Margo Millet, a twenty-year-old woman who was unexpectedly pregnant during an affair with her junior-college professor, is the daughter of a former professional wrestler and a Hooters waitress. In a brutally honest portrayal, she decides to retain her child but soon finds herself facing unemployment, no childcare, and rising rent, which puts her in danger of being evicted.

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Her estranged father, Jinx, is a recovering wrestler. He moves in, provides childcare, and teaches Margo how to develop a character in the style of a wrestler. She turns need into online celebrity by starting an OnlyFans with his help.

Strengths of the book
Voice & Structure: Thorpe uses an emotive storytelling technique that switches between first- and third-person points of view to depict both present-day reflection and former innocence.

Heart & Humour: The book is full of heartwarming moments (like “hello, penis-shaped baby cake”) as well as more in-depth analyses of parenting, digital labour, and stardom.

Realistic Characterisation: Margo, Jinx, Suzie, her flatmate, and even her doubtful mother are presented as imperfect, sincere individuals battling addiction, ambition, and societal shame.

Timely Commentary: By contrasting wrestling and OnlyFans, a potent metaphor is created, highlighting how society favours some performing genres over others. One is universally accepted, while the other is stigmatised.

Comments & Varying Reactions from Readers
Margo’s naïveté: Her impatience and lack of forethought may irritate rather than charm some readers.

Weight vs. Humour: Despite being billed as humorous, Reddit and other forum critics believed that the tone was more focused on anxiety and tension than on humour.

Narrative Digressions: Critics point out lengthy sequences involving the production of content and physical details (yes, bathroom scenes), which some felt were overdone.

With a protagonist who is messy, genuine, and desperately seeking agency, Margo’s Got Money Troubles is a daring, unique, and sardonic coming-of-age story. Thorpe skillfully blends sharp social commentary—particularly on women, labour, and the digital economy—with humorous set pieces.

This book is perfect if you enjoy character-driven fiction with a modern twist, where comedy and criticism coexist. However, some passages may try your patience if you find that the stark reality or extreme naiveté detracts from your enjoyment of the book.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles is both heartbreaking, funny, and chaotic. It’s a gripping and thought-provoking read if you enjoy books that strike a mix between humor and criticism, with a protagonist negotiating social taboos and personal development. You won’t likely forget it, and it’s messy in the nicest way.