The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy, written by international best selling
author Jenny Han and published by Simon and Schuster, includes The Summer I
Turned Pretty, It's Not Summer Without You, and We'll Always Have Summer.
The trilogy follows a teenage girl named Isabel "Belly" Conklin and the summers
she spends at a residence known as Cousin's Beach, with her mother and
older brother, Steven, along with her mother's lifelong best friend, Susannah,
and her sons, Conrad and Jeremiah. Belly has always been in love with Conrad but
he hides his feelings for her, and Belly ends up with his younger brother
claiming to have forgotten about Conrad. Later in the series Belly and Jeremiah
are about to get married and then Conrad confesses his feelings for her the day
before the big day! Now Belly has to choose between the brother she truly
loves, but she is afraid of breaking the other one's heart. The book series has
been a national bestseller, with We'll Always Have Summer, the final
installment of the series, having been on the bestseller list for over a month.
It has been revealed by author Jenny Han that a script is in the works by "a very
talented screenwriter". Sometime after this, it was officially confirmed that
Lions Gate Entertainment have secured the rights of the novels and plan to
turn the trilogy into a television series.
Books in the series 1 The Summer I Turned Pretty
2 It's Not Summer Without You 3 We'll Always Have Summer
Themes 1. Coming of Age - The Summer I Turned
Pretty trilogy shows the transition from childhood into young adulthood into
adulthood from the first novel beginning with Belly as a child to the third novel
with Belly going to college and entering adulthood. In the first book of the
trilogy Belly is more cognizant of what her elders, especially Susannah, want
from her. However, as the books progress, she deals with bigger and more
life-altering situations such as breaking up with Conrad, Susannah's
death due to cancer, Jeremiah's betrayal, and ultimately marrying
Jeremiah. The novels illustrate the progression from child to adult through
the experiences that both Belly and the Fisher boys encounter as they grow into
men and women. 2. Independence - Independence is more
greatly emphasized throughout the trilogy as Belly gets older and learns
to make decisions on her own, disregarding the opinions of authority
figures in her life. For instance, in It's Not Summer Without You Belly
explicitly disregards her mother's, Laurel's, wishes and sneaks out of the
house in order to go to Cousin's to try and convince Conrad to go back to
school. Conrad goes to college in this book and so he experiences a new sense
of independence which he has not yet experienced. The impact on those around
him, Belly and Jeremiah, is more heavily focused upon rather than Conrad’s inner
thoughts; although, readers do see the effects that his independent decision
making has on him through the lens of Jeremiah and Belly. He squanders his
independence and ends up needing the help of Belly’s mom, Laurel, in order to
save the family’s home at Cousin’s Beach. It is a good example of the way
in which young adult literature displays that even though it seems as though
someone is acting independently and alone, that person will not succeed
without the help of those around them. Characters
Isabel "Belly" Conklin - The main character, narrator, and protagonist in
the series. She is the daughter of Laurel and the younger sister of Steven.
She is known to have had a crush on Conrad since she was little, but her
relationship with him falls apart at the end of It's Not Summer Without You after
the two get together for a short time. She then starts a relationship with his
brother, Jeremiah, after he kisses her; making his feelings known to her. In
We'll Always Have Summer, which sees the two years the couple have been together,
she discovers at a frat party that he cheated on her with a girl in his sister
sorority, which not only results in her physically slapping him across the face,
but leads her to spend days in bed crying. To prove his regret, he proposes
to her, which she hesitantly accepts; however, a result of ongoing fights with
her mother, she stays at Cousin's Beach. Because of this arrangement, her old
feelings for Conrad, who is staying there as well, begin to slowly yet just
as strongly resurface. Toward the climax of the novel, Conrad, after discovering
his brother's infidelity, confesses his love for her in what is known to be the
most dramatic and heart wrenching scene in the series. Although Belly blows up
at his confession, saying he was too late and that "they were never anything"
her feelings for both brothers are called into question. She and Jeremiah,
in the end, call off the wedding and break up for good when realizing that
while they had good intentions, they just simply were not meant to be
together. It is told in the epilogue that Belly did not hear from Conrad for
two years before receiving her first handwritten letter from him, which then
come "each and every month" throughout the rest of her college years-
eventually, she begins to stay in contact with him. He then shows up at
her college graduation, resulting in their reunion and getting back together
as a couple. Conrad proposes a few years later, and the series ends with their
marriage. Conrad Fisher - The eldest son of
Susannah and Mr. Fisher and older brother of Jeremiah. He is known to push
away his loved ones aside and to keeping all his emotions and feelings inside and
rarely, if not ever, expresses them. In the first book, his character is
something of a jerk to everyone, having spent the summer at the beach getting
drunk or locked in his room. It is suspected, though, however, that he has
developed feelings for Belly, being shown several times as either overly
protective or jealous of guys flirting with her. At the end of the novel he and
Belly get together. However, the relationship is short lived when Conrad
once again slips back into his jerk ways. At the beginning of the second
novel, he runs away from college to protect the beach house once he finds
out his father intends to sell it. In the end, Laurel shows up and makes a
deal with Mr. Fisher that Conrad and Jeremiah can personally keep the house
if Conrad returns to college and passes all his exams. The adults leave and
Belly and Jeremiah help prep Conrad for his exams the following night and
morning. Things seem to go well, but take an abrupt turn for the worse when
Conrad walks in on Belly and Jeremiah kissing after Jere finally makes his
move on her. In the end, he tells his brother he can have his chance with her,
insisting he is over her. In We'll Always Have Summer, which takes
place two years later, it is revealed that Conrad lied when saying he was over
Belly and has always been in love with her and even more scared by the depth of
his feelings for her. He hates seeing his brother be with Belly and can't
stand the idea of him having a future with "his girl" and finds it harder and
harder to "pretend." He spends time throughout the novel fighting his
feelings for Belly and pretending he does not care for her. However, once he
discovers at Jeremiah's bachelor party how he cheated on Belly, he is so
furious that he sees red and leaves. When Belly comes across him later on,
Conrad tells him that Jeremiah cheated on her only to find out that she already
knew. Following this, he confesses his long-hidden love for her, begs her not
to marry his brother and to be with him and breaks down into tears. But Belly
turns him down, claiming he is just too late, breaking his heart. The next day,
Conrad apologizes to Belly because he was "too drunk", but Belly knows it
isn't true and is furious. After Jere goes missing on his wedding day after
discovering that Conrad revealed his feelings for Belly, Conrad finds him at
their mother's garden. They fight and Jeremiah soon disowns him as his
brother, saying that he was "dead" to him. Conrad bids his goodbye to Belly,
saying it was best for them to have some time apart, and gives her back his
infinity necklace saying it "always" belonged to her and "always will",
implying he will always love her. It is told in the epilogue that Conrad did not
contact Belly for two years before sending her his first hand-written
letter, which then come "each and every month" through the rest of her college
years. He then shows up at her college graduation, and they get back together.
This all leads up to his marriage proposal two years into their
relationship. The series ends with Belly marrying Conrad, and the couple starting
a new life together. Jeremiah Fisher - At the outset of the
series he is the "golden" boy, the one that appears to be untainted in the eyes
of everyone; the stabilizing and supportive force in the family where
Conrad is known to be the turmoil. He is a good friend to Belly and a loving
brother to Conrad and even steps aside as Conrad pursues Belly, even when he
came to realize his own feelings for her himself. He reluctantly allows Conrad to
have a fair chance with Belly; however, by It's Not Summer Without You, he grows
tired of burying his feelings for Belly and abruptly kisses her while sitting in
a car with her, who kisses him back, only to be walked in on by Conrad.
Despite being near furious of what he caught the two doing, he gives Jeremiah
permission to have his earned chance with her. In We'll Always Have Summer,
his character has gone through an ugly transformation from Golden Boy to Frat
Boy, even cheating on Belly with the "sister sorority slut". He then proposes
to Belly to prove his remorse, but is shown to have dramatically changed for
the worse. As well, he remains jealous of Conrad and Belly's friendship and
even rubs his engagement to Belly in Conrad's face. However, when he
discovers that Conrad confessed his feelings for her, he takes off the night
before the wedding and fails to show up, worrying everyone. He is found and
confronted by Conrad at Susannah's garden. A verbal confrontation about who
loved and deserved Belly more descends into a fight, followed by Jeremiah
demanding Conrad to finally admit he loves her. After reading a letter for
"him" from their mom, but discovering it was meant for Conrad, he disowns him as
his brother. However, in the epilogue of the novel, he is seen at Conrad and
Belly's wedding with a new girl, leaving the status of the two brothers'
relationship unknown. Susannah "Beck" Fisher - The rock that
everyone seems to cling to. Even in death, her calming force is referenced
and used by all as they navigate the different situations in their lives. She
dies of cancer between books one and two, but is heavily remembered by her
family and friends throughout the course of the remaining series. It is
discovered she left letters to "the summer kids" in the final book She is
shown to be very friendly, loving and compassionate. Her death hits everyone
hard and life without her seems near impossible; it takes everyone almost a
year to pull themselves together and form a life without her existence.
Mr. Fisher - A man who is known to have his way no matter what it costs or who
it hurts. He is Susannah's husband and father of Conrad and Jeremiah. After she
dies, he turns to whiskey. He drives Conrad away after Conrad saw how badly
he began treating Susannah, such as cheating on her and running away when
she got cancer. He tries to sell the summer house in It's Not Summer Without
You after she dies and is barely stopped in time by Laurel and Conrad. In the
final book, he tries to mend his relationships with his sons and pays for
Jeremiah and Belly's wedding, despite not agreeing with them getting married
at such a young age. Taylor Jewel - Belly's best friend
despite being her polar opposite. Unlike Belly, she is boy crazy and shallow,
though by We'll Always Have Summer, she grows up and has something wise to say
for once. In the first book of the series as seen in flashbacks, she is
considered something of a slut as she goes for all three guys almost at once
despite telling Belly that girls "can't do that." She is seen desperately trying
to pair Belly with guys and trying to get her to "show some cleave" despite
her friend's endless protests. She and Belly have a falling out towards the
climax of It's Not Summer Without You when she accuses Belly of being "a
crappy friend" when Belly does not want her to come to a party at the beach
house, claiming that she "keeps her summer house and her summer boys all to
herself and not sharing anything with [her]," which sparks an argument between
the two girls. By We'll Always Have Summer, though, they make peace, and
Taylor can been seen throughout the course of the book supporting and
helping Belly with her wedding. She confronts Conrad after suspecting he
said something to Belly after noticing a change in her behavior, and warns him to
leave her alone, stating he only hurt her endlessly in the past. Although she
admits Belly told her a part of her will always love him and she knows he loves
Belly too-"only he can stop her from marrying Jeremiah"- she asks him to be
"damn sure he still wants her [Belly]" and to "be the good guy Belly says he
is" by "let[ting] her go." Laurel Dunne - Belly and Steven's mother
as well as Susannah's best friend. She is rigid and desperate to have the
relationship with Belly that her daughter had with her best friend
Susannah. She seems to always make the wrong choices as far as Belly is
concerned but her desire to be close to her daughter is prevalent and admirable.
The two women come head to head in We'll Always Have Summer when Belly and
Jeremiah announce their engagement. Laurel is furious, saying the couple are
far too young for such a commitment, even going as far as refusing to show up
for the wedding which leaves Belly devastated. After seeing her upset one
night at cousins, Conrad talks to her and manages to convince her to make
amends with Belly. It is shown in the final book that the relationship between
Conrad and Laurel is very close and even resembles the relationship between
Conrad and Susannah. In the epilogue of We'll Always Have Summer it is implied
that she helps Belly pick out her wedding dress for her and Conrad's
wedding and helped plan it. Steven Conklin - Belly’s brother Steven
is a good friend and supportive brother. Though we see little of him, overall,
his truthfulness is a springboard for Belly to make difficult but wise
decisions. He appears throughout Belly's flashbacks making fun of her and teasing
her endlessly, but despite such teasing, is shown to have a protective side of
her. He even says to Belly herself in We'll Always Have Summer that while
Jeremiah was like a brother to him, Belly was his "little sister and [she]
came first", something that surprises her.
Cam Cameron - He only appears in The Summer I Turned Pretty as a summer fling
of Belly's. It is told that he had a crush on Belly throughout grade school
but never had the courage to approach her. He leaves one final voice message
for Belly, asking if she wanted to stay in contact after the summer, but if not,
"it was nice hanging out with her". He is mentioned twice more in the series
afterwards as one of Belly's summer memories.
References