LDS Books: Room for Two

"Sweetie, I'm home." I tried to put as much kindness into my voice as possible. I didn't want to have another argument - at least not right away. Silence. "Sweetheart?" A gunshot echoed from our bedroom, followed by the sound of a bullet casing skipping along a wall. Everything slowed down.

When a life is destroyed, when guilt says you played a role in its destruction, how do you face the days ahead?

Twenty-six-year-old Abel Keogh chooses to ignore the promptings he receives concerning his wife's mental illness, and now he feels he is to blame for her choices. If only he had listened . . .

At some point in our lives, each of us face devastating afflictions and must eventually cope with loss. Regardless of how it happens, the outcome is still the same - we are left isolated, alone, wondering what we could have done differently, and where we can turn for peace.

This is Abel's story in his own words. His search for peace and the miracle that follows is proof that love and hope can endure, despite the struggles and tragedies that shape each of our lives.

Reviews -

I began reading Room For Two with a small sense of trepidation. I knew the book told the story of the author's struggle after his wife's death and, having enough struggles with real life hardships, I wasn't sure I could handle anything but a happy ending. Because of this I was surprised to find that the book held me riveted. I couldn't put it down. I simply had to know how it ended.

Abel Keogh had been married just three years when his life was changed by a single gunshot. His wife, Krista, had been acting strangely, but he had no idea how bad things really were. He would be dealing with the consequences of Krista's decision, as well as his own, from that day forward.

After his wife's death, Abel wasn't sure how he could possibly make it through day after day. A lifetime alone seemed unbearable. Thanks to family and friends, Abel emerges from the depths of his grief ready to give life a second chance. The problem? He has no idea how to begin.

Keogh is open and honest about his experiences, his struggles and his thoughts during those dark days. He faces many questions as he begins his new journey. Where does he fit in? Could he possibly ever love again? Can he ever forgive and let go of the anger and bitterness?

Room For Two reads like a novel. There were times that I had to pause and remind myself that the author had lived these words. Written in first person, the story draws you in from page one and doesn't let go. Keogh paints a vivid portrait of his loss and journey to healing. The book left me with the desire to be consciously grateful for each day with my loved one

—Jill Hart, BlogCritics.org

"Room for Two" is a true life story of Abel Keogh. This is definitely NOT a book for casual reading. Be prepared to only be able to read a chapter or two at a time. It is one man's experiences of life in becoming a widower at the age of 26. Abel's wife who was seven months pregnant commits suicide. They were able to save the baby, but there were complications. Shortly after burying his wife, Abel had to make the difficult decision to have his infant daughter taken off life support. Within two weeks Abel had a second funeral to arrange.

Abel Keogh is definitely a gifted author who does not hold anything back. His writing expresses so well the full extreme of raw emotions one feels when you loose some one you love deeply from their earthly life. You do not even have to be a widower/widow or even survivor of suicide. That raw pain, confusion, hopelessness, frustration and anger so many of us have experienced is well projected in this story.

The story continues on after the death of Abel's wife and daughter as he struggles to find a new purpose and direction in life. He shares his struggles as he buys and remodels a house his late wife had wanted. This true life story continues as he shares all his "The Good", "The Bad", and "The Ugly" experiences he has as he starts to date again. This includes the range of his feelings as well as the reaction to others to his move to start dating again in his attempt to find a new "normal" for his life. Able also shares some of "not the best" choices as well as he worked at overcoming his grief and finding his new direction in life.

As a man of faith, Able strived to remain focused. This was a focus that with faith, patience, and time he would have a happier TOMORROW due to his decisions TODAY in spite of his YESTERDAY. There is a happy ending to the story. Today Able is married to his "Marathon Girl". They have two sons and a daughter.

Once again, this is one man's story of loosing his wife to suicide, followed by the death of his newborn daughter.. It is not a book to be read casually as light reading. Regardless of your loss, it is a story that many will be able to identify with. Abel does a wonderful job describing all those emotions and feelings we all have experienced for those we have lost to their earthly lives and who we still love. For me personally and my becoming a widower, there were few pages in the entire book that did not bring at least a few tears to my eyes. What his story does is show it is possible to have a happier tomorrow after loss of someone we loved deeply and unconditionally. This is definitely a book to read for one struggling with grief.

—Host_Joe, Friend to Friend Connection, October 2007

Abel's wife Krista was seven months pregnant and the couple had just moved into a new apartment. For some reason, she was reluctant to stay in the apartment by herself and spent a lot of time at her grandmother's house, insisting that Abel stay there as well. Abel sensed that something was wrong, but chalked it up to the fact that his wife was pregnant, and weren't all women a little bit different when expecting? One day, however, changed everything.

Krista had gone to the apartment to unpack and didn't return when she said she would. Abel went to the apartment to investigate, and as soon as he stepped through the door and called out to her, he heard a gunshot. He raced into the bedroom in time to see her slump to the floor, a gun in her hand.

The doctors were able to save the baby, a little girl Abel named Hope. But Hope was brain-dead and was only being kept alive by machine. Abel made the heartbreaking decision to turn the machines off, and so lost both his wife and child.

"Room for Two" is a nonfiction account of Abel's true story. He tells the story honestly without sugarcoating the mistakes he made, but shows that he learned from them and became a better person from them. We follow him through the aftermath of the double tragedy, and we see him reenter the dating world and his attempts to find happiness again.

I liked the raw emotion in this book. I didn't feel that the author was trying to make himself out to be the wronged hero-he's very human and freely admits his failings. I appreciated the look into his life. It must have been difficult to take that journey back and relive the experiences, but I found myself gaining an appreciation for what it's like to lose someone you love so tragically.

—Tristi Pinkston, www.media.families.com

Room for Two is a look back by Abel Keogh to a tragic time in his life. Therefore it isn't entirely fictional, but is a somewhat autobiographical account written in a fictionalized form.

This is the story of a young man coming to terms with grief, guilt, anger, and profound loss. He steps into his apartment one day, calls out to his pregnant wife, and hears a gun shot. He's left to wonder why she killed herself and ultimately their unborn child. He also has to deal with the knowledge that he'd been prompted three times that day to do something other than what he'd done and in each case, following that prompting might have saved his wife's life.

The blood and horror of the situation leave him too shocked to apply the CPR that might have given their child a better chance of survival, and he has to live with that failure too. With Abel, the reader feels the anger and betrayal of a senseless death, the loneliness of the loss of a beloved companion, and the emptiness of a dream given no chance to live.

Through the year following the tragic death, Abel mourns, but he also reaches out for someone to understand and love. His search isn't always wise - it's even selfish at times - but he relentlessly pursues a course centered on getting on with his life that leads him to several kinds of relationships, the ability to forgive, and greater sensitivity toward others.

There's a strong thread dealing with running that weaves through the book. This thread is the means of providing insights, but is interesting in its own right as Abel moves from running as the means of losing weight to keeping pace with a dedicated marathon runner. Some of Abel's treatment of the women he dates is rather cavalier, and he's a little too casual about physical contact with them, but overall the book is interesting and well-written. It also has a good grasp of the various stages of grieving. The theme sounds dreary, but I think most readers will find the story, with its relentless drive to move forward, uplifting and a source of hope.

—Jennie Hansen, www.meridianmagazine.com