We Never Asked For Wings by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

A Brief Summary:
What is a mother? Someone who gives birth to you, someone who nurtures and takes care of you. Well for most of her children's lives Letty Espinosa was just someone who gave birth to them, while they were raised by their grandparents. So when they decide to return to Mexico and leave Letty to take care of her children, she's terrified. Will she be able to handle being a full time mother for the first time in her life or will she crack under the pressure?

My Review: 

Told from the view of Letty and her son Alex, giving you a fuller understanding of their life. Letty is preoccupied with making sure they have food in their stomachs and a chance to her kids to have a better life. Alex, however, is focused on his first love and finding out about his father. While Alex and Letty butt heads they really try to develop a better relationship.

Along with their family struggles Alex worries about Yesmina, his love. She's a little smaller than most girls in his class, and is also undocumented. Their young love is idealistic, sweet, and very realistic.

Letty also has her own dilemma about love, her first love and Alex's father comes back but she's also starting to fall for a guy at work.

This book deals with some hard topics. I know a lot of people who have little sympathy for people they think have abandoned their responsibilities and even less for undocumented immigrants. This book brings their struggles to light in a powerful way. I highly recommend this book.

I received this book courtesy of NetGalley and Random House Publishing- Ballatine in exchange for my free and honest review.