Cooking for Harry: A Low-Carbohydrate Novel by Kay Marie James
Harry and Francie had a wonderful life - grown successful children, good jobs, and a happy, cozy marriage for almost 25 years.  They found much joy from Harry's love of cooking over the years - shared tubs of perfectly popped & buttered popcorn at night, gourmet dinners, lavishly baked desserts, and good times entertaining their close knit group of neighbors.  

But their lives change one night when Harry wins a digital scale at his company's Christmas party.  Encouraged by his son to try it out, Harry and Francie look on in horror as they realize that the years have been kind to them - but not to Harry's waistline.  To their surprise, Harry is almost 100 pounds overweight. 

Francie insists Harry go see a doctor where she works, and the news is not good.  Harry must immediately lose weight - or risk a major cardiac incident.  As they embrace in the doctor's office parking lot, they realize their lives are about to change - drastically.

Harry makes an effort to adjust to his new low fat lifestyle.  At their annual New Year's Day party, he cooks as usual for the crowd - and makes a separate low fat plate for himself.  But it is incredibly hard for Harry to adjust.  For years he delighted in the art of cooking.  He missed it - his cookbooks, his extravagant meals, his butter.  Despite his best efforts, Francie discovers him in the middle of the night, raiding the refrigerator.

It's the butter.  Harry just can't live without it.  If only he could somehow be on a diet, and still be able to cook with butter, he could do it.  Harry's doctor suggests he consider a diet study group going on at his local hospital.  "Who knows?" Francine says, "maybe you could even use butter!"  "You think?" asked Harry.  So he gives it a try - and comes home later that day, elated.  Butter, steak, eggs, he can have it all.  Harry has seen the light - the low-carb light.

As the pounds drop off him, his life changes in other ways as well.  He enjoys his weekly meetings at the hospital with his support group.  They often go out after meetings to the local steakhouse. He starts walking early in the morning with Krys, his neighbor.  He works out three times a week at the gym.  Things even change for Harry at work - suddenly he is involved in a major project that has him working late during the week and even on weekends.

Francie is thrilled at his weight loss, but kind of sad as well.  Harry seems...different.  He's hardly ever home.  And when he is home, he seems distracted.  She misses cuddling on the couch with Harry and a bowl of popcorn.  Things just don't seem to be working out like she thought they would.  Finally, after her mother questions the state of their marriage, Francie starts to wonder...is there something else going on here that she doesn't know about?  Is their love as strong as Francie thought, or will Harry's diet tear them apart?

Cooking for Harry is truly one of the most heartwarming and enjoyable books I have ever read.  Part of the joy in reading is that you never know when you will be profoundly moved by a book.  This book caught me by surprise - and taught me a valuable lesson about love, marriage, and commitment.

About the author:   Kay Marie James is the pseudonym of a New York Times best-selling author. She wrote Cooking for Harry as a way to help her best friend, who was struggling financially. She hopes that you enjoy reading it as much as she enjoyed writing it.

Cooking for Harry: A Low-Carbohydrate Novel