The Summer I Turned Pretty: Who Does Belly End Up With In The Books?

As a hopeless romantic who’s spent countless hours engrossed in love stories, I can’t help but be captivated by the rollercoaster ride that is the relationship between Belly and Conrad in “The Summer I Turned Pretty” trilogy. Having gone through my fair share of heartaches and unrequited loves myself, I can relate to the complex emotions and tumultuous journey these two characters experience throughout the series.

From their initial meeting as teenagers to their eventual reunion years later, their love story is a testament to the power of patience, perseverance, and the enduring pull of first love. The author masterfully weaves together heart-wrenching moments with sweet, tender scenes that make you root for these characters and hope they find happiness in each other’s arms.

One thing that sets this series apart from others is its realistic portrayal of young love. It captures the intensity, confusion, and uncertainty that often comes with being a teenager and experiencing your first real crush. The ups and downs of their relationship mirror the ebb and flow of life itself, reminding us that love isn’t always easy but can be worth fighting for.

As someone who has navigated my fair share of unrequited love and heartbreak, I found solace in Belly and Conrad’s story. Their journey serves as a reminder that sometimes the person you’re meant to be with may not always be obvious or convenient, but they will eventually find their way back to each other when the time is right.

And now for a little humor to lighten things up: Who knew that a love story about two teenagers could teach us so much about life and the complexities of relationships? I guess it’s true what they say – some things are worth waiting for, even if it takes years and plenty of Sour Patch Kids!

The TV show “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” available on Amazon Prime, is adapted from a trilogy of books by Jenny Han. Not only does she contribute to the series as a showrunner and executive producer, but she also writes for it. These young adult novels tell the story of Belly Conklin, a teenager grappling with life’s complexities through love and loss. Each summer, Belly stays at a beach house with her family, Susannah (her mother’s friend), and Susannah’s sons, Conrad and Jeremiah. As is common in many teen dramas, Belly finds herself torn between romantic feelings for both brothers, which forms a love triangle. Moreover, the emotional turmoil deepens when a death occurs, leading them all to reconsider their perspectives on life.

In transitioning the narrative from book to film, adjustments have been made, however, Belly’s relationships have stayed true to the original. The character has always harbored feelings for Conrad, but when a fresh summer arrives, her world is turned upside down as both brothers show interest in her. As another summer approaches, Belly starts to see things differently and finds herself torn between the two brothers.

In the story of “Belly”, we’ve seen it unfold alongside characters Conrad and Jeremiah. However, the question remains: Who will be the one Belly ends up with for good? Here is a rundown of who Belly ultimately chooses in the books and how that journey has been altered in the Amazon Prime adaptation.

Belly has always had a crush on Conrad

As “Belly” Conklin (Lola Tung), I’ve spent my summers alongside pals Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah Fisher (Gavin Casalegno). Our mothers are friends, so we’d head to the Fisher’s beach house at Cousins Beach each year for a much-anticipated getaway. Usually, my brother Steven (Sean Kaufman) and the Fisher boys would go off on their own adventures, leaving me behind. But that all shifted when I turned sixteen. My looks had evolved, and I decided it was time to let go of my longstanding crush on Conrad, setting the stage for a summer filled with change.

In the series, it seems that both Conrad and Jeremiah harbor romantic feelings towards Belly, but they express them differently. Jeremiah is more direct, and they share a kiss in a pool scene, while Conrad is more reserved and aloof. As the eldest brother, he demonstrates his affection by interrupting Belly’s dates with Cam (David Iacono), another person she meets at the beach party early on during her vacation. Their relationship deepens only towards the end of summer after they have a heart-to-heart talk on the beach. Conrad, who had been reserved all summer, finally reveals his emotions and grows closer to Belly. When Jeremiah is absent during the debutante ball, Conrad steps up to support Belly, showing her that he will always be there for her, even when she tries to distance herself from him.

As a longtime gamer who’s spent countless hours immersed in various narratives, I can tell you that the love triangle between Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah in “13 Reasons Why” is one of the most intriguing and complex I’ve ever encountered. Unlike some stories where a character’s romantic interest is easily discernible from the beginning, this one keeps you guessing right up until the end.

Throughout the summer, Conrad’s behavior towards Belly was far from what we saw in the TV show – he was overtly possessive and controlling, not letting her leave a bonfire to hang out with Cam, for example. This contrasted sharply with the seemingly aloof Conrad presented in the series, but even this version wasn’t always kind to Belly, especially when he assumed she slept with Jeremiah.

Jeremiah, on the other hand, was more straightforward about his feelings for Belly, despite how she perceived Conrad’s behavior. In a way, it reminded me of choosing between two potential love interests in a game – each one presenting different qualities and flaws that can sway your decision.

However, after Susannah’s cancer diagnosis was revealed, Belly chose Conrad, much like in the show. I can understand why she did, as it must have been a difficult time for her emotionally, and perhaps Conrad provided the stability she needed during that period. But if I were in her shoes, I would have given Jeremiah a chance – he seemed more genuine, and their chemistry was undeniable.

It’s a fascinating exploration of love, loyalty, and personal growth, and it really makes you think about how we make decisions when our emotions are involved. If only choosing a romantic interest in real life were as easy as pressing a button to advance the story!

After that summer, Belly and Conrad start something

By the close of summer, Belly and Conrad’s bond transformed from a casual friendship into something romantic. Throughout his inaugural semester at college, their frequent phone conversations covered a wide range of topics, solidifying the evolution in their relationship. Although the novels are less explicit about this change, the series provides a clearer portrayal of their relationship status.

In the Prime Video series, viewers follow the evolving relationship between the teens via flashbacks. Conrad, aware of their shared feelings for Belly, asks Jeremiah for permission to be with her. At that point, Belly is unaware that Conrad had spoken to his brother. She’s content in their relationship and appears to sense the effect their displays of affection have on Jeremiah. They publicly display their joy by holding hands during Thanksgiving dinner and he later surprises her with a drive around Christmas. They spend a night together at the summer beach house, suggesting they may have shared an intimate moment for the first time. Initially, they seem happy and in love, but this bliss is short-lived as spring arrives.

In the second installment of the trilogy titled “It’s Not Summer Without You,” it isn’t explicitly shown that Conrad and Belly are in a romantic relationship. Although they continue to have phone conversations and take their annual trip to the summer house together, their bond doesn’t seem as defined as it does in the television adaptation. This ambiguity might be due to some chapters being narrated from Jeremiah’s perspective or because there are fewer overt indications of a relationship between Conrad and Belly compared to what we see on screen. Additionally, unlike in the series, Conrad’s college roommate remains unaware of who Belly is, suggesting that Conrad may be keeping their relationship private or hidden from others.

Susannah’s prognosis rips them apart

Regardless of signs suggesting improvement, their romantic relationship with Susannah once more faces a setback when her health deteriorates, causing Conrad to retreat emotionally. Although the conclusion of their relationship with Belly occurs on prom night in both the book series and the television show, the portrayal differs between the two versions.

In the film version, Conrad’s emotional transformation reaches its peak on prom night, making it less than enjoyable for Belly. Throughout the evening, he appears disinterested, even forgetting her corsage, which might be explained by his past experiences with proms. As Belly enthusiastically discusses the afterparty they could attend, Conrad expresses a desire to drive back to school immediately, despite it being late in the night. This declaration causes Belly to become upset and leave. Conrad follows her outside, and they end up breaking up in a bittersweet manner, leaving Steven to console Belly and attempt to save the night. Sadly, Susannah passes away shortly after prom, and when Conrad and Belly meet again is at her funeral. It’s evident that both are suffering, but instead of offering comfort as Conrad experiences a panic attack, they argue, causing a scene that distresses Belly’s mother, Laurel (Jackie Chung).

In the books, Conrad initially refuses Belly’s invitation to prom, but changes his mind after she mentions other guys interested in her. The evening doesn’t turn out well, possibly because Conrad felt compelled to go, leading them to end their relationship. However, Conrad doesn’t want to disappoint Susannah, who is thrilled about him taking Belly to the prom. When he gets home, he tells his mother that he had a wonderful time. This chapter is narrated by Jeremiah, and it’s evident to the younger Fisher that Conrad isn’t telling the truth about the night’s events.

Belly and Jeremiah grow closer the next summer

The demise of Susannah played a role in the separation of Belly and Conrad, but it unintentionally brought Susannah and Jeremiah closer together. Although their conversations have dwindled compared to before, when Conrad disappears and is on the verge of missing a final exam, Jeremiah contacts Belly to seek her assistance in finding his brother at the summer house.

In the second series installment, it becomes evident that Jeremiah, the younger Fisher brother, drew away from Belly and their relationship after she opted for Conrad, whom she’d kissed first. The distance was a result of his hurt feelings. Despite their cooler connection, Jeremiah doesn’t hesitate to seek Belly’s assistance when he needs help locating Conrad, even though he’s initially uncomfortable with her joining him at Cousins Beach. Tensions run high during the car ride to the house, but they eventually sort out their issues and reconcile. After finding Conrad and working together to thwart the Fisher family’s plans to sell the summer home, Belly and Jeremiah develop a closer bond and share romantic moments. Their relationship culminates in a passionate kiss as they wait for Conrad to complete his final exam at the season’s end. Jeremiah grants Belly some space that night, but she ultimately chooses him, and he drives her back home.

In the second novel, the rift between Jeremiah and Belly stems less from her decision to be with Conrad the previous summer, but rather from Susannah’s passing. Despite their continued cordiality, Belly experiences hardship following Susannah’s demise and fails to support Jeremiah during this time. However, he does not harbor resentment towards her, promptly asking for her company at Cousins Beach to locate Conrad. Even in the face of Conrad’s impending departure, they share a kiss, and ultimately, Belly elects to be with Jeremiah the next day.

Belly and Jeremiah almost get married

In the third installment of the trilogy titled “We’ll Always Have Summer,” a significant portion of the narrative revolves around Belly and Jeremiah preparing for their wedding. Their relationship dates back to Belly’s final year in high school and her initial college days, but during spring break, Jeremiah had an affair with someone else while they were apart. After reconciling following the break, this indiscretion causes a divide between them. To make amends and demonstrate that Belly is his one and only, he purchases a ring and proposes marriage to her.

Laurel, mother of Belly, strongly disapproves of her engagement and forces her out during the summer by throwing her out of their home. This leads to Belly moving into a summer beach house to plan the wedding. However, Conrad brings complications into his brother’s relationship with Belly. Upon discovering that Jeremiah had been unfaithful to Belly, he questions why she is marrying his brother and reveals that his feelings for her have never waned, leaving everyone baffled just before the wedding day.

Belly confesses truthfully to Jeremiah about their conversation, which leads him to quarrel with his brother Conrad. After Conrad departs, Jeremiah approaches Belly and demands her love exclusively. However, when she reveals that a piece of her heart will forever belong to Conrad despite her greater affection for Jeremiah, he is unsatisfied, and the wedding is cancelled. Jeremiah had anticipated this turn of events and asserts that Conrad would eventually disappoint Belly too. In the book’s conclusion, both Jeremiah and Belly appear to remain friends, with no apparent lingering resentment between them.

Conrad waits for Belly

On the day of Belly and Jeremiah’s canceled wedding, Belly and Conrad take a new path. After a span of two years marked by no contact or frosty exchanges, they unexpectedly cross paths again on Christmas during Belly’s freshman year at college. This encounter initiates Belly’s recognition that her feelings for Conrad hadn’t vanished; she had merely suppressed them. The words Conrad spoke to Belly before her near-wedding with Jeremiah serve as a prelude, but it isn’t until Belly’s junior year in college, during her study abroad experience in Spain, that their relationship takes another significant step.

Conrad regularly sends letters and small gifts to Belly while she’s abroad, such as a Junior Mint, a stuffed polar bear, a bag of Sour Patch Kids, and so on. In his letters, he often includes jokes or comments about her adventures, like the Spanish boy Benito who rides a scooter. He also shared his thoughts on her hair in some photos sent by her mother and expressed his eagerness for Christmas and hearing from Belly. It’s only after these five letters that she responds to him.

As I exchanged letters during those days, we didn’t meet face-to-face until my college graduation. Just a short while later, we reconnected, and at the tender age of 23, I found myself walking down the aisle with Conrad, the very first boy who had ever captured my heart. Regardless of how our past relationship unfolded and all that transpired in between, this book series concludes with me tying the knot with him once more.

2025-01-03 22:31