Line #24 Literature/TheSummerITurnedPretty


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3	''The Summer I Turned Pretty'' is a YoungAdult novel by Jenny Han. It was released in 2009.
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5	Every year, Isabel "Belly" Conklin spends a perfect summer at a beachside house owned by her family friends, the Fishers. There's the swimming pool at night, the private stretch of sandy beach... and the two boys. Unavailable, aloof Conrad - who she's been in love with forever - and friendly, relaxed Jeremiah, the only one who's ever really paid her any attention.
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7	The summer before her high school junior year, however, something is different. They seem to have noticed her for the first time. It's going to be an amazing summer - and one she'll never forget.
8
9	It is a trilogy, with two sequels following in the next two years. ''It's Not Summer Without You'', released in 2010, focuses on the summer before Belly's senior year, as she and the Fishers deal with a tragedy happening earlier that year. ''We Always Have Summer'', released in 2011, is set the summer before Belly's sophomore year in college, as she makes a shocking decision that her family may not approve.
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11	On February 8, 2021, it was reported that the series was being adapted to an eight-episode [[Series/TheSummerITurnedPretty live-action series]] by Creator/AmazonStudios for streaming on Creator/PrimeVideo, with the show ultimately premiering on June 17, 2022. Han wrote the pilot and serves as showrunner, alongside Gabrielle Stanton (''Series/{{Haven}}''). It stars Lola Tung as Belly, Christopher Briney as Conrad, Creator/GavinCasalegno as Jeremiah, Jackie Chung as Laurel, and Creator/RachelBlanchard as Susannah.
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13	!!The series provides examples of:
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15	* AccidentalMisnaming: Taylor keeps calling Jeremiah "Jeremy", even though she does know what his actual name is, but Jeremiah calls Taylor "Tyler" in response. Belly is the one that corrects Taylor on the matter, not Jeremiah.
16	* ACupAngst: Taylor, Belly's best friend, is self-conscious about her small A-cup size, wearing push-up bras and doing what she can to appear bigger. In the first book, when the girls are around 14, she sees Belly's large chest while they're changing and is stunned with jealousy. When Belly lies that they were both the same size, Taylor's relieved that she (supposedly) isn't bigger than her.
17	* AffectionateNickname:
18	** Belly is one, although she also gets called "Bells".
19	** Laurel always calls Susannah "Beck".
20	** Taylor gets called "Jewel" by the boys at school, which she pretends to hate but secretly loves.
21	* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Belly to Conrad, although she gradually gets sick of his mixed signals.
22	* AlwaysSomeoneBetter:
23	** Belly's relationship with Taylor, whom she feels is prettier and generally more attractive than her.
24	** To an extent, Jeremiah and Conrad. Jeremiah feels this about his big brother while Conrad feels this about his younger brother. Truly ironic.
25	* AmicableExes:
26	** Belly's parents divorced without much fuss and share a smooth case of joint custody of their children. This actually rubs Belly the wrong way, because, having seen Taylor's parents fight constantly prior to divorcing [[spoiler: and Susannah's and Adam's own messy divorce]], she wonders if her parents never really loved each other if they were willing to divorce so easily.
27	** Not played straight at first with Belly and Conrad after their breakup, as Conrad is clearly still very bitter with how things ended up and Belly feels awkward whenever she ends up alone with him. However, the tension eventually melts and things get easier for them. [[spoiler:And then Conrad sees Belly kissing Jeremiah and [[LoveHurts flips out]], showing that, no, it actually ''never'' got easier for him.]]
28	** [[spoiler:At the end of the series, Belly and Jeremiah. It's mentioned that, during the former's trip to Spain, the two keep in touch through video and messaging chats (something that she doesn't do with Conrad, which annoys him when he finds out). During her wedding to Conrad, Belly blows a kiss to Jeremiah and he nods in return. It's implied they realized they were better off JustFriends all along.]]
29	* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove:
30	** [[spoiler: Belly gives one to Conrad near the end of the first book, but his initial reaction is to dismiss it, prompting he and Belly to get into an argument.]]
31	** [[spoiler: Conrad gives one to Belly in the third and final book. It's the night before she's supposed to marry Jeremiah and Conrad confesses his love for her, begging her not to marry his brother. She, in turn, brutally rejects him and declares [[ItsTooLate he's too late in telling her his feelings]].]]
32	* BerserkButton: Taylor presses Belly's when [[spoiler: she makes out with Steven.]]
33	* BetterAsFriends:
34	** [[spoiler: After Jeremiah and Belly break up and end their engagement, they eventually come to this realization after slowly mending their strained relationship (off-screen) and become good friends again. At her wedding to Conrad years later, she blows Jeremiah a kiss from afar and he responds with a nod.]]
35	** Averted with [[spoiler: Belly and Conrad. They try to convince themselves of this in the third book, especially when Belly is engaged to Jeremiah. But, they gradually realize their [[UnresolvedSexualTension UST]] is ''NEVER'' going to go away and are forced to realize they can never be JustFriends and will always love each other.]]
36	* BigBrotherInstinct: All three of the boys have this towards Belly, but she doesn't always appreciate it as she begins to explore dating and boys.
37	* BrattyTeenageDaughter: '''Belly''', in spades. She constantly fluctuates between acting like a teenager and like a child, which gets lampshaded several times. Including by herself.
38	* {{Bridezilla}}: Downplayed in the third book with Belly. She's (rightfully) annoyed with Jeremiah's nonchalance about their wedding (such as missing wedding appointments and errands) and planned marriage (such as picking an apartment and finances), doing nothing to help and leaving it all on her. And the times he ''does'' try to help, he's ''far'' from helpful. When she calls him out on his overly lax attitude, he blows her off and calls her a Bridezilla. She ''doesn't'' appreciate it.
39	* CharacterTic: Belly sticking her tongue out, which highlights her childishness.
40	* ChickMagnet: Conrad.
41	* ChildhoodFriendRomance: Belly and Conrad. [[spoiler:And then it's revealed that Jeremiah loves her as well.]]
42	* ClassClown: Jeremiah.
43	* ComingOfAgeStory: The series as a whole is one to the protagonist. Belly learns that loss is hard and love isn't as simple as she thought it would be.
44	* DaddysGirl: Belly.
45	* DarkerAndEdgier: [[spoiler: The second book is much darker than the first, opening with Susannah's funeral. Even though readers saw it coming, it still stings and is shocking nonetheless.]]
46	* DaydreamSurprise: The beginning of ''It's Not Summer Without You''. Belly is relaxing at the summer house with her mother and Susannah and greets Jeremiah, Steven, and Conrad, who kisses her. Then Taylor abruptly wakes her up, revealing that not only is she ''not'' at the summer house, but [[spoiler: she has broken up with Conrad and Susannah is dead.]]
47	* DCupDistress: Belly hates her C-cup chest size (partly for it physically slowing her down and fear of it simply getting her noticed) and does what she can to hide her body. She's also afraid of the boys teasing her about it and she can ''also'' see Taylor's clear jealousy of her move developed body.
48	* DeadpanSnarker: Laurel and Conrad.
49	* EmbarrassingNickname: Belly laments she never gets called Isabel, always Belly. She reveals her nickname comes from her father, who called her Belly due to her childhood love for Jelly Belly candy.
50	* EveryoneCanSeeIt:
51	** She might like to pretend otherwise, but everyone knows Belly is in love with Conrad.
52	** This gets seriously lampshaded in the third book [[spoiler: when Belly prepares to marry Jeremiah and Conrad pretends to be okay with it. However, everyone can see Conrad is still in love with Belly and wonder why he won't confess his feelings before it's too late. He insists he's no longer pining over her, but no one's buying it. It all comes to a head when Jeremiah demands that Conrad finally admit his true feelings for her. He does and admits [[OneTrueLove Belly's the only person he can be with]].]]
53	* [[FirstGirlWins First Guy Wins]]: [[spoiler: In the final book, Belly and Conrad get married after YEARS of missing the right time for their much-desired relationship.]]
54	* FlashbackBPlot: In the first two books, the narrative constantly shifts between the present day and some points in the past. This is abandoned come the final book.
55	* FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling: In the first two books, Jeremiah is the Responsible to Conrad's Foolish. [[spoiler: By the third book, these take a ''very'' dramatic switch with Conrad suddenly becoming the Responsible to Jeremiah's Foolish. It's implied college forced Conrad to finally grow up while university all but eroded Jeremiah's previous "golden boy" standing when he fell hard into frat-boy party life.]]
56	* GreenEyedMonster:
57	** Belly is very jealous of Nicole, and is very obvious about it. She refers to her as "Red Sox Girl" most of the time.
58	** In the second book, [[spoiler: Conrad gets hit ''hard'' with this when he walks in on Jeremiah and Belly making out. He's so furious, Belly literally flinches when seeing his [[TranquilFury anger-filled eyes]]. He gets hit again when learning of Belly's engagement to Jeremiah in the third book, refusing to look at her before leaving. Later, he narrates during his perspective chapter that he would rather "get shot in the head with a nail gun" than watch Belly and Jeremiah cuddle together. His pent up jealousy eventually leads to his AnguishedDeclarationOfLove when he can't take it anymore.]]
59	* HowWeGotHere:
60	** ''It's Not Summer With You'' opens two months after [[spoiler:Susannah's death]]. The first half of the book proceeds to explain the events during that period.
61	** The third and final book ''We'll Always Have Summer'' begins with Belly [[spoiler: on her wedding day with her unidentified husband helping her into their car]] as they prepare to take off to an unknown location. The rest of the book jumps back and explains how she ended up there [[spoiler: as well as who her husband is and where they're heading.]]
62	* IvyLeagueForEveryone: Conrad is going to Brown, while Steven departs for Princeton midway through the first book. [[spoiler:In the third book, it is mentioned that Conrad has transferred from Brown to Stanford.]]
63	* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: [[spoiler:In ''We Always Have Summer'', it is revealed that Conrad let Belly go in the previous book because he recognized how screwed up he was at the time and encouraged her pairing with Jeremiah to let her be happy with someone more stable than him. However, he also names giving her up as the biggest regret of his life and how [[GreenEyedMonster watching her be with another guy is killing him]] now that's got his life together and feels ready for a future with her.]]
64	* JacobAndEsau: Adam favors Conrad while Jeremiah is close Susannah. The third book even has Conrad name-drop the trope.
65	* JustAKid: Belly is annoyed that everyone at the summer house sees her this way, as she is the youngest.
66	* LoveHurts: For both Belly and Conrad. And Jeremiah, too.
67	* TheMaidenNameDebate: Even during her marriage, Laurel didn't change her name to "Laurel Conklin". It has always been Laurel Dunne. Her children, on the other hand, inherited their father's surname.
68	* MamasBoy: Jeremiah is much closer to his mother, and is much more supportive of her than Conrad is. Although Conrad's narrative chapters reveal that, deep down, he ''is'' this, even if he does a good job hiding it.
69	* MeaningfulRename: When Belly heads to college, she decides she wants to be called "Isabel" as a sign of her maturity and to shed her childhood persona; not "Belly" anymore, which she always thought was embarrassing. Everyone does their best to accommodate her choice, but find it hard to stop calling her the nickname they've been using for her for 18 years.
70	* MistakenForGay: Belly begins to think Cameron is this when he avoids making out with her, awkwardly asking for permission to kiss her, and rejects going skinny-dipping with her when she herself offers to do so. His lack of physical affection with her is a primary factor that kills her attraction towards him.
71	* MoralityChain: Susannah is this for pretty much everyone, Conrad and Adam in particular.
72	* NayTheist: Belly once flunked a church service because she hadn't bothered to memorize a hymn. Everyone was swayed by the service, but she wasn't and felt like an intruder. This seems to come from her mother, who is "not religious in the least". However, it's mentioned that Laurel attends a few services while Susannah is in the hospice. Not to pray, but to have some time alone.
73	* NerdGlasses: Belly used to wear them, but switches to contact lenses just before the first book, adding to her [[SheCleansUpNicely beauty shocker]] the boys.
74	* NotSoStoic: Laurel, as the story goes on. This applies to Conrad too, especially in the third book.
75	* ParentalMarriageVeto: In the third book, Laurel is adamant in her disapproval of Belly marrying Jeremiah and threatens not to show up for their wedding. She isn't against Jeremiah, but the fact they're both 18-years-old and she would prefer them to wait until at least after graduation when they're older. She even offers to help pay for them to get their own apartment if it means postponing marriage.[[spoiler: She eventually mellows out and is convinced by Conrad to give them her blessing, though the wedding ends up not happening anyway.]]
76	** Subverted with Adam and Mr. Conklin. They don't exactly approve of the wedding themselves, but give them a go-ahead just to avoid any more drama and make the best out of it.
77	* ParentsAsPeople: Laurel, Susannah, and Adam are all presented as people with their own lives and traits rather than just the kids' parents.
78	* ParentalSubstitute: Belly feels far closer with the more emotionally open Susannah than with her own mother, having a deeper attachment and connection with her. When Susannah dies, Laurel becomes this for Conrad.
79	* PrecisionFStrike:
80	** Belly telling Steven, "Go to hell." after [[spoiler: she catches him and Taylor together.]] She also says the same thing [[spoiler:to Conrad when she spots him with his ex-girlfriend, Aubrey, during Susannah's funeral.]]
81	** In the second book, [[spoiler: Laurel tells Mr. Fisher, "Excuse me, but fuck you."]]
82	* PrecociousCrush:
83	** Played with. Belly is only two years younger than Conrad, but since she's considered the "baby" of the Conklin-Fisher family due to being the youngest, her love comes across as precocious.
84	** [[spoiler:It turns out Taylor has one for Steven, although he just thinks Taylor is annoying.]]
85	* QuittingToGetMarried: Before their wedding, Jeremiah tells Belly that she should quit her part-time job, which she complies with.
86	* RomanticRunnerUp: [[spoiler:Jeremiah. He only wants to marry Belly if she can give all of her heart to him. The problem is, she can't and admits a small piece of her will always love Conrad.]]
87	* SecretlyDying: [[spoiler: Susannah is dying of cancer in the first book.]]
88	* SettleForSibling: [[spoiler:Since Conrad continuously pushes himself away from her, Belly eventually decides that she would rather be with someone who is more stable, and starts dating Jeremiah in the second book. Eventually subverted in the third book, when she realizes that she will never be able to move on from Conrad and cancels her wedding.]]
89	* SheIsAllGrownUp: The reaction the boys and Susannah have to Belly when she arrives at the Beach House in the first book, almost 16 years old now. Jeremiah even says this when greeting Belly, remarking how she's "all grown up" now. Also combined with SheCleansUpNicely.
90	* ShotgunWedding: In the third book, since the two are teenagers, everyone assumes that Belly's pregnant and is getting married to cover it up. (Ironically, not only is Belly ''not'' pregnant, she's still a virgin.) Taylor deliberately invokes this trope to shield Belly from embarrassment at a dress shop as they're buying her wedding dress; lying that Belly's three months pregnant and Belly goes along with it to get a rise out of the people judging her.
91	* SiblingTriangle: [[spoiler:Both Conrad and Jeremiah are in love with Belly. Belly is definitely in love with Conrad but she's also confused by her feelings for Jeremiah.]]
92	* SingleTargetSexuality: [[spoiler: Agnes, Conrad's Stanford friend, asks Conrad at random if he has ever been in love. He replies that he has only once: Belly. This is also backed up by Susannah in a letter she wrote for him on his wedding day; while he has dated many girls, she's only ever seen him genuinely in love once, with Belly.]]
93	* SlutShaming: Explored when [[spoiler: Taylor, after being rejected by Conrad and losing interest in Jeremiah (who made it clear he was interested in her after she'd been flirting with him), is caught by Belly making out with her brother a day or so later. Belly is furious and snaps at Taylor solely to hurt her, "I'd never thought you'd act so... slutty." Taylor is utterly crushed at this insult and leaves. However, Belly also comments, "It was such bull. My supposed superiority over her. I'd trade places with her in a second."]]
94	* TheSmurfettePrinciple: Belly is the only girl among three older boys. As a kid growing up, this was a source of frustration for her as she got left out of most, if not all, their activities or games they would play. Laurel even mentions this, saying how she always followed behind the boys, but only because she just wanted to be included.
95	* SweetTooth: Belly. Conrad even says if they cut her open, she would just bleed white sugar.
96	* TeacherStudentRomance: After her parents separated, Belly's father hooked up with one of his [=PhD=] students. She might or might not be Linda, the woman he is currently dating.
97	* TimeSkip: The books are all set during the course of a summer. There is a year-long gap between the first and second books and a two years-long gap between the second and third.
98	* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Belly is the Tomboy to Taylor's Girly Girl.
99	* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Taylor eats absolutely everything with ketchup.
100	* UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo: Belly likes Conrad, but Jeremiah develops a thing for Belly. [[spoiler: Then Belly develops a thing for Jeremiah, but isn't sure he likes her. Unaware he's thinking the same thing. The two eventually date. ''Then'' Conrad is revealed to still love Belly, who is now engaged to Jeremiah. But, she might still love Conrad. Jeremiah suspects her lingering feelings for Conrad, but still loves her. Belly admits she still loves Conrad but also loves Jeremiah too. ''Phew!'' And it's not even the full story.]]
101	* VisitByDivorcedDad:
102	** Steven and Belly's dad.
103	** Conrad and Jeremiah's dad as well.
104	* WeddingEpisode: The plot of ''We Always Have Summer'' revolves around Belly's decision to marry Jeremiah, despite the two still being teenagers.
105	* WeddingFinale: Played with. [[spoiler:''We Always Have Summer'' does end with Belly marrying, but to Conrad, not Jeremiah.]]
106	* WellDoneSonGuy: Both Conrad and Jeremiah to their father, Mr. Fisher.
107	* WhamLine:
108	** [[spoiler: "The cancer came back, Belly. And this time it's not going away."]]
109	** [[spoiler: I wasn't in Cousins. Conrad and I weren’t together, and Susannah was dead.]]
110	** [[spoiler: Conrad to Belly in book three: "I still love you."]]
111	** [[spoiler: Her final statement during the argument that follows: "You and I... you and I were never anything."]]
112	* WhatDoesSheSeeInHim:
113	** How Laurel felt about Susannah's marriage to the emotionally abusive and unfaithful Adam. After Susannah dies, she tells Adam to his face [[spoiler: that she tried convincing Susannah to leave him for her own happiness many times, but she always refused to.]]
114	** This can also be applied to Belly regarding her feelings for Conrad. He treats her like crap, while Belly willingly keeps going back to him despite the many heartaches he causes her. Belly lampshades this herself as unhealthy and it eventually leads to [[spoiler: her dating Jeremiah when accepting she needs to date an emotionally stable guy. Taylor even tells Conrad this in the third book; saying how fed up she is with seeing Belly cry over him, how he treats Belly like a toy to play with as he pleases, and to "not 'eff up her best friend's life" anymore.]]
115	** In the climax of the third book, [[spoiler:Conrad tells Belly about Jeremiah's infidelity (after finding out at his bachelor party of his one-night-stand) and is shocked that, not only that she already knows, but is still willing to marry him despite it. He says he never thought she would be the type of girl to "put up with that" from a guy.]]
116	* WhatTheHellHero:
117	** Jeremiah gives Conrad one near the end of the first book [[spoiler: when it's revealed the reason why Conrad is acting like an asshole is because Susannah's cancer has come back and he can't deal with it.]]
118	** Generally, ''everybody'' gives this to Conrad at least once per book.
119	* WildTeenParty: Jeremiah, Belly, and Conrad throw one in "It's Not Summer Without You".
120	* WithFriendsLikeThese: Belly and Taylor go through a rocky friendship throughout the series. They usually have a huge fight that threatens their friendship at least once per book, but by the third seem to grow out of their childhood immaturity. While Taylor insists Belly is a poor friend, Taylor herself isn't that good of a friend towards Belly either. Taylor's treatment towards Belly during Susannah's recent death and her still clearly grieving the loss (of someone who was also a maternal figure for her) is also insensitive. However, they do make up [[spoiler: and Belly makes Taylor her maid of honor during her planned wedding to Jeremiah]] and remain close friends throughout adulthood. [[spoiler: However, Belly ''does'' consider her "real" best friend to be college-friend Anita while Taylor remains her "oldest" best friend from childhood.]]
121	* WrongGuyFirst: Belly's first-ever relationship (and fling) is Cameron and, while he was a good guy who genuinely liked Belly, the two were simply incompatible as a couple.
122	* YoureNotMyFather: During Belly's conflict with her mother over her running off to the summer house without telling her, Belly wishes that Susannah was her mother and not Laurel. Laurel just says "Well, it's unfortunate for you" and Belly immediately regrets saying it.

Context Literature / TheSummerITurnedPretty