Once upon a summer, a girl visits two boys. She spends her summer at their house and creates new memories, to be found and treasured again every year. It’s the same summer repeated: swimming, laughing, and typical beach house activities. But this year, summer was different. Because that was the summer Belly turned pretty.
Originally a book trilogy by Jenny Han, The Summer I Turned Pretty, focuses on Belly, who is played by Lola Tung, and her relationship with the two brothers, Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher, played by Christopher Briney and Gavin Casalegno. For as long as Belly could remember, she had hopelessly been in love with Conrad—then the summer she turned pretty, her hopeless love started to turn hopeful. But confusion started to grow about who she truly loved. Was she still blindly in love with Conrad? Or had Jeremiah stolen his spotlight?
Drama ensues. Romance blooms. Things get messy. The Conrad versus Jeremiah debate has been a heated discussion since 2022, when the series first came out with its first season. Although the book series had been published years before, things skyrocketed with the Amazon Prime debut of The Summer I Turned Pretty. Since then, opinions have been developed, and people have split, with valid reasons on both sides. So we’re curious to hear the people’s opinions: Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah?
Jeremiah: dirty blonde curls, a chiseled jawline, and marbled eyes that anyone can get lost in. Jeremiah found Belly, and Belly found Jeremiah—what a perfect match. As the season progressed, Belly and Jeremiah’s chemistry progressed as well. Comparing to Belly’s puppy love for Conrad, her attraction to Jeremiah was more matured.
“Jeremiah,” Clague 8th grader Izzy Choi said, “because he’s hotter than Conrad and Conrad is an emo brat.”
When it comes to looks, Jeremiah has always been the one, but when it also comes to character, he is the full package. Even way back when Belly still wore glasses and colorful T-shirts, Jeremiah was still there for her. In the show, when she got sick, he kept Belly company by building forts and playing cards; and when he got sick too, she did the same.
“Team Jeremiah,” Luna Blanco, an 8th grader at Clague said. “Honestly, why would you be team Conrad when Jeremiah is supportive, sweet and has been waiting. Conrad had his chance, but he fumbled.”
When it came to Conrad, in both the book and show, Belly was always the one to initiate affection. He only started to pay attention to her when she got contacts and wore the clothes Taylor suggested; he was all for Belly, but only when she became pretty.
But the series is not just focused on Belly and Jeremiah– it also includes the development of Belly and Conrad’s relationship.
Conrad: dark eyes, dark hair, tall–mysterious and brooding. Even as a child, Conrad was always responsible and serious and cared deeply about others. Growing up together, Belly and Conrad were always the best of friends.
“Team Conrad,” an anonymous 8th grader at Clague said. “ I just don’t like Jeremiah. Additionally, I think that because Belly has been obsessed with Conrad for so long, even if she was with Jeremiah, I don’t think she could ever be fully in love with him.”
Ever since she was a little girl, Belly was madly in love with Conrad–feelings of which Conrad didn’t quite return. But this summer, things completely changed. Conrad finally saw Belly for who she was, instead of a little girl.
In the books and in the show, When Conrad and Belly were little, Conrad taught Belly what an infinity symbol meant– forever. When they were older, Conrad gifted Belly with a beautiful silver infinity necklace, symbolizing their “forever”.
“Team Conrad,” Sarah Hoffert, an 8th grader at Clague Middle School said. “He’s been Belly’s love for so long, and even though Belly keeps trying to be with other people, they always end up with each other in the end,”
Belly and Conrad have a deeper connection and relationship–while Jeremiah and Belly’s love is more spirited and playful, Conrad understands Belly in a way that Jeremiah doesn’t. Even when they were younger, Conrad cared deeply about Belly.
And so Belly would hope every summer that Conrad did—He loves me. He loves me not . . . he loves me!—and we would ask the question, Will she end up with him? But then the summer she turned pretty changed everything: Belly changed, her relationship with the Fishers changed, and those summers spent with them changed as well. That summer, three months of difficult feelings and complicated love, also changed the question we ask: Are you Team Jeremiah or Team Conrad?
Let us know in the poll below which team you are on!
