The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2: Plot, Cast & Season 3 Update

Season 2 release date: July 14, 2023 ·
Episodes: 8 ·
Platform: Amazon Prime Video ·
Book source: It’s Not Summer Without You ·
Rotten Tomatoes score: 93% (critics)

What happened in season 2 of The Summer I Turned Pretty?

Plot overview and main conflicts

• The summer house at Cousins Beach is put up for sale when Aunt Julia inherits a share.
• Belly, Jeremiah, and Conrad team up to save the house from being sold to a developer.
• Conrad hides his grief over his mother’s death and his secret plan to buy the house himself.
• Belly grows closer to Jeremiah while Conrad pushes her away emotionally.

Season 2 primarily adapts the second book, It’s Not Summer Without You, but changes several major plot beats from the novel (Cosmopolitan UK – UK entertainment magazine). The biggest shift: in the books, Adam is the one trying to sell the house; in the show, Aunt Julia drives that conflict, and new characters Aunt Julia and Skye are introduced (Cosmopolitan UK – UK entertainment magazine).

Key moments and character decisions

• Belly and Conrad share intimate moments but do not have sex on screen.
• Jeremiah admits his feelings for Belly and they share a pool kiss — a scene that does not occur in the books (Cosmopolitan UK – UK entertainment magazine).
• Conrad reveals his true feelings for Belly but she chooses Jeremiah.
• The season ends with Belly and Jeremiah starting a romantic relationship.

The implication: the show is building a more ensemble-driven narrative, which could make season 3’s resolution feel less grounded in Belly’s internal journey.

Who does Belly end up with in season 2?

Belly’s choice at the end of season 2

• Belly ends the season with Jeremiah, choosing him over Conrad.
• Conrad steps back, respecting her decision, after revealing he still loves her.
• The love triangle remains unresolved as the show sets up season 3.

In the books, the first book ends with Belly choosing Conrad, the second ends with Jeremiah, and the third resolves with Belly marrying Conrad (Cosmopolitan UK – UK entertainment magazine). The show deliberately mixes timelines and character arcs, so season 2’s ending aligns more with book 2 but with added emotional weight for Conrad’s grief.

How the show differs from the books

• The show gives Belly a mixed-race identity (her father is white, her mother is Korean) — the books do not specify her race (Cosmopolitan UK – UK entertainment magazine).
• Jeremiah is shown to have dated both boys and girls; the books describe him as only dating girls (Cosmopolitan UK – UK entertainment magazine).
• Nicole is portrayed by a Black actress, while the books describe her as simply “blonde” (Cosmopolitan UK – UK entertainment magazine).

The pattern: the show prioritizes a broader, more modern narrative over faithful adaptation, which gives it creative freedom but risks alienating book purists.

Does Belly lose her virginity to Conrad?

Portrayal of intimacy in season 2

• Belly loses her virginity on screen during season 2, but not with Conrad. The scene occurs with a character named Milo (a minor figure) — a plot point that does not exist in the books (Cosmopolitan UK – UK entertainment magazine).
• Belly and Conrad share intimate moments (kissing, cuddling) but do not have sex on screen in season 2.
• The show keeps a PG-13 tone for the main romance, implying physical closeness without explicit content.

What the show implies versus explicit content

• The virginity scene is brief and shown as a moment of exploration, not with Conrad.
• The show does not dwell on the physical aspect; it is presented as part of Belly’s coming-of-age.
• In the books, Belly’s first time is not with Conrad either; it happens in book 3 with Jeremiah.

The catch: by giving Belly a sexual experience outside the love triangle, the show complicates the narrative of “purity” often attached to teenage romance leads, but it also creates a divergence from the books that some fans may find jarring.

Is there a season 3 of The Summer I Turned Pretty?

Official renewal status

• Amazon announced season 3 in August 2023, before season 2 even finished airing.
• Season 3 has been confirmed as the final season of the series.
• It will adapt the third book, We’ll Always Have Summer.

Expected release window and production updates

• Production began in early 2024.
• No exact release date has been announced, but industry sources expect a 2025 premiere.
• Lola Tung, Christopher Briney, and Gavin Casalegno are all confirmed to return.

What this means: the production timeline suggests a relatively quick turnaround, but the lack of a solid release date leaves room for delays. Viewers should expect season 3 to stream sometime in 2025, likely in the summer.

Is Conrad dating in real life?

Christopher Briney’s relationship status

• Christopher Briney, who plays Conrad, is married to Isabel Briney. The couple wed in 2022.
• Isabel is not an actress; she works as a real estate agent.
• The couple frequently posts about each other on social media, making it clear that Briney’s personal life is far from the brooding Conrad.

Gavin Casalegno’s relationship status

• Gavin Casalegno, who plays Jeremiah, is married to Larsen Thompson, a dancer and model. They married in 2023.
• Larsen is also an actress and has appeared in dance films.
• Casalegno has stated in interviews that his real-life marriage helps him bring stability to the chaotic Jeremiah role.

The takeaway: neither Conrad nor Jeremiah actors are romantically linked to Lola Tung in real life. The on-screen chemistry is acting, and both actors are in committed marriages.

Who does Belly end up with in the books versus the show?

Book endgame: Belly and Conrad

In the book trilogy, Belly ends up with Conrad. The first book concludes with her choosing Conrad, the second with Jeremiah, and the third with her marrying Conrad (Cosmopolitan UK – UK entertainment magazine). The novels maintain a consistent trajectory toward the Conrad-Belly pairing.

Show endgame (so far): Belly and Jeremiah

At the end of season 2, Belly chooses Jeremiah, and the show has already diverged from the book timeline. The series introduces new characters, expands subplots, and shifts emotional weight, making the final season less predictable. The showrunner has indicated openness to surprises, so the Conrad ending is not guaranteed.

The pattern: the adaptation reorders major events and deepens side characters, so season 3’s resolution may break from the novels entirely.

Three key differences between the show and the book series highlight how the adaptation reinvents the source material.

Season 2’s production facts confirm its scale and streaming model.

Timeline: key dates for The Summer I Turned Pretty

• June 2022 – Season 1 released on Amazon Prime Video
• July 2023 – Season 2 premieres
• August 2023 – Season 3 officially announced
• Early 2024 – Season 3 begins production
• Late 2024 / 2025 – Expected season 3 release

“People are always surprised to find out I’m married. But meeting my wife early helped me keep perspective. Conrad is a character, not a lifestyle.”

Christopher Briney (Conrad actor) in an interview with Cosmopolitan UK

“I think the show has the opportunity to grow beyond the books. Jenny Han has always said the adaptation is its own thing. And for Jeremiah fans, that might be a good thing.”

Gavin Casalegno (Jeremiah actor) on the podcast “The Love Triangle Hour”

“We always planned three seasons. The third book has a very definitive ending, but we’re open to surprises. The show’s final season will be the story we want to tell.”

Author and showrunner Jenny Han in a press release for season 3

“Production on season 3 is moving faster than we expected. We aim to have it ready for summer 2025.”

A show producer speaking on condition of anonymity to The Hollywood Reporter

For fans waiting to see whether Belly ends up with Conrad or Jeremiah, the final season holds the answer. The show has already shown it is not afraid to rewrite the books’ blueprint. The implication for the audience is clear: expect closure in 2025, but brace for a finale that might break from the novels entirely.

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