Book review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Author: Jennifer E. Smith

Contemporary Romance YA

Published January 2nd 2012 by Poppy

Goodreads 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. She’s stuck at JFK, late to her father’s second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that 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 in seat 18C. Hadley’s in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver’s story will make you believe that true love finds you when you’re least expecting it.

Review:

I needed this book. I needed it in a way that I didn’t even KNOW that I needed it. Which kind of works because Hadley and Oliver didn’t know that they needed each other either. Because, you see, I was feeling the burn already this year. I’m not referring to an exercise burn (though I AM sticking with those New Year’s resolutions so far). No, I was already going through a book burn-out this year already. Reaching for each new book with a little bit of dread.

But The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight cured me. Because much like the main characters themselves, I very quickly fell in love. In love with Jennifer Smith’s uncanny observations about life and love and the wonderfully realistic characters she created in Hadley and Oliver. In love with her ability to juggle the past with the present and family relationships with romantic ones.

In certain ways Smith’s writing reminded me of Sarah Dessen’s. She creates metaphors that just resound with truth time after time.

I could tell very early into the book that I was going to love it. I was reading with an almost alarming speed, dying to see what would happen next, what adorable quirk Oliver may have or what perfect thing he might say. The beginning stayed true to the rest of the book, never once leaving me with the feeling that it was dragging or moving too fast.

Both Hadley and Oliver are traveling for major events. Hadley sort of needs saving, but the thing that made me love her and Oliver together is that he needs saving too. And then? They wind up saving each other.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight may be fiction. But it makes you believe that true love still exists. And that real life fairy tales still happen.

My only complaint? That the book had to end.

Rating: 5/5. Thank you, Jennifer E. Smith for living up to the hype in a big, big way. This one makes my favorites list easily. I can’t wait to read more by this author.