Warning! Spoilers ahead — Season 2 of The Summer I Turned Pretty (TSITP) and We’ll Always Have Summer (Book 3).
I’m not embarrassed to admit that even this mainstream ‘dilemma’ managed to kill off a few brain cells.
It’s rather unusual for anyone to experience two significant romances that involve brothers. However I am no stranger to this sort of love triangle, having watched ‘The Vampire Diaries’. I’ve always been firmly on Team Stefan. That probably says more about me than my questionable taste in TV series.
After finishing season 2 of TSITP, I completed the third book in less than a day. I needed to know how it ended and to confirm my suspicions that it wasn’t over between Belly and Conrad.
Initially, I was totally Team Conrad. She pined for him for so long and he was finally reciprocating her feelings. The heart wants what it wants and it’s no surprise most of us rarely root for the ‘nice’ guy. However, now, looking from the standpoint of someone who has recently re-entered the dating scene (do people still say that?), I’ve abandoned my allegiance to Team Conrad.
Conrad’s allure lies in his aloofness, paired with his ability to provide an intimate glimpse beyond his tough exterior. He’s the guy we know has so much potential to be more but never puts in the work until it’s too late. As much as we like to think that Jeremiah is the underdog, it’s ‘Connie baby.’ We don’t end up with the broody red flag, unless he abandons his old ways. We want the goofy, sunkissed ever so emotionally transparent boy. We want Jeremiah.
There is the debate that Conrad knows her — everything from her favourite snacks to her pet peeves. I would argue that Jeremiah has years of endearing moments with Belly. I think that experiences tie two people together, but it seems that simply having “potential” is enough for Team Conrad. Conrad’s ability to study and observe people holds too much weight. So what if he memorised her preference for Sour Patch Kids over Swedish Fish? It hardly feels like an exceptional feat. “But he’s such a gentlemen, he gave her his sweater when she was cold” — I wish I could roll my eyes on the page. 🙄 How am I supposed to feel sorry for Conrad? For someone who loves Belly so much and believes she’s the one for him, why is it that he shares his feelings for Belly with everyone else but her? I can’t blame 17-year-old Belly for falling for both boys. Who do you choose when there is no sweet spot? Do you go for Elsa before she ‘let it go’ or the eager golden retriever?
Jeremiah’s open and honest approach to everything can be exhausting to watch as a viewer, but at least Belly is not guessing which way is up or down. Conrad’s reluctance to open up is his own undoing. And when he does try, he doesn’t allow himself to be vulnerable for long; he quickly recants and retreats. Come to think of it, Conrad runs away from everyone. I almost think his entire character just serves the purpose of creating conflict. I couldn’t imagine being with someone whose default setting is acting obtuse to disguise any semblance of emotion.
I realised that Belly only chose between Conrad and Jeremiah in Season 1. After that, the boys never really give her a choice. In Season 2, Conrad allowed Belly to believe that he didn’t care enough to be upfront about his feelings. She ended up breaking up with him, thinking he didn’t want her anymore and he simply went along with it. In ‘We’ll Always Have Summer,’ after reading Susannah’s letter addressed to Conrad, it’s Jeremiah who has doubts about marrying Belly. He is convinced that Conrad would always be the one for her. So, they call off the wedding. However, this decision doesn’t stem from Belly being in love with Conrad at that particular moment or desiring to be with him. It’s simply because a part of her will always have feelings for Conrad. I think she would have walked down that aisle and repressed her feelings for him, if Jeremiah hadn’t encouraged her to revisit the past.
There is no choice between Conrad and Jeremiah. When it comes to pain, the brooding red flag walks away. Mostly because he’s the source of it. Meanwhile, Jeremiah will still hold the door open for Belly — only visibly hurting. It doesn’t even come down to who she loves more, but rather whose love adds value more than it takes it away? And if she’s truly serious about committing to one boy — whose love is stable and unrelenting? As it stands it’s Jeremiah, someone who doesn’t make loving him so difficult. That is until Jeremiah gives her no choice but to let him go. If only she could part with the idea of having the surname Fisher, she could save herself from Conrad — the unreliable choice. Belly, much like Elena, struggled to recognize that not all people are equally deserving of her pain. Conrad and Damon are similar when it comes to wanting what they can’t have. And when given the chance, will relish every opportunity to ruin any good that could come from it. On the other hand, Stefan and Jeremiah approached love with caution and intention, knowing it’s worth protecting.
Who knows Jenny Han already made one pretty major change in the series adaptation of the books. Perhaps she’ll make another. A third suitor? I just wouldn’t want to risk the introduction of a long-lost Fisher relative. That would be truly abhorrent. 🫤 At least have a storyline where we’re able to discern some growth in Conrad. Otherwise we’re just adding to the stockpile of dysfunctional relationships; teenagers and young people my age view on screen.
