Belly Conklin
Belly is the central character around whom the story revolves. The title itself, "The Summer I Turned Pretty," suggests a transformation in how she is perceived by those around her [1]. Belly has deep bonds with both Conrad and Jeremiah, which have developed over many summers spent together
[1:1]. Her relationships are not just based on her appearance but also on her comforting presence and long-standing connection with their family
[1:2].
Conrad Fisher
Conrad is portrayed as having a deep, intrinsic appreciation for Belly beyond her physical looks. He notices and values aspects of her personality, such as her smile, which indicates a more heartfelt connection [2]. Despite his reserved nature, when Conrad expresses his feelings, they are specific and genuine
[2:3]. His relationship with Belly is rooted in a long history of shared experiences and mutual understanding
[4:1].
Jeremiah Fisher
Jeremiah's approach to Belly often highlights her physical attractiveness, calling her beautiful and hot [2]. While he shares a bond with Belly, some fans argue that his friendship with her was emphasized more after her transformation into someone considered pretty
[4:1]. There is debate among fans about whether Jeremiah truly embodies the role of Belly's best friend, as some flashbacks suggest he was more focused on other friendships
[4:5].
Character Dynamics and Relationships
The dynamic between Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah forms the core of the narrative. Their interactions are influenced by years of friendship, familial ties, and evolving romantic interests [1]. The love triangle is a significant plot point, with each brother offering different types of connections to Belly—one more emotional and intrinsic, the other more carefree and physical
[2].
Fan Perspectives
Fans have varied opinions on the characters and their relationships. Some see Jeremiah as a genuine friend to Belly, while others question the depth of that friendship compared to Conrad's [4]. The actors themselves contribute to these dynamics, sometimes playing up certain aspects of their characters to engage viewers
[4:11]. New fans often compare the books to the show, noting differences in character development and modern adaptations
[5:1].
I’ve seen so many posts bashing Belly for her personality, for being a brat, why these two boys would fight over her, and lots of videos on social media claiming they’d be better for Conrad.
Well, here’s why.
The entire premise of the plot is in the title - the summer Belly turned pretty - implying that she wasn’t considered pretty before. She was the friend in the Cousins group who was always there.
Think about a person in your life like that. The one you could trust. The one you could feel safe with. The one who wouldn’t judge you. The one who’d always have your back. That’s a friend you would cherish, right? One you’re truly grateful for?
Well, THAT friend turned pretty one summer.
So yes, maybe we’ve seen her make a ton of mistakes, and she may not stand out in any particular way, but none of that erases that she’s still THAT friend and has been their whole lives. She’s not some outsider they barely know who has to make a distinct impression to be noticed. It can be easy to forget since we’ve only ever seen glimpses of their lives pre-pretty summer, but it still exists in their world.
Yes! They have a longggg history and bond with her. They’ve been connected to her for a long time. She’s comforting. She has a deep love for their mom that no future girlfriend could ever have. And now shes pretty and interested in dating.
Yes, this! Your insight here actually made me tear up a bit.
exactly, they have such a bond with her. Conrad and Belly know each other so deeply, they have always been there for each other, they are bonded. Belly and Jere are too, in a different way, he is more carefree and helps her let loose. When u know someone for so long, you are definetly going to gain attachment to them
That uncomfortable love scene between Belly and Jeremiah made me think of this moment between Belly and Conrad after their first kiss. Jeremiah is always greeting her with "hey, beautiful," calling her hot, etc., and it's not that this is a bad thing in itself, but contrasted with the way Conrad says that he wanted to tell her all summer how pretty her smile was... like, on the surface it's the same thing, but Belly's smile is intrinsic to her person, while her looks are just physical. I think it's just one of the ways in which they see her differently.
Or when he puts the blanket over Suzannah vs when Jeremiah wakes her up to play videogames… whether he knew about the cancer or not your mother is asleep…
ehhh Jeremiah was taking care of Susannah to the best of his capabilities when he knew that she had cancer. I don't think we can deny that he cared deeply for his mom.
Conrad may not communicate everything he is feeling but when he does he is specific and heartfelt rather than generic. Like you said, not that either is better or worse but its a difference
“you don’t know the effect you have on people” HE WAS COOKING THAT UP FOR A MINUTEEEEEE
I got conrad!!
I got Jeremiah!
Conrad
I got Conrad!
Oh sweet summer child LOL. I was shaking my head listening to it
Where is best friend nonsense coming from? As far as we saw in flashbacks Steven was Jere best friend. In addition, Belly was too busy with crushing on Conrad. He really started spending more time with her after her glow up!
Also, since in most of the flashbacks we saw Conrad being there for her (infinity, dance, mall...). Wouldnt he be her best friend too? How did Jere alone take that spot while being busy with Steven
Oh honey are you forgetting the scene where she said she was sick and Jere stayed behind they both spent quality time together played had fun laughed he made her feel good.. and because of that Jere also caught her fever and she felt responsible or guilty about it. And flashbacks aren't important right? She said he's her best friend isn't that enough? Ofcourse since Conrad was her crush we ought to have see some moments from where it all began it's all about importance like how Jere just cheated twice it was said in only words no scene nor flashbacks like I said again importance they just had to push jere character away make the story long stressful drive fans insane make Jeremiah incompetent to Conrad so whatever.
I did forget 🤣
I do feel lot of he is your best friend was also drilled in her mind by Taylor.
But overall my issue is to say Jere is her best friend and not Conrad , who has also been there for her is crazy
One scene they showed to prove they are best friends it was never believable he doesn’t treat her like a best friend just because they giggle and sing in the car.
Ohh honey did u forget that in that 1 flashback scene which u are talking about Jeremiah wasn’t even ready to spend time with Belly (when she was sick) when her mother asked him to spend time with her. He first denied it and made faces. He wasnt willing to be with Belly lol. How u Jeremiah fans forget things and are in dillusion lol.
the scene that his mom forced him to stay home in?? the one where he said he didn’t want to?? right
Gavin said jere is going to be a lot more grown up and mature this season I haven’t seen that yet. But too be fair Adam they made him step up and be a dad for once last week so even though they are two episodes I hope Jeremiah owns up to everything and takes accountability and apologizes to everyone how he’s treated them.
That boy is in deep denial, lol
same level of denial that belly has been about still loving Conrad
Same level of denial that Jeremiah had when he thought Belly would actually go through with marrying him lol
Jeremiah fans are in denial as their idol lol. They are imagining their own scenarios in their heads.
Have you guys ever considered that it may just be marketing? He probably knows everyone hates his character and that the taboo “love triangle” is a major draw to the show. So of course he’s gonna play up his character as a serious option to drive engagement
It’s like old school pro wrestlers riling up the crowd
I have to be completely honest I’ve never heard of The Summer I turned pretty books! Are they more entertaining than the show? Is it worth the read?
I just finished the first book and they are ok! I'm excited to read the other two, to learn more about each character and their story 🥰 they are easy reads, but if you like deeper stuff, it might not be for you
I read the first two books after watching season 1. Honestly, it was hard reading the books after having watched the show. I found myself look for characters and moments that didn’t exist in the books. I think Jenny Han did a great job of modernizing it and adding character development.
The similarities are so blatant. The creator just copy pasted everything except the supernatural elements.
Similiarities: Casting - the 3 main characters all look the same. One guy has blue eyes ( this kid even played young damon in tvd) while the other has big brown hair. the girl has the same hair style as s1 elena and kinda looks like nina tbh. Scenes- the miss mystic ball plot point was basically the same to the coronation thing they had and its shot scene for scene the same. The damon teddy bear scene was also replicated.
Here is a link a tiktok that says the same. https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM2C3y8EQ/
Good Brother vs Bad Brother has always been a thing, but it would not surprise if they did copy/steal from TVD.
And speaking of that series, while I haven't watched the series, I did read the trilogy many years ago and let me tell you, those books are AWFUL and pointless so I hope the show was much better. Jenny Han cannot write worth a darn.
Hm, sibling love triangles are always like this.
I mean considering they didnt take the supernatural aspect and like this entire show is built around supernatural creatures makes it a bit of a reach ngl
Bit of a reach
Remake is kind of a strong word but I have to admit that I noticed some similarities even outside of the brother love triangle. The most similar plot point is probably Elena/Belly dating the younger brother first, but when he’s about to escort her for an event, he disappears and the older brother steps in last minute to dance with her. But honestly the two shows have really different vibes and since they’re both teen dramas, they’ll obviously follow a lot of the same tropes that pop up in most media aimed at teens. For example, the best friend liking the brother and the main girl dating a guy who stood no chance (Matt/Cam Cameron) are both really common tropes.
Thats always bugged me too lol and i feel like its NEVER mentioned. There are much better nicknames for Isabel than Belly. Like that's setting your daughter up for bullying!
Iirc from the book >!she used to bellyflop in the pool when they were kids!<, something like that
Not only unserious but fictional. Love island is dumb fun but it is a reality show. Summer I turned pretty is fictional so no point hating actors
We are regressing so bad lately
I thought the first 2 seasons were pretty cute but haven’t watched the 3rd yet or kept up with news on it, who specifically (or all of them?) is getting hate and why?
I've never watched this show so im really confused rn
The actor for Jeremiah, one of the main love interests, has said people come up to him and say how they hate his character. They also say that they are team Conrad— the other love interest. Not just this, they spam his social media with hate and talk about his looks and acting skills alll over tiktok. People ALSO think there is beef between him and the rest of the cast because he has diff politics than them. He is very christian and has liked posts about women staying at home as well as Trump and Israel related things.
major spoiler on why his character has been hated this new season: >!His character is seen as a man child and as a cheater. The last part is a bit complicated though bc the characters were on a “break” which he took as meaning break up and his gf (the main character) just thought it was a temporary time apart. It’s literally just another Ross and Rachel from Friends ordeal “we were on a break!”!<
For real, I saw an ad for the show where one of the male characters said said "blah blah blah, BELLY!" In such a serious and angry tone and I burst out laughing
Wait I don’t watch this show - can someone explain what’s going on in that fandom??
People are unable to separate the actor from the character they play and like to hate on WOC.
The show follows a love triangle between a girl and two brothers, and a huge amount of fans prefer Brother A to Brother B (which is no small part because they find Brother A's actor more attractive.)
Because the girl is with Brother B and they don't want them together, they have been aggressively sending hate and personal attacks to Brother B's actor; including insulting his looks.
Fans have also decided that if you support Brother A, you hate women and support abusers. While if you support Brother B, you support abusers and hate women.
Because a large portion of the fanbase also find the male leads attractive, they create fantasies in their heads and decide that the female lead is too ugly/fat/not white enough to be with their chosen brother and the actress is subjected to her own barrage of racial hate.
I think this is about all the hate Gavin (who plays Jeremiah) is getting. People really hate his character this season. People have also been speculating that he’s a Trump supporter / Zionist based on his past social media history for a while now, so a lot of the hate is from that as well.
i wonder why ppl are going feral for this character but not the guy who plays paul in ginny and georgia. all i saw in that shows fandom was “the character and the actor are not the same people” and they acted totally normal lol weird
Genuinely what is up with people and not being able to separate an actor from their character? This seems to happen literally any time a character is written to be hateable, and I don't get it. Are this many people out here really unable to distinguish reality from fiction
What do you think they're like?
All of them are baddies!
Bad in their own special little ways
Femboy or Tomboy? Impossible difficulty.
No worries, their gender symbols are on the pictures!
Oh I just noticed lol
Femboys all of them (affectionately)
Pfft
i love your use of perspective omg
but honestly, my impression of these characters is that all of them are incredibly cool. 1st character looks like he gets pissed off easily. 2nd character looks taunting. 3rd character looks like he doesnt care enough
Thank you very much!
Also, you're pretty much spot-on with your impressions.
They're a street performer gang or something
I can see that, it'd be pretty cool to have them do tricks!
My guesses.
Star: Hanging out with Paulina.
Vlad: Everything he does normally and fighting Danny.
Ember: Singing.
Johnny 13: Hanging out with Kitty
Kitty: Hanging out with Johnny 13
Dan Phantom: Trying to escape the thermos and annoying Clockwork to no end
Danny: Hanging out with Sam, Tucker, and Danielle
Tucker: Hanging out with Sam, Danny, and Danielle
Technus: Working on every technological item.
Paulina: Hanging out with Star.
Danielle: Hanging out with Sam, Tucker and Danny and playing pranks on Vlad.
and Spectra: Looking for another teenager to make miserable and feed off of their misery.
ember, probably go on the beach same thing with kitty and Johnny maybe ember and Kitty can post some TikTok’s same thing with Paulina and star
Well for Spectra, it’s gonna be easier for her because teenagers are normally in heat during the summer
for Dan, I probably think he would try to escape the thermos one day and basically go to like where a natural disaster hit
Me and Danny a water fight 🤣
One thing I love about this game is that the more story content you consume (main story, vignette etc) the more aspects of a character gets revealed. Initially my favorite was Leona (still is) because he’s visually my type, but after playing for a few months characters I’d initially thought I’d never care for : Ace and Ruggie have become my favorites too. Especially Ace- he’s always spitting facts and is surprisingly well written. Also, I’ve come to appreciate Ruggies hustle life and his resourcefulness due to his upbringing. He is one of the more relatable characters for me as I have a similar mindset and I have side hustles. Ruggie is my guy for real.
Which characters did you not initially like/care for but have now become some of your faves?
Trey and Vil. Did not care about them at all until I read their stories. Love them to death now.
Jade was totally not on my radar when I started playing the game. I initially thought he was the calm, sane twin to Floyd's unpredictability, but then I read some of the twins' & Azul's card stories and realized that BOTH twins are completely unhinged and they both became my faves.
I didn't know anything about Jamil initially so I was kinda ehh about him to begin with, but after the Scarabia chapter where we got to see more of him, I really like him, he's smart and sarcastic and hilarious. Also very long-suffering, lol.
Damn I gotta hop on the octavinelle vignettes ! Yeah I didn’t care for Jamil that much but after reading his chapter I was willing to fight tooth and nail for him. His story is really sad.
vil 100%. at first i didn’t care about him, but gaDAM he grew on me
Vil. Like I did not give a damn about him until one day I started noticing him. Then beans day part 2 happened where he became one of my favorites to chapter 6 where he now sits in first place for me.
That’s awesome. I haven’t played beans day part 2 (and I don’t think chapter 6 is out for my server). I do look forward to seeing his “redemption” in chapter 6. The game does a good job of >! redeeming characters who overblot in the last book. !< (ch 5 spoiler)
Pomefiore
The Summer I Turned Pretty characters
Key Characters in "The Summer I Turned Pretty"
Belly Conklin: The protagonist, Belly is a teenage girl navigating her feelings of love and self-discovery during her summers spent at Cousins Beach. Her character evolves as she deals with relationships and family dynamics.
Conrad Fisher: The older brother of Belly's childhood crush, Conrad is brooding and complex. He has a deep connection with Belly, but his emotional struggles create tension in their relationship.
Jeremiah Fisher: Conrad's younger brother, Jeremiah is more carefree and fun-loving. He has a close friendship with Belly and often provides a lighter contrast to Conrad's intensity.
Laurel Conklin: Belly's mother, Laurel is a supportive figure who has her own backstory and relationships that influence Belly's experiences. Her past with the Fisher family adds depth to the narrative.
Susannah Fisher: The matriarch of the Fisher family and a close family friend of Belly's. Susannah is warm and nurturing, and her health issues play a significant role in the story's emotional landscape.
Takeaways:
Recommendation: If you're interested in character-driven stories that explore the nuances of relationships and personal growth, "The Summer I Turned Pretty" is a great read. The characters' interactions and development throughout the series provide a rich emotional experience.
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