The Summer I Turned Pretty
The Summer I Turned Premiere Season 2 Review – Return to Cousins Beach
The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 returned to Amazon’s Prime Video airing three episodes at once ahead of its adjustment to a weekly release.
But the return to Cousins Beach was a little rocky and far less magical than all those times Belly visited when she was a child.
Things were much different this season than the first when we were just getting to know this found family and experiencing a summery escape from reality in the idyllic beach town through their eyes.
Season 2 brings forth a much more somber mood as most of the storyline is propelled by Susannah’s untimely death. While we all hoped that the clinical trial that she enrolled in would be successful, her cancer took an unfortunate turn and stole her from those who loved her most. And they’ve been left trying to pick up the pieces and make sense of life ever since, all while managing their grief and happiness—which Taylor, at one point, assures Steven can co-exist, according to her therapist.
Anyone who has ever experienced even an ounce of sadness after losing someone knows those happy moments tend to be all too fleeting, and the grief all too consuming, which rings especially true for Conrad.
Conrad continues to be Conrad—the guy that pushes people away and hurts them when he’s hurt or feeling vulnerable. It’s his toxic trait and one that once again ruins a good thing with Belly.
The timelines this season go back and forth, with the present-day serving as a stark reminder of the better days when Belly and Conrad were all consumed by their love for each other. Of course, they didn’t want to hurt Jeremiah, so they broke up at the end of summer only to find their way back to each other, eventually becoming inseparable. They were both madly and deeply in love, so it bodes the question—what happened that they are no longer in each other’s lives in the present?
There are multiple references to something terrible taking place at Susannah’s funeral, and we finally get to see the moment unfold in the third episode of the season. By that point, Belly and Conrad have broken up as he’s spiraled into a bit of a depression after dealing with the reality that his mom isn’t getting better. No one can blame him—again, the grief trumps the happiness—and though Belly tries to support him as best as she can and give him space, it’s not enough. Conrad is his own worst enemy, that much we’ve come to know in Season 1, and it continues to hold true in the first three episodes.
He ruins prom for Belly, leaving her mid-dance to go home to “study.” When she confronts him, he explains that he’s just going to keep disappointing her, and the fact that he chose this moment to deliver the blow is the true disappointment. Belly honestly deserves so much better than this kind of treatment over and over again, even if Conrad is dealing with much. She’s given him space and a shoulder to cry on/lean on, but in his fear and anger, he hasn’t given her much of a choice.
In your teens, when you fall, you fall hard, and you keep giving your first love the benefit of the doubt, but eventually, you have to stop accepting that kind of treatment for your own sanity, a lesson Belly learns the hard way.
At the funeral, Belly attempts to comfort him by being there for him and bringing him a snack, but she finds him curled up on another girl’s lap, which leads to a very public outburst that, quite frankly, is warranted. Is it also extremely dramatic? Yes, but Belly’s emotions have been toyed around by this man that she’d do anything for, so I can’t fault her when she finally has the decency to call him out on his bullshit. Of course, no one blames Conrad for anything that transpired at the funeral, but they all look at Belly like some kind of disrespectful troublemaker.
Yes, Conrad’s mom died, but the truth is that Belly’s been harboring a lot of the pain as well. She’s been trying to be strong, but Susannah was like her second mom, so she feels the weight of her death just as much as anyone. And the effects are felt in her suffering schoolwork, which threatens the possibility of her getting into college. Not only do her grades start taking a nosedive but she’s also ousted from the volleyball team.
Here’s where the blame game comes in as everyone tries to make sense of their new reality that’s so far from the fuzzy escape in Cousins. Belly blames her mother for not being present for her when she needed her most, and, in turn, Jeremiah blames Belly for that exact same thing. And the truth is, Susannah was the glue, and without her, everything kind of just fell apart.
A summer in Cousins wasn’t even on the agenda for any of them, but when Belly reaches out to Jeremiah, he informs her that Conrad went missing, and a short while later, they find him at the beach house where he delivers the final blow—Susannah’s half-sister owns the house and she’s going to sell it.
This very event is the catalyst that brings them all back together and gives them a shared purpose while seemingly reigniting the magic that they felt for all those years growing up. It might not be the same as it once was, and it never will be, but it’s up to them now to create that magic and make sure that their bond flourishes no matter the obstacles.
Operation Save the Beach House isn’t exactly promising as they don’t have a real plan in motion. Conrad tries to take it all on himself, the same way he did last season with the knowledge of his mother’s cancer last summer, and he clearly hasn’t learned that the only way through is together. His plan to tap into his trust is foiled when the bank tells him he needs his dad’s signature, and his dad, rightfully so, tells him that he won’t let him spend all his money on a beach house. While I don’t support his dad’s passive approach to the situation, he is right about ensuring that the money stays put.
Jeremiah’s friendly chat with his Aunt Julia doesn’t do the trick either—though Jeremiah was convinced this was yet another situation where his good looks and charm could come in handy. And while Julia seems like a tough one to crack, she simply hasn’t seen the potential in Cousins in the same way that her half-sister did for all those years. It seems as though she has some bad memories of her time here, which are clouding her judgment, and the way to change her mind is to show her what they all see in this place. Maybe she’ll come around. And if not, I think her child will play an integral role in making that happen.
If she was really being smart about it and wanted to turn a profit, she’d rent it out during the summer season–though it seems like she’s in dire need of cash and wouldn’t have time for the upkeep.
Maybe Laurel’s mom will make enough money from her book about the profound loss of losing her best friend, which will help them save a place they hold so dear to their heart.
Other Major Moments
- Belly and Jeremiah end their feud, finally, and all is right in the world. There’s nothing romantic about their relationship, but they are really great friends who need each other.
- Conrad and Belly visit the Beach House in the winter and seemingly go all the way, and while she trusts him wholeheartedly at the moment, their fracture relationship in the near future might make her regret it
- Steven graduates and prepares for Princeton, though it’s very clear that he has puppy-dog eyes for Taylor, who is now dating some musician rocker named Milo. These two are definitely going to explore a romance this season, and I cannot wait.
- Steven also witnesses Conrad’s panic attack, and I’m hoping it will finally break through a wall and allow him to feel honest and vulnerable with his friends instead of always putting up a front like nothing is wrong.
What did you think about the first three episodes of TSITP Season 3? Are you still rooting for Belly and Conrad to be together after everything he’s put her through? Does he just need a little TLC? Or should Belly move on?
It’s been a month since The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 wrapped up, and naturally, I’ve been replaying all of the best moments (read: the ones that give you butterflies) between Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah, to fill the void.
TSITP hinges on a love triangle between the two brothers and their longtime family-friendly, and when romance is the main focus of a young adult drama, well, you can anticipate that the series will have its fair share of hot and steamy makeout moments, along with plenty of heartbreak… more on that here.
With two seasons currently available to binge-watch on Prime Video—and we patiently await the third season—we’re breaking down all the steamiest moments on the show thus far.
Conrad and Belly Visit the Cousins House in the Winter
The moment when Conrad and Belly let their love totally consume them takes the top spot simply because of how intimately romantic and pure it is. Conrad showed so much care for Belly, making sure that she felt safe and ready. Nothing mattered except for the love and passion they felt for each other in that very moment; the world could melt away as they spent the evening together, cuddled up warmly by the fire. It’s one of the most pivotal Conrad and Belly scenes because it’s followed by so much anger and heartbreak as their relationship takes a nosedive and ends with an explosive argument at Conrad’s mother’s funeral.
Belly and Jeremiah Decide to Be Together
Okay, this kiss, was undeniably hot because it came from such a place of happiness and fullfillment. Belly knew what she wanted, and she went after it. They’d been skirting around their feelings for much of season 2, but there was nothing standing in their way anymore, so they both finally embraced their lust and completely gave themselves over to it. The little tug on his sweater indicated how crazy Belly was about him and how badly she wanted him, making everyone’s heart skip a beat while watching at home. The scene was delivered and executed perfectly by the duo (they understood the assignment)—but the Beyonce soundtrack simply elevated it into one of the most monumental romantic moments on television. It was a dream kiss, so even if you’re not Team Jeremiah, you couldn’t help but be completely enamored by this scene.
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Belly and Conrad’s First Kiss on the Beach
There are so many romantic parts to this scene—the apology, Conrad’s honesty about needing and wanting Belly, and Taylor Swift’s “This Love (Taylor’s Version),” all culminating in the moment she’s dreamt of forever—the first kiss during a sunrise on the beach. After putting Belly through such an emotional rollercoaster through the whole season, Conrad made up for it with an absolutely perfect moment.
Belly and Jeremiah’s Makeout
With Conrad, it’s romantic and sensual, but with Jeremiah, it’s passionate, hot and charged. It’s almost as if Belly and Jeremiah cannot wait to get their hands on each other—and in this case, Jeremiah was waiting. He was waiting for his time with Belly to come, and when it did, he bared his soul to her about his feelings before they embraced in a hot and heavy pool makeout session that’s on every girl’s summer bucket list.
Belly and Jeremiah’s First Kiss in the Car
After Belly’s skinny dipping incident, Jeremiah and Conrad come to the rescue, but she makes it a point to go back home with Jere so she can apologize for ditching him during the volleyball tournament and to thank him for picking her up. In place of their usual playful vibe, there’s an intense chemistry that builds up to their first kiss. Sparks fly in a moment that feels both safe and right, because it’s Jeremiah, but also extremely hot and dangerous, because it’s Jeremiah. Jere checks in on her, proving that he values her and cares for her, while Belly boldly makes the first move, placing his hand on her chest, as her heart pounds in a way that indicates a strong and indescribable connection & attraction—it’s a sign that their romance-to-be was inevitable in season 2.
Belly and Jeremiah on Conrad’s Car
Listen, this scene did a lot of damage to both fandoms, in good and bad ways. They couldn’t hold off on those feelings anymore, simply embracing each other in the heat of the moment, but man, it was poor timing. Conrad walked in on them locking lips on his car, at his college, while he was taking a test. It wasn’t ideal, but it had to happen so that Belly and Conrad could put their relationship behind them (for now) and Jeremiah could finally, officially get his moment. Also, it continues on the “hot and heavy” trend for these two, and despite being Team Conrad, I can’t argue that I see the appeal of Jelly because of their raw and real chemistry and longing for one another.
Steven and Taylor Car Hood Makeout
When you’re young and in love, you make out on and in cars a lot, as evidenced by TSITP. Shortly after Belly and Conrad’s controversial car makeout, Steven and Taylor declared their love for each other in a cute lip-locking moment that came on the heels of a very vulnerable one; Taylor pushing Steven away because, for the first time in her life, she actually cared as much as the person she was in a relationship with. Not only are they both forcing each other out of their comfort zones, but their relationship built up to this moment organically, and it’s so adorable that we can’t help but ship them.
The screen adaptation of The Summer I Turned Pretty—based on a novel of the same name by Jenny Han—was a breakout hit for Amazon Prime Video back in 2022, and after the second season concluded in August 2023, fans have been eagerly awaiting a third season of the coming-of-age drama.
The good news is that the third installment has already been renewed, but it’s unclear when it might land on the streaming service. As of right now, production has been halted due to the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Previously, season 2 started production in July 2022 and wrapped filming in November, with the show arriving in the summer of 2023, so depending on the strikes, an optimistic timeline would be late summer 2024, but again, that’s at best.
As for what we can expect, thus far, the franchise has stayed pretty close to the books, meaning that the upcoming third season will be based on We’ll Always Have Summer.
With the success of the series, Prime Video and Han may decide to add additional seasons, but it’s highly possible that a third season could be the final one, forcing fans to say goodbye to Cousins Beach.
Han shared the exciting news of S3 on Instagram earlier this year, revealing that it would include a total of 10 episodes—two episodes more than the first and second seasons.
“We’ll Always Have Summer 🤍 So excited to finally share that we’re coming back to Cousins for Season 3, and this time we’ll have 10 whole episodes. It’s been hard not being able to work on the show because of the ongoing strikes, but we can’t wait to get going on Season 3 as soon as we’re able,” she wrote in the caption.
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The second season dug deeper into the friendship—and love triangle—between Belly (Lola Tung), Conrad (Christopher Briney), and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) that was introduced in the first season, though don’t you worry, Belly’s brother, Steven (Sean Kaufman), and her best friend, Taylor (Rain Spencer), were along for the ride, finding their own love story.
Susannah’s cancer was a major subplot that was woven into the main plot within the first season, with her death having a huge impact on season 2.
You can watch the season 2 trailer below and read all of CraveYouTV’s reviews right here!
Tensions were at an all-time high between Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah on The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 Episode 8, especially as a storm blew into town and forced them to spend a night in a one-bed motel right after Conrad witnessed Belly and Jeremiah making out.
The situation wasn’t ideal for anyone, with Belly finding herself smack-dab in the middle of both brothers and slightly conflicted about her feelings. She had two great guys with differing qualities willing to do anything for her. And it was clear that they both cared a great deal about her—but one always felt like the right choice for the moment, while the other always felt like the right choice down the line.
I can’t explain it, but it goes back to what Laurel said to Belly on the phone when her daughter asked for love advice: love has different seasons depending on where you’re at in life. She wanted Belly to have “lots of lovers” before she settles down, and while that’s slightly disturbing to hear from your mom, Laurel’s also right. Belly has been in a conflicted state of being for so long, always trying to choose the right Fisher boy when the world has so many fish in the sea.
But if it must boil down to Conrad and Jeremiah, there is a Mr. Right and a Mr. Right Now.
I do think that Conrad is her person; her soulmate, as Steven pointed out. He’s the one that challenges Belly and the one that she has a deep bond and connection with that scratches way below the surface. But he’s also so complicated that it’s just not something Belly needs right now after one of the toughest years of her life. She doesn’t want someone who is going to put up walls, hold back, or make her doubt herself. And one of Conrad’s biggest faults is that he has a tendency to keep making decisions for the people around him rather than letting them decide for themselves. Case and point—he told Belly he still wanted her and then didn’t let her talk through any of her feelings, simply pulling away because the alternative proved to be too painful.
And those reasons are exactly why Jeremiah is the right choice for her right now. He’s simple, easygoing and fun to be around. He wants Belly to be happy—and will do anything to make it happen and protect her from getting hurt. He’s giving her 100%, and in a relationship, especially that early on in your life, that’s what you want. You want to feel like the center of their world. Belly and Jeremiah have an undeniable connection and love for each other, but it’s not a love that’s going to withstand the test of time like Belly and Conrad’s. It’s merely a crush that they are finally giving the light of day, and when you’re in the honeymoon stage, naturally, it feels invincible and like pure bliss up until it fizzles out.
I’m not discounting Conrad despite Belly’s decision to pursue something with Jeremiah. While Con might prove to be more difficult and frustrating, he’s also crazy about Belly in a way that doesn’t even compare to what Jeremiah feels for her, and his love for her was evidenced in the small gestures that typically go unnoticed—like knowing she prefers Sour Patch Kids to Swedish Fish or that she gets car sick when she reads in a moving vehicle. And Jere is supposed to be the one that knows Belly better than anyone! Plus, when he chose to walk away and allow Belly and Jeremiah to be together rather than standing in the way of their happiness the way Jere did the first time when she and Conrad got together, he did it for her, but he never gave up on the belief that she’d come back to him one day, a fact made clear when he unpacks her room—and the bear— at the Cousins beach house room.
Belly interpreted Conrad’s change of heart the day after he professed his love for her as the “typical” thing he does—gives and then takes away—but there was actually so much more to his behavior that she simply didn’t want to acknowledge. It was easier to let herself believe that Conrad was just being Conrad than to understand why he was acting the way he was because it allowed her to place him in the rearview. Conrad pulled back after telling Belly that he still wanted her because he realized that he’d lost her; he understood how much he hurt her before, and he knew that by standing in the way of her romance with Jere, he’d just be inflicting more pain. Much like Jere, all he wanted was for Belly to be happy, and it was clear that it wasn’t going to be with him. It was one of those “if you love something set it free” moments with the hope that they’d find their way back to each other in the end.
As for Jeremiah, he also displayed plenty of growth when he suggested that Belly and Conrad needed to have an honest heart-to-heart before he could pursue a relationship with her. Jeremiah knows his brother all too well, so when Conrad came into the car acting like an arrogant asshole and making snide comments, he knew that it was coming from a place of hurt because he still loved Belly. He knew that they needed to have an honest conversation about their feelings—which they didn’t because communication isn’t their strong suit—before any decisions could be made. Too much was at stake and too many feelings were involved.
Despite wanting to be with Belly with every fiber of his being, Jere also promised to back down if she chose Conrad, thus keeping his relationship with his brother intact.
And honestly, both Belly and Jeremiah deserved Conrad’s wrath—everything he said was on the money, even if it skewed mean.
It may have gotten messy at times, but you have to hand it to all of them for handling the situation in such a mature way in the end because it’s absolutely not an easy thing to watch the love of your life slip away with your brother. They put their friendship and brotherhood above all, and even as Conrad walked away heartbroken, he asked if they’d all reconnect on the Fourth because they all knew that one of the things that Susannah always wanted was for them to stay in each other’s lives, no matter what.
But man, the pain on Conrad’s face—that cut deep. That boy gave it his all, delivering a performance so realistic that I felt my heart start to ache right alongside him. If he’s broken, I’m broken. He wears pain well though, so his sulking only made him that much hotter. Christopher Briney, you may not have snagged the girl, but you have my heart, and all the flowers for bringing Conrad’s complexities to life in such a nuanced way. It was even more painful to see how happy he was after passing his final and gearing up to tell Belly how he felt, only to see his entire demeanor change and his future catch fire right before his eyes—a perfect day turned into one of the worst in mere seconds.
As for Belly and Jeremiah, they’re cute, flirty, and happy, and it’s a good space for her to be in as she feels rejuvenized and inspired. She even convinced Coach Shaw to let her back on the team at volleyball camp, so it definitely seems like Belly is making the right moves to ensure her own happiness first and foremost right now. It’s also proof that she is open to a future that’s slightly different than she imagined as a young girl when all she saw was Conrad. Though, if I’m being quite frank, she needs to look past the Fisher boys to get some true perspective on dating and relationships before settling down.
Anytime there’s a scene with Susannah, it guts me, but it was also sweet to see one of her final moments with Belly and to truly realize how much she meant to her—it’s exactly why Belly means so much to the boys. It almost feels like by being with Belly, they can stay connected to their mom.
My co-worker also brought up a point that was truly gutting. With Conrad back and working on the beach house, it feels like he’s stuck in the past, while Jeremiah and Belly are moving forward into the future. It definitely speaks to all of their grieving process, however, and I hope by working through his issues alone, Conrad comes out stronger.
Then there’s Taylor and Steven who are too cute for words. They struggled to bring their relationship into the real world briefly because Cousins Beach truly is such a bubble world where you just get caught up in the moment until reality sets in and things look and feel slightly different. Thankfully, Taylor owned up to pushing Steven away because she was scared that he’d break her heart when he went off to college because she cared about him so much and no longer had the upper hand in the relationship (and her fears are fair), while Steven simply wanted to continue being the kind of guy that made Taylor happy.
When it comes to relationships, Taylor and Steven may have the least toxic one of them all. Also, it was fun to see them bicker about their favorite ships as it mimicked exactly what the audience felt when professing their love for either Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah.
There was some great dialogue throughout the episode that kept tensions running at an all-time high, along with plenty of good moments to appease both ships, though, at the end of the day, all you can really ask is that Belly follows her heart (and sticks with her decision) and it led her to Jeremiah this time… and for now.
What did you think of the episode/season? Share your thoughts.
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