Early Review – The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith (4/5 stars)

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Size: 256 pages
Publisher: Poppy
Release Date: January 2nd, 2012
ISBN: 978-0316122382
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: ARC from BEA
Rating: 4/5 stars

I got an advanced reading copy of this book for review at BEA this year. I don’t read a lot of contemporary romance but it looked like a cute book. It was an especially appropriate read since I read most of it while sitting in the airport.

Hadley is rushing to the airport to go to a wedding in London; she is not looking forward to watching her father marry another woman but she is resigned to the fact. Then she misses her plane and ends up stuck at the airport where she meets Oliver. Oliver offers to help her with her bags and Hadley reluctantly accepts his help. Oliver is British and is on the next flight, sitting right next to her. After an 8 hour flight Hadley and Oliver part ways; they both think this is the last they will see of each other because London is huge. Little do they know this is only the beginning.

This is a super cute story. It explores a lot of family issues as well as issues of love and romance. You can’t help but like Hadley she is just a normal girl with some anger and abandonment issues towards her father. She’s not overly vindictive but she is hurting. Oliver has his own issues with his family, in a way they are just as hurtful as what Hadley is dealing with.

The story also explores how a series of coincidences can bring two people together. I loved how all the little plot elements wove together around Oliver and Hadley. I loved the sweet romance that developed between the two in such a short time.

It was also fun to watch Hadley (who had never been out of the country) navigate London in her desperate search for Oliver. It was all just so much fun, very thought-provoking, and very sweet. My only complaint was that the whole story was pretty predictable, not a lot of surprises throughout. It was also a very quick read.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice quick read, involved a sweet romance, and dealt with some family issues that make you stop and think. It was a fun quick diversion from all of the other books I have read. I loved how all the little twists and turns in the story and all the coincidences wove Oliver and Hadley together. I also enjoyed watching Hadley navigate through London. This was a great read about love, family and travel.