Author
Jenny Han is the Korean-American author behind both The Summer I Turned Pretty and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before She’s got degrees in creative writing, but more importantly, she just gets what it feels like to be a teenager with big emotions and no idea what to do with them.
Jenny Han began writing The Summer I Turned Pretty after finishing her first novel Shug. Inspired by her own teenage summers and the idea of longing for a boy who doesn’t see you the same way, Han wanted to explore the experience of becoming “pretty”—not just in a superficial sense, but as a symbol of emotional maturity and self-awareness.
She wrote the Summer trilogy between 2009 and 2011 (The Summer I Turned Pretty, It’s Not Summer Without You, We’ll Always Have Summer), and it quickly became a YA classic. Years later, she adapted the whole thing into a hit series on Amazon—and stayed in full creative control, even picking out the music herself (yes, there’s a reason there’s so much Taylor Swift). She was born Sept 3, 1980 in Richmond, Virginia.
Authors Thought
In various interviews, Han has revealed that The Summer I Turned Pretty was inspired by her own summers spent at the beach. “There’s something about that time in your life—when everything is changing, your body, your emotions, your friendships—that feels magnified in the summer,” she told Entertainment Weekly. Han wrote the first book with a deep sense of nostalgia, wanting to capture the fleeting beauty of youth and the bittersweet moments that define adolescence.
She has also spoken about her decision to explore love triangles, saying, “It’s not just about romance—it’s about finding yourself through the way others see you and the way you start to see yourself.”
In interviews with Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and others, Jenny Han shared: She wrote the books while listening to Taylor Swift, whose music later became central to the show’s emotional arc. Believes in storytelling driven by emotional texture—“No detail is ever too small.” She embraces ambiguity in endings, believing stories don’t need to be perfectly wrapped to be satisfying.
Adaptation: Amazon Prime Video Series
In 2022, The Summer I Turned Pretty was adapted into a streaming series by Amazon Prime Video, with Jenny Han serving as executive producer and showrunner. The show received praise for updating the story for a new generation, with more inclusive casting, expanded character arcs, and a killer soundtrack.
Season 1 (June 17, 2022) – 7 episodes
Season 2 (July 14, 2023) – 8 episodes
Season 3 (July 16, 2025) – Final chapter, 11 episodes
The TV adaptation introduced Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah to a wider audience, and the books returned to the bestseller charts more than a decade after their original release. Han maintained full creative control—including casting and soundtrack (notably Taylor Swift)—to ensure the adaptation aligned with the books’ spirit.
Summary
The Summer I Turned Pretty centers on Belly Conklin, who has spent every summer of her life at the same beach house with her mother’s best friend Susannah and Susannah’s two sons, Conrad and Jeremiah. But this year, everything is different. At sixteen, Belly is no longer a child in their eyes. As tensions rise and old relationships evolve into something more complicated, Belly finds herself at the heart of a love triangle, questioning what—and who—she really wants. The novel explores the growing pains of adolescence, the pain of unrequited love, and the fragile nature of friendship and family.
Volumes:
Book 1: The Summer I Turned Pretty (2009)
Belly after turning sixteen returns to the beach house and suddenly finds that the boys she’s grown up with (Fisher brothers) are seeing her in a different light. She dates Cam briefly but remains drawn to Conrad. Ends with emotional tension and romantic uncertainty.
Book 2: It’s Not Summer Without You (2010)
In the wake of tragedy, Belly navigates grief, change, and her complicated feelings for the Fisher brothers. Conrad disappears from college; Belly, Jeremiah, and Laurel track him down to save the beach house. Belly tries to reconnect emotionally with Jeremiah, but her feelings for Conrad linger. Emotional stakes rise as grief, loyalty, and love collide.
Book 2: It’s Not Summer Without You (2010)
Belly is faced with a life-changing decision, forcing her to choose between Jeremiah and Conrad once and for all.
Belly and Jeremiah in a committed but rocky relationship. She learns Jeremiah cheated at a frat party; he proposes out of guilt. Belly and Jeremiah break off the engagement. At Belly’s college graduation, she and Conrad reconnect. He writes her letters, proposes, and they end up together.
Characters
Isabel "Belly" Conklin – The protagonist, a teenager caught between girlhood and adulthood, navigating first love and identity.
Conrad Fisher – The older, brooding brother of Jeremiah, intelligent and guarded, with a long history with Belly.
Jeremiah Fisher – Outgoing and sweet, Jeremiah is Conrad’s younger brother and Belly’s longtime friend with a crush on her.
Laurel Dunne (Belly’s Mom) – A strong and independent woman, deeply close with Susannah Fisher.
Susannah Fisher – The mother of Conrad and Jeremiah, a kind and graceful presence whose health struggles deeply impact the story.
Conclusion
The Summer I Turned Pretty is more than just a beachside love story—it’s a tender exploration of growing up, first love, family bonds, and the emotional turbulence of adolescence. Jenny Han has crafted a timeless narrative that resonates across generations, blending nostalgia with the complexities of youth. Through Belly’s summers at Cousins Beach, readers experience the joy, heartbreak, and self-discovery that define coming-of-age. With a successful screen adaptation and a devoted fan base, the series has secured its place as a modern YA classic—one that continues to capture hearts with every turning page and every scene under the summer sun.