Airplane Amore: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
Little Brown/Poppy, 2012

In honor of the fact that I'm currently traveling myself, I simply had to put up this review. The timing is too perfect to pass up.

I feel the need to start off by saying that I am not one of those girls with a predisposition to squee. I never really have been, and I guess I'm just wired differently.

However, there is a very short list of books that have been able to do it. Books where they are just so incredibly cute and on the surface, simple love stories, but there's actually a lot more going on and makes happily ever after that much sweeter and you just can't help but squee. Jennifer E. Smith's latest novel has just joined that list for me.

Hadley has been dreading this day for the last few months because it's the day where she must fly to England and participate in her father's wedding to the woman he left her and her mother for, a woman Hadley's never even met. It's hardly a fun situation to be in, and as if grieving the way of life you lost and hating this new one being forced on you isn't crappy enough, she misses her flight by four minutes and has to wait for the next one.

Then comes Oliver, the cute British boy she meets while waiting at the gate and who ends up sitting next to her for the seven hour flight. And what a difference four minutes and the next 24 hours makes.

Any fears I had about this just being some kind of fluff piece were immediately cast aside. I could not get enough of this story and my heart strings were constantly being pulled as I learned why Hadley's parents split up and how she was trying to navigate her feelings about that and her new, unexpected, huge feelings for Oliver as well. The connection between these two is sweet and honest, and their conversations felt very real and genuine. They are each dealing with their own troubles, but when they are with each other, even though they've only just met, they both feel like they can be totally honest with the other in a way that is both frightening and thrilling. Though the whole book takes place over the course of 24 hours, Hadley does show growth as a character and it felt very real - had I been in her shoes regarding her family situation, I don't know if I could have done what she did. And Oliver is just what every crush should be - he's smart, a bit nerdy, a bit self-deprecating, funny, attentive, but still flawed that just make him more human in my eyes.

If you are a huge fan of Stephanie Perkins like I am, then I cannot recommend this book enough. As soon as you finish, you'll want to buy a plane ticket, miss your flight, and hang out in an airport, too.

Comments welcome and, as always, happy reading!

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