The Summer I Turned Pretty: Inside the Teen Romance Everyone Is Talking About
Adapted from Jenny Han’s bestselling novel, The Summer I Turned Pretty delivers a picture-perfect summer filled with golden sunshine, blue seas, white sand, and a first love as delicate as morning dew.
Back in 2018, Netflix scored a massive hit and viral social media buzz with To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, based on Jenny Han’s novel of the same name. Riding the success of the franchise, the streaming giant quickly greenlit two sequels, P.S. I Still Love You and Always and Forever, Lara Jean. While opinions were divided over the later installments, one thing remained clear: audiences never stopped craving more adaptations from the “queen of chick lit,” Jenny Han. Among them, fans were especially eager for a live-action version of her most beloved bestseller, The Summer I Turned Pretty, known in Vietnam as Mùa Hè Thiên Đường. Answering that call, Prime Video officially released The Summer I Turned Pretty, a gentle, romantic coming-of-age series soaked in ocean blues and lush greenery, offering a refreshing escape from the sweltering summer heat.
What Is The Summer I Turned Pretty About?
Prime Video’s latest series tells the story of an unforgettable summer in the life of Isabel “Belly” Conklin, played by newcomer Lola Tung. It’s the summer when everything changes and Belly suddenly becomes beautiful. Every year of her life, Belly, her mother Laurel Park (Jackie Chung), and her older brother Steven (Sean Kaufman) spend their summers at a beach house owned by Susannah Fisher (Rachel Blanchard), Laurel’s best friend. There, on the idyllic Cousins Beach, they share carefree days filled with ocean waves, green trees, and the warmth of long summer afternoons.
But this summer is different. Belly is now sixteen. She’s ditched her braces, switched to contact lenses, started caring about fashion, and begun to notice boys in a new way. Faced with this transformed version of Isabel, the Fisher brothers can no longer see her as the little girl they once teased. Instead, she’s now a charming young woman who captures their attention, pulling Belly into a complicated love triangle with Susannah’s two sons: Conrad (Christopher Briney), the quiet, brooding boy she’s loved for years, and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno), the confident, friendly boy who has always secretly adored her.
A Signature Jenny Han Story With Familiar Strengths and Flaws
Despite premiering only in early June, The Summer I Turned Pretty quickly earned praise from both critics and viewers, scoring 7.7 out of 10 on IMDb and an impressive 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Benefiting from a well-loved source novel, the series avoids major plot holes while updating a 13-year-old story to better suit modern audiences.
One of the most notable additions compared to the book is the Debutante Ball, a coming-of-age ceremony that Belly participates in. This creative change proves to be a smart move, as the event becomes the emotional centerpiece of the story. It connects Belly with Nicole and other girls, helps Cameron realize where Belly’s heart truly lies, and keeps viewers hooked with lingering questions: Who will Belly attend the ball with? How will she look on her big night? And what will happen if Nicole discovers Belly’s true feelings?
That said, despite its strong ratings, the series’ storyline remains fairly predictable. The familiar love triangle between a conflicted teenage girl, a brooding quiet boy, and a charming, outgoing rival offers few real surprises. The show’s faster pacing compared to the novel also prevents emotional moments from fully reaching their peak, leaving some dramatic arcs feeling rushed. As a result, many characters, aside from Belly, lack depth, particularly the male leads. However, with Season 2 officially greenlit by Prime Video, there’s hope these storylines will be explored more thoroughly in the future.
A Visual Love Letter to Summer
Cousins Beach plays a vital role in the story, even though it doesn’t exist in real life. To bring it to life, the production team filmed across multiple locations around Wilmington, North Carolina. According to the city’s official website, Wrightsville Beach, Fort Fisher, and Padgett Station served as key filming locations.
Visually, The Summer I Turned Pretty is undeniably captivating. Through director Erica Dunton’s lens, Cousins Beach appears dreamy and serene, with expansive summer skies, sparkling shorelines, and rows of lush green trees. Wide and medium shots are used to showcase the scenery, making the setting feel almost like a character itself. With much of the story unfolding at Wrightsville Beach and inside a luxurious summer house complete with a glamorous pool, viewers may find themselves craving a healthy dose of “Vitamin Sea.”
However, while the visuals shine, the soundtrack is more divisive. The music feels like a Gen Z Spotify playlist, featuring chart-toppers from Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, BLACKPINK, and Ariana Grande. Although catchy and often well-matched to character emotions, the songs lack cohesion, creating a somewhat fragmented viewing experience. The frequent use of lyrical tracks also risks overwhelming certain scenes rather than enhancing them.
A Promising Cast of New Faces
Like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, The Summer I Turned Pretty introduces a fresh, youthful cast. Overall performances are solid, with strong chemistry among most characters. Lola Tung makes a promising debut as Belly, delivering a natural performance despite some inexperience with heavier emotional scenes.
The standout performance belongs to Gavin Casalegno as Jeremiah. With his striking blue eyes and warm on-screen presence, he brings the character vividly to life and emerges as one of the most engaging figures in the series. In contrast, Christopher Briney’s Conrad, though quietly magnetic, isn’t explored deeply enough this season, leaving the character feeling underdeveloped. Steven, portrayed by Sean Kaufman, suffers the most from uneven writing, coming across as immature and forgettable in the first season.
