Honestly, if you haven’t felt the visceral, chest-tightening tension of a Cousins Beach bonfire, have you even lived through the 2020s? The Summer I Turned Pretty isn't just a show. It’s a collective fever dream that Jenny Han somehow managed to bottle up and sell to Amazon Prime Video, turning every Friday night into a war zone between Team Conrad and Team Jeremiah.
It's about Belly. Obviously.
But it’s also about that specific, fleeting ache of being sixteen and realizing the world doesn't look the same as it did last year. People talk about the "glow up" like it's just about mascara and sundresses. It’s not. In Han’s world, the "turning pretty" part is actually a catalyst for a mess of grief, messy first loves, and the crushing weight of expectations.
The Love Triangle That Divided the Internet
Let's get into it. You’re either a Conrad person or a Jeremiah person. There is no middle ground. If you say you like Cam Cameron, you’re just trying to avoid the drama.
Conrad Fisher is the "infinite" choice. He’s moody. He’s complicated. He’s the guy who remembers your favorite glass of milk but forgets to tell you he loves you until your heart is already in pieces. Christopher Briney plays him with this specific kind of slumped-shoulder melancholy that makes you want to shake him and hug him at the same time. It’s the classic "I’m hurting you to protect you" trope that we all know is toxic in real life but absolutely irresistible on screen.
Then there’s Jeremiah.
Jeremiah is sunshine. He’s the golden retriever boyfriend before that was even a TikTok tag. Gavin Casalegno brings this high-energy, blue-eyed sincerity to the role that makes the choice genuinely difficult. While Conrad is the past—the childhood crush Belly couldn't shake—Jeremiah is the present. He’s the one who actually shows up. He’s the one who dances with her when no one else is looking.
The brilliance of The Summer I Turned Pretty is how it handles the shift from Season 1 to Season 2. We went from the shimmering hope of a debutante ball to the soul-crushing reality of losing Susannah. That’s where the show earned its stripes. It stopped being just a teen romance and started being a study on how different people process the same hole in their lives. Conrad retreats. Jeremiah over-functions. Belly gets caught in the crossfire of their mourning.
Susannah and Laurel: The Real Love Story
If you’re only watching for the boys, you’re missing the actual heartbeat of the story. The friendship between Laurel and Susannah is the blueprint.
Think about that scene in the beach house kitchen. The wine, the shared history, the way they can communicate without saying a single word. It’s rare to see a "teen show" give so much weight to the parents' lives without it feeling like filler. Jackie Chung and Rachel Blanchard grounded the series in a way that made the stakes feel permanent. When Susannah died, the house didn’t just lose a person; it lost its soul.
The house is a character.
That massive, shingle-style mansion in Wilmington (which doubles for the fictional Cousins Beach) represents safety. It’s the place where time stops. When the threat of losing the house emerged in Season 2, it felt more high-stakes than any breakup. Why? Because without the house, the magic dies. The characters are forced to grow up, and nobody actually wants to do that.
Why We Can't Stop Ranking the Soundtracks
Music is the secret sauce here. Lola Tung (Belly) has mentioned in interviews how much the music sets the tone on set.
Jenny Han is a known Swiftie, and it shows. Using "August" or "The Way I Loved You" isn't just a needle drop; it’s a surgical strike to the emotions of the target demographic. But it’s not just Taylor. The show weaves in Olivia Rodrigo, Phoebe Bridgers, and even some classic 80s tracks that bridge the gap between Laurel’s generation and Belly’s.
It’s immersive. You don't just watch a scene; you hear the waves and the specific synth-pop beat of a summer that feels like it’ll last forever.
The Taylor Swift Effect
- "Cruel Summer" basically became the unofficial anthem of the series.
- "Invisible String" playing during that snowy beach scene? Absolute cinema.
- The "Back to December (Taylor’s Version)" trailer drop for Season 2 literally broke the internet for a full twenty-four hours.
Navigating the Book-to-Screen Changes
Purists will always scream about the books. I get it. The trilogy—The Summer I Turned Pretty, It’s Not Summer Without You, and We’ll Always Have Summer—is the foundation. But Han, as the showrunner, made some smart pivots.
In the books, Jeremiah’s character is a bit more one-dimensional. The show gives him a lot more interiority. Also, making the show more diverse wasn't just a "check the box" move; it made the world feel like 2024. The introduction of characters like Skye and the expansion of Taylor’s (Belly’s best friend) storyline gave the show breathing room outside of the central triangle. Rain Spencer, who plays Taylor, is a scene-stealer. Her evolution from the "shallow best friend" to the fiercely loyal protector of Belly is one of the best arcs in the series.
What's Actually Going on With Season 3?
We know it's coming. Prime Video confirmed it. But the wait is excruciating.
Season 3 is expected to follow the third book, which involves a massive time jump and a wedding that fans are already fighting about. If they stick to the source material, things are about to get very complicated for Team Jeremiah. There’s a specific plot point involving a spring break trip that—if kept—might turn half the fanbase against him.
Production was delayed by the strikes in 2023, so the timeline got pushed. We’re looking at a 2025 release window, which feels like a lifetime away when you're dying to know if the letters at the end of the book will make it to the screen.
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What to Watch While You Wait
- My Life with the Walter Boys: It’s a bit more "Netflix-y," but it hits that same girl-moves-in-with-a-family-of-boys trope.
- The Wilds: For something darker but still very much about the teenage female experience.
- Ginny & Georgia: If you want the mother-daughter dynamic turned up to eleven.
- Looking for Alaska: For the "sad boy" vibes and heavy emotional weight.
The Cultural Impact of Cousins Beach
There’s something deeply nostalgic about the way this story is told. It taps into a universal longing for a "place." Even if you didn't grow up going to a summer house, you understand the feeling of a season being a container for a different version of yourself.
Belly is messy. She makes bad choices. She hurts people. That’s why she’s a great protagonist. She isn't a perfect "Mary Sue" character who just has boys falling at her feet; she’s a girl trying to navigate the shift from being viewed as a child to being viewed as a woman. The "turning pretty" isn't just about looks; it’s about the shift in how the world perceives her—and the unwanted attention and pressure that comes with it.
Actionable Steps for the Ultimate Fan Experience
If you've already binged the show three times and need more, here’s how to actually lean into the Cousins Beach lifestyle without spending four million dollars on a coastal mansion.
Read the books, but do the audiobooks. Lola Tung actually narrates them. Hearing "Belly's" voice tell the original story adds a layer of meta-context that makes the differences between the show and the books more interesting. You can spot where the show deepened a moment or where the book had a bit more internal monologue that didn't translate to screen.
Curate the "Cousins" Vibe. You don't need a beach. Focus on the "Coastal Grandmother" aesthetic—which is basically just linen shirts, oversized sweaters, and a lot of white paint—and pair it with a 2000s indie-pop playlist. It’s about the feeling of being "unplugged."
Host a Re-watch Party with Themes. Don't just sit there. Have a "Team Conrad" vs. "Team Jeremiah" debate night. Make the pomegranate margaritas (non-alcoholic for the younger crowd) that Susannah loved. If you're going to be obsessed, you might as well go all in.
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Follow the Cast on Socials (Wisely). The cast is actually quite close in real life. Following their behind-the-scenes content on Instagram and TikTok gives you a sense of the "real" Cousins Beach. Just remember to separate the actors from the characters—harassing Gavin or Chris because of what their characters did is a rookie move.
Prepare for the Season 3 Emotional Toll. If you haven't read the third book, We'll Always Have Summer, brace yourself. It's much more adult. It deals with the reality of long-distance relationships, the pressure of college, and the realization that childhood loves don't always fit into an adult life. Start your emotional prep now.
The beauty of The Summer I Turned Pretty is that it reminds us that summer is never just a season. It's a state of mind where everything feels possible and every heartbreak feels like the end of the world. And honestly? We wouldn't want it any other way.
Next Phase: Content Deep Dive
To stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on official Prime Video social channels for the first Season 3 teaser. Based on filming schedules, expect "first look" photos to drop approximately four to five months before the premiere. If you want to dive deeper into the themes of the show, look into Jenny Han’s interviews regarding the "female gaze" in cinematography—it explains exactly why the show feels so different from traditional teen dramas directed by men.