Read every series in the right order
The Summer I Turned Pretty Books in Chronological Order – Complete Reading Guide
Table of Contents
Quick Answer (TL;DR)
Read in this exact order (it’s both publication and in-universe chronology):
- The Summer I Turned Pretty → 2) It’s Not Summer Without You → 3) We’ll Always Have Summer
That’s literally The Summer I Turned Pretty Books in Chronological Order. Start with Book 1, keep tissues handy for Book 2, and clear an evening for Book 3’s finale.
- Total pages: ~900 (varies by edition)
- Estimated read time: ~14–17 hours at 250–300 wpm
- Age range: 12+ (YA with mature themes handled gently)
- Prime Video series: 3 seasons (S1–S3), finale aired July 16, 2025
Introduction
Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy is the kind of YA that sneaks up on you. On the surface, it’s beach days and first love. Underneath, it’s grief, family re-shuffling, the impossibility of being fair to everyone you love, and the uneasy magic of becoming yourself. Each book takes place across one transformational summer at Cousins Beach, and together they form a clean, satisfying arc that rewards reading straight through.
As your “Books in Chronological Order” crew, we’ve organized this guide to do two jobs at once:
- If you’re here for The Summer I Turned Pretty Books in Chronological Order, you’ll get the list, the blurbs, and fast Amazon links with our affiliate tag.
- If you’re here to go deeper, you’ll leave with a timeline, character arcs, adaptation notes, and discussion prompts you can bring to a buddy read or teen book club.
Sun hat optional. Opinions about the Fishers: required.
Quick Facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Pages (trilogy) | ~900 pages (editions vary) |
| Read Time | ~14–17 hours (250–300 wpm) |
| Reading Difficulty | Easy (YA contemporary; smooth prose, short chapters) |
| Primary Genres | YA contemporary, romance, coming-of-age |
| Content Warnings | Grief & serious illness (cancer), underage drinking, mild language, complicated family dynamics, kissing/romance; marriage/engagement discussion in Book 3 |
| Media Adaptations | Prime Video TV series (S1 2022, S2 2023, S3 2025). Created by Jenny Han; loosely adapts/expands books |
| Ideal Age Range | 12–18+ (also widely loved by adult readers) |
About The Summer I Turned Pretty Book Series
At its heart, the trilogy follows Isabel “Belly” Conklin through three pivotal summers spent with the Fisher brothers—Conrad and Jeremiah—at Cousins Beach. The beach house belongs to Susannah Fisher, best friend to Belly’s mom, Laurel. Every summer tightens and tests these bonds. Book 1 is about first love and new eyes; Book 2 is about grief and the courage to show up; Book 3 is about choice, consequences, and what “forever” really means.
Jenny Han gives the series its distinctive warmth: clean, sensory prose; short scenes with emotional clarity; and the ability to let characters be wrong without making the reader feel foolish for loving them.
The Summer I Turned Pretty Books at a Glance
| # | Title & Link | Amazon Buy Link |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Summer I Turned Pretty | Buy On Amazon |
| 2 | It’s Not Summer Without You | Buy On Amazon |
| 3 | We’ll Always Have Summer | Buy On Amazon |
The Summer I Turned Pretty Books in Chronological Order
1) The Summer I Turned Pretty
Where it starts: Belly, almost-sixteen, returns to Cousins with Laurel and her brother Steven, straight into the gravitational pull of Conrad (brooding, smart, hurricane-eyed) and Jeremiah (sunny, loyal, golden retriever energy). Belly is done being “the kid.” This is the summer she steps into the story.
What you’ll feel: The joy of being finally seen, plus the ache of timing. Han’s gift is making small shifts—someone noticing a new dress, a change in a tone of voice—feel monumental without melodrama.
Why it matters: Book 1 establishes why these three will keep orbiting one another, and why the house (and Susannah) are the true center.
2) It’s Not Summer Without You
Where it goes: Loss remaps the shorelines. Conrad retreats. Jeremiah calls Belly when Conrad disappears, and the trio is pulled back to the house that built them all. Laurel and Susannah’s friendship becomes the emotional backbone, giving the teens a model for love that isn’t romantic—and sometimes that’s braver.
What you’ll feel: The confusion of grief in young bodies that still want to laugh and flirt. Expect some muffled yelling at characters who are doing their brittle best.
Why it matters: This book tests whether the feelings of Book 1 were summer-magic or something that can stand winter. It’s also where Jeremiah steps more fully into a complex lead.
3) We’ll Always Have Summer
Where it lands: College-age Belly faces real-world choices that don’t fit neatly on a seashell charm bracelet. Commitments are made; an engagement becomes a possibility; old truths demand to be spoken out loud and in daylight. Conrad and Jeremiah are both forced to be men, not moods.
What you’ll feel: The pressure cooker of “this could be forever” and the adult realization that love is not a math problem. Bring snacks and water; you won’t want to get up.
Why it matters: The trilogy ends in a way that feels earned—not because everything is perfect but because everyone has to say the real thing and then live with it.
Series Timeline & Character Development
Summer 0 (pre-series flashbacks): Belly is the kid sister with skinned knees; Conrad and Jeremiah are the boys who set the temperature of the room. Susannah is the house’s beating heart, Laurel the realist with a secret poet’s core. These memories are the glue of Book 1.
Book 1 (Summer “turning pretty”):
- Belly: Steps out of childhood; realizes wanting isn’t weakness. Learns the difference between being noticed and being known.
- Conrad: All sharp edges and weather systems; care looks like distance.
- Jeremiah: The safe place—until safety isn’t enough.
- Laurel/Susannah: Model how adult friendships hold the world up for the kids.
Book 2 (The summer of grief):
- Belly: Finds a backbone that doesn’t need approval. Loyalty becomes a verb.
- Conrad: Runs, then faces the real reason he runs.
- Jeremiah: Becomes a “lead,” not the comic relief.
- Laurel: Has to be a mother and a friend without breaking in half.
Book 3 (The summer of decisions):
- Belly: Chooses with eyes open; understands there’s no winning without losing something.
- Conrad: Learns that love communicates; stoicism isn’t a personality.
- Jeremiah: Confronts the cost of being the easy one.
- Everyone: The beach house stops being a vacation and becomes a threshold.
Theme arcs to watch:
- Childhood → Agency (Belly)
- Silence → Speech (Conrad)
- Charm → Responsibility (Jeremiah)
- Golden Summers → Life with Weather (all)
Novels Sorted by In-Universe Events
- The Summer I Turned Pretty
- It’s Not Summer Without You
- We’ll Always Have Summer
(Matches publication order; read straight through.)
Novels Sorted by Publication Order
- The Summer I Turned Pretty (2009)
- It’s Not Summer Without You (2010)
- We’ll Always Have Summer (2011)
Companion Works
While there aren’t canon novellas inside this universe, consider:
- Boxed Set / Complete Trilogy (great gift): search “The Summer I Turned Pretty Box Set Jenny Han” on Amazon with your tag.
- TV Tie-In Editions: Updated covers to match the Prime Video series for readers discovering the books through the show.
- Related Jenny Han reads: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (different universe; similar warmth, letters → love).
Editions & Formats (hardcover, collector, audio)
- Hardcover/Paperback: Choose the aesthetic you love—classic pastel covers or TV tie-in covers with cast imagery.
- Kindle: Instant, searchable, good for pulling quotes and flipping between scenes.
- Audiobook: Clean narration across the trilogy; ideal for shared parent/teen listening on commutes or summer road trips.
- Collector Angle: Boxed set + a beach-themed bookmark bundle makes a sweet graduation gift.
Why Read The Summer I Turned Pretty Books in Chronological Order ?
Because this trilogy is a one-breath arc. Character beats, family revelations, and even the metaphors (the ocean, weather, the house) build linearly. Reading in any other order steals the power of Han’s carefully stacked summers. The clean match between publication order and in-universe order makes it simple—The Summer I Turned Pretty Books in Chronological Order is exactly 1→2→3.
Author Spotlight: Jenny Han
Jenny Han is the New York Times bestselling author of this trilogy as well as the Burn for Burn series (with Siobhan Vivian) and the wildly beloved To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy. A former children’s bookseller with an MFA from The New School, Han brings bookseller instincts to her storytelling: she writes with generous clarity, lets you feel smart while reading, and knows how to land an ending that’s both inevitable and surprising. She’s also a creator/showrunner in TV, which is why the Prime Video adaptation feels like the books’ emotional DNA with a modern heartbeat.
Media Adaptations (TV)
- Prime Video series: The Summer I Turned Pretty (S1 2022, S2 2023, S3 2025). Jenny Han’s hands are on the wheel, so the show captures the vibe—friend groups, music, the house as character—even when it remixes plot points.
- Differences you’ll notice: Contemporary soundtrack curation, expanded arcs for side characters, and pacing tuned for weekly TV conversation.
- Watch vs. Read order: We recommend read first, then watch if you want the book’s reveals intact. If you watched already, the books still offer quieter emotional interiors you may love more.
Watch The Summer I Turned Pretty trailer
FAQs
What is the exact reading order?
Exactly: The Summer I Turned Pretty → It’s Not Summer Without You → We’ll Always Have Summer. That’s the simplest version of The Summer I Turned Pretty Books in Chronological Order you’ll ever need.
Is this appropriate for younger teens?
Generally 12+. Kissing/romance, underage drinking, and heavy grief themes appear, but they’re handled with restraint.
Is there a fourth book?
No fourth novel in this universe. The story is complete in three books.
Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah—does the series feel fair?
Part of the fun is that Han writes both boys with dignity and blind spots. Your team may shift as you age (and that’s its own conversation).
Can I start with Book 2 or 3?
You can, but you’ll lose the slow-build context that makes Book 3 land. Read in order—these are The Summer I Turned Pretty Books in Chronological Order for a reason.
Will I like the books if I already watched the show?
Yes. The show amplifies spectacle and soundtrack; the books give you private thought and subtler beats. Many readers end up loving both for different reasons.
Good buddy-read pace?
One book per week (or per two weeks for busy schedules). Audiobook + print combo helps if you’re juggling school/work.
Are there strong parent/child dynamics to discuss?
Absolutely. Laurel and Susannah are a masterclass in adult friendship, and Laurel/Belly is one of YA’s better mother/daughter pairs.
Final Thoughts
If you need comfort with a backbone, this is it. The Summer I Turned Pretty Books in Chronological Order is more than a title—it’s a promise that your heart will evolve alongside Belly’s. Read it on a porch. Text a friend when you get to that chapter. And if you’re reading with teens, let the book do the talking first; ask questions second.
When you’re done, we recommend cooling down with our other guides:
- Hunger Games Books in Chronological Order (for a different kind of summer stakes)
- Millennium Books in Chronological Order (if you want something darker post-beach)
