The Summer I Turned Pretty

Belly has always measured her life in summers. Each year, she counts down the months until she can return to the beach house in Cousins, where summers have been the backdrop to her most cherished memories. For as long as she can remember, Belly, her mother, and brother have spent their summers with her mother’s best friend Susannah and her two sons, Conrad and Jeremiah. These boys have been Belly’s constant companions—her protectors, her confidants, and eventually, the objects of her deepest affections. As she approaches her sixteenth summer, everything feels different, and Belly can sense that this season will change everything.

The beach house represents more than just a summer getaway—it’s where Belly has experienced her most significant milestones. It’s where she’s shared laughter, secrets, and the kind of friendships that feel like family. But as she transitions from childhood to young womanhood, the dynamics between Belly and the Fisher brothers begin to shift in ways she never anticipated. Conrad’s quiet intensity and Jeremiah’s easy charm have always affected her differently, but this summer, both boys are seeing her in a new light. Belly finds herself caught between the comfort of what’s familiar and the terrifying excitement of what’s changing.

Jenny Han masterfully captures the bittersweet essence of adolescence through Belly’s eyes. The novel beautifully portrays those fleeting summer moments that seem insignificant at the time but end up defining who we become. Through Belly’s reflective narration, readers experience the magic of first love, the pain of growing apart, and the complicated relationships between parents and children. The beach setting becomes a character in itself—a place where time moves differently, where ordinary moments feel extraordinary, and where Belly must confront truths she’s been avoiding.

The Summer I Turned Pretty resonates because it speaks to universal experiences of growing up while maintaining its unique voice. Han doesn’t shy away from the complexities of teenage emotions or the messy reality of family dynamics. Belly’s journey isn’t just about choosing between two boys—it’s about discovering who she is when the summer friends she’s always relied on begin to see her as someone new. The novel explores how our most formative relationships shape us, sometimes in ways we don’t recognize until much later.

This coming-of-age story has captivated readers with its authentic portrayal of that pivotal moment when childhood innocence gives way to young adulthood. Han’s writing feels like a warm embrace, inviting readers to remember their own summers of transformation. The book’s enduring popularity speaks to its ability to capture something essential about the teenage experience—the simultaneous excitement and terror of growing up, the intensity of first love, and the realization that some friendships evolve in ways we never expected. It’s a story that stays with you long after the last page, much like the summers that shape us most.