It’s almost summer, and you know what that means; it’s time to grab your swimsuits, pomegranate margaritas, and sunscreen because Cousins Beach is on the line, and we’re answering the call. The Summer I Turned Pretty first took book readers and audiences on the trip of a lifetime when we met Belly Conklin and saw the perfect season through her eyes.
Belly longed for summers at the beach house with her family and best friends, but something was different about the time we met her; she was hoping this would be the season to serve as the backdrop when all of her dreams finally came true. Author Jenny Han took us all out of our realities and made us believe in the magic of first loves, profound friendships, and magic once again — and the Amazon Prime Video series did the same.
As summer calls us once again, an announcement was made that our invitations to Cousins are on their way to us, and a second season of The Summer I Turned Pretty is sitting just on the horizon, waiting for the perfect moment to invite us all back in for more laughter, tears, and love. If you’ve yet to fall into the audience of adoring fans, now’s the perfect chance. We’re just weeks away from the new chapter in Belly’s love story, and you won’t want to miss a moment of it.
So when does the new season of The Summer I Turned Pretty premiere? As usual, we’ve got you covered — and we’re looking at some of the most significant moments in the first season to give you a refresher before we get back to Belly, Conrad, Jeremiah, and the rest of our summer crew.
What is The Summer I Turned Pretty?
For those who missed the pop culture sensation that is The Summer I Turned Pretty, we recommend canceling all of your plans this week and reading the books before watching the first season of the television series on Amazon Prime Video. The premise for the books and the show is simple, something you might feel like you’ve heard time and time again, but Jenny Han’s writing and characterization elevate this from your typical love triangle romance.
When we first meet Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah, we’re meeting them as characters in an already evolving realm, one Belly has been navigating for almost 16 years. It’s evident from the first moment that we’re being thrown into a love story, one for the ages, and it’s not even really begun yet. There’s a fundamental love that only so many people in the world are lucky enough to have, the kind of love that grows up with you, and that’s what Belly has. She’s loved Conrad since she knew what butterflies in your stomach were, since before she knew two people could be meant for one another — she’s loved him through ups and downs, highs and lows, and she’s hoping that he sees her this summer the way she’s always seen him.
Love stories, even the most magical ones, are never easy, and Belly and Conrad have a lot of obstacles in their path, including the fact that Conrad is keeping a secret from everyone that’s turned him from an outgoing and lively young man to a boy who seemingly has a dark cloud over his head. It’s a life-changing secret that readers and viewers are let in on, too, but we find out in different capacities at different times. Susannah, Jeremiah and Conrad’s mom, is sick, and with a recurrence of cancer, her chances don’t look good. It’s the elephant in the room throughout The Summer I Turned Pretty, and even those who don’t know are affected by it.
While Belly and Conrad’s love story is the center of the series, there is more at play too. First is that of Susannah and Laurel, the mothers who have been friends for decades — sometimes the purest love is that which you share with friends, and these two love each other with the kind of fierce and protective nature that we all hope to be loved with. They’re secret keepers for one another, quiet places for the other to land, they’re non-judgment zones, and places where honesty and hard conversations can occur; it’s magical to watch them navigate life together, and it’s heartbreaking when you realize that this could be their last summer, too.
There’s also the love between Belly’s brother, Steven, and Shayla, and the love that Jeremiah begins feeling in his heart for Belly too. That’s right, both Fisher brothers find themselves in awe of Belly, and as Conrad deals with his mother’s health all on his own, Belly begins growing closer to Jeremiah. Where some authors could have taken a love triangle and turned it into something salacious, Han navigates this in a way that leaves breadcrumbs for the power pairing while still allowing Belly to act as a young woman growing into her own. It’s a story about growth and taking chances, saying yes, and throwing caution into the wind. The Summer I Turned Pretty is the kind of book trilogy you pick up over and over again, wanting to fall in love alongside the characters for better or worse, and the series is the same way.
You’ll find yourselves cheering for Belly and Conrad, yelling at the tv when Jeremiah ruins that perfect moment, and maybe even cheering when he goes for his own. No matter what side of the equation you’re on, there’s one thing no one can deny — you never really get over your first love, and sometimes, they come back.
When will season two of The Summer I Turned Pretty begin streaming?
The Summer I Turned Pretty is gearing up for its second season premiere, which will take place — you guessed it: this summer! There’s not a specific release date just yet, but the social media account for The Summer I Turned Pretty shared the news on April 21 that the second season would be debuting soon.
The first season stole our hearts starting on June 17 of last year, so a release close to then would be the perfect way to truly kick off our next summer obsession and the continuing love letter our favorite characters are writing as they settle in for long days, sunkissed skin, and stolen kisses under a warm summer moon. When we last left Cousins, Belly had finally experienced all of her wishes come true; birthdays, shooting stars, catching 11:11 on the clock — she’d only ever asked for Conrad, and the pair finally shared a kiss on the beach.
As we sit in anxious anticipation for season 2, bibliophiles will know that the love triangle isn’t over when we return for the next chapter in Belly’s extraordinary romance, but it’s yet to be determined how much of that will play out on screen. In a chat with E! News, Jenny Han says that there will be changes on the horizon, and it’s her calling, so if you’re going to be upset about something — she’s the one to take the blame.
“There’s always gonna be changes here and there, so I guess you’ll just have to wait and see. I’m the one doing the changes, so I guess get mad at me, because I’m the one who’s changing it!”
Fans have already seen some changes unfolding throughout the series so far, and while we’re anticipating some big moments in season two — we’d be totally on board with a significant shift taking place from the books to the series. We’re not going to spoil it for you if you’ve not read the book series yet, but on the topic of losses, we’ll take as few as we can get — here’s hoping Han is on the same page.
What is the premise for The Summer I Turned Pretty‘s second season?
With the second season on the horizon, fans can’t wait to get back to Cousins, but we’re anticipating the journey with a careful bit of sensibility; we know what happens in the next book, and it’s hard to get excited about picking up where we left off when so many things are going to change.
The synopsis for the book reads as follows:
“It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come, but when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started—at Cousins Beach.”
Belly spoke poetically about longing for summers at Cousins with Conrad and Jeremiah, their own little piece of heaven with the women and children at the beach house — just the way they all liked it most. There was something magical about the possibilities each new summer day brought, something profound about the evenings and the way wishes seemed endless and love seemed tangible. So the fact that she’s no longer anticipating the place that made her the happiest says everything we all need to know.
As we said above, we’re crossing our fingers that things change in all the right ways when the story picks back up, but we know that no matter what, there’s a healthy dose of heartache on the horizon for almost everyone involved.
Who is joining the cast in season two?
Back in August of 2022, Variety shared that a few new faces would be joining The Summer I Turned Pretty, bringing a fresh take on the story. Both Kyra Sedgwick and Elsie Fisher have been cast as recurring characters in the second season, and while little is known about what arc their characters will help flesh out, it’s sure to be interesting. Fans will also be thrilled to know that Cam Cameron, a character who doesn’t appear in books two and three, will be in the second season of The Summer I Turned Pretty.
There’s a lot on the horizon in the upcoming season, significant changes happening and big choices to be made — and we’ve got our sights set on one thing, our version of the perfect love story for Belly. We’re crossing our fingers and using all of our wishes on hoping that it comes true.
You can rewatch the first season of The Summer I Turned Pretty on Amazon Prime Video now.