Book Review The Summer I Turned Pretty

Introduction

When I first read The Summer I Turned Pretty, I instantly thought of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Jenny Han’s famous trilogy is one of my favorites, so my expectations were high. This book, first released in 2009, didn’t quite reach that level for me. The dialogue often felt shallow, and some characters came off as judgmental. The unnecessary girl-on-girl tension also made it harder to connect. Summer I Turned Pretty set big expectations for me because I loved Jenny Han’s other work.

Maybe if I had read it years ago, during a carefree summer, I would’ve liked it more. With time, I’ve learned to see how much Jenny Han has grown as a writer. If you’re new to her work, I’d still suggest starting with To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. It’s a stronger example of her storytelling.

Fans of emotional stories like Ugly Love will still enjoy this one. Beneath the sunshine, it quietly explores heartbreak, change, and growing up.

Book Information

I found The Summer I Turned Pretty while looking for a light Young Adult read with romance and modern themes. Written by Jenny Han, the author of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, this novel is part of her Summer Series. It perfectly captures long, warm days filled with emotion and change.

Published by Simon & Schuster BFYR, the trilogy came out between 2009 and 2011, when YA fiction was finding its identity. While I enjoyed the summer atmosphere, I’d rate this first book around 3.5 stars. The full series deserves about 4 stars for its growth and charm.

If you’ve read To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, you’ll notice how Han’s writing evolved. Her early style has a simple, nostalgic feel that still pulls you in.

Setting & Atmosphere of The Summer I Turned Pretty

Some stories make you feel a season, and this one feels like pure summer. From the first page, the world comes alive—sun, sea, and all the emotions that rush with them. The warmth, drama, and confusion of growing up fill every scene. It’s a book about family, love, and change—messy but magical.

I first met these characters through the Amazon Prime Video series. The show made me curious enough to read the books. Jenny Han writes Cousins Beach so vividly that it almost feels like a living character. The waves, houses, and shared memories carry a quiet nostalgia that gives the book its heart.

If you like stories about self-discovery, body image, and growing confidence, this one will resonate. It reminded me of Dumplin’—another story about learning to love who you are beyond others’ expectations.

Story Premise

Some stories make you feel a season, and this one feels like pure summer. From the first page, the world comes alive—sun, sea, and all the emotions that rush with them. The warmth, drama, and confusion of growing up fill every scene. It’s a book about family, love, and change—messy but magical.

I first met these characters through the Amazon Prime Video series. The show made me curious enough to read the books. Jenny Han writes Cousins Beach so vividly that it almost feels like a living character. The waves, houses, and shared memories carry a quiet nostalgia that gives the book its heart.

If you like stories about self-discovery, body image, and growing confidence, this one will resonate. It reminded me of Dumplin’—another story about learning to love who you are beyond others’ expectations.

This book carries important trigger warnings: a terminal illness, marijuana use, casual homophobic and ableist language, and a non-consensual kiss. Despite these themes, it balances innocence with maturity, showing how one summer can change everything.

Review Overview The Summer I Turned Pretty

This series by Jenny Han is full of summer charm. I enjoyed reading about life at the beach house, though a few moments disappointed me. The third book almost ruined the trilogy for me—it lost the emotional balance that made the first two shine.

Still, I’d recommend reading the first and second books. They show the best of Han’s early writing: emotional, relatable, and light enough to enjoy in one sitting.

The Fisher Brothers & Love Triangle

At the heart of the story are Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah—two brothers and one summer of tangled feelings.

Conrad is quiet, distant, and full of unspoken pain. His moods shift like waves, and his guarded nature makes him interesting. I found myself rooting for him, even when he frustrated me. His love for Belly feels messy but genuine.

Jeremiah, on the other hand, is the sunshine. He’s kind, fun, and easy to like, though sometimes too perfect. He brings energy to every scene, while Conrad brings emotion.

This isn’t just a love triangle—it’s Belly’s journey of self-understanding. It’s about growing up, finding her place, and realizing that love is rarely simple.

Character Analysis

Many young adult characters are messy, and Belly is no exception. But sometimes, she felt too focused on herself. Her thoughts often circled around her looks or her crushes, which made her seem immature. She ignored her female friends and often clashed with her parents, which weakened her growth as a protagonist.

Conrad, meanwhile, fits the “brooding bad boy” mold. He drinks, argues, and shuts people out, but that doesn’t make him mysterious—it makes him frustrating. His romance with Belly feels shallow at times, built more on longing than real connection.

The story’s emotional core could have been stronger if the characters had matured more through their struggles. The tension is there, but it sometimes lacks heart.

First Book is Most Enjoyable

The first book is definitely the best. It stands well on its own, with a clear story and a satisfying ending. The second book is still enjoyable but repeats a few themes. The third book, however, goes off track.

Belly’s constant back-and-forth between the brothers makes the later books tiring. The emotional payoff that the first book promised never fully arrives. Still, that first summer story is worth the read—it’s where the real magic lies.

Team Stance of Summer I Turned Pretty

I found myself firmly on Team Conrad, even though he is often complicated, distant, and at times frustrating. There’s a quiet, thoughtful nature in him that speaks through his pain and emotional struggles, which stay present across the story. Inside his head, you can sense that Conrad’s love for Belly is messy, imperfect, yet deeply meaningful, and that’s what drew me in the most.

Jeremiah, on the other hand, is the sunshine to Conrad’s storm—he’s charming, easygoing, and shows Belly affection in ways Conrad doesn’t. His optimism makes him likable, but at times he feels almost too perfect, which made it harder for me to connect with him compared to Conrad.

Writing Style & Themes of The Summer I Turned Pretty

In many YA novels, the way teens are written often feels raw and real, but here Belly as the main character came across as too judge-y and superficial. Her internal monologue made me cringe, with every thought in her mind screaming ME! ME! ME!!. This character sometimes felt out of touch, tossing aside female friendships for boy drama, disrespecting her parents, and making every conversation circle back to herself.

For readers who love emotional, slow-burn relationships and healing arcs like Reminders of Him, this story offers a different but equally reflective take on love and regret under the sunlight of youth.

We are told to see Conrad as the brooding bad boy who drinks, punches walls, and gets into fights, yet his personality felt closer to a brick. He came off as selfish and immature, while the supposed swoon-worthy romance turned out difficult to believe. With constant miscommunication, tangled love triangles, and characters acting with hidden ulterior motives, none of the couples felt truly cohesive, making each partnership fall flat. Even though the summer tale promised magic, I couldn’t forget how it all began, nor the moment Belly finally turned pretty.

For readers who want a lighter girl-next-door style summer romance, I would recommend other books like On the Fence by Kasie West, Small Town Hearts by Lillie Vale, or Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson. Over time, it’s clear Jenny Han has grown as a writer, especially when compared to her To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy, which feels far more polished.

Conclusion

I would rate this book a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars, mainly because it kept readers hooked with suspense and intrigue. While some may find Belly a bit selfish when it comes to choosing her love interest, I didn’t see it as an issue. Instead, it showed how her feelings were complicated and how she truly didn’t know who to pick. For me, Belly’s summer experiences highlighted how decisions about love aren’t always easy, and you can’t make those choices too quickly without learning from them.

I genuinely loved this book, and I’d like to know what you think. Go ahead and check it out, then share your thoughts with me. You can find the book on Amazon, and there’s even an Amazon T.V. series based on it. I can’t wait to see how Jenny Han’s masterpiece plays out on the screen—keep an eye on the show’s Instagram for more info.