"Is it better to have had a good thing and lost it, or never to have had it?" 
 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. 
 Sometimes things will go in a direction that you don't want them to. You don't have any power to stop it, and you can't change its direction or its course. The end might even be inevitable, and as much as you try, you can't do anything about it. You might think that it's the worst possible thing that could ever happen, but sometimes it might even be the best thing for everyone. 
 That is what Hadley Sullivan is dealing with when she arrives at the airport, about to board the plane that will lead to the worst day of her life. She's dreading every moment she has to be with her traitor of a father and his soon-to-be-wife, who she's never met. What's worse is that she misses her flight by 4 minutes. However, if it weren't for her missed flight, she would have never met the boy who changed her life. 
 The characters were very likable, and I felt like I was there with them. The relationship between Hadley and Oliver is very epic and amazing and just ... witty. I love their light conversations and sarcastic comments between each other. It brought the book to life. Although, I wouldn't say that they were really in love. At least, it didn't feel like that to me when I was reading it. They just seemed like the best of friends, despite only having known each other for a couple of hours. 
 Oliver is amazing. He's such a gentleman (he carries Hadley's suitcase for her all the way to the plane!), and he is very caring and understanding. He seems like a really carefree, outgoing guy. However, later in the story we realize that there's much more to him than just jokes and teasing. He also has problems, which seem magnified compared to Hadley's complication. What's more amazing is that he managed to direct his attention to Hadley for the most part of the trip to London, while he had to go through such a difficult situation privately. He is probably the dream guy for most of the people I know. 
 I was surprised that Hadley & Oliver's relationship was not the main focus of the book. It only lasts about 100 pages, and then Hadley has to deal with the silent fight between her and her dad. I felt that Hadley forgiving her father was what the book was all about. We didn't really see much of Oliver after they parted in London. However, I really enjoyed reading about how Hadley was coming to terms with her father's abandonment. She realizes that it is for the best, and that no matter what she does, she can't make everyone happy at once. 
 The story in general didn't really make me cry, but I will share with you the passage where I did start to tear up. It's near the end, when Hadley goes to see Oliver: 
 "Back home in Connecticut, there's a bird bath just outside her kitchen window, which Hadley used to look out at while doing the dishes. The most frequent visitors were a pair of sparrows who used to fight for their turn, one hopping around the edge and chirping loudly as the other bathed, and then vice versa. . . although they generally spent the entire time squabbling, they always arrived together, and they always left together. 
 One morning she was surprised to see only one of the birds. It landed lightly on the stone lip of the bath and danced around the edge without touching the water, rotating its rounded head this way and that with a sense of bewilderment so pitiful that Hadley had leaned to the window and peered up at the sky, though she knew it would be empty." 
 TSPOLAFS is a fantastic love story. Although it didn't blow me away, it was still very true and very realistic. I have never been a fan of 3rd person, but it worked for me anyway, although sometimes I got confused when there were two "she"'s. It is probably one of the shortest books I've ever read, and it seems even shorter since its occurring during an exact 24-hour time period. However, don't pass up on it! :)