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: Poppy
Age Group: Young Adult
Category: Contemporary Romance
Release date: January 2nd, 2012
Pages: 236 (Paperback)
Rating: 5 out of 5
Source: Won
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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.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight has everything I love in a contemporary romance--a great back story, humor, and an adorable love interest.  Even though this story was set over a period of 24 hours, I couldn't help but fall in love with it.  Hadley is broken.  Ever since her dad left her family for a completely new life, including another woman, she's been trying to cut all ties.  On the way to London to witness his second marriage, she meets a boy who makes the trip worthwhile.  He even makes her forget why she's so upset to be flying across the ocean, and as it turns out, she's doing the same for him.

Hadley has a great head on her shoulders, which is why I was drawn to her character.  She often suffers form panic attacks, mostly brought on by claustrophobia, and Oliver helps take her mind off of being stuck on a plane for several hours.  You can see the chemistry between them almost instantly, and that's what I loved the most.  Though they were only together for such a short amount of time, it didn't feel as though their connection was rushed.  Through the way they interacted, it felt as though they've known each other forever.

I'm always worried about stories that take place within such a short amount of time because the reader may be missing out on so much, but what's great about this book is that by the end of the story, everyone has grown in their own way.  It's not only about Hadley and Oliver, it's also about their families.  Loss and the realization that you only have a limited time with your loved ones plays a huge part in this book, which ultimately brings all of the characters closer.

If you tend to crave contemporary romance from time to time (or all of the time, like me) I would highly recommend this book.  It was an extremely quick read that you don't want to put down, filled with all types of love, a little heartbreak, a lot of hope and characters that anyone will be able to relate to.