The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

by Jennifer E. Smith

"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."

A margin of only four minutes is what allows Hadley and Oliver to meet. A series of minor mistakes have led Hadley to miss her flight, and if not for each of these mishaps she would not have been there to allow the cute, British boy to offer her his help. Happy coincidences have brought them together, and an elderly lady on the plane who mistakes them for a couple eventually has the two sitting next to one another. What happens after that is the result of the statistical probability of two individuals meeting in an airport.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a novel with clever dialogue and the sweet sensation of falling for someone for the first time. Despite the building relationship that is involved, it is not the only focus, as an accompanying storyline is present following Hadley's family life. The unfortunate similarities between Hadley and Oliver are expanded upon through this storyline, and in one another they find sympathy, acceptance, and even something more. 

This was a quick, light read that helped me believe, just a little bit more, in the possibilities and power of love. It made me smile. Though it was about two teenagers, and though it all happened over a very short span of twenty-four hours, it was believable. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it, given the instalove involved. But then again, I can hardly complain, as the title itself was a clear indication of it.


4/5 stars.