The wait for Cousins Beach is becoming a bit of a test of patience, honestly. If you’ve been doom-scrolling TikTok looking for a release date or leaked set photos, you’re definitely not alone. It’s been a minute since we saw Belly make her choice between the Fisher brothers at the end of season 2, and the drought is real. We know The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 is happening—Amazon confirmed that pretty much immediately—but the road to getting it on our screens has been anything but smooth.
Production didn't exactly go to plan.
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While everyone wanted the show back for the summer of 2024, the dual Hollywood strikes last year basically sidelined everything. Scripts couldn't be finished. Cameras couldn't roll. It pushed the entire timeline back by a year, which is why we’re looking at a 2025 release rather than a quick turnaround. Jenny Han, the mastermind behind the books and the show, has been keeping things close to the chest, but she did drop that this season will be the biggest yet. We're talking 11 episodes this time. That’s a decent jump from the seven and eight episodes we got in the first two installments.
The Book 3 of it all: What’s actually coming?
If you've read We’ll Always Have Summer, you know things get heavy. Like, "wedding planning while still being a teenager" heavy. For those who haven't touched the books, the third season is expected to follow the final novel in Han’s trilogy. This usually means a time jump. In the books, we skip ahead about two years. Belly is in college. Conrad is off in California, being brooding and brilliant at Stanford. Jeremiah and Belly are "the couple," but the foundation is kind of shaky.
There’s a massive plot point involving a wedding. It’s controversial among fans. Some people think a marriage plot for characters this young feels a bit dated for 2026 sensibilities, but Han has been pretty vocal about staying true to the "essence" of the story. Whether they actually walk down the aisle or if it's just a catalyst for the final Team Conrad vs. Team Jeremiah showdown remains the big question.
Why the 11-episode order for The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 matters
The jump to 11 episodes isn't just a random number. It tells us they need more space. Season 2 covered a lot of ground—grief, losing Susannah, the house battle—but it felt contained. Season 3 has to wrap up a literal lifetime of feelings. You can’t just rush a two-year time jump and a potential wedding in eight episodes without it feeling like a soap opera on fast-forward.
Extra episodes mean more room for those quiet, devastating moments Conrad and Belly are known for. It also means we might get more backstory. Fans have been begging for more flashbacks to Susannah and Laurel’s younger years, or even more context on why Conrad acted the way he did during the prom disaster.
Lola Tung, Christopher Briney, and Gavin Casalegno are all returning, obviously. It wouldn't be the show without the central triangle. But the casting calls for this season suggested some new faces entering the mix at Finch College. Expect some "college friend" characters to act as sounding boards for Belly as she tries to figure out if she’s actually happy or just comfortable.
The "Team Conrad" vs. "Team Jeremiah" debate is peaking
The discourse is getting intense. Honestly, it’s exhausting but also the reason the show works. Season 2 ended with Belly choosing Jeremiah. It was a huge moment for "Jelly" stans. He was the one who was there for her when Conrad shut down. But if the show follows the book’s trajectory, Jeremiah fans might want to brace themselves.
In the third book, Jeremiah makes a mistake. A big one. It involves a spring break trip to Cabo and a girl named Lacie Barone. Many fans are wondering if the show will keep this "cheating" (or "we were on a break" situation) intact. If they do, it’s going to be an internet firestorm. Some think the show version of Jeremiah is too sweet for that plotline, while others argue it’s the only way to realistically push Belly back toward Conrad.
What to watch for in the production leaks:
- Wilmington sightings: The show films in North Carolina. Residents often spot the cast at local coffee shops. If you see photos of Lola Tung in a white dress, the wedding rumors are confirmed.
- The Hair: Fans obsess over Conrad’s hair length. It’s a thing. Shorter hair usually signals the time jump and his "adult" era in California.
- The Soundtrack: Taylor Swift is basically the unofficial narrator of this show. We already know "Back to December (Taylor's Version)" and "August" defined previous seasons. Fans are already betting on which Tortured Poets Department tracks will make the cut for the The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 soundtrack. "The Prophecy" or "loml" feel like top contenders for the Conrad angst.
The "Jenny Han" factor and creative changes
Jenny Han is the showrunner, which is rare for authors. Usually, they just sell the rights and hope for the best. Because she’s in charge, she has the freedom to change things that didn't age well. For example, she gave Steven a much bigger, better arc in the show than he ever had in the books. His relationship with Taylor (Belly's best friend) is a total show invention that people love.
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We should expect more of that. The show version of the story is more inclusive and has more "lived-in" adult characters. Laurel’s grief journey has been one of the most underrated parts of the series, and season 3 will likely explore her finding a new normal without Susannah.
How to prepare for the premiere
While we wait for the official trailer drop, there are a few things you can do to get ready. Re-watching the first two seasons is a given, but pay attention to the small details in the beach house. The show loves foreshadowing. Look at the infinity scarf, the glass unicorn, and the letters Conrad wrote.
If you're really impatient, read the third book, but do it with a grain of salt. Han has already proven she’s willing to swap plot points or modernize the drama. The "Lacrosse vs. Football" debate or the way the house was saved—those were changes that worked well for the screen.
The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 is going to be an emotional wrecking ball. It’s the end of an era. It’s about growing up and realizing that the people you loved at sixteen might not be the people you need at twenty. Whether you want a beach wedding or a quiet realization under the stars, the conclusion of this trilogy is set to be the television event of the summer.
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Actionable insights for fans:
- Track the filming schedule: Keep an eye on local Wilmington, NC news outlets. Production usually wraps several months before a trailer drops.
- Re-read Book 3 cautiously: Use it as a roadmap, but don't expect a word-for-word translation. The "Cabo" plotline is the one to watch for.
- Monitor Taylor Swift's "Taylor's Version" releases: The show almost always uses newly released or re-recorded tracks to anchor its biggest emotional beats.
- Check Amazon Prime’s "X-Ray" feature: When re-watching, use the X-Ray feature on Prime Video to find official BTS trivia that hints at character motivations for the upcoming season.
The story is nearing its end, and regardless of which brother you’re rooting for, the transition from teenage summer flings to real-world adult choices is where the real heart of the show lies. Get your tissues ready for 2025.