This is a bit of a feminist romp. It’s a little mom fiction, a little x-rated, a bit of family drama. A lot of unexpected.

When Margo gets pregnant by her married college professor, he wants nothing to do with her or the baby. He prefers she have an abortion, but she feels compelled, for no particular reason, to see the pregnancy to completion and keep the child. Her ex-pro wrestler dad’s not really in the picture and her mom isn’t interested in providing any type of support. She loses her job, loses two roommates (more than doubling her rent), and she’s trying to figure it all out on her own at barely 20 years old.

This book was heartbreaking in plenty of ways. As a new mom (my one year old is still a baby, thank you very much), so much of this really touched on my heartstrings. Trying to keep a tiny, helpless human alive while hardly being able to take care of yourself. The pure exhaustion, the inability to really bathe or eat, or do anything else but support this lump of human. But I have my husband. This poor young woman really had no one, with hardly a way to make ends meet. Thank god for her weird, nerdy roommate (who I adored).

Anyways, Margo starts an OnlyFans to make income, and really starts to hit it big. That’s when everyone else starts coming out of the woodwork to question her ability to be a good influence on her own child, questioning her fitness as a mother.

The book is absolutely infuriating in so many ways.

It’s also pretty damn x-rated at points, mostly off-page, but enough to know what the hell is going on.

It made me question what lengths I would go to for my child, though I don’t think porn would ever really cross my mind as an option. (Though sex work is valid work.)

Some things that bothered me was the taking mushrooms while she’s nursing, which really shocked me. But again, this MC is young, and our education system is flawed, at best.

I was saddened to see the situations she was put into, but her professor, her mom and her new beau, her dad, her ex-roommates. People are incredibly imperfect, I get that, but it was frustrating to see how the different characters behaved, including the MC at times.

What I really disliked about this book is that it was actually a bit pretentious. It kind of starts out self-aware, explaining that it’s a book, but throughput switches POVs. It was to prove a point - this is me as I am, or this situation is so tough, I’m pretending I’m writing a fictional story kind of thing. I hated it. It was unnecessary and almost ruined what was otherwise a very good book.

I'm a few days past reading this book, and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it. The story takes place during a time when TikTok and OnlyFans were still relatively new. Margo finds herself stuck between a rock and a hard place, so she decides to create an OnlyFans account to help feed her baby—because balancing jobs and childcare isn't always feasible.

Margo's life is a complete mess. Her parents are also a disaster. Her mother taught her to use her sexuality to attract a man, yet chastises her for getting pregnant and starting an OnlyFans, claiming it doesn't fit the image she wants to portray. Then there's her father, a former professional wrestler turned manager, who was married to someone else with other children when Margo's mother got pregnant with her. Although he was present in her life, he was more of a personality than a father figure. He reappears at a crucial moment, fresh out of rehab.

Reading about Margo feels like navigating a chaotic whirlwind, but it's still entertaining. You find yourself rooting for her to make it through. The book explores custody battles, the influence of wrestling, building a business based on that world, self-discovery, and the challenges of single parenting, emphasizing that it takes a village.

There's so much happening that at times I found myself thinking, "What am I reading?" Other moments had me laughing, cringing, and hoping everything would turn out okay. Overall, it's not a bad book, just not what I expected.

Margo is one of the most likeable and odd characters I have ever read. Margo's Got Money Troubles is a great story, but also raises broader questions about the treatment of women in sex work and the challenges of childcare.

I know I am not in the majority in my opinion of this book, but I didn't like it. Mostly because I could not relate to the main character. I wanted things to happen and truthfully I was bored.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

"Margo's Got Money Troubles" brilliantly captures the zeitgeist of financial anxiety through the story of its endearing protagonist.

The novel stands out for its timely exploration of economic instability through a deeply personal lens. Rather than dwelling on spreadsheets and bank statements, it delves into how financial stress affects relationships, self-worth, and life choices. Margo's struggle to maintain dignity while navigating food banks and payday loans feels authentic and relatable.

The author excels at character development, particularly in showing how money troubles reveal true colors. Margo's transformation from shame to resilience is gradual and earned. Supporting characters are equally well-crafted – from her pragmatic best friend to her judgmental mother, each brings depth to Margo's story.

The pacing keeps readers invested, with each chapter building tension as Margo faces increasingly complex decisions. Just when you think she's found solid ground, another challenge emerges, making this book impossible to set aside.

The ending satisfies without taking easy shortcuts. Margo's resolution comes through hard work, honest reflection, and learning to value what truly matters – a message that resonates without feeling preachy.

Rufi Thorpe continues to be one of my favorite authors! This book made me laugh, cry, ad smile. And the ending was simply lovely! can't wait to read what she come up with next!

Posted at instagram @carolinehoppereads on June 11

One thing Rufi Thorpe does really well is write storylines that have such unique characters, but the meat of the story can apply to so many people. In this case, the characters range from ex-professional wrestlers (think Ric Flair), ex-Hooters waitress, and a new, young mother who works an OnlyFans site and has TikTok fame. Those are unique. But at the heart is a dad who wasn’t there, a mom who is terrible and selfish, and a young girl trying to find herself. (And a 37 yr old douche bag college professor.)

I liked this one and I was rooting for Margo and her Dad. (The mom is 👎🏼) You do have to prepare yourself for lots of…ahem body part talk, but honestly it becomes the background.

The only little thing that nagged me is towards the end, Margo (aged 20) would have moments were she sounded a 40 year old talking to some professionals, which didn’t really flow with her not talking that way to others that needed to be put in their place. And there were a couple decisions that are made that had me pause, but I went with it for the flow of the story.

I enjoyed this one and recommend it to those who want a humorous book with heart, and also like quirky characters and sex talk without all the sex. I have read the author’s, “The Knockout Queen” which I enjoyed too. Will definitely be on the lookout for what the author writes next.

I think this book is really unique and fun. Margot is almost the exactly opposite of me in every way but I was still able to relate to her so much. I loved watching her grow throughout the story into a confident woman and mother.

She really starts to find her place in this world and starts to discover what she can expect from other people. I think this story is charming, clever, and funny. Honestly, I enjoyed it so much more than I expected to.

I ended up listening to the audiobook & Elle Fanning does a fantastic job narrating this as well.

Margo's Got Money Troubles was funny, unpredictable, quirky, and real. I felt myself rooting for these characters and loving their unpredictable and odd choices along the way. The writing was real and witty and I woke up my partner multiple times from laughing so hard while reading in bed.

The father-daughter relationship between Margo and Jinx was one of my favorite parts of this book. This book thoroughly surprised me. I will definitely be reading more books by Rufi Thorpe.

Favorite Quotes:

“I’m just saying,” Jinx said, seemingly more lucid now, “when you’re lost in the deep dark forest, the thing to do isn’t to get scared of the trees. You have to find your way out again.”

“The sadness from the morning didn’t exactly go away; it dried on me and slowly crumbled, leaving me covered in little flakes, like if you eat a glazed donut in a black shirt. That was how it was being a grown-up. We were all moving through the world like that, like those river dolphins that look pink only because they’re so covered in scars.”

“Love was not something, I realized, that came to you from outside. I had always thought that love was supposed to come from other people, and somehow, I was failing to catch the crumbs of it, failing to eat them, and I went around belly empty and desperate. I didn’t know that love was supposed to come from within me, and that as long as I loved others, the strength and warmth of that love would fill me, make me strong.”

A book that challenges all preconceived notions... a totally enjoyable story to remind us that there are many paths forward and progress looks different for all people. You'll question every choice Margo makes, but then you'll remember, this is her life, not yours and you'll be her cheerleader as she figures it all out.

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for this ARC. I did enjoy this book and even laughed in parts. I read it in one day. I would definitely recommend this book.

The only book I had read by Rufi Thorpe prior to Margo's Got Money Troubles was The Knockout Queen, and while I enjoyed that book and all its uniqueness, it didn't reach a five-star read for me. But when I saw this one was coming out, I knew I had to read it, and this time I was completely blown away. Once again Thorpe hits us with a super unique storyline and sometimes slightly ridiculous things that only her brain can think of, and it all worked so well together. This has some very serious themes while also being a coming-of-age story and it is at times absolutely hilarious.

I need to take a moment to discuss the audiobook and how damn excited I was to see Elle Fanning as the narrator. Though I’m more familiar with her sister, I was so surprised and pleased to see her name pop up. She rocked the narration, and even managed to surpass my expectations. She was the perfect Margo and was spot on in every way. I loved Margo as well as her dad, but I was ready to throw her mom under a bus. Sorry not sorry. Margo's Got Money Troubles felt very raw and real and managed to hit me with some surprises and left me with a smile on my face. Read this if you have ever been curious about OnlyFans, love flawed but tenacious younger female leads, and originality that packs a punch.

I went into this book pretty blindly. What a fun surprise. The plot of this book was unique. The characters were flawed, but lovable. I especially loved Margo, for finding a way (albeit unconventional) to provide for the baby she loved so much. The story was funny, but also heartwarming. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Margo is a 19-year-old woman attending college and working in the evenings as a waitress. She doesn't have a lot of direction or plans for the future. She's upset that her best friend has moved across the country to New York City to attend college, while she's still stuck in her hometown with limited prospects. She begins an unenthusiastic affair with one of her professors who takes an interest in her. After 3 dates, Margo discovers she's pregnant. The father of the baby, her mother, and her acquaintances all assume she'll have an abortion, but Margo stubbornly decides she'll have the baby and show them all how capable she is. The baby's father cuts off all contact and wants nothing to do with Margo or the baby. After the baby is born, Margo is dismayed when the reality of having a baby crashes down on her: she can't work without childcare (which is expensive or entails a long waiting list -- something she "didn't think to check" before the baby's birth), her mother wants no part of babysitting, her roommates flee after a few weeks of a baby crying 24/7 (leaving Margo to pay a bigger share of the rent), etc. Her mostly absent father, recently freed from yet another stint in rehab, moves in and helps out with expenses and childcare. So Margo is left to decide: what does she want to do with her life? Naturally, she decides to start a lucrative career in online sex work . . .
 
I wanted to read this book as I'd seen someone recommend it as being very funny. The description also says it's "laugh out loud" hilarious. I'm very confused about that. This book isn't funny at all. The overall feeling is sadness, along with frustration at Margo's inability to think ahead or deal with reality. Where's the humor? I have no idea.

This is one of my favorite books I read this year. The quirky cast of characters, the ridiculous plot, and the big ol’ heart behind all of it made this book so memorable.

Recommend this if you want a book filled with people who make questionable choices but do so with mostly good intent, if you love redemption and if you want your heart strings tugged by a misfit group.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

This one was fun! While there are serious topics throughout the book the author is able to flawlessly mix humor which makes it a delightful read. I laughed out loud multiple times.

Synopsis: 20 year old Margo becomes pregnant as the result of an affair with her college professor and the choices she makes in order to support and raise her son.

I was rooting for Margo throughout the book. She is smart, strong, funny, determined and brave. If she had a problem she found a way to tackle it herself. The author displayed the hardships of being a single mom but also the rewards of being a mom.

Quick read. Witty. Insightful. Entertaining.

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @netgalley and @williammorrow for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a total blast!

I don't know if this will be everyone's cup of tea BUT I would certainly drink it again! The premise of the book is a twenty year old kind of directionless community college student has a short lived affair with her much older professor, gets pregnant, decides to keep the baby and in the process of raising this baby (less than a year all in all), begins to grow up and learn about herself, what it takes to survive in today's world when you are young, unfinished traditional education wise, and basically poor AF. Throw in a sort of celebrity father, secretly drug addicted father, mother who just wants to be taken care of for once, and the world of highly sexualized social media, (TikTok, Insta and OnlyFans play a major part), and you have the bones of the story.

Anyway! This book was fun, I am a full generation older than Margo (gulp!j but am savvy enough about today's social media, etc and just loved the absolute honesty and sometimes absurdity of the story. The author pulls no punches in describing what it takes for a woman to survive in todays world and in some ways, the book is almost feminist in its frank depiction of modern day sex work, and the pride that Margo takes in her work. It's not a view I would have come to understand on my own, but having read this work or fiction that's likely real life for many young women today, it makes sense because at the end of the day, Margo makes her own choices and is proud of them no matter what the views of others are, and that's something I can relate to.

Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe is the story of a young woman that is trying to figure out how to be an adult. This was such an honest and funny story about Margo, who is so refreshing and endearing. She goes through a lot, but figures things out along the way. Sometimes she's a bit of a mess and sometimes she's a success. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

📖 BOOK REVIEW

🎧 MARGO’S GOT MONEY TROUBLES by Rufi Thorpe
4.5 stars

Genre: contemporary fiction
Did I cry: no
Published in 2024

💭: i had seen fantastic reviews for this buzzy new release, and the audiobook is narrated by Elle Fanning so i obviously had to listen to it asap & i adored it!!

It’s equal parts ridiculous (in the best way) and equal parts relatable. It allows us to connect with the main character who is going through real life struggles while also making it hysterical and outrageous. It’s super modern but not in a cringe, over-the-top way. I don’t want to reveal too much about the plot because i found that going in blind allowed me to find it even funnier because it was all so unexpected. Overall, this is a super funny read with an engaging, heartwarming plot and great characters with top-notch character development and i deffffff recommend, especially on audio 😌