Let's be real for a second. Everyone talks about Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah, but if we’re looking at who actually treated Belly with the most respect from day one, it was Cam from The Summer I Turned Pretty. Cam Cameron—yes, the boy with two first names—was the ultimate "breath of fresh air" in a series defined by messy, decades-long family trauma and unspoken resentment. While the Fisher brothers were busy brooding or competing for attention, Cam was just... there. He was kind. He liked whales. He didn't have a hidden agenda or a chip on his shoulder regarding a brotherly rivalry.
He was the "non-toxic" choice.
But in the world of YA drama, being the healthy choice usually means you're the one who gets left behind at the drive-in movie. It's a classic trope, right? The girl meets a sweet, nerdy guy who actually listens to her, only to realize her heart is stuck on the guy who has been ignoring her for five years. Watching Cam in season one of the Prime Video series was like watching a tutorial on how to be a decent boyfriend, which is exactly why his departure felt so inevitable.
The Cam Cameron Effect: More Than Just a Rebound
You've probably noticed that Cam from The Summer I Turned Pretty serves a very specific purpose in Jenny Han’s narrative. He isn't just a random local boy. He represents Belly’s first real step into adulthood and independence. For the first time, she isn't "the little sister" or "the girl next door." To Cam, she is just Belly. David Iacono, the actor who brought Cam to life, played him with this gentle, slightly awkward charm that made him immediately likable to the audience, even if we knew he was never going to win the endgame.
Think about their first meeting at the Latin convention. It's such a specific, nerdy detail that grounds their connection in something outside of Cousins Beach. They have a shared history that doesn't involve Susannah or Laurel. That’s huge. In a show where every character is suffocating under the weight of shared memories and grief, Cam was a clean slate. He offered Belly a version of herself that wasn't tied to her childhood. Honestly, it’s kinda sad that she wasn't ready for that yet.
Most fans remember the "Cam Cameron" name chant, but the real depth was in how he handled the rejection. When things started getting weird with Conrad and the tension at the bonfire became unbearable, Cam didn't throw a fit. He didn't make a scene. He simply recognized that Belly’s heart was elsewhere. That level of emotional maturity is rare for a teenager, especially in a show where the main leads are often characterized by their inability to communicate.
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Why the TV Show Version of Cam Was Better Than the Book
If you’ve read the original trilogy by Jenny Han, you know that the literary version of Cam is a bit different. In the books, he’s a bit more of a fleeting presence. He’s the guy she dates to prove she can move on from Conrad. However, the TV adaptation gave him more layers. The writers decided to lean into his "Latin geek" persona and his passion for marine biology, which made him feel like a three-dimensional human being instead of just a plot device.
The show also extended his stay. We got more scenes of them together—the drive-in, the bike rides, the awkward run-ins with the brothers. This actually made the breakup harder to watch. When Belly tells him she can't be with him because she's still hung up on someone else, you can see the genuine disappointment on his face. He really liked her. He wasn't playing a game.
There's a specific scene where Cam talks about his sister and his family life, giving us a glimpse into the world of the "locals" in Cousins. Often, these summer romance stories treat the local residents as background characters or service workers. By fleshing out Cam from The Summer I Turned Pretty, the show gave a voice to the people who live in these vacation towns year-round. They aren't just there to facilitate a magical summer for the wealthy visitors; they have their own lives, their own heartbreaks, and their own futures.
The Season 2 Return Nobody Expected
Fans were genuinely surprised when Cam reappeared in Season 2. Usually, the "starter boyfriend" disappears forever once the main love triangle takes center stage. But seeing him working at the whale watching boat was a stroke of genius. It provided a much-needed link to the "old" Cousins Beach before everything changed with Susannah’s passing.
His interaction with Skye was particularly interesting. It showed that Cam had moved on and was still the same empathetic, observant guy he was in the first season. Watching him help the group break into the boardwalk was a fun way to integrate him back into the main squad without forcing a romantic reunion with Belly. It felt natural. It felt like something a nice guy would actually do.
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Some critics argued that bringing him back was just fan service, but it actually served a deeper thematic purpose. Season 2 is incredibly dark. It’s about grief, losing a home, and the end of childhood. Cam represents the last bit of innocence Belly had. By interacting with him as a friend, she's acknowledging her past mistakes while trying to navigate a much more complicated present.
Breaking Down the "Nice Guy" Trope
We need to talk about why we, as viewers, often root against guys like Cam. There is a psychological phenomenon in media where "stability" is equated with "boring." Conrad is "the brooding one" with the secrets. Jeremiah is "the golden boy" with the hidden jealousy. Cam is just... stable.
In a TV show, stability doesn't drive the plot. Conflict does. If Belly had stayed with Cam, the show would have been a very lovely, very short documentary about a healthy teenage relationship. Nobody wants to watch that for three seasons. We want the yearning. We want the rain-soaked arguments. We want the mess.
However, as we grow older, many fans of the series find themselves looking back and realizing that Cam was the real "catch." He’s the guy you want to marry, even if Conrad is the one you want to obsess over when you're sixteen. The discourse on TikTok and Twitter often cycles back to this: "I used to be Team Conrad, but now I'm Team Cam Cameron." It's a sign of the audience maturing alongside the characters.
Key Moments That Defined Cam's Journey
- The Latin Convention Reveal: This established that Belly had a life outside of the Fisher family. It was the first time we saw her being pursued by someone who liked her for her brain and her personality, not just because she "turned pretty."
- The Drive-In Movie: A quintessential summer date that highlighted the awkwardness of young love. It was also where the cracks started to show, as Belly’s mind was clearly elsewhere.
- The Whale Watching Boat: His Season 2 cameo. It proved that he didn't harbor bitterness toward the group. His willingness to help them—even after how things ended with Belly—solidified his status as the show's moral compass.
- The Breakup: It was clean. No yelling. No cheating. Just a girl being honest and a boy being brave enough to let her go.
What We Can Learn From Cam Cameron
Basically, Cam is a reminder that you don't have to be the lead in someone else's story to be a great character. He knew his worth. He didn't beg for Belly’s affection when he realized she wasn't fully present. There’s a lesson there about self-respect and knowing when to walk away from a situation that doesn't serve you.
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He also reminds us that "Cousins" isn't just a fantasy land for the wealthy families who visit. It's a real place with real people who have dreams of going to college, studying the ocean, and building lives that have nothing to do with debutante balls or summer houses.
If you're rewatching the series, pay closer attention to the way Cam looks at Belly. It’s not the intense, possessive gaze of a Fisher brother. It’s the look of someone who truly appreciates the person standing in front of him. That’s a different kind of love. It might not be the "once in a lifetime" soulmate connection the show pushes, but it's the kind of love that actually lasts in the real world.
Moving Forward: How to Apply the "Cam Strategy" to Your Own Life
If you find yourself in a "Belly" situation—torn between high-drama options and a stable, kind option—it's worth stepping back and looking at the long game.
- Audit the drama. If a relationship requires you to solve a puzzle or fix someone's deep-seated trauma just to get a text back, is it worth it? Cam showed that love can be easy.
- Value shared interests. The Latin convention thing wasn't just a quirk. It was a foundation. Look for people who meet you in your "nerdy" spaces, not just the glamorous ones.
- Recognize maturity. When someone tells you who they are or where they stand, believe them. Cam's ability to walk away with his dignity intact is a superpower.
- Embrace the "Local" energy. You don't always need to be part of the most exclusive, dramatic circle. Sometimes the most interesting people are the ones working on the whale boats, focused on their own passions rather than everyone else's gossip.
Next time you're debating the merits of Conrad vs. Jeremiah, take a moment to appreciate the guy who actually bought the snacks, showed up on time, and didn't break anyone's heart on purpose. Cam Cameron might not have ended up with the girl, but he definitely won the respect of the audience. He’s the reminder that being a "good guy" isn't a consolation prize; it’s a standard.
Check out the original books if you want to see where his character started, or rewatch Season 1 to see those early interactions with fresh eyes. You might find that the "boring" choice was actually the most revolutionary one in the whole story. For those looking to dive deeper into the filming locations of these iconic scenes, looking into the real-life spots in Wilmington, North Carolina, offers a great way to see where the "local" and "summer" worlds collide. Focusing on the characters who ground the story, like Cam, helps keep the perspective on what actually matters when the summer finally ends.