Book Title/Author: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
Publisher/Year: Little Brown 2012
Genre: YA Contemporary
Series: Nope!
Other Books From Author: You Are Here, The Comeback Season, The Storm Makers, This Is What Happy Looks Like (Out Spring 2013)
Amazon
| Goodreads | @jenesmith |
I bought this with my own cash moneyyy.
When seventeen year old Hadley misses her flight to London for her dad’s wedding to the woman he fell in love with & left her mother for, she finds herself stuck in the airport waiting for the next flight — thinking about what awaits her in London, how she’ll actually make it to the church on time and unresolved feelings she has towards her dad. What she didn’t imagine happening as a result of those four minutes that prevented her from making her original flight was that she’d meet Oliver — a British boy studying at Yale – who happens to be in the same row as her. Hadley & Oliver spend the entire flight laughing and letting the walls down and sharing some of the most important matters of the heart. When their flight lands they are shuffled off into different lines at customs and Hadley is against the clock to make it to what awaits her at the wedding while she wonders if she’ll be able to talk to Oliver again.
Why the heck had I not read this already?? Everyone had been singing its praises and saying that it would be a total Jamie book! I even BOUGHT it and got it signed at an event but I don’t know…it got lost in the shuffle of books I own. In Mitali’s (former blogger at Alley of Books & lady who knows what books I love) words:
And THE WORLD WAS RIGHT. In short:
I really enjoyed The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight! It was cute and swoony and such an addicting read that I finished in a single day. I immediately know I have to edit my End Of Year Book Survey to include this book and I already added her to my top ten favorite new-to-me authors that I’ve read this year and I’m dying to read off her backlist & look forward to her new release This Is What Happy Looks Like.
I think this concept of “love at first sight” has the ability to be really tacky and contrived but luckily what Jennifer E. Smith does is just pure perfection for me. It’s one of those things, prior being with Will, I always wondered if it would happened. If that cute guy and I would end up next to each other on the train or if that cute guy in the coffee shop and I would strike up a meaningful conversation and spend hours just talking. A girl can dream! Those chance encounters are always so fun to me and The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight will make your heart thump in your chest at Hadley & Oliver’s meeting and throughout their transatlantic conversation in which they learn the random and the important things about each other. The slow burning realization that there was a connection there was so sweet to watch and deviates far from the “insta-love” that I hate. This was two people who met and had great, honest conversation — it’s happened to me in a non-romantic way plenty of times! Sometimes you keep in touch and sometimes you don’t.
I loved learning about them through their conversation in the airport and on the plane in the first half half of the book and then I LOVED getting to see Hadley finally see her dad and meet Charlotte. There is a particular touching scene between she and her dad and I felt ALL OF THE FEELS. And I don’t want to give too much away but there was some pretty epic scenes that took place in London and I loved how you could see how Hadley realized perhaps her and Oliver meeting was more than a chance encounter that would dissolve into a vague memory. While I kind of predicted what was going to happen, it did not detract at ALL from my enjoyability level. Hadley & Oliver’s story was sweet, touching and one to cheer for!
I absolutely and undeniably LOVED The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith — an author I cannot wait to read more from! It’s a sweet and charming contemporary romance that will bring ALL OF THE SWOON and Hadley and Oliver are two of my favorite pairs this year! It’s a memorable and touching story about happenstance, forgiveness and opening your heart and it will charm the pants right off you. Perfect if you are in the mood for something lighter but with substance!
For Fans Of: swoony books, the movie Happenstance (umm hello Audrey Tautou, sweet contemporary YA stories, scouring the “Missed Connections” pages (oh yeah, I totally used to do this all the time — the thought of someone finding someone so memorable on a train and maybe chatting them up but then parting ways and hoping you can find them again! Le sigh!) , Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Let’s Talk: Have you read this one? Heard of it? Did you guess the THING about Oliver?? Which book should I read next from her? ALSO, have you ever had a connection like this with a stranger??
P.S. This book is soon becoming a movie!
Mitali says
Given the fact that you finally read it, and loved it, I will forgive you. Next time, well there won’t be a next time will there, Jamie?
Thea says
Yay! I’m glad you got out of your book slump with such a sweet book!
Emily says
Oh, I loved this book, too! In fact, this might be the first book that you and I completely concur about!
Christina (A Reader of Fictions) says
Awww, I love reads that really make me feel for the characters and give me vicarious butterflies and leaping heart syndrome. This sounds AMAZING. Hello, I totally need to read this. 🙂 Also glad that she has a lot of other books, because then more to look forward to.
You did NOT just compare it to Just One Day. Level of need = upped.
Emma @ Hopeful Happiness says
I actually just checked this out from the library last week! Your review makes me that much more excited to read it!
Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit says
Ok, so I had this on hold at the library, and then it came in and I missed picking up the hold! A missed connection. JUST LIKE IN THE BOOK. So I think it was, like, fate or something, and the next time I get it, it will be the right time, because I haven’t read it yet, but OMG EVERYONE KEEPS TELLING ME THIS IS A TIFF BOOK AND I’M GOING TO LOVE IT.
But since it’s taking forever at the library, I may have to take matters into my own hands. I can’t wait forever for fate. Esp. since you loved it so much!
All that to say…great review. I must have it. Now.
Sarah Laurence says
Terrific review! I have this one listed on my best 2012 YA list today.
Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books says
This book is AMAZING. I read it in one sitting, fell in love with it and now just want to reread it because of your review! I love how Jennifer wrote this story.
Henry Circle says
Buying it, like right now!
Rachel says
I haven’t read this one yet either, but I coincidentally just picked it up at the library today! I am SO excited to read it now!
Rebecca says
Yay! I loved this one too and am glad to hear you finally read it. I didn’t guess the Oliver thing but I definitely picked up that there was something going on which we didn’t know about. I’ve yet to read any of Jennifer’s other books so I can’t recommend any but This Is What Happy Looks Like sure does look good 😀
Emily @ Forever Literary says
This book. So sweet and romantic and lovable. It would have been so easy for it to come off as cheesy, but I agree that it never was. Glad you loved it!
Katie (Twirly Reads) says
Okay, now I REALLY have to read this one over break. Thanks for suggesting it to me tonight!
The Readingista says
It is ridiculous how great this review is and how long this book has been lost in my TBR. I have to read it. Got to do it. Now. Just saying. Thanks for your review.
Mary @ my sisters bookshelf says
Oh wow, okay I’m on board now! I was nervous bc. I didn’t like Anna and the French kiss (and everyone did) but this one sounds like its trying exactly hard enough!
DannyBookworm says
*raises hand* I also haven’t read it yet.. and I have no idea why? The book sounds so damn cute!
And.. the swoon worthy boys? Must read it during the holidays!
Estelle says
Hands down, Jen E. Smith could write a book about wind and I would read it. I’m so glad you got to it, and I’m almost happy it’s one of your last books of the year because that IMPACT is huge. This is one of the first books I read this year, and damn, I’ve been on a Jen E. Smith love train since then. (And hello, she is so sweet in person. I mean, we talked about baseball for god sakes. I adore her.) Please go out, and read all of her books RIGHT NOW. It is time, Jamie.
One thing I have to say about this book is that I love that from the outside it looks like this typical romance YA. But inside it’s a lot about a girl coming to terms with her father who went after someone he loved too. There’s a lot of risk in this book, and I liked how Jen manages to make her work complex. It makes me so happy that she can challenge her readers like that. And also satisfy the older ones.
Molli says
Jamie, your review really made me excited to read this one. I’m participating in a “TBR” challenge for 2013 and I’ll definitely make it a point to get to this one. I remember being so excited for it that I downloaded it for my Nook immediately after it came out, then it got buried behind review books, and more review books.
I really love what you said about the love interests. Instalove when (very rarely) done well can be fun to read about; typically, it makes me want to gag. So basically you had me as soon as you said “slow-burning realization that there is a connection.” 🙂
Judith says
I loved this book so much! You described it perfectly in “something lighter but with substance”. It was just the light book I needed after a really thick book, but was still incredibly moving and heartfelt. Can’t wait to read more of Jennifer E. Smith’s books (This Is What Happy Looks Like!)
Kelly @ Belle of the Literati says
I know I already told you this but I totally bought this per your rec from Twitter. Cannot WAIT to read it! You totally make me want to read more contemporary. I’m always drawn to the dystopian, fantasy, crazy messed up worlds.
Rachel says
Oh I love this book! I read it based on your recommendation. I sooo wish it was a series because I really want to follow these two back to the States and see what happens. I can’t wait for This is What Happy Looks Like!
Gaby @ Queen Ella Bee Reads says
I finished reading this last night and just posted my review on my blog. Then I remembered you raving about it on Twitter last month, so I HAD to come over here, find the review and comment. HOW MUCH DID I SWOON AT THE END? And no, I did NOT know about Oliver and I don’t believe anyone who says they did. I mean, he totally let us believe it was a wedding! For a second I thought it was going to be one of those Gossip Girl/Drive Me Crazy parents-get-together things but then I would have had to hate the book and I knew it wouldn’t be because people (you) LOVE this book.
Anyway, I could gush all day, but I really just came by to say “great review” and “I loved this book too” and now I have! 🙂
Trudy says
Oh this book was amazing! I read it cause everyone loved it! I just loved Oliver! The whole time I read it I was thinking “hmm i need an Oliver” lol 🙂 And the inside of the book was adorable like all the doodles and stuff! Loved that!
Erica C. says
So glad you liked the book! I absolutely loved it too! AHHH such a good book 🙂 It makes my heart melt 🙂
Great Review!
best business cash Advance says
Wow, wonderful blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your web site is excellent, let alone the content!
Alison says
Good review. Added it to my “to read” shelf. 🙂