The Writing Room

by Marcia Argueta Mickelson

Immediately after high school graduation, eighteen-year-old Maya is kicked out of her wealthy dad's NYC home; he prides himself on forcing his kids to "make their own way in the world." Maya's mom lives in Guatemala, so Maya crashes with friends while working and trying to land freelance writing gigs.

Maya struggles to find her footing until she gets access to a "writing room," a shared workspace where she can focus―and get to know the intriguing neighbor, Jake, who's often there.

When she discovers her dad is bankrolling a virulently anti-immigrant candidate for governor, Maya―the daughter of an immigrant―realizes she can’t continue quietly accepting his choices. She’ll have to take a stand, using the voice she's found in the writing room.

Genres: Realistic Fiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published November 4, 2025

About the author

Marcia Mickelson was born in Guatemala and moved to the U.S. as an infant. She began writing her first novel her senior year of high school and finished it more than ten years later.

Marcia graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelors Degree in American Studies. She is the author of YA novels The Huaca and Where I Belong.

She has also written 3 inspirational women's novels: Star Shining Brightly, Reasonable Doubt, and Pickup Games.

Marcia currently resides in Texas with her husband and three sons.

Reviews

[Amanda Webster · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Writing Room (Nov 4, 2025), Marcia Argueta Mickelson tells the story of Maya, a young woman who discovers her creative and moral voice after being cast out by her wealthy, abusive father. The writing room she joins becomes a sanctuary—a place that connects her to other writers and to the immigrant community she’s long ignored. A thoughtful, quietly inspiring read about art, privilege, and personal awakening.

👉 Read my full review on my website: https://writeontheworld.wordpress.com...

An advance reader copy of this book (ARC) was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Tara Lundmark · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Maya, a privileged millionaire's daughter, is left to fend for herself after high school graduation due to her father's absurd version of tough love, she is thrust into the working class world. She makes new friends who become a found family and sees firsthand what many hard-working immigrants must go through just to feed their families. She soon re-evaluates what (and who) is of most value in her life. Using her talent as a writer, she learns to use her voice to elicit change in society--even when that change is hard to swallow and comes with big consequences for her own future.

Marcia Argueta Mickelson has, once again, done a masterful job of bringing tough issues to a personal and accessible level for readers of all backgrounds. A beautiful story that turns the ugliness of our society and laces it with hope.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s something so relatable about being young, broke, and completely unsure of who you are but also burning with the need to *
say something. That’s exactly where I found myself connecting with Maya. Fresh out of high school, kicked out of her wealthy dad’s apartment, and suddenly forced to navigate adulthood with nothing but grit, a laptop, and a few friends’ couches, her story felt raw, real, and quietly powerful.

When Maya steps into the writing room, it’s more than just a place with good Wi-Fi and endless coffee. It becomes a space for transformation for her words, her confidence, and her sense of belonging. And Jake? Let’s just say every creative space should come with an intriguing, soft-hearted neighbor who makes you rethink your plans.😉

But what really hooked me was Maya’s moral crossroads. When she discovers her father is funding an anti-immigrant campaign, she’s faced with the kind of choice that defines you not just as a writer, but as a person. Watching her find her voice and decide how to use it had me cheering her on like she was a close friend finally standing up for herself.

The Writing Room isn’t just about finding your passion, it's about using it. It’s about courage, identity, and the power of words when silence feels easier.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

My review in School Library Journal:

Maya’s wealthy father, Robert Mitchell of MedTech, made it clear to his daughter and her siblings that their upscale lives on his dime would be cut off the minute they each turn eighteen. Their Guatemalan mother moved back to her homeland after the divorce from their white father and has fewer resources than her mogul ex-husband. Dad’s deal includes him covering Maya’s college tuition, but when he yanks her medical coverage and insists on pre-approved business classes, she is determined to handle things herself and pursues a writing career. Friend Yoly and her husband Ricardo, who is an immigration lawyer, provide a couch to sleep on in their brownstone. Taking on a part-time job at the library, Maya also writes reviews for her sister’s magazine, picking up freelance gigs along the way. Neighbor Katie points Maya in the direction of the writing room, a shared space managed by her brother, Jake. This brownstone’s sense of place provides a sense of community and resilience for the group of immigrant friends, with regular Sunday dinners including Mexican, Colombian, Filipino, Puerto Rican, and Guatemalan friends surrounding the table. Jake is distant at first, then the writing room experience leads to the forced proximity trope, enabling him to open up to Maya. Romance blossoms. When Robert Mitchell’s stealth illegal donations in support of a racist, anti-immigrant politician surface, Jake’s secret of how he has been anonymously fighting back emerges. Though choppy at times, the plot’s focus on contemporary issues provides an anchor. VERDICT Atmospheric and relevant. Recommended.
Reviewed by Lisa Krok , Oct 10, 2025

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Maya Mitchell graduates from high school, her wealthy father cuts her off and kicks her out because he wants all of his children to be independent adults without any handouts from him. With her older siblings living in different states and her mother living back in her home country of Guatemala, Maya is left to fend for herself and moves in with a work friend for the summer while she waits to go to Columbia for college in the fall. Supporting herself with a library job and weekly reviews for her sister's online magazine, she starts going to a writer's room - an apartment in the city where creatives can pay a fee to have a quiet place to work in the city. Through that she starts a budding romance with her neighbor and fellow creative Jake. When she finds out that her father is helping to fund the gubernatorial campaign of a vile racist, she knows she can't stay quiet about he father's beliefs anymore, and she has to learn to use the voice she's cultivated in the writer's room to make a difference.

This book starts out pretty slowly. From the description of the novel, I assumed that her father's involvement with this campaign and what Maya did about it was going to be the main focus of the novel, but we don't find out that her dad even knows this man until a little over halfway through the book. She doesn't actually start doing anything about what she knows until there's only a third of the book left, and she was mostly a bystander to things that other people were doing. Other than getting the investigative reporter involved in the first place and attending a protest, she didn't really do much.

The story also ends really abruptly, and there's no real resolution to anything that happened in the preceding story.

Especially in our current political climate, this is a story that should be told, but it reads like it needed to go through another round of edits to get that story across in the best way possible. I enjoyed reading it for the most part, but I was left somewhat unsatisfied in the end because I feel like the description didn't really fit what I got from this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Maya Mitchell turns eighteen, her wealthy, powerful, and controlling father declares her an adult—and cuts her off, as he did with her two siblings before her. Their mother, a devoted physician, had already been forced out during the divorce and returned to Guatemala to care for her ailing mother. Suddenly without the cushion of privilege, Maya—always a diligent student and talented writer—prepares to enter Columbia University, with her father agreeing to cover tuition. That summer, she works at the public library, writes articles, and crashes on the couch of Yoly and Ricardo, a warm couple who introduce her to an eclectic community where Sunday dinners bring stories, laughter, and dreams to the table. When Maya learns her father’s company is funding the campaign of a ruthless, anti-immigrant politician, she feels the deepest betrayal: how could her father turn against his own brown-skinned children? As Maya steps into the real world—far from the luxury of her childhood—she discovers first love, friendship, and the power of standing up for herself. Though I don't read many YA novels, The Writing Room captivated me with its straightforward exploration of sibling bonds, parental expectations, and identity.

[Vanesa Gjolaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Writing Room by Marcia Argueta Mickelson is an inspiring, heartfelt, and empowering story that completely drew me in. Maya is smart, courageous, and relatable, navigating the challenges of independence while discovering her own voice. Her journey of self-discovery, growth, and standing up for her values is both moving and motivating. The writing room itself becomes a symbol of creativity, refuge, and empowerment, making the story feel intimate and meaningful. Maya’s interactions with her intriguing neighbor Jake add warmth, subtle tension, and moments of connection that enrich the narrative. Mickelson beautifully weaves themes of family, identity, and social responsibility into a compelling coming-of-age story. Every chapter flows seamlessly, balancing personal growth, romance, and meaningful stakes with finesse. The Writing Room is a powerful, thought-provoking story that left me inspired and thoroughly engaged from start to finish.
- Vanesa Gjolaj, Author Of “The Enchanted Manuscript”

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story about found family -- the connections we chose when our family isn't a good fit. Maya's austere and wealthy father kicks her out so she can prove herself. She couch surfs, while working at the New York City Library to pay her way through college. She must navigate her new world without her rich dad's money -- but her friends rally around to support her.

Maya is proud of her Latina heritage from her mother's side, but appalled by her father's financial backing of a racist, anti-immigrant political candidate. She must decide if she'll confront her father and risk further fraying their relationship.

This story is so timely in our politically-divided times -- and told with authenticity and warmth. A worthwhile read for both teens and adults!