At this point, The Summer I Turned Pretty isn’t just a show; it’s a cultural event. The question “Team Jeremiah or Team Conrad?” has spread all over the world, and everyone has an answer, an opinion, and Season 3 made sure we got one final answer.
Yes, the love triangle has finally been resolved…Belly ended up with Conrad, in a heart-stopping, Paris-set confession that satisfied long-time Team Conrad fans. But here’s the thing: the finale wasn’t just about Belly picking a boy. It was about her choosing herself first, taking the time to figure out who she is outside of the Fisher brothers. For two and a half seasons, Belly’s identity was defined by that triangle: the girl caught between Jeremiah’s golden retriever warmth and Conrad’s brooding intensity. But Paris changed that. Belly wasn’t running away; she was finding herself. She studied, she travelled, she grew, and when she finally chose Conrad, it wasn’t out of teenage infatuation or summer heat; it was a decision made by someone who had figured out who she was without either brother.
Jeremiah may not have been endgame, but he wasn’t left standing in the dust. His arc this season was as much about realising Belly’s heart wasn’t truly his as it was about discovering who could love him for exactly who he is. Enter Denise. Their connection wasn’t flashy or overly dramatised, but it was genuine, everything Jeremiah needed after being caught in years of back-and-forth heartbreak. Instead of being reduced to “the other brother,” Jeremiah walked away with dignity, despite the tidal wave of hate over that (very) tiny ring and that (very) extravagant two-tier dark chocolate cake with raspberry coulis and a mirror glaze.
And without forgetting, Steven and Taylor (personal favourites), rom-com magic that gave the season its lighter sparkle. From snarky banter to stolen glances, their chemistry was undeniable, and the finale finally let them stop dancing around each other. What made their romance so satisfying was that it wasn’t rushed; it felt earned, like two people who had matured enough to appreciate what they had right in front of them. If anyone deserves a spin-off, it’s these two.
What The Summer I Turned Pretty has always excelled at is capturing love in all its forms, not just the superficial highs of first crushes or the sting of unrequited feelings, but the messy, contradictory, deeply human ways people love each other. Belly’s relationship with Conrad wasn’t smooth sailing, Jeremiah’s wasn’t without pain, and Steven and Taylor’s came with plenty of stubbornness. Yet, together, these stories showed how love can be patient, chaotic, frustrating, and still worth it.
So now, as the credits roll on the show for the last time, it feels like an ending… but it isn’t really. Because Jenny Han isn’t done with Cousins Beach just yet. A Summer I Turned Pretty movie is officially on the way, giving fans one more chance to dive back into Belly and Conrad’s world.
It turns out, this wasn’t a goodbye after all; it was just the beginning of the next chapter.
