The Summer I Turned Pretty

Belly (Isabel Conklin) returns to Cousins Beach with her mother, Laurel Conklin, and her brother, Steven Conklin, for their annual summer at Susannah Fisher’s beach house. For Belly, Cousins is the center of her year: the familiar town, the mothers’ friendship, and the Fisher boys define what summer means. This year, however, she senses a change immediately. Conrad Fisher, her longtime crush, and Jeremiah Fisher, her playful best friend, both look at her differently, as if they are finally seeing that she has grown up.

The present summer is layered with Belly’s memories of earlier years. She recalls first falling for Conrad when small gestures of kindness made him seem different from everyone else: defending her from Steven, teaching her to dance, or simply saying good night when the boys excluded her. At twelve, she experiences a first heartbreak when Conrad takes her to the boardwalk only because he wants to see Angie, a girl working at the ring-toss booth. At fourteen, Belly brings her glamorous friend Taylor Jewel to Cousins, hoping to improve her standing, but Taylor’s flirtations with Conrad, Jeremiah, and Steven only leave Belly feeling invisible. Belly’s first kiss also comes awkwardly, when Jeremiah kisses her during a truth-or-dare game to provoke Taylor rather than out of real romance.

Back in the present, the old summer traditions resume, but unease runs beneath them. Conrad is distant, drinks, smokes, quits football, and gives up the lifeguarding job he was expected to take. Susannah and Laurel notice his behavior and worry, while Belly instinctively defends him. Jeremiah, meanwhile, remains warm and attentive: he jokes with Belly, teaches her to drive stick, takes her go-karting, and gradually begins choosing her company over Steven’s. Steven eventually leaves for a college road trip with their father, and his absence changes the balance of the house.

Belly also meets Cam, a kind, intelligent boy who remembers her from Latin Convention. At a Fourth of July bonfire, Cam gives Belly the steady attention she has always wanted, while Conrad reacts with jealous protectiveness and stops her from leaving with him. Belly and Cam begin dating: they swim, talk on the phone, go to parties, visit the drive-in, and play mini golf. Cam is considerate and sincere, and he makes Belly feel admired. Still, Belly repeatedly measures her relationship with Cam against Conrad’s reactions. When Conrad brings Nicole to the house, Belly invites Cam over partly to make Conrad jealous. Cam notices and asks whether she still likes Conrad; Belly denies it aloud but knows inwardly that her feelings have not gone away.

The Fisher family’s troubles slowly become clearer. Mr. Fisher, Adam, fails to make his usual summer visit, and Conrad bluntly tells Belly that his parents are getting divorced. Jeremiah confirms that he and Conrad noticed signs before summer began, including their father sleeping separately and moving clothes out. This revelation explains some of the boys’ pain, especially Conrad’s resentment toward his father, but it is not the whole truth. Belly also overhears Laurel urging Susannah to tell the boys difficult news, while Susannah refuses, wanting to preserve the summer as long as possible.

Belly’s sixteenth birthday briefly restores tradition. Susannah bakes her cake and gives Belly a strand of pearls that belonged to her, marking Belly’s coming-of-age. Jeremiah gives Belly a thoughtful silver key charm for her bracelet. Conrad, however, forgets a present and leaves for work during the cake, deepening Belly’s hurt. Soon after, Jeremiah confesses that he loves Belly and sees her as more than a best friend. Belly cannot return the feeling because she is still in love with Conrad. Jeremiah is wounded and asks why it always has to be Conrad, straining their easy friendship.

Near the end of summer, Belly finally confronts Conrad and tells him she has loved him since childhood. Conrad rejects her, saying he is not the one and dismissing her as a kid. Their argument escalates as Belly accuses him of selfishness and of stringing her along. Jeremiah finds Belly crying and confronts Conrad, and the brothers begin fighting. Laurel breaks them apart, and Susannah appears frail in the doorway. Laurel then reveals to Belly the real source of the summer’s grief: Susannah’s cancer has returned and spread to her liver. Belly realizes that the adults, and the boys in different ways, have been carrying this knowledge while trying to protect the summer.

In the aftermath, Belly comforts Jeremiah, who is devastated, and later clashes with a drunk, defensive Conrad. Laurel urges Belly to be strong for Susannah. In the kitchen, Susannah asks Belly to look after “him,” which Belly understands to mean Conrad. Belly then finds Conrad alone on the beach. He breaks down, admits his anger over Susannah’s choices, and asks Belly not to leave. They kiss, but Conrad stops it, saying it cannot happen that way; instead, he asks her simply to stay. Belly takes his hand, and they sit together in the rain.

As summer ends, Belly lets Cam’s calls go unanswered, accepting that she cannot give him what he wants while she still loves Conrad. Jeremiah quietly restores their friendship by acting normal. On the last day, Susannah announces that she will not pursue more aggressive hospital treatments, choosing instead to spend time at the beach with the people she loves. That night, Belly invites Conrad and Jeremiah to a midnight swim. The three recite Susannah’s favorite poem and float together, trying to hold on to their shared past. When Belly fears it may be their last summer, Conrad promises they will always come back.

The novel closes in winter, after summer has ended. Conrad calls Belly late at night while driving from Boston to see her. Belly sneaks out after Laurel falls asleep and meets him down the street. Conrad gives her his fleece and asks if she is still coming with him. Belly says yes, believing that everything between them has led to this moment.