Book Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

By: Jennifer E. Smith

Published By: Poppy

Publication Date: January 2012

Page Count: 236

Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound

Source: Purchased by Reviewer

Audience: Young Adult - Contemporary

I have been on a contemporary binge lately. I'm not sure what it is, but I just can't seem to get enough of this genre. I've had this one for awhile, but it kept getting knocked down the TBR list. I decided this summer to feed my contemporary addiction and not just focus on requests and ARC's. This was an excellent treat. I adored every minute of it.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight was largely what I expected, but also so much more. I truly thought this would be a sugary sweet contemporary romance that I could gobble up in one sitting. While the one sitting statement would have been true if sleep hadn't reared its ugly head, the sugary sweet read was only partially true. This story has hidden depths; it focuses on some pretty serious issues like a family splitting apart, new families forming, and death. Throughout the entire story, there is a sense of making the most of the time you have in this wild, crazy life. It's a lesson we all need to be reminded of from time to time.

I started to fall in love with this story from the first chapter. Hadley is like me in so many ways. She's a little unsure of herself, sarcastic, and terrified of flying. I could totally relate to her dread of spending seven hours in a plane as she flies from New York to London. I have an irrational fear of flying that is eerily similar to Hadley's feelings on the subject. Also, any girl who hates mayo as much as I do is sure to be an awesome girl. I also felt for Hadley as she struggles to figure out how life is supposed to work when her parents are no longer together and her dad is marrying someone else. Her father's move to London and the wounds it caused are fresh; Hadley has some intense emotional baggage to sort through during the short time frame of this novel.

In addition, I also loved Oliver. He is just the sort of guy I would have loved to be sitting next to on a long flight in my teenage years. He goes out of his way to be a comfort to Hadley. He remains largely a mystery until the middle portion of the story. I won't spoil that for you, but his story is compelling.

This novel has a strong commentary on the notion of destiny. Hadley constantly thinks about what if she hadn't been four minutes late for her original flight or what if someone else had sat next to her on her flight to London. Would these tiny details have changed the course of her life? It's an interesting concept to consider and one that has kept my brain occupied for lengthy amounts of time. I'm a big believer in fate. I think most things in life happen for a specific purpose, but it is interesting to think about all the little moments that led me to where I am today.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a quick, sweet read that will give you plenty of awwww moments and some food for thought. I loved losing myself in this story. I highly recommend it to fans of contemporary romances. I'd love to see this one made into a movie. I'd be the first one in line at the ticket window!

One Last Gripe: I wish this one had been longer. I wasn't quite ready for it to end. Twenty four hours went by entirely too quickly!

My Favorite Thing About This Book: I loved the romance in this one. It was sooooo sweet.

First Sentence: There are so many ways it could have all turned out differently.

Favorite Character: It's a tie between Hadley and Oliver.

Least Favorite Character: I didn't have one. I found myself angry at Hadley's father during some moments, but by the end, he had redeemed himself.

Summary:

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.