Book Review: The Summer I Turned Pretty

From Trailers to TBR: Why I Gave The Summer I Turned Pretty a Shot

Nostalgia, summer vibes, and just enough drama–I’m so in.

I’d been hearing about The Summer I Turned Pretty for ages, but I kept putting it off. Then the Amazon Prime trailers dropped, and I couldn’t stop watching them. 

You may know author Jenny Han from her highly successful Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series from 2014 or 2018 if you found it on Netflix. Love triangles aren’t usually my favorite, but I figured if anyone could get me invested in another love triangle, it would be her. 

Here’s my honest take on whether it’s worth diving into the series.

What The Summer I Turned Pretty Is Really About (No Spoilers!)

Isabel “Belly” Conklin has always felt like the odd one out. As the youngest and the only girl, she was often left behind while the boys went off on their own adventures, leaving her to hang out with the moms. But this summer feels different — because she’s different.

The first book sets the stage with Belly’s longtime, unrequited crush on Conrad. She’s sure he’ll always see her as “little Belly,” no matter how much she’s grown up. Meanwhile, there are small hints that Jeremiah might see her in a new light, which only adds to her confusion and stirs up unexpected jealousy from Conrad.

Across the trilogy, we see Belly navigate first love, heartbreak, and the messy, complicated bonds between friends, family, and the boys who have always been part of her life.

Cousins Beach: The Summer Setting You’ll Wish You Could Visit

After reading this book and watching the many trailers from the Amazon adaptation, I was ready to book my trip to Cousins Beach. I longed to bask in the summer sun, smell the salty ocean air, and hear the seagulls. I even found myself searching for an Airbnb where I could pretend I was living in the Fishers’ beach house.

Jenny Han paints Cousins Beach as the ultimate summer escape, where every sunset feels magical, and the beach holds memories of first love, heartbreak, and growing up. Obviously, I was devastated when I learned Cousins Beach doesn’t exist.  According to the internet it’s a mashup of Cape Cod and the Hamptons so visiting would be way out of my price range. But even if Cousins Beach isn’t real, it definitely lives rent-free in my imagination. Amazon even has this perfume that helps you have the scent of Cousins, paired with this hoodie and it will feel like you really did vacation there.

The Love Triangle: Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah?

First off, I had to remind myself while reading this series that Belly is a teenager with little life experience. That said, I feel like both of these characters throw up some major red flags. This left me with what might be an unpopular take: I’m neither Team Conrad nor Team Jeremiah.

Conrad is aloof and often gives off a controlling vibe. Is he protective of Belly? Yes. Does he respect her autonomy? Not really. I do recognize he’s dealing with serious stress of his own, but that’s not an excuse for how he treats her. He struggles to communicate and flips between hot and cold in a blink. He takes Belly’s insecurities, her doubts about whether he actually likes her, and throws them back in her face when he’s angry or hurt.

Jeremiah isn’t much better. He comes across as the fun, carefree guy, which makes the reader feel more comfortable with him at first. But underneath that, he’s emotionally manipulative. He constantly compares himself (and his feelings for Belly) to Conrad’s, and it feels like he’s always trying to measure up. Growing up, he watched their father favor Conrad again and again, and that left him with a deep jealousy, even though he truly loves his brother.

In the end, neither boy felt like the right choice for Belly — at least not at this stage in her life. What do you think? Are you Team Conrad, Team Jeremiah… or Team No One?

How Jenny Han’s Writing Hits (or Misses)

Jenny Han knows how to capture the feeling of summer and the ache of growing up. Her descriptions of Cousins Beach, the small moments between characters, and Belly’s inner thoughts are vivid and emotional. You can practically feel the sand between your toes and the weight of Belly’s first heartbreak. The books are easy to fly through, and the writing has that nostalgic, bittersweet vibe that sticks with you.

That said, there were times the writing felt a bit repetitive, especially around Belly’s back-and-forth feelings and the love triangle drama. Some scenes and inner monologues started to blend together because the same conflicts kept circling without much progress. But at the same time, that reflects real teenage emotions — messy, confusing, and hard to figure out.

Overall, Jenny Han’s writing hits when it comes to setting the mood and making you feel like you’re right there with the characters. But it sometimes misses in pacing and depth, especially if you’re hoping for more character growth or resolution as the series goes on and the characters get older.

Final Thoughts: Should You Add This to Your Summer Reading List?

If you’re looking for a fun, light, teenage drama series, then yes — definitely add The Summer I Turned Pretty to your TBR. It’s the kind of series that can transport you right to the beach, even if you’re actually in your backyard trying to referee a toddler sprinkler battle. Jenny Han’s writing captures those dreamy, sun-soaked summer vibes perfectly, and it’s easy to get swept up in the romance, the friendships, and all the messy feelings that come with first love.

So, grab a cold drink, find a shady spot, and let The Summer I Turned Pretty take you to Cousins Beach for a little while. Get your copy here! And grab this adorable tumblr to sip your favorite coffee while you immerse yourself in Jenny Han’s fun series!

Rating: ★★★★☆

What about you? Is this series on your summer reading list? Or have you already visited Cousins Beach through these books or the show? Should I watch the show? Let me know in the comments — I’d love to hear your take!