Review – ‘The Hitchhiker on Christmas Eve’ by Judy Moore

Blurb 

It’s Christmas Eve, and Renee is a mess. She has barely slept or eaten for two weeks. Her hair is ratted, her eyes are puffy and bloodshot, and her clothes are filthy. In the throngs of an anxiety attack, she decides to commit suicide by jumping off a nearby bridge, though the thought of it terrifies her. As she drives toward the bridge through the Virginia countryside, she considers driving into an oncoming cement truck. But at the last moment, she can’t do it. Then, she sees a dark, foreboding man hitchhiking. On a whim, she stops and picks him up. What does it matter anyway? But she immediately regrets her decision. 

Who is the intimidating, tattooed hitchhiker – and what are his plans for her?

Review

After eight years together, Renee’s fiancé, Brad, leaves her for another woman. She’s severely depressed and contemplating suicide. She’s in so much pain, feels so lost, and she doesn’t know what to do anymore. After she decides to end her life by jumping off a bridge on Christmas Eve, she sees a man hitchhiking along the road and she stops to pick him up. After all, what does she have to lose? She soon realizes she picked up an ex-con who just got out of prison that morning. When she believes he’s going to kill her, she realizes she wants to live and will do anything to survive. 
Their relationship is definitely slow to start but that’s good. Renee wasn’t ready for a new relationship—she needed to work on herself first—and Cade needed to get his own life straightened out. When they meet again the following Christmas, friendship blooms. 
This is a very sweet story about two likable characters and the ups and downs of life. I felt Renee’s pain and sorrow, wanted to hug her so many times, and I cheered her on through her recovery. Depression is a serious matter and I believe the author did a wonderful job showing the struggles and the triumphs a person faces when dealing with it. 
Though the story did have a few formatting problems (sentences tabbed a bit too much), it didn’t distract me or take away from my enjoyment. This is just a really good book to read if you’re feeling lonely or down. There’s always hope and I think this book shows it. 
5 Stars 

Disclaimer – I downloaded this book for free on Amazon and volunteered to review it. I am not compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.