The Summer I Turned Pretty: Belly's Steamy First Time Sets Up A Tragic Ending

A time-honored tradition in teen romance, Amazon's "The Summer I Turned Pretty" takes the television love triangle trope and runs with it. Based on Jenny Han's New York Times best-selling novel, the series follows a similar trajectory to the source material as Belly (Lola Tung) finds herself caught between two brothers, Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno). 

But while fans of the book think that they know what's to come in the teen drama, there was one deviation in Season 2. Belly may have pined for Conrad almost her entire life, but the two never consummate the union in the book. This changes in the series when Belly has sex for the first time with Conrad in front of a fireplace. Han is also the showrunner for the show and explained the decision to change events to Variety.

"I felt like that's where Belly was in her journey," Han told the outlet. "These two characters were very much in love and had known each other their whole lives. I felt like they had really been through something together, and we had been with Belly through many first-times. It was important for the audience to be with her for that one." This surprising change from the books hints that Belly's romantic future will be even more devastating if Han continues down the path laid out in the books.

When the actors heard that Belly and Conrad would be consummating a relationship that effectively never happens in the source material, they were stunned. "That was a big change from the books," Christopher Briney, who plays Conrad, admitted to E! News. "It definitely caught me off guard." 

While secret feelings are harbored between the teenagers, Conrad and Belly have a rough go of it. As much as he wishes he could embark on a carefree romance, that isn't who Conrad is. Haunted by the reality of his mother's cancer diagnosis, Conrad pushes everyone away. He may care for Belly, but when they try to have a relationship between the first and second books, it's only disastrous. Belly's main partner in the series is Jeremiah, who she dates exclusively for two years.

The decision to pull the trigger on Belly and Conrad's physical relationship will only make the following events more fraught with heartache. At this point in their lives, a relationship can't work between them. Belly needs things from Conrad that he can't give her. Jeremiah is much more emotionally available and a safer choice for a high school boyfriend. Belly and Conrad are doomed to fail, which makes their decision to be together intimately even worse. It wouldn't be a coming-of-age story without acting impulsive and regretting it later. And unfortunately for Belly, she has more tears to shed in the future.