The Ultimate Faceoff: Decoding the Love Triangle in Belly's 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' - Team Conrad vs Team Jeremiah

The Summer I Turned Pretty is a poignant coming-of-age tale that delves into the emotional turmoil of a young girl who becomes entangled in a complicated love triangle with two brothers.

Premiering in June 2022 and adapted from the popular book series, the teenage drama chronicles the journey of Belly Conklin (portrayed by Lola Tung) as she grapples with the challenges of growing up, all while navigating her intricate relationships with Conrad (played by Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah Fisher (played by Gavin Casalegno). Across the three books in the series, the siblings vie for Belly's affections, as she explores her feelings for each of them before ultimately making a definitive choice in the third installment.

In July 2023, the first and second seasons of the Prime series premiered, and they generally adhere to the storyline of the books. However, Casalegno disclosed that Jenny Han, the author of the novels and the showrunner of the TV adaptation, might opt to alter the unfolding of events on screen. "I believe there is a high likelihood of that happening," he shared exclusively with We. Furthermore, he mentioned that he doesn't overly contemplate his character's future during filming.

"I strive to maintain authenticity in that aspect. Although I am aware of the eventual destination and events, I do not place heavy emphasis on them. Jenny Han's writing is so skillful that I am able to naturally navigate towards that without forcing a specific direction," Casalegno expressed to Us. "So even though I know the outcome, I choose to take each day as it comes because that is all we can do. We should live in the present moment and make the most of our time."

For Han, it was a matter of viewing her own novels from the perspective of her fans.

The content was approached by considering the important elements of the story and the fans' preferences. The writer gathered insights from emails, letters, and comments from fans over the years to inform the adaptation. The goal was to prioritize what the original fans care about and ensure the exploration of exciting and enjoyable aspects of the story.

Regarding the loyalty of Briney and Casalegno to their respective characters, they both expressed unwavering support. Briney expressed her bias as she is firmly on Team Conrad, while Casalegno admitted it is a difficult decision but ultimately chose to be on Team Jeremiah.

Scroll down for a detailed analysis of The Summer I Turned Pretty love triangle:

Belly’s All Grown Up 

When Belly arrives at Cousins during the pilot, both Conrad and Jeremiah are taken aback by how grown up she looks – and sparks immediately fly for both brothers. 

A New and Unexpected Tension

While Belly has an easy and light-hearted dynamic with Jeremiah, there is a heaviness between her and Conrad in the first few episodes of season 1.

Fireworks and a Close Call

Their true emotions concealed, the pair ends up exhibiting intense envy. Belly throws subtle insults at Conrad's girlfriend, Nicole, during a beach bonfire, while Conrad playfully teases Belly by unexpectedly joining her on a date with Cam Cameron (David Iacono) at the drive-in theater. Later, Belly confronts Conrad, unleashing her frustration and accusing him of giving her a hard time about her dating life because he harbors romantic feelings for her.

Jeremiah exhibits his own jealousy in season 1 episode 4, where he discovers Belly and Conrad on the verge of kissing on the deck, prompting him to come close to shooting a firework at them. Additionally, he cunningly engineers a scenario involving Nicole, proposing that she should invite Conrad to join her for a concert out of town, consequently leaving Jeremiah alone with Belly.

A Big Blowout

After their near-kiss, Belly ends her relationship with Cam in favor of Conrad. Even though Conrad frequently ponders about her, he continues to reject the notion of being with her. As a result, Belly chooses to release him and cease her wait for his reciprocation.

Lola Tung (Belly), Gavin Casalegno (Jeremiah). Erika Doss/Prime Video

A Surprise Confession

Realizing that Belly and Conrad will never be together, Jeremiah decides to open up about his emotions towards her. In a heartfelt moment by the pool during season 1 episode 5, he confesses his feelings and they share a passionate kiss. Their connection strengthens as they participate in a volleyball tournament together. However, as they start to struggle, Conrad replaces Jeremiah on the team. Observing Conrad and Belly triumphantly win their match and embrace each other, Jeremiah begins to question whether Belly still harbors feelings for his brother.

Picking a Disaster Date 

Belly chooses Jeremiah to accompany her as her date to the summer debutante ball. However, he disappears when he learns that his mother, Susannah (played by Rachel Blanchard), is battling cancer once again. During the final dance, Conrad steps in to take Jeremiah's place, reigniting the old sparks between him and Belly. "I'm thankful it was me," he shares with her afterwards.

A Love Returns

Despite casually dating Jeremiah, Belly and Conrad reveal their deep emotions for each other in the culminating moment of season 1. Conrad expresses his essential desire for her, proclaiming that he both "needs" and "wants" her, which leads to a long-awaited kiss between the two.

Coming Clean

A Long-Distance Reconnection

After the season 2 premiere, Belly confesses to Jeremiah that her heart belongs to Conrad. In response, Jeremiah, filled with anger, cautions Belly about the inevitable heartbreak she will face if she chooses to be with Conrad. Realizing the potential harm she may cause by being with Conrad while Susannah is ill and Jeremiah is wounded, Belly makes the difficult decision to create some distance between her and Conrad. As the summer draws to a close, they agree to take a break from their relationship.

Belly and Conrad start talking on the phone as “friends.” He eventually shows up at her house, telling her he could “never get over” her. 

Lola Tung (Belly), Christopher Briney (Conrad) Erika Doss/Prime Video

An Invisible String Tied Together 

Belly and Conrad share a night together in Cousins at Christmas in the second episode of season 2 and have sex for the first time. 

A Punctuated Prom Night

Belly and Conrad's relationship lasts until spring of her junior year of high school. In a flashback featured in season 2 episode 3, it is revealed that Conrad takes Belly to the prom. However, their prom night takes a heartbreaking turn as Conrad breaks up with her during the dance, leaving Belly devastated.

A Hard Goodbye

Following the passing of Susannah in episode 3 of season 2, Belly attends Jeremiah's funeral with the intention of offering support. However, her focus is diverted when she discovers Conrad in the company of an unidentified girl. In a moment of frustration, she expresses her strong dislike for Conrad and declares her desire to never encounter him again.

Summer Again 

Belly calls Jeremiah at the end of season 2 episode 3 because she misses him. While he answers the phone, it’s because Conrad has disappeared from college. The pair then head off to find Conrad and end up having a blowout fight on the side of the road. Jeremiah confesses he wasn’t comfortable with Belly and Conrad being together and she apologizes for causing them pain. The two reconcile and begin to mend their friendship.

You Can’t Go Back

Jeremiah and Belly find out Conrad is in Cousins. When they arrive, Conrad is upset Belly is there — and reveals Susannah’s sister is selling the family’s house.  

A Brotherly Bond

Jeremiah and Conrad, who have been slightly estranged since Conrad began dating Belly, apologize to each other and promise to work together to save their summer home.