the story like a hot bath, giving yourself over entirely”. This isn’t just a great line but it exactly describes how I feel about this book.

A catchy description had me wanting to read this but excellent writing and a unique plot kept me engaged throughout. I loved Margo and her father, Jinx. I loved how scrappy the story was and where it took me. I didn’t love Shyanne, Margo’s mom who clearly hadn’t ever really grown up, and some other choice characters. But Thorpe writes so well that I felt my dislike and love as I might for those around me, testament to a great story.
I would recommend this for anyone looking for an empowering and hilarious read, not just women, as it was great fun.

Thank you again for the ARC, William Morrow. It is much appreciated and I enjoyed the read and the opportunity to share my feedback.

Really adored this story! Margo was surprisingly relatable to me and I loved the storytelling. The perspective changes were very unique and I was so pleasantly surprised! I also loved the relationship between Margo and everyone in her life, specifically Jinx and Suzie!

Yet another Rufi Thorpe book that I read with highlighter at the ready, absorbing every brilliant sentence. Daring, hilarious, riveting, complex, heartwarming, wise, beautifully written and so smart--no one is doing it better than Rufi these days. Thank you for the ARC!

This was honestly such a great read, and I’m kind of sad it’s over. The story telling & pacing of this book was great, and kept my attention the entire time. I loved the diversity of characters in this story, and sympathized a lot for Margo. I kept saying to myself “ugh she’s just a girl!” whenever Margo found herself in difficult situations (which was quite often).

This is a laugh out-loud read that will also pull at your heart strings when you least expect it. I would suggest checking the trigger warnings before reading this.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC!

3.5🌟 So I had no idea what OnlyFans was, and not that I has any issue with it, had I known what it was, I probably would not have requested the ARC. Aside from that, I’m just not into stories about social media influencers. Overall, this was a strange read for me. The tense kept shifting and I know it was related the certain discussions that took place in the book. But it was still weird for me. I also thought Margo made a few not wise decisions in my view. But I also admired her sense of determination, dedication, agency and taking her power. Just about every main character in this book was flawed but not so much so that you couldn’t help but root for Margo and her father. This book is also compulsively readable. You want to keep going. So, like I said, it was a strange read for me.

The greatest injustice of my life is that I now have to wait until JUNE to talk about this book with other people. It was delightful and odd and full of so much heart. I loved it so much.

I’d advise anyone and everyone to either go in completely blind (although if you’re reading this review there’s a good chance you probably aren’t doing this) or ignore whatever reservations you may have about it based on the synopsis because I was skeptical too based on that, but trust me! This book was so much more than a story about OnlyFans and wrestling and wasn’t what I was expecting in the best possible way. It’s quirky, charming, and funny, while also providing nuanced commentary on aspects of society that aren’t generally viewed in a positive light. I don’t want to say too much more about the plot because I really enjoyed just being along for the ride with this one.

I will say, I did struggle a bit with the romance and that’s probably the reason I didn’t give it a full 5 stars. I wish it had developed somewhere other than through OnlyFans because the whole thing seemed to highlight an exception to the “stranger danger” rules of the internet, not the norm. While so many of the other aspects of the book felt realistic, this one felt a little too good to be true. I also had a little bit of a hard time in the beginning of the story adjusting to the switching POVS, but as I continued to read, I got completely used to it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC—I can’t wait for this book to hit shelves this summer so I have more than the 38 other reviews on Goodreads to share my love of Margo and her entourage with

I really enjoyed reading Margo’s Got Money Troubles! I found the first 70% of the book to be a very fast read, but the last 30% felt like it dragged. At first I wasn’t able to put the book down, but then when I got to the last 30% I was easily able to put it down and felt like I was struggling to finish. That being said, I really enjoyed the read and felt connected to the characters.

My first ARC! Thank you NetGalley!

At times I loved this, but overall the first half felt too long. The second half definitely picked up, and kept me hooked! I wasn’t the biggest fan of the switch from third person to first person, but I saw the point of it. I think this will be a hit when it comes out!

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!