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

Poppy, 236 Pages

Released January 2, 2012

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.

-----------------Goodreads.com Summary

Notable Quote (or passage, apparently)

"Those are cumulus clouds[...]they're the best ones."

"How come?"

"Because they look the way clouds are supposed to look, the way you draw them when you're a kid. Which is nice, you know? I mean, the sun never looks the way you drew it."

"Like a wheel with spokes?"

"Exactly[...]it's nice, isn't it? When something matches up like that?" He bobs his head with a satisfied smile. "Cumulus clouds. Best clouds ever."

I'm not sure I can properly describe how much I love and adore this book. How it's a near perfect Young Adult Romance novel.  How it's managed to make me smile brightly and laugh loudly and have my heart broken while reading in public, how all I want to do is find Hadley and Oliver and squeeze them tight.  Both main characters are spun and created beautifully, to the point where I feel like I know them as real people. How raw and real each one is, how they battle with the obvious and the painful and the hopeful.

Their stories are real, and even though I am in no situation like theirs, I feel as though I've experienced it all with them.  I cried with Hadley and held my breath when Oliver took her hand for the first time and felt as though I'd lost someone when they get separated at Heathrow.  I wanted to holler at Hadley's dad and dislike his bride on principal alone. My heart was yanked this way and that way and spread so thin and felt so full that I find Jennifer Smith positively, fabulously evil for doing this to me.

I can't tell you how highly I recommend this. Most book bloggers I follow who received ARCs last year were naming this as their favourite books of 2011, and I COMPLETELY see why.  Even though this is the first book I read of 2012, I have a hunch this will be my favourite of 2012, too (way to ruin the rest of my reading year, Ms. Smith!).

Oh, and, the title?  Breathtaking.  As soon as you find out why it's called that, it feels like one more little beautiful puzzle piece has fit perfectly in with the rest.

(and yes, I, too, want an Oliver.)

A resounding, highly deserved, no-holds-barred 10 THOUSAND stars of 5.

PS. Pop on over to Anna's site for her interview with the author!  After reading it, I think my adoration for Jennifer E. Smith has just runneth my cup over.