At the start of the summer, “The Summer I Turned Pretty” fanbase was eagerly anticipating the release of the final season. Word was circulating that the show would end differently from how it played out in the book series. After a summer of crushed expectations and irritating plot twists, the image of the show has changed forever, and its lasting impact no longer holds the same magic it once had in previous summers.
The first unexpected plot twist was the time jump from Season 2 to Season 3. Originally, fans had planned for a two-year time jump, as it was written in the books. However, the show featured a four-year time jump as Belly finished her junior year at Finch College, having dated Jeremiah for four years at this point. Although this difference may not seem like much, this change to the story created a significant hiccup in the events that would later unfold.
Every decision Belly and Jeremiah made throughout the season left fans with never before seen irritation. After each weekly episode, fans expressed on social media how a break was very needed to process what had occurred in the show. Whether it was Jeremiah’s emotional immaturity for not letting Belly find herself outside of their relationship or Belly’s continuous choice of shoving down her feelings for Conrad, fans were not shy to share their annoyance on social media platforms.
Jeremiah’s proposal to Belly in the first episode seems more justified, as the two were dating for an extended period of time than written in the book. However, this made it more confusing for fans of Belly and Conrad. Although Conrad has progressed in his adult life on his path to becoming a doctor, the show emphasized that he is still hung up on the relationship he and Belly had in high school. It was also mentioned that Conrad had not been with anyone since Belly during his four-year recovery from heartbreak. It is highly unrealistic that someone living a new life across the country from their ex-girlfriend and whole family had not yet recovered from a short-term relationship.
Even though Belly and Conrad have been yearning for each other since their childhood years, the show seemed to have exaggerated Conrad’s feelings in the expectation that he would still be hung up on Belly. Confessing his love for Belly just hours before the ceremony was going to take place and expecting Belly to immediately leave Jeremiah for him seemed very far-fetched, even for Conrad. Things simmered down after the wedding disaster, but started back up again when fans realized how few episodes were left in the season to bring the show to a close.
During the final episodes of the season, many were wondering when Belly would ultimately end up with Conrad. After Belly escapes to Paris and starts a new life for herself, many began to wonder if ‘Bonrad’ would get the ending they deserved. However, the season finale featured a very satisfying ending—Belly and Conrad finally being happy together. The two definitely had their ups and downs, but their newfound relationship is one to last. With the unexpected announcement of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” movie, the anticipation of how Belly and Conrad’s story will finally end is fresh on fans’ minds. After the emotional rollercoaster this season was, a movie is a great way to finish off the love story between Belly and Conrad.
