For the past three summers, Amazon Prime’s “The Summer I Turned Pretty” (also known as TSITP) has been the show everyone binges, memes and fights about. But the biggest question isn’t what’s next for Cousins Beach. It’s who Belly should end up with: Conrad or Jeremiah?
The series, based on Jenny Han’s bestselling books (the first of which shares its name with the show), follows Isabel “Belly” Conklin as she spends every summer at Cousins Beach with her family friends, the Fisher brothers and their mom, Susannah. What starts as a childhood crush becomes the ultimate love triangle. Conrad, the brooding older brother and Jeremiah, the lighthearted younger one. Both Fisher brothers fall for Belly, leaving fans passionately divided on who really belongs with her.
Part of the cultural explosion of TSITP comes from how Gen Z has made it their summer ritual. Every June, TikTok is flooded with edits, debates and breakdowns of every line, kiss and breakup. Publications like Teen Vogue and Variety have even called it one of the “15 best teen drama love triangles of all time” alongside classics of the genre like “Gilmore Girls” and “Degrassi”, pointing to its mix of messy romance, nostalgia and characters who feel like people we know.
The Case for Conrad
He’s Belly’s first love—the quiet, complicated one whose walls she’s been trying to break down since childhood. Fans who are Team Conrad argue that there’s nothing like the pull of a first love, even if he’s not perfect.
“While Conrad also shut people out a lot, and in the earlier seasons he wasn’t really in the right place for a relationship, he never failed to show Belly how much he loved her.” said Rehan Mohamed (12). “By season 3, he does seem like he’s trying to get better, but it still leaves Belly confused.”
The Case for Jeremiah
On the other hand, Jeremiah represents warmth, consistency and joy. He’s the golden retriever loverboy, always there when Belly needs someone. Team Jeremiah fans say he’s the one who truly sees her, not just the idea of her.
“Jeremiah doesn’t make her guess if she’s loved,” Betalhem Lencha (12) said. “He just shows her.”
When you take a step back, the Team Conrad vs. Team Jeremiah debate mirrors bigger questions about love itself. Do we want passion, angst and the drama of a complicated first love, or do we value steadfastness, loyalty and the kind of love that feels safe?
So, who does Belly actually end up with? No spoilers here, but let’s just say the books and show, which has officially concluded with its third and final season, give fans plenty to argue about for years to come.
In the end, Belly’s choice is just a TV storyline, but our sides may say more about us than about the patrons of Cousins Beach. Team Conrad might always appeal to the drama-lovers, but Team Jeremiah shows us that sometimes the hottest thing for someone to be is kind, consistent and present when it counts.
