The Summer I Turned Pretty author reveals why she changed season 3 ending from the book

14 July 2025, 17:02

The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3's ending will not be the same as the book. Picture: Prime Video

By Katie Louise Smith

Author Jenny Han has 'changed' the ending to the beloved The Summer I Turned Pretty books, but how will Belly's story end in the TV series?

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Just when you thought you knew exactly how The Summer I Turned Pretty was going to end and who Belly ends up with... think again! Author Jenny Han has confirmed that she's changed the ending for the Prime Video series.

The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 is set to drop in a matter of days (!) and Jenny, alongside Lola Tung, Christopher Briney and Gavin Casalegno, have all confirmed that the final season of the show will be different to the book.

Key scenes will not happen the exact same way as they do in the book and now, Jenny has teased that the show's ending will be "better" than ending of her novel series.

Read more: The Summer I Turned Pretty introduces seven new cast members for season 3

Belly and Jeremiah's relationship is one of the central focuses of The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3. Picture: Alamy

In a new interview with Elite Daily, Jenny said: "I always knew how I wanted to end the books. But with the show, I went into it with an open mind."

"I wanted to approach it with fresh eyes and just see what sort of magic happened on screen. I am somebody who is always changing things up.”

If you've read the books, you'll know who Belly ends up with (no spoilers here for those who are only watching the TV show!) but Jenny has said even those loyal fans may end up being surprised – and maybe even disappointed.

"People will be like, 'Why are you changing that? That was working well!' But to me, it could always be better," she continued. "That’s how I approach everything, so naturally I was going into this story feeling like I wanted to make it even better and try new things."

Does Belly end up with Conrad in The Summer I Turned Pretty books? Picture: Alamy

With the third and final season dropped on July 16th, Jenny and the cast are keeping those big changes under lock and key.

Anticipating strong reactions from the loyal fans, Jenny previously told Entertainment Weekly: "A lot of people, literally, are just watching the show and they're seeing it for the first time. But you also want to serve the people who have been fans for 15 years, who are excited about certain things. But you can't make everyone happy. I wish I could make everyone happy."

Ultimately, Jenny wants to give viewers "a true show-watching experience where they find themselves with bated breath being like, 'What's going to happen next?'" rather than knowing exactly what's to come because they read the books".