The Summer I Turned Pretty author explains why she added wild sex scene that wasn't in the book

13 August 2025, 17:13

By Sam Prance

Belly never has sex with Conrad or Jeremiah in the books but there's an important reason why the show is different.

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The Summer I Turned Pretty's Jenny Han has revealed why she added a sex scene to the show that isn't in the book.

Even though The Summer I Turned Pretty is a pretty loyal adaptation of the books, there are some major differences. For example, Steven and Taylor never date and Belly never plans to go to Paris in the original books. On top of that, the peach scene is told from Belly's perspective instead of Conrad's and it completely changes how you view it.

Perhaps the biggest difference is the fact that Belly has sex multiple times in the show but she never has sex in the novels. Now, author Jenny Han has opened up about why she added a steamy sex scene to the show in season 3.

Watch The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 trailer

In season 3, episode 5, 'Last Dance', there's a flashback to a time in which Conrad stayed in the guest room at Belly's house shortly before they went to prom together. In the scene, Belly sneaks into the room. Conrad, who is shirtless, warns Belly that Laurel will be mad but she then gets into bed with him and they cuddle.

Conrad tells Belly not to worry about prom and that he will take care of everything. Meanwhile, Belly tries to reassure Conrad that Susannah will be fine. In a voiceover, Conrad says that he didn't say how bad things were because he didn't want to ruin Belly's sense of hope.

The pair then start kissing and it quickly evolves into them having sex as Otis Redding's 'That's How Strong My Love Is' plays. This marks the second time that Conrad and Belly have had sex in the show after their Cousins scene in season 2.

The new scene has been praised by fans but, just like the Cousins scene, it didn't feature in the books at all.

Belly and Conrad have sex in a season 3 flashback scene. Picture: Prime

As for why she added the scene, Jenny Han told Entertainment Weekly: "To offer a little bit more of a perspective on where Conrad was at that moment. To show that he really was trying. He had good intentions going into prom and that he was doing his best."

She continued: "He really struggles with being vulnerable in front of her and he wants to be strong and the hero for her, but that's what ends up pushing her away ultimately. That's what that moment was to me."

On top of that Jenny said; "In the second season, Belly talks about regrets. She says she doesn't regret any of the times they were together — that's one of those times."