All the major changes from Jenny Han’s books in The Summer I Turned Pretty season three

Of course, the trilogy by Jenny Han is the reason The Summer I Turned Pretty show even exists. And with Jenny herself as the creator of the series, the main arc remains true to the books. Seasons one and two mostly followed the original storyline, with a few changes and added moments. And season three of The Summer I Turned Pretty has some major changes from the books.

Now, Jenny has confirmed that the ending of season three will definitely be different. If you’ve read the trilogy, you already know the show has made some noticeable changes. Jenny has even dropped some hints about who Belly might ultimately end up with, and people are already bracing for the possibility that the show’s endgame could stray from the novels.

So, here are all the major changes from the books in The Summer I Turned Pretty Season three so far.

The time jump to Belly’s junior year

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While the book picks up right after Belly and Jeremiah get back together, the show opens with a quick flashback to Belly’s freshman year at Finch before jumping to the end of her junior year. Jeremiah is now a senior, graduating late, and the two have been dating for a while.

Belly’s career shift: From volleyball to sports psychology

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In the books, Belly doesn’t go through a major career shift. But in the show, she’s forced to quit volleyball due to an injury and ends up discovering her love for sports psychology, a brand-new arc not present in the novels.

Jeremiah as a ‘super senior’

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Jeremiah being a “super senior” was added for the show. He didn’t take the right classes, so he’s staying an extra semester at Finch. In the books, he was a junior when he proposed to Belly.

Belly’s study abroad in Paris, not Spain

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In the books, Belly studies abroad in Spain after breaking off her engagement to Jeremiah. In the show, it’s Paris, and the opportunity arises before the wedding even happens.

Steven’s car accident

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This storyline is completely original to the show. After an emotionally intense moment with Taylor, Steven crashes his car. Thankfully, he’s okay but it becomes a turning point for several characters, especially in how they see life, love, and what truly matters.

Taylor and Steven’s messy relationship

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In the books, Taylor and Steven never have a real romance. In the show, however, their on-again, off-again relationship heats up and complicates everything when they cheat on their respective partners (Davis and Mia). Their story has become a major subplot.

Laurel and John hookup

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In the trilogy, Belly’s parents stay divorced. But season three shows Laurel and John reconnecting at a conference and eventually hooking up, which doesn’t happen in the book.

Lucinda’s salon financial drama

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Taylor’s mom, Lucinda, barely appears in the books. But in season three, she’s dealing with financial trouble at her salon and turns to Steven for help. This leads to a deeper subplot that affects Taylor and Steven’s already complicated relationship.

Belly announces the engagement, not Jeremiah

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In the book, it’s Jeremiah who blurts out their engagement at lunch. In the show, Belly makes the announcement herself, frustrated and emotional after seeing Conrad and Steven get praised, while Jeremiah gets publicly shamed for graduating late.

Also, Adam, Jere and Con’s dad pays for the lunch, and not Laurel.

Wedding dress shopping with Lucinda

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In the book, Belly and Taylor hunt for a dress alone. In the show, Lucinda joins the trip, and Laurel declines Belly’s invite to come. The dress Belly finds is strikingly similar to the book’s description, and she finds it at the first store, a prom-centric boutique.

Conrad’s back-and-forth with Cousins and Stanford

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In the books, Conrad never considers leaving Cousins. In the show, he gets a job at Stanford and plans to leave, only to backtrack and stay in Cousins for Belly. His emotional maturity is explored more deeply in the show, including therapy and the fallout from his medical program.

So, will Belly’s final choice still match the books? Or will the show go in an entirely new direction? Only time (and the finale) will tell.

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