Review: "We Never Asked for Wings" by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Grab yourself a nice comfy chair, a good beverage and curl up with this wonderful book. It’s a moving story about one woman’s struggle to finally grow up and take responsibility for herself and her kids. Letty was a bright beautiful young girl in high school dating the boy of her dreams when she finds herself pregnant. Her boyfriend has aspirations of becoming a doctor and is heading to Columbia, clear across the country. She chooses not to tell him of her condition and stays with her parents who help raise the boy. Fast forward 15 years and she has another child conceived on a one night stand, still living at home working two and three part time jobs as a bar maid to support her two kids and parents. She has no parenting skills and has left her mother take care of the kids. This all changes when her parents move back to Mexico and she is left on her own to sink or swim.

The storyline is interesting and complex. Not only is Letty dealing with getting her life together and all that it entails, but her 15 year old son is dealing with his first love and all the emotions and temptations that come with it. She also has a six year old daughter who is prone to fit throwing. Throw in an epic error made by the son, and you have a page turning novel.

I loved Vanessa’s second novel and highly recommend it. I have to admit, I haven’t read her New York Times bestselling novel, The Language of Flowers (although I have it on my to read list) but this is a terrific story and she is now definitely one of my favorite authors!!