It’s the question that kept every The Summer I Turned Pretty fan up at 2:00 AM after finishing the Season 2 finale. We spent hours watching Conrad Fisher mope, push people away, and eventually try to make things right, all while holding onto a piece of paper that felt like the holy grail of the series. If you’ve been scouring the internet to figure out exactly what did Conrad's letter from Susannah say, you aren’t alone. That little envelope held the weight of a dying mother’s final wishes and the key to Conrad’s emotional prison.
Fans of Jenny Han’s book trilogy and the Prime Video adaptation know that Susannah Fisher didn't just leave a legacy of beach houses and summer memories. She left instructions. For Conrad, the eldest son who carries the world on his shoulders, those words were a lifeline and a burden all at once.
The Heart of the Mystery: What the Letter Actually Revealed
Honestly, the show handles this with a bit more suspense than the books, but the core message remains the same. Susannah knew her boys. She knew Conrad’s tendency to "go dark" and isolate himself when things got hard. In the Season 2 finale, we finally get a glimpse into the contents of that letter, and it’s heartbreakingly simple.
Susannah tells Conrad that she knows he’s going to take care of everyone. That’s just who he is. But the most important part? She gives him permission to be happy. She tells him that she knows he loves Belly and that he shouldn't let that love slip away because of his grief. It’s a bit of a "get out of jail free" card for his conscience.
The letter isn't some complex legal document or a secret map. It’s a mother telling her son to stop punishing himself. She writes about how she sees him, how proud she is, and specifically mentions his relationship with Belly. She saw them together. She knew.
Why the Timing Changed Everything
Timing is everything in Cousins Beach. If Conrad had read that letter sooner, would he have pushed Belly away at prom? Probably not. But grief is messy.
In the TV series, the letter serves as the final nudge Conrad needs to try—one last time—to tell Belly how he feels before she leaves with Jeremiah. It’s the catalyst for that awkward, tension-filled car ride where Conrad finally admits he still wants her, even if it's too late. The letter didn't just contain words; it contained the courage Conrad lacked while he was mourning.
Comparing the Show to the Book: It’s Not Exactly the Same
If you're a "book purist," you might notice some slight shifts in how the letter is framed. In the third book, We’ll Always Have Summer, letters play an even bigger role. There’s a specific letter that Susannah wrote to be opened on Conrad’s wedding day.
Talk about a gut punch.
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In that context, the letters are more about the long-term future. Susannah was planning for a life she knew she wouldn't see. When we talk about what did Conrad's letter from Susannah say in the context of the overall story, it's really about Susannah’s foresight. She knew Jeremiah was the "golden boy" who wore his heart on his sleeve, but she knew Conrad was the one who would rot from the inside out if he didn't have someone to pull him into the light.
That person was always Belly.
The Emotional Weight of the "Wedding Letter"
While the show has focused heavily on the immediate aftermath of Susannah's death, the books dive deeper into the "wedding letters." Susannah wrote one for each of her sons to be opened when they got married. This is a massive plot point because it proves that Susannah always envisioned Belly as part of the family, regardless of which brother she ended up with.
However, for Conrad, the letter he receives earlier (the one we see in the show) is more about the "right now." It’s about surviving the first year without her.
The "Infinity" Connection
You can't talk about the letter without talking about the concept of "Infinity." Susannah was the one who fostered Conrad’s love for the stars and the infinite nature of the universe. In her writings to him, she often references his brilliance and his deep capacity for love.
Basically, she was telling him that his love for Belly was like infinity—it doesn't have an end, even if it has a rocky middle. This is why Conrad eventually gives the infinity necklace back to Belly. He’s following the spirit of his mother’s advice: to be honest about the depth of his feelings.
Some fans argue that Susannah was being a bit manipulative from beyond the grave. Is it fair to put that kind of pressure on a college kid? Maybe not. But Susannah was a romantic. She believed in the "magic" of Cousins Beach, and her letters were her way of making sure that magic didn't die with her.
What This Means for Season 3
Since we know Season 3 will likely follow the plot of the third book, these letters are going to become even more vital. We are heading toward a wedding—Jeremiah and Belly’s wedding, to be specific.
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Imagine the drama. Conrad is sitting there, clutching a letter from his dead mother that essentially says "I know you love her, don't let her go," while he watches his brother walk her down the aisle. It’s peak teen drama. It’s messy. It’s exactly why we watch.
The letter acts as a mirror. It shows Conrad who he could be if he stopped being so afraid of failing.
Key Takeaways from Susannah's Message:
- Permission to fail: She tells him he doesn't have to be perfect.
- Acknowledgment of Belly: She validates that his feelings for Belly are real and "once in a lifetime."
- The burden of the house: She reminds him that the beach house is a place of joy, not just a responsibility to be managed.
The Reality of Grief in the Fisher Household
One thing people often overlook when asking what did Conrad's letter from Susannah say is the contrast between Conrad and Jeremiah. Jeremiah didn't get the same kind of "heavy" letter because he didn't need it in the same way. Jeremiah is open. Conrad is a vault.
Susannah’s letter was the key to that vault.
When Conrad finally reads it, you see his entire demeanor shift. He goes from being cold and calculated to being raw and vulnerable. It’s the first time we see him truly cry—not just for his mother, but for the life he thinks he’s lost.
Common Misconceptions About the Letter
I've seen some theories online suggesting the letter contained a secret about their father, Adam, or some hidden financial detail about the house. Let's clear that up: it didn't.
Susannah wasn't interested in the logistics of the divorce or the mortgage in her final personal notes to her kids. She was interested in their hearts. If you're looking for a "gotcha" moment or a plot twist involving a secret twin or a hidden fortune, you’re watching the wrong show. The "twist" is simply the emotional honesty that Conrad wasn't ready for.
Honestly, the most shocking thing about the letter is how much Susannah knew. She saw the love triangle coming a mile away. She knew that her death would fracture the boys, and she tried to use her words to stitch them back together.
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Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the lore of the Fisher family letters, here is how you can get the full picture before the next season drops:
1. Re-read Book 3: We’ll Always Have Summer contains the text of the wedding letters which are much more descriptive than the snippets we get in the show. It provides the "long-form" version of Susannah’s hopes for Conrad.
2. Watch the "Prom" Flashback Again: Pay close attention to Conrad’s behavior in the Season 2 flashbacks. Then, watch the scene where he reads the letter. The shift in his body language tells you everything the letter said without even needing to read the words on the screen.
3. Look at the Scraps: In the show, the production team actually wrote out full letters for the actors to hold. If you pause at just the right moment during the finale, you can catch snippets of "I love you so much" and "Take care of your brother."
4. Follow Jenny Han on Social Media: The author often shares "behind-the-scenes" details or deleted concepts. She has confirmed in interviews that Susannah’s primary goal was to ensure Conrad didn't "disappear into himself."
The letter is the emotional anchor of Conrad’s entire character arc. It's the bridge between the boy who hid under the pier and the man who eventually learns to fight for what he wants. Without that letter, Conrad might have stayed in the dark forever. Instead, Susannah gave him a flashlight.
Now, we just have to wait and see if he actually uses it in Season 3. Given the way things ended with Belly and Jeremiah at the motel, he's going to need all the guidance he can get. Susannah’s words are lingering in the air, and for Conrad, they are finally starting to sink in. He's done being the "responsible one" at the expense of his own heart.
The letter didn't just tell him what to do; it told him who he was allowed to be. And that is a powerful thing for a grieving son to hear.