Table of Contents

“The Summer I Turned Pretty” Season 3 Finale Explained + Movie Reveal: Did Belly Really Choose Conrad?

After years of heartbreak and choices, The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 finale delivers closure, surprises, and sets up a movie to wrap up Belly’s journey. Find out how the finale differs from the books, who Belly ends up with, and what we know about The Summer I Turned Pretty: The Movie. The season 3 finale of The Summer I Turned Pretty arrived with high stakes, high expectations, and a devoted fanbase waiting to see if Belly would finally pick Conrad or Jeremiah. Adapted from Jenny Han’s YA novel trilogy, the Prime Video series has charted young love, grief, growth, and identity over three summers. In this emotionally rich conclusion, viewers witnessed transformations, surprises, and a promise of more to come—because this isn’t quite the end. In this post, we’ll dive into what happened in the season 3 finale, how the show diverges from the books, what Belly’s choice means, what symbolic moments stood out (yes, including that dance in Paris), and what we know so far about The Summer I Turned Pretty: The Movie.

Recap: The Road to the Finale
The Finale: Key Moments & Turning Points
Belly’s Choice: Conrad Wins (But Not Without Costs)
Symbolism & Character Growth (Including the Dance Scene)
Differences from the Books: What the Show Changed
Why the Finale Resonated: Themes & Audience Response
What’s Next: The Summer I Turned Pretty Movie + Teaser

Rain Spencer, Lola Tung, Gavin Casaligno and Christopher Brine in ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty.’

1. Recap: The Road to the Finale

The Summer I Turned Pretty (TV series) is based on Jenny Han’s trilogy: The Summer I Turned Pretty, It’s Not Summer Without You, and We’ll Always Have Summer. (Wikipedia)

Over three seasons, Belly Conklin (Lola Tung) has navigated a complicated love triangle with Conrad (Christopher Briney) and his brother Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno). Alongside that are subplots of family dynamics (her mother Laurel, her father John), grief (her relationship with Susannah and her absence), friendships (Taylor, Laurel, etc.), and Belly’s own growth as she transitions from adolescence into young adulthood. (Wikipedia)

Season 3 in particular placed Blanche focus on Belly’s personal growth—including time abroad (in Paris), her self-discovery, relationships outside of just Conrad/Jeremiah, plus the unresolved feelings and regrets that have been carried forward from past summers. (EW.com)

As the series builds toward its close, fans wondered: would the TV adaptation follow the books’ ending (which has some epilogues, letters, personal growth), or diverge? There were hints of divergence early in the season. (Cosmopolitan)

2. The Finale: Key Moments & Turning Points

The season 3 finale (episode titled “At Last”) delivers on many fronts. Some of the major events:

Belly in Paris: She is living abroad (undocumented visa subplot implied), both physically distant and emotionally exploring what life looks like outside of the Fisher triangle. (EW.com)
Jeremiah & Belly’s relationship: Belly initially appears to accept Jeremiah’s proposal (or is very close to that decision), but over time, her heart leans back to Conrad—old feelings, regrets, unresolved wounds rising up. (Indiatimes)
Conrad’s reunion in Paris: On Belly’s birthday, Conrad surprises her by showing up in Paris. They reconnect—awkwardly, emotionally—going through painful conversations, confessions, and fears. (EW.com)
Final Decision: After all that, Belly chooses Conrad. They confront their past, the trauma, jealousy, confusion, but ultimately come together—emotionally and physically—in a moment of healing. (EW.com)
Supporting arcs resolved/concluded: Jeremiah begins a new romantic path (with Denise), other characters like Taylor and Steven have their own closure. Family issues, long-held grief and guilt are addressed. (EW.com)

Christopher Brine and Lola Tung in ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty.

3. Belly’s Choice: Conrad Wins (But Not Without Costs)

Yes — in the finale, Belly ends up with Conrad. This is consistent with Jenny Han’s third novel We’ll Always Have Summer, where the endgame is Belly + Conrad. (EW.com)

But it’s not a fairy-tale no-stakes victory. Key takeaways:

Belly’s journey to that choice is messy. She lives with guilt, fear of hurting Jeremiah, fear of repeating mistakes and more.
Conrad also emerges changed. He’s not perfect. There’s grief, vulnerability, suppressed emotions, and growth required for him to properly reconnect with Belly. (Harper’s BAZAAR)
The decision is made after Belly’s time living independently—symbolized by being in Paris. This physical distance matters for perspective.

4. Symbolism & Character Growth (Including the Dance Scene)

One of the most moving scenes in the finale is the Paris dance under the full moon. Belly takes Conrad’s hand; visually she leads the dance. Whether this was intentioned or accidental, from a narrative perspective this is rich symbolism. It suggests Belly is not merely following but directing her own life—leading, owning, choosing.

Other symbolic moments:

Lipstick / appearance changes: Belly’s style in Paris, her confidence, the red lipstick in the finale—it all signals transformation. She’s not the same Belly from earlier summers. (Teen Vogue)
References to past: Gradually, memories of past summers, hurt, what was lost (her mother’s passing, family tensions, Conrad’s emotional withdrawal) get addressed rather than kept unspoken.
Conrad’s vulnerability: In contrast with earlier seasons, his emotional walls slowly come down. Moments of misused words (“Sisyphean task”) or metaphor-laden speech show that he’s trying, imperfectly, to communicate better.

These build to Belly being able to lead—emotionally and in life—and choose someone who respects that.

5. Differences from the Books: What the Show Changed

For fans of Jenny Han’s novels, there are some important divergences in the TV adaptation, especially in the finale.

Element	In the Books	In the Show / Finale Differences
Setting after school / travel	Belly ends up in Spain in some parts; much of the epilogue involves letters, the graduation setting, reuniting through time. We’ll Always Have Summer has more of epistolary resolution. (Cosmopolitan)	In the show, Belly is in Paris—not Spain. More of the emotional and physical landscapes are altered. (Cosmopolitan)
Final wedding / epilogue	The book ends with more of a wedding scene and a more formal family gathering, and the epilogue gives closure via letters. (Wikipedia)	The show doesn’t fully replicate the wedding — that big final family event is scaled back. Some fans felt the show’s ending omitted certain book-elements people eagerly anticipated. (The Sun)
Emphasis on Belly’s independence & growth abroad	Belly does have growth, but much of the book’s emotional resolution is tied to returning home, reflecting on summers past. (Wikipedia)	The show leans harder into the period Belly spends in Paris, giving her space to grow before the final reunion. This allows more visual, emotional metaphors around distance, identity, choice. (EW.com)

These changes don’t necessarily contradict the spirit of the books, but they shift pacing and emotional tone. The show’s ending feels more present-moment, more concerned with character under pressure rather than epistolary reflection.

6. Why the Finale Resonated: Themes & Audience Response

Themes that hit home

Growth & Self-definition: Belly isn’t just choosing between two brothers; she’s choosing herself, her fears, her own identity.
Healing & Forgiveness: Family grief, missed chances, guilt — all these needed resolution, and the finale does a lot of that.
Love + Imperfection: The relationship with Conrad isn’t smooth; it’s messy and vulnerable. But love is portrayed as something you still choose, despite fears.

Audience & Critical Response

The finale has been called satisfying by many viewers. Rotten Tomatoes user reviews point out that while the show is romantic and sometimes melodramatic, season 3’s finale “sticks the landing.” (Rotten Tomatoes)
Fans had mixed feelings about what was cut from the books (especially the wedding scene), but most seem to accept the changes as part of adaptation. (The Sun)
Social media (#TeamConrad vs #TeamJeremiah) trended hard. Conrad finally winning was a big moment for many. The Paris scenes, the emotional reconnection, and the symbolism (dance, red lipstick, etc.) have all been discussed extensively. (EW.com)

7. What’s Next: The Summer I Turned Pretty Movie + Teasers

The finale wasn’t quite the end. Immediately after season 3 wrapped, Prime Video officially greenlit The Summer I Turned Pretty: The Movie, a feature-length final chapter. Jenny Han will write and direct, with co-showrunner Sarah Kucserka helping. (EW.com)

Here’s what we know so far:

The movie will pick up “another big milestone” in Belly’s life—something beyond the show’s ending, giving the emotional arc proper closure. (EW.com)
Belly and Conrad will reprise their roles (Lola Tung and Christopher Briney). Other cast members are expected to return, though full casting hasn’t been confirmed yet. (People.com)
The script draft is complete; the project is still early in production, so release won’t be next year. (EW.com)
Some fan hopes include seeing the wedding scene (or some version of it), more epilogue-style closure, exploration of life together, how Conrad and Belly navigate the aftermath of their choice. Jenny Han has teased those potential conflicts: how life proceeds once the decision is made. (EW.com)

8. Symbolism and That Paris Dance: Belly Taking the Lead

That moment you mentioned—deep into the finale, under the light of the full moon in Paris, Belly accepts Conrad’s dance, and she leads. It’s not just romance; it’s metaphor:

Agency: After years of being torn, Belly finally steers—not just in love but in life.
Equality: It implies a shift. Conrad isn’t the only one initiating, Belly isn’t purely reactive. Their relationship is moving toward something more balanced.
Symbolic location: Paris, distance, new surroundings—all of which reflect Belly’s internal shift. The Summer I Turned Pretty sought to satisfy fans, while staying true to its youthful and emotional core—and in the season 3 finale, it largely succeeds. Belly ends up with Conrad, yes, but more importantly, she grows, owns her voice, and chooses despite fear. The show diverges from its source material in meaningful ways, using its medium (visual storytelling, setting, character moments) to expand Belly’s coming-of-age beyond just love triangle drama.

And since the story isn’t over, the upcoming The Summer I Turned Pretty: The Movie promises to give fans the closure they’ve been waiting for. With Belly’s “another big milestone” teased, expect more introspection, resolution, and perhaps the wedding or major family moments that the show hinted were scaled back.