The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 Must Keep This 1 Massive Twist From The Book (2024)

The central love triangle in The Summer I Turned Pretty between Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah has captivated audiences, and one massive twist from the books the show is based on must be kept in. The show tells the story of Belly, a teenage girl who spends each summer at Cousins Beach with her mom, brother, her mom's best friend, Susannah, and Susannah's two sons. She finds herself madly in love with the eldest of the two sons, and the show details her back and forth as to who she is going to end up with.

Viewers of The Summer I Turned Pretty who have not read the book will be shocked to find out that the boy described as a "golden retriever" betrayed the girl he fought to win the affection of for years. In the third book in the series, We'll Always Have Summer, Jeremiah went on a trip for spring break and ended up sleeping with another girl. He and Belly had just decided to break up, after an argument, and, in a moment of weakness, Jeremiah takes the opportunity to be with a sorority girl. This was a huge plot point in the third novel and readers of the book are very curious whether it will make its way into the show in the third season.

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 Can't Erase The Twist Of Jeremiah Cheating On Belly

Although viewers of The Summer I Turned Pretty who are "Team Jeremiah" would probably prefer if this moment did not end up on the small screen, it is an important piece of the story that needs to be present. This is because this instance humanizes a character that has otherwise only been presented as angelic. Up until this point, there is a clear and, somewhat unfair, comparison of the two brothers. Conrad is seen as complicated, as he is conflicted about his feelings and gets Belly's hopes up only to let her down time and time again. Jeremiah, on the other hand, is seen as someone who is firm in his feelings for Belly and who would do anything to make her happy. This leads to it making little sense for anyone other than Jeremiah to be Belly's endgame, which is why this moment is so important to include.

In The Summer I Turned Pretty books, Belly and Jeremiah are very happily in a long-term relationship and attend the same college (far away from Conrad). There have been instances where Belly remembers how deep her feelings were for Conrad, and she questions if they still exist, but she ultimately keeps coming back to the fact that she is happy with and loves Jeremiah. His hooking up with another girl is what leads to a series of events that lead to her questioning the situation, eventually ending her relationship with Jeremiah, and marrying Conrad years down the line.

It has also already been set up in season 2 of The Summer I Turned Pretty, through a case of mixed-up letters, that this twist might occur in the show. In the series, it is seen that Susannah is writing two letters, and Laurel helps move them away from her so that she can talk to Belly. Laurel haphazardly puts the letters in envelopes, without ensuring that each one is going in the correct one. Readers of the book know that these letters were written to Jeremiah and Conrad and that Jeremiah ends up opening the wrong one on his wedding day. The wedding day only occurs because of this cheating twist, in the book, so unless the letters are incorporated differently in the show, it is an indicator that the cheating mishap still needs to happen.

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Jeremiah's Cheating Twist Leads To His Sudden Proposal To Belly

Part of the series of events that unfold, in The Summer I Turned Pretty series, when Belly finds out about Jeremiah being with another girl is that he spontaneously proposes. This happens when the two of them are still in college and when Belly is only 18 years old. This is another huge plot point in the story: it causes Laurel and Belly to stop talking for a while as Laurel strongly disapproves of the couple getting married so young. The quick proposal and the rushed planning of the wedding that comes after are all very jarring for everyone involved in Belly's life. Conrad, especially, has a hard time with it, and it convinces him to confess his love for Belly. When Jeremiah finds out, he is understandably upset and leaves Belly on their wedding day.

Jeremiah eventually returns and is ready to get married, but Belly is frustrated that he does not want to talk about what happened and him running away. This leads to him revealing that he is not fully content with their relationship because he does not think her whole heart belongs to him. This leads to Belly confessing that she still loves Conrad, and the two end their relationship.

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 Could Still Make Jeremiah & Belly Endgame With The Cheating Storyline

Although Belly and Conrad end up together on paper, there have been a number of changes from The Summer I Turned Pretty books thus far that indicate that there is no clear answer as to who she will end up with on the show. This cheating twist does not mean that Jeremiah and Belly can't be endgame. Because they were technically not together, this falls into the "we were on a break" category. Because they were not technically in a relationship, which Belly does admit in The Summer I Turned Pretty books, she and the audience might be able to forgive Jeremiah for what he did, and the door for him being the one Belly ends up with can be re-opened.