Summer usually feels like a fever dream when you're sixteen. It's that weird, blurry space where you aren't quite who you were in June, but you haven't figured out who you’re supposed to be by September. This specific, visceral feeling is exactly why L'été où je suis devenue jolie—better known to many as The Summer I Turned Pretty—hit such a massive nerve. It isn't just a show about a girl named Belly and two brothers. Not really. It’s a messy, sun-drenched look at what happens when childhood nostalgia crashes head-first into the brutal reality of growing up.
Jenny Han has this almost annoying ability to capture the exact scent of salt air and the specific sting of a first crush.
You've probably seen the discourse online. Team Conrad? Team Jeremiah? It's polarizing. People get genuinely heated about it because the show (and the book trilogy it’s based on) taps into the fundamental human desire to be truly seen for the first time. For Isabel "Belly" Conklin, that transition happens at Cousins Beach. But unlike a lot of fluffier teen dramas, this story carries a weight that feels surprisingly heavy, dealing with grief and the terrifying realization that your parents are actually just flawed people.
The Cousins Beach Effect: Why L'été où je suis devenue jolie feels like home
There is something hypnotic about the setting. Cousins Beach isn't a real place on a map, but if you’ve ever spent a week in a creaky beach house with sand in the bedsheets, you know exactly where it is. The show uses this location as a character of its own. It represents safety. It represents a time before things got complicated by cancer diagnoses and estate lawyers.
When we talk about L'été où je suis devenue jolie, we have to talk about the "glow up." But it's not just physical.
Sure, Belly loses the glasses and the braces, but the real shift is internal. She’s demanding a seat at the table. For years, she was just the "little sister" figure, the tag-along. Seeing her navigate the shift from being an observer to being the center of the Fisher brothers' universe is both intoxicating and deeply stressful. Honestly, it’s a bit of a train wreck at times. You want to yell at the screen because these kids make such objectively terrible decisions. But that’s the point. Sixteen-year-olds are supposed to make bad choices.
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The adaptation by Amazon Prime Video actually expanded the world significantly from the books. We got more of Susannah and Laurel’s friendship, which, in many ways, is the real love story of the series. Seeing two adult women navigate the end of an era while their children fall in and out of love adds a layer of sophistication that keeps it from being "just" a teen show.
The Brother Dilemma: Conrad vs. Jeremiah
Let’s get into the weeds of the love triangle because that is the engine that drives this entire narrative. It’s the classic archetype: the moody, intellectual older brother and the golden-retriever, reliable younger brother.
- Conrad Fisher: He’s frustrating. He’s the guy who won’t tell you how he feels but expects you to know anyway. In the first season of L'été où je suis devenue jolie, Conrad is carrying the weight of his mother’s secret, which explains his distance but doesn't necessarily excuse his behavior toward Belly.
- Jeremiah Fisher: He’s the "easy" choice. He’s fun. He’s there. But as the story progresses, we see that his sunshine exterior hides a lot of resentment and a deep-seated need to be more than just the "backup."
Choosing between them isn't just about who is cuter. It’s about what kind of life Belly wants. Conrad represents that all-consuming, painful first love that you never quite get over. Jeremiah represents stability and a partner who actually communicates. Fans of the French title, L'été où je suis devenue jolie, often point out that the linguistic nuance of "devenue jolie" implies a transformation that is as much about how others perceive her as how she feels about herself.
The Taylor Swift-heavy soundtrack definitely helps sell the drama. When "The Way I Loved You" or "August" starts playing, you're basically legally obligated to feel something. It’s a calculated, brilliant use of pop culture to anchor the emotional stakes.
The Reality of Grief in a "Summer" Story
It would be a mistake to ignore the darker undercurrents here. This isn't just about beach bonfires and volleyball.
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Susannah Fisher’s illness is the ticking clock of the entire series. It’s what makes every moment at the beach house feel so fragile. When the bubble finally bursts, the show shifts from a coming-of-age romance into a heavy exploration of loss. This is where the acting—particularly from Lola Tung and Gavin Casalegno—really steps up. They have to portray characters who are trying to mourn a mother while also trying to navigate the fact that they are still fundamentally just kids.
It's messy. People lash out. They say things they can't take back.
Many viewers found the second season much harder to watch because the "pretty" part of the title starts to feel ironic. Life isn't pretty when you're losing your second home and your found family is fracturing. But that’s the reality of growing up. You realize that the places you loved can be sold, and the people you relied on can disappear.
Why the French Translation Hits Differently
There is a certain poetic quality to the title L'été où je suis devenue jolie. In English, "The Summer I Turned Pretty" sounds almost like a makeover montage. In French, "devenue" carries a sense of "becoming"—a process of evolution. It suggests that the beauty isn't something she put on like a dress, but something she grew into.
The global success of the series shows that this experience is universal. Whether you're in a coastal town in the U.S. or watching from a city in Europe, the feeling of that one specific summer that changed everything is a shared human memory.
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What to watch for next
As the production for the third season (based on We'll Always Have Summer) moves forward, the stakes are at an all-time high. Without spoiling the books for those who haven't read them, let's just say the college years change the dynamic entirely. The "kids" aren't at the beach house anymore. They’re in the real world, and the choices they made as teenagers start to have adult consequences.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the world of L'été où je suis devenue jolie, here are the logical next steps for any fan or newcomer:
- Read the original trilogy: Jenny Han’s writing style is sparse and evocative. You’ll get a much better sense of Belly’s internal monologue, which can sometimes be hard to translate to the screen.
- Track the soundtrack changes: The music choices are deliberate. Pay attention to which Taylor Swift "era" is used for which brother—it tells you exactly where the writers want your head to be.
- Watch for the subtle foreshadowing: The show is famous for "Easter eggs." From the infinity necklace to the specific books on the shelves, the production design is incredibly detailed.
- Explore the "Slow Burn" genre: If this story resonated with you, look into other coming-of-age works that prioritize character development over fast-paced plots. Works like Normal People or Lady Bird capture similar tonal shifts.
Ultimately, this story survives because it refuses to pretend that being young is easy. It acknowledges that love is often selfish, growth is painful, and sometimes the person you become isn't exactly who you expected to be. But hey, at least the beach is nice.
Actionable Insights for Fans
To truly appreciate the nuances of the narrative, compare the portrayal of Laurel and Susannah’s friendship in the show versus the books. The TV series gives these women significantly more agency and backstory, which provides a necessary mirror to Belly’s own journey. Additionally, if you're analyzing the "Endgame," look closely at the letters featured in the third book; they provide the context for the final resolution that the show has only hinted at through subtle glances and recurring motifs. For those interested in the filming locations, much of the "Cousins Beach" atmosphere is captured in Wilmington, North Carolina—a pilgrimage site for fans looking to experience the vibe of the Conklin and Fisher summers in person.