Jennifer E. Smith : THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

Warning! If you think this is just another love-story, you are wrong! There is so much more to this book than boy meets girl and they fall in love. It's one of those stories which takes you deeper than expected.

THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT is a contemporary YA novel  written by the lover of both New York and London, talented writer and always a dreamer Jennifer E. Smith. It was first published in 2012 and quickly became very popular in reader's world.

"A gorgeous, heartwarming reminder of the power of fate." NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

"Similar to ONE DAY, this story of love and heartbreak is a real gem." CLOSER

"I read it in one sitting and when I finally put it down I was beaming an a bit tearful" KERIS STAINTON

"Romantic and wise... a must-read. And the second you meet Oliver, you're going to pray you miss your next flight!" Sarah Mlynowski

"The ultimate feel good read. I defy anyone not to fall in love with it. A book that will touch even the most recusant romantics and will 100% make you believe in love at first sight."                             JESS (http://jessheartsbooks.blogspot.co.uk )

I have received this book from the lovely Sara from http://carpelibrumgirl.blogspot.co.uk . Bless her thinking of me around Christmas time. This book was one of the presents I have received from her and found under my Christmas tree. Of course, I had to read it. So many book bloggers and reviewers had said so many wonderful things about this book, I had to find out if the rave about it was all true. So, logically, the book found its place on my January TBR list. 

Do you believe in faith? Do you believe in love at first sight? Well... meet Hadley who has just missed her flight to London. She is on her way to her worst nightmare - her dad's wedding to 'the british woman' Charlotte. And she has missed her flight. By 4 minutes!! Not only, she has to attend a wedding she doesn't want to witness or take part in, but now she has to wait for another plane and there is no guarantee that she makes it on time. But then faith brings her to Oliver. The handsome, well mannered and well behaved, british guy studying in Yale. Every girl's dream. And the faith brings them together on the most unexpected night. Will it be love at first sight? Or will it be one night which won't mean a thing?

Ok, let's start with easy part. The edition. Paperback. 215 pages divided into 18 chapters. Every chapter has both time stamps - The Eastern Standard Time & The Greenwich Mean Time. Original. I am liking it. Bright beautiful cover with bold lettering and only two pairs of feet in pumps. The background and the bold part is the beautifully green grass. Simple, yet affective. I like it. It doesn't look cheep, it looks modern, indie kind of look. 

The writing style of Ms Smith is easy to read. Modern. Packed with pop culture references. The writing is so relate able that any reader can get easy to the story. The author lines the present story with the snippets from Hadley's memories. So the readers are not going blind into the story and can slowly create the picture of the past in their mind. 

The story. Every single review I have read describes this as a wonderful love-story which makes you believe in faith all over again. And I don't disagree. I am a big believer of faith. Every single thing in life happens for a reason. For Hadley and Oliver it was missing her flight which brought them together. And it is a love-story, yes. But the biggest and most important part of the story for me was the fallout between Hadley and her father. The scenes between them were the ones I remember the most. As they made me cry so much. I have loved how she fought him every chance she got. She didn't forgive him for leaving her and her mum. She was angry. But the best part for me was when she realised that she missed him and she wants to be part of his life again. I sobbed like a baby when reading these parts. 

Hadley and I had so much in common and therefore I could relate to her character the most. But I fell in love with Oliver. Any girl would. British. Gorgeous. Guy with manners. There is not many of his kind around the world anymore (no offence to the male population - but somehow they lost the touch with manners which made them so gentleman-y).


I really enjoyed reading this story with its turns and twists I have not seen coming. It was wonderful, exciting, tearful, heart-shattering but at the same time loveable story. I couldn't put it down! I had to read on. 

And you know what! Yes, it made me believe in the love at first sight a little bit more. But it also showed me how to forgive and let go. How to see the the bigger picture.. And at the end, it also formed even bigger belief in faith itself. 

Well done Ms Smith. What a wonderful, beautifully written story about love at first sight you have created. I have enjoyed every single sentence, page, chapter... Thank you. Thank you for reminding us of faith and forgiveness.

Excuse me now, I am going to hang around the nearest airport so I can meet my own Oliver ;-)