The Summer I Turned Pretty follows Belly Conklin as she navigates a pivotal summer and first love. Every year, Belly, her brother Stephen, and her mom Laurel spend their summer vacation at the beach house of the Fisher family – close friends Jeremiah, Conrad, and their mom Susannah – in the charming town of Cousins, Massachusetts. They enjoy classic summer activities like barbecues, beach days, and sailing. But this particular summer is different: 16-year-old Belly blossoms, and both Fisher brothers suddenly start to see her as more than just a friend.
Despite a few strange moments – like the boys’ instant and somewhat awkward attraction to the main character – the show is genuinely endearing. Teen romances often show us how dating can succeed or fail as young people discover themselves. These shows also offer a bit of escapism, frequently focusing on wealth, power, and social standing alongside love. Ultimately, it’s simply enjoyable to watch attractive characters navigate a series of increasingly unlikely challenges as they try to sort things out.
The show’s appeal isn’t just about the complicated love story. It also beautifully captures the nostalgia of being a teenager – the excitement of finishing school, attending your first party, and discovering who you are. We see Belly try new things, form friendships, and experience those carefree summer moments. She even finds a potential career path after an injury sparks an interest in sports psychology, and a trip to Paris helps her learn to be independent and resourceful. Ultimately, the show is about Belly’s journey of growing up.
The show *The Summer I Turned Pretty* featured a lot of romantic connections, but some were so short-lived or involved less important characters that it was hard to get a clear sense of the relationships. We’ve focused on the main romances and ranked them based on how well the actors played off each other, how interesting the pairing was, how healthy the relationship seemed, how awkward or dramatic it got, and, of course, how much ‘rizz’ they had!
14.
Adam & Kalyeigh

Jeremiah and Adam-a truly awful father and a hopelessly insensitive person-make a terrible pair. And then there’s Kayleigh, who consistently misreads every social situation. It’s hard to believe Laurel would even agree to meet her, considering Kayleigh had an affair with her best friend’s husband while she was battling cancer. Adam’s workaholism masked a deeply flawed character, and his affair with Kayleigh was a painful secret Susannah carried, and later, Conrad discovered after overhearing their fight. It’s not just the affair that’s bad, but the fact that it’s such a tired, predictable storyline. It’s another sign of Adam’s baffling inability to grow up emotionally.
13.
Susannah & Adam

Susannah and Adam had grown apart before her death, and understandably so. Adam wasn’t a very involved or supportive father, often letting his children down and refusing to learn from his mistakes. For example, remember when Jeremiah had to repeat a semester of college, and Adam blamed it on Conrad instead of taking responsibility?
Susannah was a sweet person, but she often acted without thinking things through – and marrying Adam was a prime example of a bad decision. He was fixated on money and held old-fashioned views about what it meant to be a man, prioritizing financial success over his sons’ emotional well-being. To top it all off, he had an affair with his secretary. It’s shocking that no one has confronted him about his behavior.
12.
Cam & Skye

To be honest, the show didn’t give us much to go on with this pairing. Belly’s former crush, Cam, briefly met Skye, a relative of the Fishers, in season two when they all worked together to save the beach house after Susannah passed away. They spent a fun day at the boardwalk and later hung out at the country club. Both Cam and Skye are sweet and a little awkward, which was endearing, and it was good to see Skye have a romantic interest. However, there just wasn’t much chemistry or excitement between them – it lacked that spark and drama you’d expect.
11.
Conrad & Agnes

Conrad and Agnes were casually dating while at Stanford Medical School, but Agnes hoped for a more serious relationship. This is a common reason why college romances end, and thankfully, they remained friends. Agnes is remarkably resilient – she handled a disappointing relationship with grace, moving on to a friendship. Now, we’re hoping she finds a new romance, perhaps with someone she meets at her new job!
10.
Steven & Shayla

It’s a classic story: she came from a wealthy family and was just starting her social life, while he was a working-class guy earning money at the country club. Both Shayla and Steven were good people on their own, but they just didn’t seem to connect deeply. Shayla was beautiful, stylish, and kind, but their connection never really grew beyond that surface level. It often felt like Steven was more attracted to the image of Shayla – a popular, privileged girl – than to actually getting to know her. It was hard to see what they truly loved about each other, or what made them compatible.
9.
Cam & Belly

We really like Cam Cameron, a local guy Belly meets at a beach bonfire in the first season. They go on a date to the drive-in, he attends her birthday dinner, and he shares his passion for marine life with her – he even makes her sandwiches for their dates! Cam is a sweet, thoughtful, and smart guy. However, despite being a cute and innocent couple, their connection lacked any romantic spark. Cam is a great person, but he wasn’t the right match for Belly.
8.
Belly & Benito

Belly and Benito met while she was studying abroad in Paris, through some friends they had in common. During the cozy holiday season, they fell for each other after spending a night together at a bar. It felt like something out of a Hallmark movie – a perfect Parisian romance filled with snowy drives and shared poetry. However, despite being magical, it was a short-lived connection and didn’t feel substantial enough to be truly memorable.
7.
Jeremiah & Redbird

We don’t know much about Redbird and Jeremiah, but here’s what we’ve gathered: They used to date and are very close friends from their fraternity days. Redbird is outgoing, boisterous, and loves to have fun, while Jeremiah is openly bisexual and has a warm, friendly personality. Considering their shared, energetic backgrounds, they seem like they’d have been a great match – we wish we’d seen them together more! It’s clear they have a lot of interesting stories, and we’ve already heard a few from their time in Cabo!
6.
Laurel & John

Belly’s parents were young when they got married and had kids, and they ended up getting divorced before the show even begins. However, there’s a rekindling of their connection later on, and many viewers find them adorable together – maybe we’re all just romantics! Laurel’s honesty about losing sight of herself in her early marriage and needing to rediscover her own identity was really powerful. It was great to see her prioritize her own growth. Now that they’ve both had time to grow individually, a lot of fans are rooting for them to get back together. While revisiting high school or college flings feels a bit cliché, there’s something appealing about a second chance with someone from your past, especially when you’re both more mature and can finally fulfill the promise of your first love.
5.
Steven & Denise

Okay, let me tell you about Steven and Denise. I first saw their dynamic unfold when they were both working at Breaker Capital, the firm run by Adam Fisher. Denise is this incredibly sharp, witty woman, and initially, she *really* didn’t like Steven. It was this fun, fiery hostility that eventually softened into playful banter and genuine affection. Honestly, they seemed like a total power couple – smart, driven, everything! I kept wondering why the show didn’t give them a real shot. Maybe they weren’t destined to be together forever, but the chemistry was undeniable! Seriously, every scene with them involved some kind of playful push and pull, a constant flirtation. And, hey, they *did* end up starting a company together, so who’s to say they couldn’t have had it all? Mixing business and pleasure doesn’t seem so bad when you’ve got that kind of spark.
4.
Belly & Jeremiah

Belly and Jeremiah have been friends forever, which makes their connection easy and allows them to comfort each other after losing Susannah. Jeremiah always felt a lack of support from his father, but Belly and Jeremiah both made each other feel like a priority. She consistently defended him, even in difficult moments like the awkward toast at the memorial dinner where his father dismissively highlighted Conrad’s achievements while downplaying Jeremiah’s. They were a source of strength for each other when they both really needed it. However, Jeremiah acknowledges the powerful connection between Belly and Conrad, and forcing him to compete for her affection wouldn’t be fair. The time apart also helped Jeremiah grow up – he found a job, established a routine, and created a fulfilling life independent of Belly.
3.
Taylor & Steven

Taylor and Steven had a famously turbulent relationship, filled with dramatic ups and downs – even including a frightening accident. While their early days were chaotic, it was largely due to their strong, passionate personalities. Through this relationship, Taylor, who has always been a bit of a romantic, learned to value herself and seek a partner who is smart and ambitious. Having witnessed her mother’s difficult relationships, Taylor had picked up some unhealthy ideas about love, but Steven helped her overcome those. And let’s be honest, they look great together! With so much focus on Belly, Jeremiah, and Conrad, people often overlook how appealing Steven is.
2.
Belly & Conrad

It’s understandable why Belly had a long-time crush on Conrad. He always pushed her to grow, like when he encouraged her to study abroad, and he was protective of her when they were kids. She herself says she felt a unique, first love for him, and famously stated, “It’s always been you, Conrad.” Even Jeremiah noticed the special connection between them. While Conrad wasn’t perfect – he tended to be moody and withdrawn – it took three seasons for them to finally find lasting happiness together. He often struggled with sharing his feelings and wasn’t always honest with Belly, causing problems early on. Instead of tackling challenges directly, like their prom fight, he’d often retreat. He needed to mature, work on himself, and become a better person, and ultimately, love helped him do just that.
1.
Laurel & Cleveland

Laurel and Cleveland connect in the first season after meeting at a bar and quickly becoming intimate. Cleveland is portrayed as a kind, successful author, even offering support to Conrad throughout the season. Their relationship stands out as a mature and sophisticated connection, a welcome change of pace amidst the show’s focus on teenage drama. It was a passionate and exciting relationship that allowed Laurel to enjoy a more carefree side of herself – something every mother deserves.
Read More
- Creation of Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Pharloom map reveals cut areas & major changes
- Shape of Dreams Best Builds Guide – Aurena, Shell, Bismuth & Nachia
- LINK PREDICTION. LINK cryptocurrency
- Can’t guess “When the Sun rises this appear” in Cookie Jam? Here’s the correct answer
- Kingdom Come Deliverance 2’s New Update 1.041 Delivers Hotfix 1.4.1 Addressing Quests, NPCs and More
- Skate Players Find Flopping Is Faster Than Actual Skateboarding
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Ray Tracing in Dying Light The Beast? Yes! And no… It’s complicated!
- How to make Prismatic soup in Grow a Garden (GaG)
- Brent Oil Forecast
2025-09-24 17:00