The Stepmother Complex: Being a Stepmother in a Blended Family, Catherine Audibert

Little girls dream of being mothers, never stepmothers. Yet, this is the reality for many women who, unprepared, must find their place in a new family constellation. What does it mean to be a stepmother in a blended family? What psychological work does a woman have to do to experience such motherhood? How does she cope daily with the shadow of "the ex," the father's ambivalence, and the children's loyalty conflicts? This book is dedicated to "new stepmothers." It tells their stories, stories of love and hate, generosity, and sometimes weariness. It also shows that the attitude of men in this matter is crucial. For the children, for the couple, and so that the stepmother is not considered a "subpar" mother.

Catherine Audibert, psychologist and psychoanalyst, is notably the author of "L'Incapacité d'être seul : essai sur l'amour, la solitude et les addictions." (The Inability to Be Alone: An Essay on Love, Solitude, and Addictions).