Jenny Han explains why the show’s ending of The Summer I Turned Pretty is different from the books

So, the weekly drop of The Summer I Turned Pretty is seriously keeping us on edge. Every new episode feels like it’s inching us closer to the ultimate question: Who does Belly choose, Conrad or Jeremiah? At the speed Belly and Jere are going, it feels like they might be married by next week. But I still have faith in Jenny Han to deliver the right ending. Whatever that means.

Season three of The Summer I Turned Pretty begins with a three-year time jump. Belly is now in her final year at Finch, Conrad is studying medicine, and Jeremiah is still acting immature.

Even though the cast’s real-life relationships are all cute and drama-free, that’s not the case in the show. Things get messy when Jeremiah suddenly goes to Cabo. Belly only finds out last minute, and while he’s there, he cheats on her, twice. When Belly finds out, she’s heartbroken and they break up.

But after Steven’s accident, everything shifts. Belly realises life is short, and she doesn’t want to waste time holding onto anger. She and Jeremiah patch things up, and literally 30 seconds later, he proposes.

So, who does Belly say yes to in the end? Is it the same as in the books? Now, Jenny Han, the author of The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy and showrunner of the series, has confirmed that the show’s ending will be different from the books.

So, why is the show’s ending different?

via Amazon Prime

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In the original books, Belly ends up with Conrad. Shocking, I know. Jenny has always made it clear that this ending meant a lot to her. Back in 2022, she told TIME, “I have a stronger memory of high school love than I do of some people in my 20s. There’s something so potent and powerful about being really young, never having been bruised by love before, and going into it so wholeheartedly without fear.”

But now, with the show, she’s open to change. In an interview with Elite Daily, Jenny said, “I always knew how I wanted to end the books. But with the show, I went into it with an open mind. I wanted to approach it with fresh eyes and just see what sort of magic happened on screen. I am somebody who is always changing things up.”

She knows people might have strong reactions, especially those who’ve loved the books for years. “People will be like, ‘Why are you changing that? That was working well!’ But to me, it could always be better,” she said. “That’s how I approach everything, so naturally I was going into this story feeling like I wanted to make it even better and try new things.”

Jenny wants the show to be its own experience, not just a copy of the books. She told Entertainment Weekly, “A lot of people, literally, are just watching the show and they’re seeing it for the first time. But you also want to serve the people who have been fans for 15 years, who are excited about certain things. But you can’t make everyone happy. I wish I could make everyone happy.”

She’s also hinted at who Belly might choose in season three, and it’s very different from the book.

So, whether you’re Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah, this time, the ending won’t be exactly how you remember it. And Jenny Han is making sure we’re all watching with bated breath.

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