As one of the most talked about shows of 2023, comparisons will inevitably be drawn to The Summer I Turned Pretty‘s source material, and there are a number of storylines in season 3 that will differ from the book series it was based on. The Summer I Turned Pretty follows the story of Belly, a teenage girl who has found herself caught in a love triangle between two brothers, Conrad and Jeremiah. The show is based on a series of novels by Jenny Han, who also wrote To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, and audiences have been turning to the books for clues to find out how the show will end.
Although they serve as a general road map to the show’s plot, there have been a number of ways the stories in The Summer I Turned Pretty novels have changed in the show. From the addition of the debutant ball in season 1 to a change in Jeremiah’s sexuality, it has been proven that no detail, big or small, is guaranteed to translate exactly from page to screen. Based on the reveals in the previous two seasons, here are the 9 storylines that viewers can expect to see differ from the books in the upcoming season 3.
9 Steven And Taylor’s Relationship
Viewers of The Summer I Turned Pretty saw the dramatic, yet sweet, “Will they, won’t they?” of Steven and Taylor getting together. With them being smitten with one another and in a relationship at the end of season 2, it’s pretty safe to say audiences will see the couple together for at least part of season 3. This is something that differs from the book significantly, as Steven and Taylor do not have much to do with one another after their own shared kiss. This means that there are no clues from the books that audiences can rely on to learn if Steven and Taylor stay together at the end of the show.
8 Belly Waiting To Lose Her Virginity
In the books, Belly is waiting to lose her virginity until after she is married and does not have sex with Jeremiah in their two-year-long relationship. In The Summer I Turned Pretty show, however, Belly has sex with Conrad in season 2. As Belly and Jeremiah’s relationship is further explored, their relationship could look different from how it did in the books, as Belly will not be waiting to lose her virginity until she is married.
7 Conrad’s Panic Attacks
The Summer I Turned Pretty show highlights the real-life implications of anxiety through Conrad’s panic attacks. While these moments are very important and shine a light on mental health, they are not ones that were taken from the books. In the novels, there is no mention of the character’s mental health, aside from them all dealing with grief after the loss of Susannah. Season 3 will likely continue to explore Conrad’s journey with anxiety, serving as another way the show will continue to diverge from the books
6 Aunt Julia & Skye’s Involvement
One way that The Summer I Turned Pretty books differs from the show is the addition of Aunt Julia and Skye. In the books, these characters simply do not exist and all of their involvement in the second season does not happen. Season 2 sets up their continued involvement in the show, as Skye wants to spend more time with her cousins, which will be a detour from the path laid out by the books.
5 Cam Cameron’s Continued Presence
The lovable Cam (A.K.A. Cam Cameron) has a more limited role in The Summer I Turned Pretty books than he does in the show. In the books, he is not seen outside the first in the series and does not have much of a storyline other than being with Belly for a time. The show explores his story further, with him sharing the loss of his sister and kissing Skye. With his and Skye’s romance just starting to develop at the end of season 2, it is likely that audiences will see even more of him in season 3.
4 Finding Out If Laurel & Cleveland Get Back Together
In the book series, Laurel is more of a one-dimensional figure and her story is not explored in great detail. The Summer I Turned Pretty show, however, allows viewers to see Laurel in multiple different ways: a mother, a best friend, an author, and a woman in a romantic relationship. With her season 1 love interest, Cleveland Castillo, making another appearance in season 2, it is speculated that he will appear in season 3 as well and audiences will learn if he ends up with Laurel after all. This will continue to flesh out Laurel’s storyline in ways that the book series never did.
3 Laurel’s Author Career
In The Summer I Turned Pretty, audiences learn early on that Laurel is an author with a published book. In the second season, viewers see that Laurel is still writing and has actually channeled part of her grief into a novel about Susannah. While Laurel’s professional life is seen multiple times in the show, it is not mentioned in the books. Her author career will probably continue to be of relevance in season 3, as viewers see more about what came of her novel, as well as her literary rival-turned-love interest, Cleveland.
2 Belly Playing Volleyball
Belly getting to play volleyball again at the end of season 2 is a major plot point in the series, as it shows the character beginning to emerge from the fog of grief she found herself in and begin to discover joy again. Viewers are likely to see Belly playing volleyball, once again, in season 3, due to its significance in the previous season. This plot point is not one that was ever seen in The Summer I Turned Pretty book series, though. In fact, Belly’s school life and hobbies outside of being at Cousins Beach really are not explored much in the book series.
1 Belly And Taylor’s Deep Friendship
Arguably, one of the best parts of The Summer I Turned Pretty series, and one that is sure to continue in season 3, is Belly and Taylor’s sweet and meaningful friendship. While this friendship is very important in Belly’s life in the show, it wasn’t this way in the books. In the books, Taylor and Belly get into an argument that alters the course of their friendship, making it more surface-level. Book-Taylor isn’t a great person, either, as she’s consistently putting Belly down and making her feel bad about herself. In the books, she is mainly seen through Belly’s flashbacks, indicating that she did not have a prominent role in Belly’s present life.
