Summer I Turned Pretty Ending Explained: Did Belly Choose Conrad or Jeremiah?

Belly remains torn between Conrad and Jeremiah in season 3 of Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty. But who does the character ultimately choose in Jenny Han’s book series?

This hit show originated from three novels revolving around a love triangle involving Belly (Lola Tung) and brothers Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno). The first season was inspired by The Summer I Turned Pretty, while the second season drew from It’s Not Summer Without You.

Fans anticipated that season 3 would closely follow the events of Han’s third and final book, We’ll Always Have Summer. However, Han has hinted at diverging from the source material, leaving the door open for a potential fourth season of the beloved Prime Video series.

“Never say never. If the story is there, then I’m there. As a storyteller, inspiration can strike anytime,” she expressed to Entertainment Weekly in June. “If I come up with a captivating idea that excites me, and if the cast is enthusiastic about it, I would be thrilled. It really depends on whether there’s more story to tell.”

Vernon Sanders, head of television at Amazon and MGM Studios, seemed to dismiss the notion of expanding Han’s fictional universe, telling Deadline a month later, “That was likely wishful thinking on my part, as Jenny remains focused on perfecting these seasons.”

The executive mentioned his hopes to continue collaborating with Han on other endeavors.

“We’re exploring different opportunities with Jenny right now,” he stated. “She has shared several other ideas related to this.”

Sanders concluded, “Once the full season premieres, we’ll initiate discussions and invite her to choose from the numerous ideas she’s presented. However, we’ve stepped back from those talks.”

Be aware of spoilers should the show align with the book series’ ending, and continue reading for a summary of how the book series wraps up, including Belly’s choice between Conrad and Jeremiah.

Belly Conklin

In We’ll Always Have Summer, released in 2011, a two-year time jump follows the prior book, during which Belly begins dating Jeremiah. (The show jumps four years ahead.) Similar to the series, Belly discovers that Jeremiah had a fling on spring break—yet still accepts his marriage proposal.

While the book portrays Belly as somewhat ambivalent about the engagement, the responses from her family and Jeremiah’s are consistent across both the book and the series. Due to personal issues, Belly finds herself at Cousins—with Conrad. Emotional moments unfold, rekindling old feelings, leading us to a climax where Belly realizes she hasn’t moved on from Conrad. Fortunately, Conrad confesses he still loves her the night before her wedding.

Belly ultimately decides not to go through with the wedding. Instead, she and Jeremiah part ways, choosing to study abroad. After two years of no communication, Belly receives letters from Conrad, culminating in their reunion at her college graduation.

Conrad and Belly date for two years before he proposes, and the story concludes with their wedding at Cousins.

Conrad Fisher

We’ll Always Have Summer offers Us Conrad’s perspective alongside Belly’s. His viewpoint reveals that he was untruthful about his feelings for Belly after their initial breakup. After a two-year hiatus from Belly—during which he built his life in California—Conrad reconnects with her at Cousins. He tries to support her engagement by encouraging her mother to mend their rift and helping with wedding preparations, all while grappling with his own feelings for Belly.

The night of Jeremiah’s bachelor party, Conrad uncovers Jeremiah’s infidelity on spring break and attempts to inform Belly—only to realize she’s already aware. This sparks a confrontation where Conrad reveals his feelings for Belly, but she rejects him. The following morning brings a fight between Conrad and Jeremiah, neither able to resolve their differences.

In the epilogue, Conrad reaches out to Belly for the first time two years after the events in We’ll Always Have Summer. They begin dating following her college graduation and eventually marry two years later at the beach.

Jeremiah Fisher

The final book is challenging for Jeremiah, who acknowledges his betrayal of Belly. He proposes to express his remorse and spends the summer planning their wedding. However, living with Belly and Conrad at Cousins intensifies tensions. On the morning of his wedding, Jeremiah learns of Conrad’s confession to Belly and goes missing.

Ultimately, Jeremiah and Belly call off their engagement, though they reach a more amicable understanding by the epilogue. The younger Fisher brother attends Belly and Conrad’s wedding with a new partner, sharing a moment of mutual understanding with Belly following their tumultuous past.