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‘Despite the changes, I think the series does stick really true to the books’: Lola Tung teases big emotions in ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ season 2

The characters we know and love will be new versions of themselves when 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' returns.

The Summer I Turned Pretty
Photo via Prime Video

Grab your beach bags, sunscreen, and your summer’s best because Cousins Beach is calling, and as The Summer I Turned Pretty gears up for an emotionally charged second season, we’re invited for a sneak peek of the upcoming episodes, and it’s safe to assume that there are going to be a lot of feelings to sort through.

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When we last left the Conklin and Fisher families, a heartbreaking secret had been revealed, and the weight of the world had been lifted off of Conrad Fisher’s shoulders. He was no longer keeping a secret from everyone he knew and loved, and Susannah had finally told those closest to her that she had experienced a relapse in her cancer journey.

The news was devastating, but Conrad and Jeremiah talked her into trying an experimental treatment to give her another chance at life, and while there were certainly tears being shed, there was hope for the future. As we gear up for the next installment in the lives of our favorite summer families, it becomes clear that Jenny Han will likely follow a major plot point from the second book, pushing forward a storyline we’re not yet prepared to see, but one that will be necessary for driving things forward.

If you’ve not yet read the books, we’re not giving anything away here, but from some of the first-look images released today from The Summer I Turned Pretty and Elle, one can piece together a turning point in the lives of these characters that draws some of them closer while pushing others apart. While things ended on a picture-perfect note for Belly and Conrad, it appears they’ll soon be swimming into tense territory with one another.

Lola Tung, who plays Belly Conrad, tells Elle, “Despite the changes, I think [the series] does stick really true to the books,” and also tells readers that she believes book lovers will be “very happy” with The Summer I Turned Pretty as it navigates the next exciting chapter fans will soon behold.

Tung also says that everything they’ve been through has caused the characters to undergo several changes, some good and some less-than-stellar.

“Fans should expect a more mature side of the characters, because they’ve definitely been through a lot since we last saw them, and they should expect more of Belly’s antics and confusion.”

Belly, Conrad, Jeremiah, and Sean have lived a lot of life and growing up together, and as this next piece of the puzzle slides into place, we’ll be seeing newer versions of the characters, ones who have dealt with more heartache and loss, but also more love and magic — it’s in the way they move through those emotions that’ll be shaping them for the future, be it for better or for worse.

You can rewatch the first season of The Summer I Turned Pretty on Prime Video now, with new episodes streaming weekly this July.