Claire works as a nurse in a hospital's neonatal ward. Every day, dealing with newborns, her desire to start a family and have a child grows stronger. However, at thirty-two, Claire has yet to meet the right man. Deciding that her high standards make her feel like she can spend her entire life alone, she takes a closer look at her new acquaintance, Frank. Will two unhappy people be able to build happiness together?

Behind the apparent ease of this love story lies eight years of research by French artist Aude Picot, dedicated to the anthropology, sociology, and psychology of couples and motherhood. "High Standards" is an honest, witty, and compassionate graphic novel about the pressures of social and gender norms that every modern woman faces.