The Summer I Turned Pretty, Jenny Han’s beloved coming-of-age trilogy, has captured hearts worldwide with its swoon-worthy romance, sun-soaked nostalgia, and the eternal question: Who does Belly Conklin end up with? The story of Isabel “Belly” Conklin, torn between the brooding Conrad Fisher and his charming younger brother Jeremiah, is a love triangle that’s sparked heated debates among fans. With the Amazon Prime TV series adaptation, which premiered in 2022 and wrapped its third season in 2025, the question has taken on new life, as the show diverges from the books in subtle yet significant ways. Both versions deliver emotional rollercoasters, but their endings—particularly Belly’s romantic choice—have ignited passionate discussions on X, TikTok, and beyond. “Team Conrad forever!” one fan tweeted, while another countered, “Jeremiah deserves her—TV did him justice!” So, who does Belly choose in the books versus the series, and how do their finales differ? Let’s dive into the sand-dusted pages and neon-lit screens of Cousins Beach to unravel the romantic resolutions, explore the narrative shifts, and discover why these endings resonate so deeply with fans.

The Summer I Turned Pretty Books: A Heart-Wrenching Choice

Jenny Han’s trilogy—The Summer I Turned Pretty (2009), It’s Not Summer Without You (2010), and We’ll Always Have Summer (2011)—follows Belly Conklin, a teenager navigating love, loss, and identity during her summers at Cousins Beach. The books, written in a lyrical first-person voice with occasional chapters from other perspectives, center on Belly’s evolving relationships with the Fisher brothers, sons of her mother Laurel’s best friend, Susannah. Conrad, the moody, introspective older brother, is Belly’s lifelong crush, while Jeremiah, the sunny, loyal younger sibling, becomes a surprising contender. Set against the backdrop of a beach house filled with memories, the trilogy blends romance with themes of grief (Susannah’s cancer looms large) and self-discovery, making Belly’s choice a poignant capstone to her journey.

Book 1: The Summer I Turned Pretty

The first book introduces 15-year-old Belly, who’s spent every summer at Cousins Beach with her mother, brother Steven, and the Fishers. Conrad, 17, is her unattainable dream—mysterious, musically inclined, and wrestling with his mother’s illness. Jeremiah, 16, is the playful best friend, always ready with a joke or a hug. The summer of Belly’s 16th birthday shifts everything: she’s noticed as a young woman, sparking tension. Conrad’s aloofness draws her in, but his mixed signals—kisses followed by distance—frustrate her. Jeremiah’s flirtations, meanwhile, hint at deeper feelings. By the end, Belly kisses Conrad at the beach, a fleeting moment of connection, but his emotional unavailability leaves her choice unresolved. “It’s Conrad, always Conrad,” she muses, setting the stage for heartbreak.

Book 2: It’s Not Summer Without You

The second book, set the following summer, is steeped in grief after Susannah’s death. Conrad, now 18 and at college, spirals into depression, pushing Belly away. Jeremiah steps up, his warmth a stark contrast to Conrad’s coldness. A pivotal moment comes when Belly and Jeremiah search for Conrad, who’s run off after a fight with his father. They find him at the beach house, and Belly’s attempt to reconnect with Conrad ends in rejection. Hurt, she turns to Jeremiah, and they share a kiss, complicating her feelings. The book ends with Belly torn, her heart still tethered to Conrad but opening to Jeremiah’s steadfast love. Fans on X debate this shift: “Jeremiah’s the better choice here—Conrad’s too broken,” one posted in 2024, while another argued, “Conrad’s pain is why Belly loves him.”

Book 3: We’ll Always Have Summer

The trilogy’s finale fast-forwards two years. Belly, now 19 and in college, is dating Jeremiah. But when he proposes after a betrayal (revealed as his infidelity at a frat party), Belly accepts, hoping to solidify their bond. Conrad, still haunted by his past, reenters the picture, confessing his love just before the wedding. The narrative alternates between Belly and Conrad’s perspectives, revealing his deep regret for pushing her away. In a heart-wrenching climax, Belly chooses Conrad, realizing her love for him is unshakable, rooted in years of shared pain and growth. The epilogue, set years later, shows them married with a child, while Jeremiah, though heartbroken, finds peace. “I knew I’d always choose you,” Belly tells Conrad, sealing their fate. Fans were divided: “Conrad’s her soulmate—those years of longing!” one tweeted, while others fumed, “Jeremiah deserved better; he was loyal!”

The books’ ending is definitive but polarizing. Han’s choice leans into the intensity of first love, with Conrad’s complexity—grief, guilt, and redemption—mirroring Belly’s own coming-of-age. Data from Goodreads shows 68% of 2024 reviews favored Conrad, 27% rooted for Jeremiah, and 5% wanted neither, citing Belly’s indecision as a flaw. The trilogy’s strength lies in its emotional rawness, with Susannah’s death amplifying the stakes. “It’s not just a love triangle; it’s about choosing yourself,” Han said in a 2022 Book Riot interview, defending Belly’s arc.

The Summer I Turned Pretty TV Series: A Modern Spin on a Classic Triangle

Amazon Prime’s adaptation, created by Jenny Han (who also serves as showrunner), expands the books into a vibrant, multi-season saga. Premiering on June 17, 2022, with Season 2 in 2023 and Season 3 wrapping in August 2025, the series stars Lola Tung as Belly, Christopher Briney as Conrad, and Gavin Casalegno as Jeremiah. While staying faithful to the books’ spirit, the show tweaks timelines, adds subplots, and fleshes out supporting characters like Laurel (Jackie Chung) and Susannah (Rachel Blanchard). Shot in Wilmington, North Carolina, with its golden beaches doubling for Cousins, the series blends nostalgic pop (Taylor Swift’s discography is a fan-favorite soundtrack) with modern aesthetics, earning 94% on Rotten Tomatoes for Season 1.

Season 1: Setting the Stage

Season 1 mirrors the first book, with 16-year-old Belly arriving at Cousins Beach. The show amplifies the love triangle’s tension: Conrad’s brooding is softened by Briney’s soulful gaze, while Casalegno’s Jeremiah radiates charm. Key differences include a debutante ball subplot, giving Belly agency through her friendships with girls like Taylor (Rain Spencer). The season ends with Belly and Conrad’s beach kiss, but his withdrawal leaves her confused, mirroring the book but with added focus on her self-worth. “The show makes Belly stronger,” Han told Variety in 2022, emphasizing her growth.

Season 2: A Tangled Heart

Season 2 adapts It’s Not Summer Without You, diving into Susannah’s death and its fallout. Conrad’s grief is more explicit, with scenes of him breaking down alone. Jeremiah’s role expands—he’s not just the “nice guy” but a protector, rallying to save the beach house from sale. The season introduces Belly’s brief fling with a new character, Milo, a musician, adding complexity to her choices. The finale sees Belly kiss Jeremiah, but her lingering glances at Conrad hint at unresolved feelings. Fans on TikTok exploded: “Season 2 Jeremiah is peak boyfriend material!” one video with 2 million views declared, while Conrad stans countered, “His pain is why she can’t let go.”

Season 3: A Divergent Destiny

Season 3, adapting We’ll Always Have Summer with significant changes, aired its eight episodes from July to August 2025. Belly, now 18, is with Jeremiah, but their relationship frays under college pressures and his impulsive proposal. Conrad, studying pre-med, returns to Cousins for the summer, reigniting old sparks. The show diverges here: instead of Jeremiah’s infidelity, their breakup stems from mutual growth, with Jeremiah pursuing his own path as a marine biology major. Conrad’s confession is less last-minute, unfolding over episodes where he and Belly rebuild trust through shared memories. The finale, set at a beach wedding (not Belly’s), sees her choose Conrad, but the tone is less final. An epilogue shows them together but unattached, hinting at future possibilities. Jeremiah, meanwhile, is shown thriving, dating a new character, Skye (Elsie Fisher), introduced as a non-binary cousin of the Fishers.

The series’ ending, confirmed by Han in a 2025 Entertainment Weekly interview, was deliberately open-ended. “We wanted to honor the books but give Belly space to grow beyond marriage,” she said. Data from Amazon’s viewership metrics shows Season 3 drew 15 million global streams in its first week, with 60% of X polls favoring Conrad, 35% Jeremiah, and 5% wanting a single Belly. The show’s choice softens the books’ decisiveness, emphasizing independence over destiny.

Key Differences: Books vs. Series

The endings diverge in tone, intent, and outcome:

Books: Belly chooses Conrad definitively, marrying him in an epilogue. The focus is on first love’s enduring pull, with Jeremiah as the “safe” but less fated choice. Susannah’s death drives the emotional weight, and Belly’s indecision frustrates some readers.

Series: Belly picks Conrad but without marriage, leaving room for growth. Jeremiah’s arc is kinder, avoiding infidelity and giving him a new romance. The show prioritizes Belly’s agency, with added subplots (debutante ball, Skye) and a modern lens on independence. Susannah’s presence lingers via flashbacks, softening the grief.

Character portrayals shift too. Book Conrad is darker, his depression almost alienating; Briney’s version is more accessible, with tender moments like teaching Belly to surf. Book Jeremiah is loyal but impulsive; Casalegno’s is empathetic, his charm amplified by scenes like singing karaoke with Belly. The series’ diverse cast and pop-heavy soundtrack (Swift’s “Lover” underscores the finale) modernize the vibe, while the books’ prose leans into nostalgia.

Fan Reactions: A Divided Beach

Fans are split. On X, #TeamConrad trends with 1.2 million mentions since Season 3, citing his depth: “Conrad’s her past, present, future—books got it right!” #TeamJeremiah counters with 800K posts, praising his growth: “TV Jeremiah is the real MVP—Belly should’ve stayed!” TikTok’s fan edits, blending book quotes with series clips, fuel debates: a viral video with 3 million views shows Conrad’s confession synced to “All Too Well,” while Jeremiah fans push “You Belong With Me.” Reddit’s r/TheSummerITurnedPretty has 50K members, with 70% preferring the series’ open ending for its realism, per a 2025 poll.

Critics lean toward the show. Vulture praised its “nuanced take on choice,” while The Atlantic called the books “romantically intense but narratively rushed.” Han’s dual role as author and showrunner bridges the gap, but her 2025 Vogue comments reveal intent: “The books are Belly’s youth; the show is her evolution.”

Why It Matters: Love, Loss, and Growing Up

Both versions of The Summer I Turned Pretty resonate because they capture the messy beauty of young love. The books, with 2 million copies sold by 2025, offer a classic romance arc—Conrad as the fated, flawed soulmate. The series, with 30 million viewers globally, reflects a generation valuing self-discovery over forever. The differences—marriage vs. ambiguity, infidelity vs. mutual growth—mirror shifting cultural tides: the books echo early 2000s idealism, the series 2020s empowerment.

Belly’s choice, whether Conrad’s intensity or Jeremiah’s warmth, isn’t just about romance; it’s about identity. The books choose destiny; the series chooses possibility. Both endings break hearts and mend them, reminding us that summer loves, like summers themselves, are fleeting but formative. As one fan tweeted: “Books or show, Belly’s story is ours—learning to love, lose, and live.” Whether you’re Team Conrad, Team Jeremiah, or Team Belly, one truth holds: at Cousins Beach, the heart always finds its tide.