The Summer I Turned Pretty

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han is a coming-of-age romance novel centered around Isabel "Belly" Conklin, a 15-year-old girl who spends every summer at a beach house with her mother, brother, and her mother's best friends, Susannah and her two sons, Conrad and Jeremiah. For years, Belly has had a crush on Conrad, the older, brooding son, but he has always been distant toward her. Meanwhile, Jeremiah, the younger, more playful son, has always been a good friend.

This particular summer, however, things are different. Belly is no longer the awkward girl she once was; she’s blossomed into a young woman, and both Conrad and Jeremiah start to notice her in new ways. As Belly navigates the complicated dynamics between the three of them, she finds herself caught in a love triangle, unsure of her feelings and how to handle them.

The novel explores themes of love, family, self-discovery, and the bittersweet nature of growing up. The Summer I Turned Pretty is a story about the changes that happen during one transformative summer, the relationships that shift, and the way Belly’s journey into adulthood unfolds.