‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ series finale review: “At Last”

We’ve made it! “At Last,” the ending to Prime Video’s summer-filled romance, The Summer I Turned Pretty, has reached its sunset with a touching finale. Well, for the TV series at least – there’s still a movie on the horizon. Everything throughout the last three seasons has led us to this moment, the culmination of a love triangle that gave us the answer to the series’ burning question. Some fans will be happy, others may be frustrated, but either way, it’s time for the series finale to bid adieu.

For the “At Last” review, we’re going to focus only on the episode and TV series at hand. Series creator Jenny Han and Prime Video announced recently that a movie will be released to continue the story. However, since we don’t know what that completed film will be about, we can’t assume that certain plots or character developments will be resolved. For many fans, they may only watch The Summer I Turned Pretty TV series, so we’ll need to assess the series finale as its intended ending of this TV story and its Season 3 “book.”

An unplanned guest.

“At Last” picked up right where “Last Year” ended off with Conrad jumping on a plane to see Belly. The initial feeling about that decision still hasn’t changed. Conrad should’ve contacted Belly beforehand that he was coming, especially to check if SHE was ready to see him. His grand gesture, while romantic in theory, is disrespectful of her agency and what she has going on in her life. And you could feel how uncomfortable she was when she sees him and plays tour guide. Belly was caught off guard and had to process all her feelings quickly to appease the situation. Sure, she could’ve declined and sent him packing. But she admittedly still loves him and was okay with spending the day with him.

The first half of “At Last” captured that very relatable feeling of being uncomfortable around an ex. The awkwardness of seeing each other, the uncertainty of what anything meant, and the silence of being unsure of what to say. You could feel the weight of Conrad’s impulsive decision and how much time they’ve truly spent apart. A year is a long time, but even before that, Conrad didn’t see Belly actively (if at all) for 4-5 years. Isabel is a different person from the girl he dated in the past. All they had at that moment was nostalgia and memories.

Interestingly, Belly’s friends in Paris similarly treated their reunion. Could you imagine being a fly on the wall in their group chat? The legendary “Conrad” from Isabel’s past shows up in Paris without any heads-up. The drama! Especially weeks after she broke up with Benito, which, from a timeline perspective, seems messy (like didn’t he just ask her to go to Mexico?). Conrad piqued their interest, but their looks varied between curiosity, concern, and approval. Very realistic for a new friend group who only knew about him from stories and venting sessions.

A Belly state of mind.

One of the fascinating aspects of “At Last” was hearing Belly’s point of view on the love triangle chaos. As the main lead of The Summer I’ve Turned Pretty, we’ve always been inside Belly’s head, hearing her thoughts and seeing the world. Her assessment while in Paris painted a picture of her being the villain, the one who caused all the uncertainty. And her apologizing throughout it all seemed like she had been the hardest on herself during her introspection.

Let’s be clear: Belly isn’t, and has never been, the villain. Sure, she’s equally at fault for her situation due to not communicating her feelings or the truth, as well as enabling certain behaviors. But she’s at least acknowledged her feelings and has tried to grow from them to be a better person. I loved how “Isabel” expressed how she felt post-arrival in Paris, and how she’s grown in the year since to make the city her home. She’s adjusted to the city and prioritized putting herself first, instead of wallowing out of fear and sadness. In her words, “isolating” herself as punishment for what happened.

And kudos to her for asking the tough questions on Conrad. He may have said his arrival was “spontaneous,” but she saw right through it. His complete travel change and delays at an important conference held greater meaning than just being a tourist. If he wanted to be with her, he needed to come right out and say it. Or even just a fiery, passionate hookup in Paris. (Seriously, the chemistry and editing on their hookup, from the stairwell to the bed, was explosive!)

Her infinite choice.

Now the big question at hand: should Belly have gotten back together with Conrad? Absolutely, from a chemistry and romance standpoint. Their connection is undeniable, and throughout The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3, it was clear she was still in love. But from a growth and healthy relationship standpoint? Definitely not.

“At Last” had questionable editing and structure choices that didn’t do the Belly/Conrad relationship any justice. In addition to the awkwardness in the beginning, it was more about how the show kept focusing on the past. Flashbacks and clips were included to reference their shared history growing up together. Belly crushed hard on Conrad, building him up to be her unattainable love. But for the couple to realistically be together in the future, they need to grow and recognize who they are as people now.

Belly has done the work to grow, crafting a life in Paris that establishes her as an individual. Conrad, on the other hand, is stuck in time. He’s focused on the girl he dated as a teenager, not the woman she is now. While he’s thought about it and was impressed by her, he doesn’t truly know her anymore. Unfortunately, he hindered his life in the last 5 years, putting a pause on everything because he refused to move on. That isn’t a healthy way, let alone a person, to reestablish a relationship with.

But Conrad isn’t only at fault. Belly completely regressed as a character to justify The Summer I Turned Pretty’s ending for her to choose him. She’s spent many years away from Conrad, including a year living in Paris with new experiences. So why was she ready to go back to being the naïve, hopeless romantic who pined after Conrad? She said it herself; she wanted to be that girl again.

But why? That girl was the same girl whom Conrad had hurt many years ago. Belly threw away all her growth to slide back into what was comfortable with an ex who hasn’t completely changed. Her choosing Conrad isn’t the problem. She’s in love with him, and the pair were meant to be endgame for the series. However, the path it took to get there in the series finale was abrupt and didn’t make sense. It’s lazy writing for a desired conclusion.

Cooking up a new future.

Compared to Belly and Conrad’s outcome, “At Last” focused on all the positives and growth for the rest of the cast. For example, Steven and Denise’s company getting its funding, Steven and Taylor taking their relationship next step, and a new romance for Denise/Jeremiah. Even Jeremiah’s cooking career took a positive step forward with acclaim and development. “At Last” wrapped up all their storylines with a nice bow, setting them all on a path for bright and happy futures. In a world where Adam apologizes to Jeremiah and gives his acceptance, you just know the tables have turned.

So, it’s baffling why The Summer I Turned Pretty series finale decided to keep Conrad and Belly separated from everyone back home. While the ending voiceover tied in her leaving a year later, it’s still a strange choice to have no resolution with Belly and everyone else. And the tonal shifts between both sides were startlingly clear. On one side, the mood and lighting were bright, showcasing all the warmth and togetherness at Cousins Beach for Jeremiah, Steven, Taylor, etc. But on the other side, you have Belly and Conrad all alone, traveling to the beach house by themselves.

Assumptions can be made that they’ve already had their reunions, but none of that is on the screen. When it came to Belly’s ending, The Summer I Turned Pretty didn’t show us; it told us. No future wedding, no kids, and no great reunion with Laurel, Taylor, or anyone. Just a fading voiceover with a drive back to the cottage. That ending painted a picture of Belly falling back into her childhood habit, one of being wrapped up in Conrad at Cousins Beach. That ending isn’t satisfying for the series, let alone all the “Bonrad” fans who rooted for this pairing throughout the three seasons.

Overall.

“At Last” was a dueling chapter of tones, one that felt more like an abrupt series finale than a satisfying climax. The storyline delivered with having Belly make a choice and end up with Conrad, which many fans have long wanted. However, the pacing and narrative to get there disregarded any reasonable growth. Instead, it chose a quick resolution that didn’t give it justice. On the other hand, the rest of the stories were built up with happy endings and hopeful notes of togetherness. As a TV series, The Summer I Turned Pretty’s finale lost sight of completing its story, choosing to rest upon the big moment while forgetting the little moments that came before and after.

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 is available to stream now on Prime Video.