Back in middle school, The Summer I Turned Pretty book series captured the hearts of millions of tweens who saw Belly and Conrad as the pinnacle of romance. You’d think we’d grow out of that obsession as we got older, but distance only made the heart grow fonder. So, when the first season of The Summer I Turned Pretty TV series dropped, it was met with an extremely dedicated fanbase. The army of Belly and Conrad stans and, allegedly, Team Jeremiah supporters (though I’ve never met one in the wild), has only grown since the TV series started four years ago. It’s safe to say the hype for the penultimate season—where Belly would finally choose between the brothers—was incredibly high.
Yesterday, it all came to a head when the season 3 finale aired. After weeks of yelling at our screens and reposting TikTok edits that deserve Emmys, it’s time to answer one final question: Did the final installment of the series live up to our standards? In a world with so many book adaptations, did season 3 allow The Summer I Turned Pretty to join the likes of Daisy Jones and The Six and Crazy Rich Asians in the adaptation hall of fame? Or are we hoping the recently announced movie following the finale will somehow redeem it? Here are my thoughts. Warning: spoilers ahead.
My review of The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3
The best part of the show is the community surrounding it
Watching The Summer I Turned Pretty every week is how I imagine sports fans feel when their favorite team is playing. Every Wednesday morning, I woke up with an excitement in the air that just couldn’t be matched. The viewing experience went far beyond the episode itself: texting friends to set a watch time, the thrill of avoiding spoilers throughout the workday, and sending the inevitable memes afterward were just as fun as the actual show. Even without the final payoff of seeing Belly and Conrad together, this alone would’ve made watching season 3 worth it. Sure, seasons 1 and 2 also had plenty of fan interaction, but with each season, we added more dedicated watchers to our ranks. Plus, the stakes had never been higher than they were this season, knowing it would be the last, which made it a viewing experience like no other.
In the age of streaming, it’s so rare to find a show that taps into the collective energy like TSITP. We all have our own rotation of shows, usually multiple at once, so breaking through the streaming noise, forcing us all to engage in one piece of content together, is a huge feat. More than anything, that’s what I’ll miss about the show.
Belly’s character arc was so satisfying to see
I will admit that, as much as I enjoyed interacting with the show, it often looked like me screaming at the television out of sheer frustration. At the start of the season, I worried that after Belly’s chaotic antics (girl, WHY did you think it was normal to date brothers), it would be hard to root for her with Conrad again. Watching at 24 versus reading the books at 13, I’m much more aware of the family-wide fallout of canceling a wedding only to date the groom’s brother. The love has to be pretty great for Christmas at your in-laws to also be Christmas with your ex-fiancé to be worth it. I was fully prepared to cringe at the ending just based on the logistics alone.
But unsurprisingly, her storyline was perfectly written. Yes, sometimes I wished the camera would cut away from Belly’s Paris adventures and give us more screen time with her and Conrad. Still, those moments were when we saw Belly actually grow. Finally, hearing her admit in the finale that she overreacted to Conrad forgetting her prom corsage when his mom was literally dying was the full-circle moment I needed to believe their relationship could work. She needed to grow (as did he!), and we saw that first-hand. By the end, I was throwing the logistics out the door because I wanted them to be together so badly. I’ve always had a soft spot for Belly, but this made me root for her happiness even more.
The sideplots were equally as entertaining
Typically, when TV shows cut away from the main storyline, I’m rolling my eyes and counting the seconds until we get back to the point. But with The Summer I Turned Pretty, I actually enjoyed seeing what the side characters were up to. Taylor and Steven were almost as cute as Belly and Conrad (some might even argue that they were cuter), and I loved watching newcomer Denise humble Steven and Jeremiah. And Agnes? Conrad so needed a friend, and I love that she was there for him.
“The stakes had never been higher than they were this season, knowing it would be the last, which made it a viewing experience like no other.”
Sure, I could watch an entire episode of nothing but Belly and Conrad’s yearning, and at times I wondered if we were losing the plot. (I mean, do we really need to hear about John’s heartburn or Lucinda’s horrible dating life?) But overall, the side plots enhanced the show. The comedic relief these characters often brought was the perfect way to give my aching heart a break from Conrad and Belly’s communication issues.
The ending made the buildup so worth it
I’ll be honest: if the show had ended with Belly and Jeremiah, I wouldn’t have tuned in for the movie. (OK, maybe I would’ve, on the off chance they redeemed themselves by putting the clearly superior relationship on top.) Having read the books, I knew Belly and Conrad were endgame, but I wasn’t convinced Jenny Han wouldn’t switch things up just to keep us guessing. After all, I was not prepared for the last three episodes to be in Paris.
When Belly and Jeremiah were still barreling toward a wedding halfway through the season, I was extremely nervous. But thankfully, Belly and Conrad finally confessed their love in Paris—to a Taylor Swift song, of course. It was the satisfying ending that Team Conrad girls have been waiting for, and I’m thrilled they stuck to the original script. After such a long buildup and plenty of moments when I was genuinly so frustrated with both Belly and Conrad, weathering the storm made the finale all the more worth it. The internet’s brooding, black cat boyfriend finally found love, and I couldn’t be happier. All the yearning only made the payoff hit harder.
So, should you watch The Summer I Turned Pretty?
I’d be shocked if you haven’t already, but on the off chance you missed the bandwagon, it’s time to hop on. Yes, there are frustrating moments. Yes, you may find yourself wondering why Jeremiah suddenly channels Jeremy Allen White in The Bear during the last episode. But even in its most ridiculous moments, it’s still such a fun watch, and one of my favorites of the year. You won’t have quite the same experience without watching it live, but it’s not too late to binge it so you can join in on the fanfare when the movie comes out. Jenny Han, please do not make us wait too long!
