Every summer I get ready to start up my Amazon Prime and tune into the iconic show, The Summer I Turned Pretty, by Jenny Han. Halfway through season 3 I am left on edge, not knowing what direction this season is going in.
Everyone is asking the same question. Team Jeremiah or Team Conrad?
Conrad is the love-filled sensitive older brother, that was always praised for being the smart, athletic one.
Jeremiah on the other hand is lustful and bratty. He was always named the more attractive of the two. He was never considered smart, but life of the party.
The Summer I Turned Pretty is a summer romance series based on the books that were released prior, I recommend reading them first. It is about these two close families, Fishers and Conklin’s, who spend each summer at Cousins Beach.
Belly is the main love interest; she is a naïve hopeless romantic. She continuously is trying to decide between the brothers throughout the series.
This season it shows the shift of Belly and Jeremiah’s lives as they are now in college. In the beginning, their relationship seems stronger than ever, but cracks quickly start to show.
In episode one, it shows the perfect relationship between Belly and Jeremiah, but toward the end of the episode we find out the shocking truth that Jeremiah had cheated over spring break.
Jeremiah’s character development in season 2 had everyone smitten with his support to Belly and being there for her after Conrad went AWOL. So, this cheating scandal came as a surprise for everyone.
He is a selfish man child. He has no respect for Belly or her future. He does not allow Belly to grow as a person at all.
Jeremiah takes away Belly’s once in a lifetime opportunity to study in Paris, which she has been working towards in all high school and first half of college, all because he complains and asks her not to go.
Of course, people can argue that Conrad had his problems, he forgot a corsage on prom night, he was not emotionally mature enough or ready for a relationship at the time, but remember he was dealing with his mother’s death. Conrad did also have a substance abuse problem to cope with the death; at the time of their relationship, he was not always able to give his 100% but sometimes Belly could have been there for him instead of blaming him.
But he would never cheat.
At this point, we are used to the constant switch between Jeremiah or Conrad. Thankfully season 3 offers something new with the tonal switch of college life and not being stuck at Cousins.
College brought new characters like RedBird, Denise, and Anika. They are essential in adding some light mood through the heartbreak of both Belly and Jeremiah.
With fresh faces, a new tone, but still that same sappy love triangle, you will continue to see me every Wednesday streaming The Summer I Turned Pretty.
