A Wife’s Guide to In-Laws: How to Gain Your Husband's Loyalty Without Killing His Parents

Jenna D. Barry
Lulu.com (2008)
ISBN 9780557025008
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer, PhD, for Reader Views (4/09)


Jenna Barry has written an exceptional book on how to deal with in-laws. It is full of advice, cartoons and funny scenarios.

Haven’t we all wished we had the insight to figure out our in-laws? The author gives us plenty of information from enforcing boundaries to having kids and in-laws. In the beginning of the book the author describes three types of in-laws and boundaries we all need to set when dealing with them.

I particularly liked the information on faulty thinking, which we all experience. If we aren’t around our in-laws enough to really get to know them we sometimes make false assumptions. Many times, the author states that we under-react; we wait for others to make decisions for us and we lose power. This leads to conflict between us and the spouse, and the spouse and his/her parents.

“A Wife’s Guide to In-Law” by Jenna D. Barry has many funny cartoons and examples of situations married couples find themselves in. The author gives great guidance and provides worksheets that the couple can fill out and discuss. As a psychologist and having done marital therapy for years, couples do not always discuss possible situations that might arise. It is important for couples to discuss these points before they become an issue.

Make comment on weblog