Reviews & Endorsements

“Jenna’s work has been a beacon of hope for those who struggle with one of the most difficult relationships: the in-laws. Her unique insight gives readers practical, easy-to-follow tips and provides insight on how to deal with ‘the other half’ of one’s marriage. Her comprehensive work allows marriages to grow in a positive, yet straightforward manner, which for most can be the number one burden in sharing a life with another. Jenna’s work is a must read for those who struggle with mitigating the third wheel and should be the go to source for everything in-laws.”
–Gabriel Lefrancois, Co-Founder and Managing Editor of Hitched Media, Inc.
Hitched is a magazine that entertains, educates and inspires marriages

“You married your husband; you didn’t plan on marrying his parents. But, like it or not, they’re part of your family. In-law problems can plague many marriages because so many couples feel hopeless about making things better. Jenna Barry’s witty and insightful book gives hope to women and men who struggle with overbearing, over-involved or downright malicious in-laws. She gives useful, humorous and down-to-earth advice that says: ‘I’ve managed to do it, you can do it, too!’ A Wife’s Guide to In-laws is the Red Bull® of relationship books: it will give you wings.”
–Dr. Scott Haltzman, Marriage Friendly Therapist and Best-selling author of The Secrets of Happily Married Men and The Secrets of Happily Married Women

“Jenna equips wives to get out of the victim role; she empowers them to have strong marriages in the face of difficult in-laws.”
–Power Women Magazine

“Jenna inspires and empowers women to cope with difficult in-laws.”
–GirlGetStrong.com

“Jenna teaches new brides how to behave as confident adults, and offers a ‘no whining’ approach to dealing with difficult in-laws.”
–SheJustGotMarried.com

“Jenna offers great advice for new moms dealing with difficult in-laws.”
–Darcy L. Plunkett, Founder/Editor-in-Chief of Chic Mom Magazine

“Jenna D. Barry is a marriage saver!”
–Alicia Tunby, Wife/Daughter-in-law

“This is the best book for both wife and husband! It showed me that I could change things about myself that could drastically change the problems even if no one else did anything at all. Plus my husband was willing to read it and found it funny and insightful. It’s one of the only times he ever admitted his mother might have boundary issues!”
–Terri, Wife/Daughter-in-law

“I have recently purchased this book and I’m confident it was written just
for me. I am so glad I’m not all alone in the issues I have been dealing
with and can’t wait to fix them.”
–Cara, Wife/Daughter-in-law

“This is a wonderful book. It’s a nice balance of practical step-by-step advice, assertiveness training, boundary setting, wisdom, and humor. Because Jenna has obviously ‘been there’ and gone ‘through the fire,’ it’s like having that trusted person in your corner who provides sage advice along the way. Even more importantly this book deals with how to gain your husband’s loyalty throughout the process. The author makes the process easy to understand by categorizing the different types of in-laws that you may be dealing with so as to know which strategies will be most appropriate. I have recommended this book to several of my clients, and find it to be a valuable resource for couples struggling with this issue.”
–Mark Saindon, MA, LMFT, Marriage Friendly Therapist

“Jenna D. Barry offers practical advice to help new moms be assertive with their mother-in-law.”
–Metroplex Baby & Kids

“If wedded bliss has turned to wedding woes with bitter battling because of overbearing in-laws, expert Jenna D. Barry offers hope to wounded wives. The witty and wise author dishes out great guidance and expert advice on communication, compromises and getting tough so that all-too-common struggles with dreaded in-laws are minimized - and a healthy marriage and spousal devotion are maximized. The end result: in-law abiding citizens all around.”
–Joanne Richard, Writer for Sun Media/QMI Agency

“Jenna D. Barry offers an edgy, informational lifeline to wives who feel stuck in the middle of the man they love – and his parents. From a therapist’s perspective, I liked how the author described specific frustrating scenarios that commonly occur for wives - and how to set boundaries. And what a nice idea to include two chapters for husbands to help them understand what’s going on between their parents and their wives.”
–Lisa Brookes Kift, MFT and Author of “The Marriage Refresher Course Workbook for Couples” and “The Premarital Counseling Workbook for Couples”

“While reading A Wife’s Guide to In-laws, I thought of so many past clients who could’ve benefited from it! This book highlights many important areas such as how to manage split loyalties, set boundaries, respond in a skillful manner, utilize non-threatening, non-judgemental statements to address concerns, etc. The book certainly validates the experience that many women go through when dealing with in-laws, and I am sure it will benefit many who read it!”
-Lisa C. Palmer, PhD, LMFT, CHT

“A Wife’s Guide to In-Laws will take you step-by-step through pinpointing exactly what your issues are, setting up a plan to address them and actually following through with the plan you set up — with lots of examples along the way. Actual sentences you can use when talking to your in-laws or your husband can give you the extra confidence you need to address the issues you are having with respect and sensitivity while at the same time standing your ground. A Wife’s Guide to In-Laws does a wonderful job of building confidence in the reader, letting you know that just because you are married to your husband doesn’t mean his family can cross your personal boundaries and make you uncomfortable. You do have the right to respectfully decline an invitation or ask them to call before they just drop by your house. At the heart of this book is the need to be honest with yourself. Pick the battles that truly matter most to you then stand your ground in an understanding but firm way. A Wife’s Guide to In-laws: How to Gain Your Husband’s Loyalty Without Killing His Parents will teach you how to do just that.”
–Rayna Nielsen, Mom blogger

“In my private practice, when it comes to in-laws, nearly every couple seems to have a story. Women, especially, struggle with that innate conflict with her mother-in-law; one sees him as a boy, the other as a man. This book has a wealth of information and resources for women in dealing with her mother-in-law…and finding ways to ‘gain her husband’s loyalty.’ It is an enjoyable read and one I personally wish I had 35 years ago.”
–Peggy Hinders, MA, LPC, Marriage Counselor

“I really enjoyed this fun, easy-to-read book. It is a must-read for anyone having meddlesome in-laws who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Jenna writes in an entertaining and informative way, making this book a pleasure to read. She even uses a very clever mechanism to get your guy’s attention. This book will not only help you with your in-law issues, it will help you set boundaries in general. Jenna will help you stay the line between firm and loving. I will definitely recommend this book to my clients.”
–Barb LoFrisco, M.A.

“I enjoyed reading ‘A Wife’s Guide to In-laws.’ It offers very simple to follow instructions on how to be assertive with our partners, our own parents, and our in-laws. My friend who has great difficulty dealing with her in-laws also read the book and she found it helpful. About three days after I read the book, I had the occasion to recommend it to a couple I’ve been working with.”
–Jennifer Pattison, M.A.

“Here’s a book for the daughter-in-law, written by someone who has experienced the Mother in Law problem firsthand. This book has an understanding of the problems not just from the daughter-in-law’s view, but also from the husband’s position and the in-laws’. She has sound ideas on how to approach the problem before it escalates into a huge issue and tears the family apart. She uses references to expert advice, but she’s the real expert - her humor and experience translate into a wisdom that gives hope to anyone caught in what seems to be a hopeless situation. Very good, Mothers-in-Law should read this too! Go to her website and read success stories people have had after reading her book!”
–Annie Blanchard, Lensmaster of Mother-in-Law Training on Squidoo.com

“He’s still their little boy, you know. “A Wife’s Guide to In-Laws: How to Gain Your Husband’s Loyalty Without Killing His Parents” is a guide to dealing with one of the most feared and loathed parts of marriage - the in-laws. With wit and pizzazz, author Jenna Barry gives her advice through text and charming black-and-white cartoons illustrating her words. From the wedding night until the time to leave the natural world, “A Wife’s Guide to In-Laws” is a must for anyone who wonders how their husband came from such seemingly antagonistic people.”
–Midwest Book Review

“What a great idea to make this book in such a simplistic format! The self-help guides and lists to choose from makes any problem situation become manageable. It is an excellent tool for the lay person who needs help with assertive skills. I would definitely recommend this book to my young, recently married clients.”
–Jann Glasser, LCSW, MFT, Divorce Coach

“A Wife’s Guide to In-laws has a lot of valuable information in it. I especially appreciate the trouble shooting steps and questions that are given to create boundaries. This will lessen a lot of spur of the moment frustrations and misunderstandings. What a great resource!”
Dr. Heather M. Browne, MA, PsyD, MFT, published author and Relationship Expert on TV’s Daybreak OC

“Jenna Barry is a gifted writer with a wonderful sense of humor. She provides very sage advice that surpasses that of most seasoned professionals. A Wife’s Guide to In-laws is an excellent book, and I have already started to recommending it to my clients.”
–S.D. Haltzman, M.D., Marriage Friendly Therapist

“Jenna D. Barry defines a very common conflict that devastates many marriages and provides step-by-step advice for winning the in-law battle in order to create a better marriage. She deftly mixes wisdom with touches of humor to lift the tone of what could be a stressful how-to for many couples. Although we like to have advice from experts in a given field (and this book contains such), we also like to learn from people who have ‘been there, done that.’ The strength of this book is its author’s experience: she actually DID what she’s talking about—she gained her husband’s loyalty—and now shares her successful methods with others facing the same issues in their lives. She establishes credibility with readers as she describes feelings they have and her first-hand knowledge of what they are going through. Jenna offers a wide range of advice, varying in degrees of firmness, and encourages the reader to decide what will be most effective for her particular situation.”
–C. Greene

“Jenna D. Barry is very insightful. She has been through the experience of difficult in-laws, and has a lot of wisdom. Thankfully, she is willing to share it with wives who are struggling with this issue too.”
–Jenice Armstrong, Columnist for the Daily News and Philadelphia Inquirer

“Jenna D. Barry captures the conflicts inherent in difficult in-law relationships and offers up sound advice for preserving healthy marriages in the face of them. She keeps her message clear, simple, and to-the-point, while adding the supportive stance of one who has ‘been there.’”
–Susan Klann, Editor of Women Of Colorado On-line Magazine

“Jenna D. Barry provides a comprehensive guide to dealing with difficult in-laws. This book is essential if you are one of the many wives who struggles with your in-laws.”
–ForeverBrides.com

“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-Laws’ 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.”
–Carol Hoyer, PhD, for Reader Views (4/09)

“Author (and illustrator) Jenna Barry says in her Introduction, “A Wife’s Guide to In-Laws is written from the perspective of a wife with difficult in-laws and a husband whose loyalties are divided.” Now, we know about clingy parents (moms mostly), who won’t let go (Everybody Loves Raymond and now Momma’s Boy), but not every new bride knows what actually is in store for her and her marriage. Thankfully there’s this new book for brides-to-be to consider before taking the plunge. It will help you “diagnose” your future in-laws, pinpoint the type of people they are, how to set boundaries (good not only for in-laws), and attain your husband’s loyalty. If not, it will help with the decision to head for the hills instead of the altar. Ms. Barry gives lots of quizzes (more like little questionnaires and constructive retorts) you can use to identify not only your in-laws’ behavior, but also your reactions. Food for thought. Remember, knowledge is power, so find out as much as you can about your potential in-laws — forewarned is forearmed! Thankfully, I have to say, I’ve never had in-laws. Phew! The bottom-line is that you have to stand up for yourself in this life, whether you’re married or not.”
– Adrienne Petterson, Books in Review
Books in Review