There's a Spouse in My House: A Humorous Journey Through the First Years of Marriage

by Peter Scott

Laughter is the best medicine in this hilarious and insightful guide to surviving the start of a marriage  The wedding was beautiful, the honeymoon was magical, but now comes the hard part. In There’s a Spouse in My House, Peter Scott guides newlyweds through the peaks and valleys of the first years of marriage with a generous dose of humor and a hard-won helping of personal experience.  Covering topics from cohabitation (“Wives are surprised to learn that there must always be a minimum of fourteen different mustard varieties in the fridge”) to holidays (“You have six months to tell your families where you’ll be spending Thanksgiving in 2047”) and everything in between, There’s a Spouse in My House shows newlyweds how to make it through those first years with both their sense of humor and love for each other still intact.

Genres: Nonfiction, Relationships, Marriage, Humor

235 pages, Paperback

First published January 29, 2008

About the author

This is NOT the famous naturalist, sportsman, and founder of the World Wildlife Fund. He is listed under his full name:
Peter Markham Scott

Reviews

[Kyla]

Lighthearted? Yes. Covers ground faced by newlyweds? Yes. Actually helpful? Not so much. The author focuses so heavily on the jokes that there really isn't much in the way of substance here. Additionally, the author presents the situations as a male-female dichotomy and with the implication that the couple is financially secure enough to buy a house or furniture, go on a cruise, etc.--there's no diversity here. A cute shtick, but ultimately not worth the read.

[Angela]

Such a funny book! More comedy about couplehood (sort of like Paul R on Mad About You). Even my husband was reading it and laughing out loud! It's a great book to see and laugh at some of the common quirks in relationships. :-) It's a great read even if you aren't married!

[Rachel Flora]

No real advice but I loled at a few parts!

[Kira Lynch]

This was recommended to me as being a fun/funny read with some helpful advice but I think I only cracked a smile a few times and their was no real advice as far as I could see.

The book took cliched arguments and marital stressors and put forward stereotypical husband/wife solutions which at times were painful to read because they were so exaggerated and unbelievable.

[Kristie J.]

Funny book about the various aspects of married life that newlyweds face. Many of the chapters are right on target, and I got some funny quotes from the book. The chapters I liked best were:
Chapter 5 (Are There Carbs in Bread) about gaining weight after the wedding,
Chapter 10 (Wouldn't Sleeping in the Guest Room Help Your Cough Go Away?) about what happens when one of you gets sick, and
Chapter 15 (What Are We Going to Do if There's No TV in the Hotel Room?) about how you want to take nicer vacations now that you're married and one of you is the planner in the relationship and the other is thrilled they don't have to do it.

[Abbi]

Scott has written a very amusing book about the first few years of marriage. Not all the advice or humor will apply to every couple, but I like that he brings up a variety of topics, approaching them in a humorous manner that will have you both chuckling and going "hmmm". He covers holidays, vacations, the in-laws, the baby question, pets, finances, and many other things. Definitely recommended for someone that wants a quick read that will help focus in on things that the couple might want to think about before (and after) the wedding.

[Rebekah]

Full of gender stereotypes. It's funny, and I guess it could be good for marriage because you think, "That's ridiculous," and then maybe realize you do something similar (in a lesser form, of course). But aside from a few hilarious passages, it's nothing special.

[Mie Yoshinaga]

A lot of the info was based on generalized gender roles, but I found it a surprisingly amusing read for my time on the toilet.

[Madison]

Absolutly loved this book. It had me laughing out loud and I think it gave me better expectations for the first year of marriage.

[Ris]

Funny and heartwarming book about the first years of marriage, written by my dear friend Peter. It's delightful to read friends' books... especially when they're so darn clever.

[Nicole]

Very sweet and funny look at common marriage issues the first few years. I literally laughed out loud sometimes and would read certain parts out loud to my husband.

[Kate]

This was a light, laugh-worthy book about life as a newlywed. It gives a practical, logical look at issues most couples face and I wish I'd picked it up sooner.

[Renata]

I really liked this book.
Unfortunately my spouse didn't want to read it, but it is a funny book that talks about serious issue that couples deal with.
I recommend.

[Kendall]

Since we've lived together for so long some of this stuff didn't apply but it was so funny I didn't mind! This book is a light easy and fun read!!

[Kayleigh]

So funny!! Great for engaged couples and newlyweds.

[Caroline]

I loved this book! It gives realistic expectations of the first year (and on) of marriage, and it's hilarious!

[Kim]

Got through half the book - good for couples that didn't live together first.

[Luna]

Cute book about the first year of marriage and what to expect.

[Lisa]

John gave me this for my birthday and so far its hysterical.