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
Series: N/A
Pages: 256
Publisher: Little Brown Books
Date Published: January 2, 2012
Format: Hardcover
Genre: Contemporary (YA)
Source: Library

Synopsis:

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.

Favorite Quote (Perhaps of All Time!)

"I can't believe you're here," she says, her voice soft. "I can't believe you found me."..."You found me first", he says, and when he leans to kiss her, it's slow and sweet and she knows that this kiss will be the one she always remembers. Because while the other two kisses felt like endings, this one is unquestionably a beginning. 

 My Review:
What a seriously AMAZING book. It was so unbelievably adorable that I now have the extreme urge to go camp out at an airport just so that I can have my random "love at first sight" moment. I just can't get over how much awesome was packed into such a small book. I admit that I started it thinking that it would be this fluffy romance....cute...but kind of flaky and not...but no, I was blown away with how much depth, how much meaning and heart was packed into a book that was just over 200 pages. In fact, as you go through the book, you find it to be less of a romance at all. True, it has it's Cinderella moments and definitely Dreams Come True moments, but it is also truly a great book that deals with family dynamics and the pain and betrayal that comes with divorce.

Oliver is the fabulous British boy that was promised to us in the synopsis. Not only is he super handsome and...duh...British...but he's got this totally silly and cute quality that makes you just wanna give him a hug. What I loved most about him was that he was so real and the conversation between him and Hadley had such great flow and was actually realistic. You feel like you might have the same kind of witty exchanges or stupid comments from any cute guy you meet at a Starbucks or something. Also, thrown into the banter are these super deep conversations that make you feel like you're getting to know his soul...that sounds a little heavy...but it was amazing the way that Smith creates her characters with complexity as well as smarts and sarcasm. I felt like Oliver's likability and easy nature really helped the book have a level of depth without making it too heavy. He comes off like the boy next door, sweet and charming, but definitely not a player, and you just want to eat him up! Here's a GREAT scene from the plane that pretty much makes you want to swoon all over the airplane...or join the mile high club... ;)

The OCCUPIED lights are on above both bathroom doors, so Hadley and Oliver stand in the small square of space just outside. They're close enough that she can smell the fabric of his shirt, the whiskey still on his breath; not so close that they're touching exactly, but she can feel the hair on his arm tickle hers, and she's again seized by a sudden longing to reach for his hand. She lifts her chin to find that he's looking down at her with the same expression she saw on his face earlier, when she woke up with her head on his shoulder…..It occurs to her that-impossibly, improbably-he might be about to kiss her, and she inches just the tiniest bit closer, her heart skidding around in her chest. His hand brushes against hers, and Hadley feels it like a bolt of electricity, the shock of it moving straight up her spine. To her surprise, Oliver doesn't pull away; instead, he fits his hand into hers as if anchoring her there, then tugs gently, moving her closer.

Books like this(meaning books that deal with issues that teenagers face such as divorce, re-marriage, being alone, love, etc) can tend to fall on the heavier side of things and end up being big balls of stress as the MCs angst their way through their teenage struggles. Oftentimes I find myself getting irritated at the mc because they either don't deal with their problems in the way that I want them to or they make irrational statements and decisions that just bug the crap out of me. OR a lot of the times the MC deals with her issues by becoming a total brat. These kinds of characters are what typically keeps me from Contemporary YA because I just don't want to deal with all that 'tude. What I loved about this book was that being inside Hadley's head was like being inside one of your best friend's from high school's. She might be upset and angry with her dad about the divorce, and she might be confused with how she feels about him getting re-married, but she never comes off as whiny or bitchy. She just comes off like a hurt teen who misses her daddy and the life she knew before everything got turned upside down. This really made me sympathize with Hadley and I just loved her as a MC.

I definitely give The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight 5 Keys. It's sweet, it's meaningful, and it's for-SURE heading towards my Keeper Shelf. It was just what I needed after a few weeks of reading so-so books for tours and class and things. I started it before class one morning and read straight through until the end...I haven't read through a class since highschool...but Statistical Probability was just so cute that I couldn't put it down. I loved Hadley's developing relationships both with her parents and with Oliver. The characters are all amazingly likable and make for a really great story. I don't think there will be a sequel, but I would definitely read it if there were!