A recap of NC-filmed ‘Summer I Turned Pretty’ ahead of the final season premiere

Can you believe it’s been two years since we were last taken to Cousins Beach?

The wait for more drama is almost over: “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is returning to Prime Video for its third and final season on Wednesday, July 16. Episodes will drop weekly through September.

If you did not already know, everyone’s favorite summer love series was filmed right here in North Carolina. All three seasons were filmed along the coast in Wilmington and even parts of UNC-Chapel Hill, as The N&O previously reported.

Need a refresher? We got your back. We went back and watched the first two seasons of the hit show so you can dive into Season 3 feeling caught up.

Here are the top five big plot points from each of the first two seasons of “The Summer I Turned Pretty.”

‘The Season I Turned Pretty’ Season 1 recap

1. Belly’s Return to Cousins: Belly’s return to Cousins Beach as a blossoming 16 year old sets the expectation that this summer will not be like any other. Her newfound persona and grown-up appearance catches the attention of the Fisher brothers: Conrad, the oldest and her longtime crush, and Jeremiah, Belly’s best friend.

2. Susannah’s Cancer: Susannah Fisher, mother of Conrad and Jeremiah, brings all the warmth to Cousins with her lively personality. She tells Laurel, Belly’s mom and Susannah’s best friend, that she has cancer and will not be continuing treatment. This is the sadness that looms over the season as only Susannah, Laurel and Conrad know about the cancer. Knowing about the cancer affects Conrad greatly and is the main reason for the choices he makes during Season 1.

3. Confessions of the Fisher Brothers: Belly continues navigating Conrad’s confusing emotions while also becoming closer with Jeremiah in a way that is more than friendship. After Conrad and Belly’s “almost kiss” he confesses that although he thinks about her, he cannot be with her. We later find out the reason for Conrad’s mood swings are due to his worry over his mother’s cancer. In the same episode, Jeremiah confesses to Belly that he has feelings for her and they share the iconic pool kiss.

4. The Debutante Ball: The social event of the summer is the debutante ball. Belly is taking her step into womanhood with Jeremiah as her escort. This magical night abruptly ends when Jeremiah finally finds out about his mother’s cancer. He leaves Belly at the ball, overwhelmed by emotions, and Conrad steps in to take his place.

5. Conrad and Belly’s Kiss on the Beach: The season ends with Conrad and Belly having a conversation on the beach. Conrad finally tells Belly that he wants her. They then share a kiss with Taylor Swift playing in the background, and that brings us to the end of Season 1.

‘The Season I Turned Pretty’ Season 2 recap

Unlike the exciting summer fun-filled atmosphere of Season 1, Season 2 brings about a more solemn, dark atmosphere.

1. Susannah’s Death: At the beginning of Season 2 we learn that Susannah has passed away. Belly takes it very hard as her grades start to slip, and she gets kicked off of the volleyball team. Her relationships with both Conrad and Jeremiah start to strain.

2. Belly and Conrad’s Relationship: Belly and Conrad formed a relationship after their kiss last summer, but unfortunately it is short lived as they broke up not long after the funeral. In this season, we get flashbacks of what their relationship looked like, including the first time they spent the night together.

3. Julia and the Beach house: After Susannah’s passing, the Cousins beach house falls into the custody of Susannah’s half sister, Julia. Julia plans to sell the house, which prompts Belly, Jeremiah and Conrad to take a trip to Cousins in hopes of convincing Julia not to sell. Belly sees Conrad for the first time since their breakup, and gets the chance to reconnect with Jeremiah again.

4. The Party: Julia selling the house becomes a harsh reality when the kids come back from the boardwalk to find all the furniture gone. They decide to throw one last party in the beach house before it is gone forever. Belly and Jeremiah share an “almost kiss,” and Belly gets into a big fight with Conrad about their past relationship. Belly ends the night with a drunk call to her mom, Laurel. Laurel comes the next morning and eventually convinces Julia not to sell.

5. The Decision: Belly confesses to Jeremiah that she still has feelings for him and they share a kiss that Conrad sees. When the trio ends up in a motel during the night, Conrad confesses to Jeremiah that he still loves Belly. Jeremiah says that he will step back from Belly if she feels the same about his brother. The next morning Belly makes her decision and picks Jeremiah, and Conrad lets her go. The season ends with Belly and Jeremiah getting together, and Belly getting her spot back on the volleyball team.

This story was originally published July 10, 2025 at 3:21 PM.