Jenny Han reveals what surprises book fans will get in store for The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3!
The first big difference between the book and the show
Season 1 featured the hustle and bustle of the debutante ball, but there is no such party in the book.
Jennie Han calls it a “ritual from childhood to adulthood,” so it was added to TV.
Susannah’s secret: Who knows?
In the show, Susannah (Rachel Blanchard) tries to hide her illness, but not from Jeremiah, while Conrad finds out early on at the conference.
In the book, both brothers are already aware of this.
Jeremiah’s new identity – sexual fluidity
Jeremiah’s (Gavin Casalegno) sexually fluid character was added in the TV series; he kisses both boys and girls.
“Young people these days understand this spectrum,” Hahn said. In the book, he’s just a regular guy.
First Kiss Twist – Cam vs. Jeremiah
In the book, Belle (Lola Tung) has her first kiss with Jeremiah, while in the show, she has it with Cam (David Iacono).
Also, the breakup is different: In the book, Cam stays; in the show, Belle does the breaking up herself.
Laurel’s Writing Profession – An Easter Egg
In the show, Belle’s mom, Laurel (Jackie Chung), is a writer; not in the book.
This small touch ties in with the title “It’s Not Summer Without You,” which is the name of the second book in the trilogy.
Ant, Julia and Skye: New Characters
Season 2 introduces Ant Julia (Kyra Sedgwick) and her daughter Skye (Elsie Fisher), who are not in the book.
They added a new twist to the story of bringing Conrad back to school and selling the house.
Belle’s first sex scene
In the book, Belle never has sex with the Fish brothers.
In the show, she experiences her first sex in a flashback with Conrad (Christopher Briney).
Hahn chose this based on Belle’s “wishes and dreams.”
Steven and Telly’s new love story
In the book, Steven (Sean Kaufman) is a minor character, just a silent episode.
In the show, his relationship with Telly (Rain Spencer) slowly grows, leading to a car accident, and creates a whole new drama.
Telly’s mom’s financial troubles
Season 3 involved Telly’s mom, Lucinda (Kristen Connolly), and financial problems, forcing Telly to take over the house. There is no such story in the book.
Belle’s Wall-Cut Scene
In the show, Belle knocks on Jeremiah’s wall—a reminder of Season 1.
But this time, Jeremiah is drunk and asleep, so there is no sound. These little memories make fans laugh.
Studying Abroad – Spain vs. Paris
In the book, Belle goes to study abroad in Spain, while in the show, she goes to Paris—the hint “Casablanca” came from the book’s title, so Paris was chosen.
Brothers have a heart-to-heart talk at their mother’s grave
In the show, Conrad and Jeremiah meet at their mother’s grave, having a heart-to-heart conference—not in the book.
Hahn portrayed it as “the brothers’ final understanding.”
These little changes make “The Summer I Turned Pretty”
a new journey for book fans—full of suspense, romance, and some untold secrets that will be revealed in Season 3.
Now it remains to be seen whether these “surprises” will make the fans happy or not!