The second season of The Summer I Turned Pretty arrived on Amazon Prime Video on July 14 after making fans wait an entire year for the premiere. If anyone has yet to watch it, they should be prepared for a season packed with even more drama, romance and self-discovery than the first.
The Summer I Turned Pretty focuses on teenager, Belly Conklin, and the summers she spends at a beach house in Cousins Beach with the Fisher family. Susannah Fisher, Belly’s mom’s best friend, has two sons Conrad and Jeremiah, both of whom are Belly’s love interests in the show. Conrad is the one she has been in love with all her life whereas her feelings for Jeremiah just appeared one summer. Fans have spent the first two seasons choosing teams and wondering who Belly will end up with.
This series is based on a book series by New York Times bestselling author Jenny Han, who is also known for another popular series, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. In middle school, I was an avid fan of her YA trilogies and was excited about The Summer I Turned Pretty getting turned into a series. The show does a pretty good job of following the books, but I began to notice some bigger differences in season two.
One of the most noticeable differences is the romantic connection between Belly’s best friend Taylor and Belly’s brother Steven. In the books, they only share one kiss in the first book and their relationship begins to fizzle out thereafter. However, in season two, they might just be the most ‘shipped’ couple on the show. I’m a big fan of this pairing and found myself hoping they would be together before the end of the season.
Another big difference between the second book in the trilogy and the second season of the show is the introduction of new characters. This season, two new characters joined the cast at Cousins Beach, Aunt Julia and Skye. Julia is Susannah’s half-sister and Skye is Conrad and Jeremiah’s cousin. They come to Cousins after Susannah’s funeral to sell the beach house, which is a main source of drama for season two. Although these characters weren’t necessary for the books, I think that they brought a new aspect to the show and highlighted important issues. By the end of the season, I ended up being a big fan of their characters.
There are plenty of other small differences I noticed while watching the most recent season of the show, but I didn’t feel any of them took away from my overall enjoyment while watching. Although it is strange to see things change from the books, some of the details from the books can’t be translated well into a TV show. I think the additions and takeaways helped keep the TV show interesting and made it more entertaining for viewers. These differences were done so well because the author of the series, Jenny Han, worked directly on the show.
I recommend all teen romance and drama fans to watch the newest season of The Summer I Turned Pretty. With its picturesque summer setting, relatable characters and engaging plot, this season is a must-watch. Grab some popcorn and get ready to fall in love with Cousins Beach.
