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

Release Date: January 2, 2012
Publisher: Poppy
Pages: 256
Series: n/a
Review Source: For review from Hachette Book Group Canada (@HBGCanada)

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
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.

My Thoughts:
This book was so cute, and so different from what I expected. Based on the title and the reviews I had read, I expected it to be all about the romance and connection between Hadley and Oliver. Well, Hadley and Oliver were adorable, but to me the relationship that stood out was between Hadley and her father. Hadley is traveling to England for her father’s wedding, and she feels pretty bitter about it. As you read the book you see what Hadley’s relationship (or lack thereof) with her father has been like, with him teaching in England after leaving their family. The emotions Hadley feels toward her father really tugged at my heartstrings, and they felt very real and true. For personal reasons I could identify a lot with the situation, and I think Jennifer E. Smith did a great job of presenting it. Hadley was bitter and a bit childish, approaching the situation with just the right amount of unreasonableness. What I mean by that is that as a reader, removed from the situation, you can see what the best way to act might be, but you also understand Hadley’s feelings and reactions when you know how abandoned she feels.

So while I felt like Hadley and her family issues were the stars of this book, the romance aspect with Oliver was adorable and well done. The only problem is that I want to read more about Hadley and Oliver! Their interactions in the airport and on the plane are so sweet. You can just imagine two people meeting like that and forming a connection straightaway. It’s a romantic fantasy, for sure, but it’s a plausible one all the same. And the way Hadley and Oliver meet back up isn’t some missed connection/picking someone out of a crowd unlikely situation; instead it’s a situation that could easily happen.

This book is sweet, with the beginning of a lovely romantic relationship, and the end of a silence between father and daughter. Despite the book being written in third person I felt very connected to Hadley’s narrative voice and the other various characters. If anything I wish we could see what happens further down the line, both with Hadley and her family, and with Hadley and Oliver, but I think the author leaves us in a great place to sit back with a smile on our faces and imagine what might happen next.

The Cover:
Pretty awesome!

Rating:
[4/5]

Find The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.