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
Publisher: Headline
Pages: 215
Release Date: 2nd January 2012
Read in: April 2012

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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.

It was short, but I loved it every step of the way. One of the sweetest books I have read this year.

“When you are young and in love, a seven- hour plane ride can seem like a lifetime.”

There were three things that made this book amazing. When one of them wasn’t being explored, another one was. Therefore it never got boring for me. They are 1) Oliver, 2) Hadley’s relationship with her father and 3) modern London.

1)First off Oliver. OMG! I love him. New book boyfriend for the list. Argh! Why can’t he be real? The first thing Hadley notices about him is his British accent. Fair enough; however most of the guys I know have a British accent, so that doesn’t make much difference to me. What drew me in was his sense of humour. I could not stop smiling and laughing at everything he said. Now that is one of the first things that I look for in a guy in real life, never mind in fiction; one I can have a good time with. The fact that Hadley responds in kind with similar phrases to those I would have said, meant I could easily slip into her head. And once I was there, I was placed right alongside Oliver. And let the magic commence.

2) Family dynamics is one of my favourite subject areas in books. More and more in the books I am reading, these seem to be between brother and sister; parents are usually somewhat side lined. Here it was all about the relationship between Hadley and her father. Hadley is flying over to London as her father is re-marrying. You can guess what issues that occurrence has arisen. All the flashbacks and conversations about and with her father, just made me want to hug my own father. Too bad he’s currently three hours away. In a short space of time, I felt that I fully understand what Hadley was going through.

3) Finally the majority of the book was based in modern day London. The last book I read based in London was set in the Victorian era; not quite the same thing. As Oliver is from Britain, he is therefore using British English. For some reason I always love it when an American character and a British character meet and are pointing out the differences. I always laugh; it is so entertaining. I didn’t really appreciate until now that “knackered” is a British thing. Many of the books I read are based in America, so always the settings are from my imagination even if a real place is being described. This time it was different. Describing London, I could see exactly, in my head, what Hadley was seeing. Well maybe not exactly what she was seeing; I haven’t been to most of the places she goes to. London is a big place after all. But I could better see it than any other city in the states. I really need to find more YA books set in London. (But I knew that with a £10 note she could buy a tube ticket :D)

This is the first time I have absolutely loved a short story. Usually there is not enough time to develop the character or the plot sufficiently but finally I found an exception. Would I of liked it to be longer? Obviously! (We all need a bit more Oliver love.) But it didn’t need to be longer.

Everyone who loves contemporary romance, but is not looking for a really fluffy read, has to read this book. You shouldn’t be disappointed. 

 Becky