The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 Episode 1: LOVE LOST

I have waited so long for season 2 of The Summer I Turned Pretty to premiere and I can’t believe it is FINALLY here. Starting this season, I was so happy to see how true to the books a lot of the scenes were. The first episode starts off just like the book. Belly is at Cousins Beach soaking up the sun and is madly in love with Conrad, but it’s all just a dream. She is not at Cousins. She is not with Conrad. And Susannah is dead. It truly broke my heart to hear all of this.

Throughout the episode, we go back and forth between the past and present, just like the books. I thought this was adapted really well and I enjoyed seeing what happened to get to where they are now: Belly heartbroken, Jeremiah and Conrad not speaking to Belly or Steven, and how it is affecting Steven. 

The first flashback goes to the end of season 1 and I LOVED being able to see what happened after Belly and Conrad’s big kiss in season 1. They seem so happy and so ready to be together, but this was not going to happen due to what had happened between Belly and Jeremiah that summer. She ultimately decides not to pursue things with Conrad (yet) because she does not want to hurt Jeremiah. While we find out that this unfolded in the past, in the present, we are brought to Steven’s graduation. 

We learn that Susannah pre-planned a graduation gift for Steven *cries* and witness Steven’s iconic graduation speech. Here we get another flashback and this time it’s a special moment between Belly and Susannah. It made me cry just knowing that Susannah is no longer there with them. At this point I was definitely getting whiplash due to the rollercoaster of emotions. The present was just so sad and so serious, while the past had that hope and feel of love and summer. 

We get another flashback scene that was in the second book, It’s Not Summer Without You, and it’s when Conrad and Belly talk about trigonometry. In the book, he actually tutors her! I think this foreshadows something later as we see Steven feel indifferent that Conrad called her and not him. This is seen at Steven’s graduation party where Steven expresses that Belly made things messy by hooking up with both brothers. One line that really got to me was when Belly said “I was in love, Steven. Like out of my mind in love.” I felt that line in my soul.

Once Drivers License by Olivia Rodrigo started playing, I was done for. I feel like this is such a universal experience. I really related to Belly in this moment just driving and crying because she is so heart broken. We saw a glimpse of the beginning Belly and Conrad’s relationship throughout this episode. It really does a great job capturing first love, so you understand the pain she is going through in this scene just thinking about her relationship with Conrad. They would not only talk on the phone all the time, but he went to visit her! If you really think about it, that’s a long commute. So much effort was put in to this relationship. 

“Whenever I talk to you I’m just happy.” Conrad Fisher ladies and gentleman. I wish he was like this all the time because when Conrad expresses his feelings to Belly he makes me SWOON. It’s so sad to watch their relationship blooming, only to know it is already over. 

On a lighter note, I noticed the way Steven teased and bickered with Taylor through out the entire episode. I think he was stage diving because he was jealous and wanted to get Taylor’s attention. I predict that they are going to be a couple by the end of this season.

The episode ends with Belly looking at old pictures while LAST KISS plays and she calls Jeremiah, not thinking he would pick up, but he does. And he’s looking for Conrad. They’re on their way to Brown to look for Conrad. Cheers to the start of the adventure this season!