The wait for the third installment of The Summer I Turned Pretty has been, quite frankly, agonizing for Team Conrad fans. If you’ve spent any time on TikTok or X recently, you know the debate is more heated than a Fourth of July volleyball game at Cousins Beach. Everyone is asking the same burning question: does belly end up with conrad in season 3, or will Jenny Han throw us a massive curveball that deviates from the source material?
We already know Season 3 is based on the third book in Han’s trilogy, We’ll Always Have Summer.
While the show has definitely modernized certain plot points—like making Jeremiah bisexual or giving Steven a much bigger role—the core DNA of the love triangle remains the same. If the production follows the blueprint of the novels, the answer to whether Belly and Conrad find their way back to each other isn't just a simple "yes" or "no." It’s a messy, years-long journey involving a failed wedding, a bunch of letters, and a rainy day in Spain.
The Jeremiah Problem and the Wedding That Wasn't
Let’s be real for a second. Season 2 ended with Belly choosing Jeremiah. It was a deliberate choice. She wanted the "easy" love, the sunshine, and the person who wouldn't break her heart the way Conrad did at prom. But Season 3 picks up two years later, and things aren't exactly sun-drenched and perfect.
In the books, Belly and Jeremiah are in college together at Finch. They’re a couple, but there’s a massive rift that forms when Belly discovers Jeremiah hooked up with someone else—Lacina—during a brief "break" in their relationship. It’s the classic Ross Geller defense. To make up for it, or perhaps to mask the guilt, Jeremiah proposes.
Belly says yes.
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This is where the drama for Season 3 really kicks into high gear. The entire season will likely revolve around the preparations for a wedding that many characters (especially Laurel) think is a terrible idea. Because while Belly is picking out flower arrangements with Jeremiah, Conrad is lurking in the background, having finally realized that his "martyr" phase was a mistake.
Why Conrad Fisher is Still the Endgame
So, does belly end up with conrad in season 3? If the show sticks to the script of We’ll Always Have Summer, then yes, Conrad is the final choice. But it’s not immediate.
The tension builds at the beach house while they are preparing for the Belly-Jeremiah wedding. Conrad is living there, and being around Belly again makes it impossible for him to keep his feelings buried. There’s a pivotal scene where he confesses he still loves her, which leads to a massive blowout between the brothers.
Jeremiah eventually realizes that as much as he loves Belly, her soul is still tied to Conrad. He sees it in the way they look at each other. He sees it in the letters. He backs out of the wedding.
The Time Jump and the Letters
One thing Jenny Han loves is a good time jump. After the wedding is called off, Belly doesn't just jump into Conrad’s arms. That would be too simple. Instead, she goes to study abroad in Spain. She needs to find herself outside of the Fisher boys.
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During this time, Conrad starts writing to her.
These aren't just "hey, how are you" notes. They are deep, vulnerable letters where he finally uses his words—the one thing he couldn't do in the first two seasons. This is crucial for his character development. By the time Belly returns and graduates college, she is a different person, and so is he. The book ends with them getting married in a rainy, beautiful ceremony, splashing into the ocean in their wedding clothes.
Could the Show Change the Ending?
Honestly? It's possible, but unlikely.
Gavin Casalegno (Jeremiah) and Christopher Briney (Conrad) both have massive fanbases. Showrunners often feel pressure to satisfy everyone, but The Summer I Turned Pretty is fundamentally a story about "infinite" love, a concept Han specifically linked to Conrad from the very first episode.
There are rumors that the show might expand on the ending to give Jeremiah more closure. In the books, he’s seen at the wedding with a nameless date, which felt a bit hollow for such a central character. We expect the TV version to give him a more graceful exit. But changing the ultimate endgame would be like changing the ending of Pride and Prejudice. It would fundamentally break the narrative arc of "the boy who gave me the moon."
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What We Know About Season 3 Production
- Episode Count: Amazon initially ordered 10 episodes, which is more than the previous seasons. This suggests they need more time to cover the college years and the eventual time jump.
- Filming Locations: The crew has been spotted back in Wilmington, NC (the real-life Cousins Beach).
- The Tone: Expect things to get significantly more mature. We’re moving away from the "coming of age" vibes of Season 1 and into the "young adult" complexities of Season 3.
The Semantic Soulmates Argument
Conrad and Belly are what literature nerds call "semantic soulmates." Their connection is built on shared history and a deep, often unspoken understanding. While Jeremiah represents the "choice," Conrad represents "fate."
For the TV audience, the question of does belly end up with conrad in season 3 isn't just about romance. It's about whether the show honors the growth of a girl who finally learns that she doesn't have to settle for the person who is "good enough" when the person who challenges her is willing to finally show up.
The letters are going to be the clincher. If we see Conrad sitting at a desk with a pen and paper halfway through the season, Team Conrad can officially start celebrating.
Actionable Insights for Fans
To get the most out of the upcoming season and stay ahead of the spoilers, keep these points in mind:
- Watch the "Peach" scenes: In the books, certain fruit and food metaphors signal who Belly is leaning toward. Keep an eye on the kitchen scenes at the beach house; that’s where the real dialogue happens.
- Pay attention to the soundtrack: Taylor Swift’s music has been a roadmap for this show. If "Exile" or "The Way I Loved You" starts playing during a Conrad scene, the writing is on the wall.
- Re-read Book 3: If you can’t wait for the 2025 release, We'll Always Have Summer contains the specific dialogue from the letters that will likely be used as voiceovers in the series finale.
- Look for the time jump signs: Watch for changes in hair length or style. Usually, a show uses these visual cues to signal the move from the "wedding year" to the "endgame year."
The journey to the finale is going to be a tear-jerker. Whether you’re Team Jeremiah or Team Conrad, the conclusion of Season 3 is designed to be a definitive end to the "will they, won't they" that has defined Belly’s life since she was twelve. Based on every piece of evidence we have from the books and Jenny Han’s own interviews, Conrad Fisher is the one holding the umbrella at the end of the storm.