"Low-Fat Love Stories is a collection of short stories and visual portraits based on interview research with women about a dissatisfying relationship with a romantic partner or relative, or their body image. The stories focus on settling in relationships, the gap between fantasies and realities, relationship patterns, divorce, abuse, childhood pain, spirituality, feeling like a fraud, growing older, and daily struggles looking in the mirror. Once upon a time and happily ever after take on new meaning as the women's stories reveal the underside of fairytales and toxic popular culture. Written in the first-person with language taken directly from each woman's interview, the stories are raw, visceral, and inspirational. As a collection, the stories and art set you on an emotional rollercoaster and illustrate the different forms "low-fat love" may take, and the quest for self-worth in the context of popular culture that tells women they are never enough. The authors developed an original method of "textual visual snapshots" for this book. Low-Fat Love Stories can be used in a range of courses in art education, gender/women's studies, popular culture, psychology, relational communication, sociology and social work; or as an exemplar in research or qualitative methods, narrative inquiry, arts-based research or creative writing courses; or it can be read entirely for pleasure by individuals or in book clubs.

Preface.- Acknowledgements.- Introduction.- Popular Culture.- The Interviews and Method.- Reading this Book.- References.- Leala.- Light My Own Fire.- Addison.- Duality.- Valerie.- The Emotional Contortionist.- Jane.- Pretty.- Tiffany.- Sex Drive.- Sherry.- Drowning.- Sara.- Tug-of-War.- Keisha.- Hush.- Eleanor and Mary.- Mirror Mirror.- Emma.- Toxic Soulmates.- Kayla.- Pieces of Myself.- Rachel.- Irreparable Damage.- Yael.- Potato Chips.- Kate.- Everyone Settles.- Crystal.- Strong and Loveable.- Marni.- Breathe.- Further Engagement.- Appendix A: A Conversation about the Method Used in This Book.- Appendix B: The Interview Guides.- About the Authors.