The sun is about to rise one last time over Cousins Beach. But before fans of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” return to Amazon Prime Video for its third and final season on July 16, it’s worth taking a closer look at how things unraveled—and intensified—in Season 2.
It wasn’t just about summer flings or teenage heartbreak anymore. Grief, growing pains and the fragility of familial bonds took center stage as Susannah Fisher’s death cast a long shadow over every decision, every argument and every kiss.
Grief Took the Lead
Season 2 opened in the aftermath of Susannah’s passing, a seismic loss that fractured her sons Conrad and Jeremiah in different ways. Conrad internalized it, shutting himself off from the world. Jeremiah simmered with unspoken resentment. And Belly, the emotional compass of the story, found herself stuck between their pain and her own unresolved guilt.
Susannah wasn’t just their mother or Belly’s second parent—she was the soul of Cousins Beach. Her absence left a gaping emotional hole, and the summer house she loved so much was suddenly at risk of being sold off.
The House That Held Them Together
Enter Aunt Julia (Kyra Sedgwick)—Susannah’s estranged sister and the legal owner of the beach house, who drives the audience to the main plot point of Season 2. Her decision to sell the property felt like betrayal to the Fisher and Conklin kids, who saw the house as sacred ground. It was more than just real estate. It was memory. Legacy. Safe haven.
It’s worth noting that in Jenny Han’s second book, “It’s Not Summer Without You”, the Cousins Beach house was put up for sale by Susannah’s husband Adam Fisher. But, in the show, it’s her half sister Julia who puts this process into motion because the house gets left to her after Susannah passes.
As we return to the plotline, while the adults negotiated, the teens took matters into their own hands. Conrad worked behind the scenes on a financial solution. Belly, Jeremiah, Steven and Taylor rallied around the house in more visible (and chaotic) ways. Open houses were sabotaged, emotional pleas were made, and alliances were tested. But in the end, it was a delicate mix of emotional reckoning and parental intervention that saved the house. Laurel, Belly’s mother, played a pivotal role in softening Julia’s stance, and her ex-husband Adam sealed the deal by agreeing to sell his Boston home to buy Cousins Beach back into the family.
Laurel’s Journey: Grief, Guilt, and Healing
One of the season’s most emotionally mature arcs belongs to Laurel, Belly’s mother. Initially distant and emotionally unavailable, Laurel is grieving Susannah in her own withdrawn way. Her reluctance to promote her book, a tribute to her friendship with Susannah, echoes her discomfort with public vulnerability and limelight.
Her return to Cousins beach, following a desperate call from Belly, is a turning point. The mother-daughter confrontation is raw: Laurel is angry not just at Belly, but at herself—for abandoning the emotional wreckage that followed Susannah’s death. Her eventual willingness to stand up to Julia and mediate the beach house conflict shows Laurel’s emotional reawakening and her role as the adult anchor in the chaos.
Reigniting the Triangle: Belly, Jeremiah & Conrad
While saving the house gave the group a shared mission, it didn’t pause the emotional landmines brewing beneath the surface. Conrad and Belly were no longer a couple when Season 2 began, but the feelings hadn’t gone anywhere. Jeremiah, long in the background, finally stepped forward. And Belly, torn between past and potential, wrestled with her heart.
A particularly loaded motel episode late in the season exposed just how fragile these bonds had become. Belly told Jeremiah she’d speak with Conrad about where they stood. Conrad, in a moment of vulnerability, told Belly he still wanted her. But Belly stayed silent. By the time the trio left the motel, Jeremiah and Belly were a couple. Conrad walked away heartbroken—again.
Skye: The Newcomer Who Shifted the Dynamics
Skye, Julia’s child, initially comes off as a disruptor: quiet, observant, slightly removed from the tight-knit Fisher-Conklin circle. But their character adds nuance to the family tension. Skye’s quiet loyalty to their mother collides with their growing fondness for the Cousins crew, especially Taylor and Steven.
Their presence forces the others to reflect on what “family” means when history, loyalty, and resentment tangle together. Skye also serves as a kind of emotional mirror—watching from the outside, they highlight how deep the group’s dysfunctions run.
Steven and Taylor’s Slow Burn
Outside the central triangle, one of the most grounded arcs was Steven and Taylor’s simmering tension. Their storyline added levity but also a parallel theme of outgrowing assumptions.
Steven stepped up, protective, emotionally present, and Taylor began to see him in a new light. Their eventual coming together felt earned, unlike the rollercoaster unfolding around them.
Steven’s Coming-of-Age
Steven’s arc this season proved he was far more than a secondary sibling. Season 2 allowed him to mature emotionally in the shadow of grief and growing up. While he still brought levity to intense moments through his punchlines, Steven also showed real growth in how he handled Taylor’s feelings, in how he protected her during the farewell party, and in the vulnerability he revealed when confessing his own to Taylor.
From ballroom dances to golf course campouts, Steven shifted from being just the comic relief to one of the show’s emotional pillars.
Conrad’s Collapse & Jeremiah’s Moment
Conrad’s emotional arc this season was a slow unraveling. Between panic attacks, the weight of being the “older brother” and the silent grief of losing his mother and his girlfriend, he nearly imploded. One of the quiet heartbreaks of the season was watching him prepare for his final exams at Brown, isolated in his emotions but still pushing forward. The siblings and Belly helped him pull through, barely.
Meanwhile, Jeremiah stepped into himself. Once the quieter, funnier and often-overlooked brother, he finally became more than just the guy in the background. His anger, affection and insecurity all played out with rawness. His relationship with Belly didn’t feel like a backup plan this time—it felt intentional. It was his time, and Belly chose him.
The Symbolism of the Earrings
For fans of Jenny Han’s original novels, one particular detail stood out in Belly’s dream: crescent moon and star earrings. They aren’t just a random fashion choice, they’re a deliberate nod to “We’ll Always Have Summer”, the final book in the trilogy.
Paired with the infinity necklace from Conrad, this subtle callback suggests that the show is quietly aligning with its literary roots. Even as the love triangle evolves and diverges, Han is threading through the original spirit of her story: one where tiny objects carry weight and emotional closure often hides in visual details.
Where We Left Off
Season 2 ends with Belly and Jeremiah sharing a kiss outside a motel, officially stepping into something new. They’re at volleyball camp now. It’s summer again. But the air is heavy with what wasn’t said, and who was left behind.
Conrad, back in Cousins, is alone. Still hurting. Still watching from the outside.
What Season 3 Promises
Described by Jenny Han as a “supersized” final chapter, Season 3 will span 11 episodes and is expected to pick up after a time jump. It’ll follow Belly, Conrad and Jeremiah as they take their tangled past into adulthood. The beach may still be golden, but the stakes will be higher, the choices harder, and the heartbreak—inevitable.
Finch College is introduced as a potential new beginning. And yet, everywhere Belly goes, Conrad and Jeremiah are still right there. She’s not choosing between two boys. She’s choosing which version of herself she’s ready to become.
Whether you’re Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah, make no mistake: this final summer at Cousins Beach won’t be a quiet one.
“The Summer I Turned Pretty” Season 3 premieres July 16, 2025 on Amazon Prime Video.
For more updates on TV and streaming: follow us on X/Twitter and Instagram (@lyricalmuseblog) and visit Lyrical Muse for more such stories.
Leave a Reply