We'll Always Have Summer (The Summer I Turned Pretty)

While I, mostly, enjoyed reading the series I found the writing to be somewhat inconsistent. It felt like the author was writing one, or more, books at the same time. Two instances, in particular, stand out. One where she says Jeremy is interning at his father's company, but in another book he was a banker. The second one was so obvious, I question whether it was the same author. In the first chapter of the first book Belly says her brother Steven taught her to whistle really well and how proud she is of it. In book two, when Mr. Fisher is on the deck waiting for the boys, Belly says she can't even signal them with a whistle, because she never learned how.

"We'll Always Have Summer" continues the story of the heartbreaking romance between Belly Conklin and Conrad Fisher that begins two years later when she learns of Jeremiah's infidelity at Spring Break. Instead of breaking up with him Belly, who fears losing love again agrees to his proposal.

With the wedding two months away she dives into preparations, staying at Cousins Beach when her mother refuses to be part of Belly's unwise decision. But her worst nightmare comes to life when Conrad, who's visiting from California decides to stay at the Beck house. She's never gotten over her first love and is determined to hold on to Jeremiah, her first kiss but her heart's divided and she must choose before it's too late.

With twists in the story that keep you wondering if Belly will make the right choice Jenny Han weaves a finale to this poignant tale that keeps the reader riveted from the first page to the last. With a wedding drawing closer that she wants to keep simple and uncomplicated Belly discovers that her decisions are becoming more difficult and emotional especially when her mother refuses to participate, Jeremiah won't make any decisions, and Conrad finally gives voice to his love for her. The story flows naturally as Belly finds herself torn between the brothers she loves and making a choice that she can live with forever.

Having been crushed by Conrad's rejection, rebounding to the safety of Jeremiah's love and fearing another loss with the pain of his betrayal, Belly clings to her plan to wed the youngest Fisher refusing her mother's advice and even the continual warnings of her heart. Although for two years she's loved Jeremiah she's never been tempted to consummate her feelings sexually, perhaps because it would have finally severed her connection to Conrad. Although confident and assured in many ways, a head-strong and stubborn Belly refuses to listen to anyone's advice, even her mother's.

Jeremiah who has always competed with his brother for the love of his father fears losing Belly and will do anything to hold on to her love including proposing, after he makes a grievous error in judgement. Immature in many ways, a partying frat boy at heart he doesn't help her with any of the decision-making, leaves the expense of the wedding to his father and is upset when she refuses his choice of apartments. Easy-going, arrogant and feeling his love threatened, Jeremiah struggles with doing what's right when he learns that Conrad and Belly have voiced the truth about their feelings.

Conrad angry with his father's imperfections and the loss of his mother, feared hurting Belly so hid his feelings behind a promise to protect his brother. Loving Belly and fearing losing her forever to his brother, Conrad tries to distance himself from her. Yet he's very protective, not wanting to see her hurt so helps heal her breach with her mother as well as with planning decisions. Desperate, he tells her the truth, facing her rejection when he can't break down her defences and loyalty to Jeremiah. Like all of Jenny Han's novels, the complexity, depth and realism of her characters add to the emotional power of the story.

I loved "We'll Always Have Summer"a mesmerizing story that kept you guessing until the end, and highly recommend Jenny Han's "Summer" trilogy.

**Some spoilers here**
I felt that the first two books were pretty good; they were basically about a girl, Belly, growing up with conflicting emotions and attraction between two brothers, and the fond memories she had of her summers at their beach house. Throughout Belly's life while growing up with the boys, Jeremiah was always her loyal friend who never hid his interest in her; the other brother, Conrad, was this brooding "silent type" who couldn't seem to make up his mind about her. In this last book of the series, Belly is now a college student dating the younger brother, Jeremiah. Prior to him leaving for spring break, he wanted to spend time with his fraternity boys instead of going back to his family's beach house in Cousins. To me, it sounds like something a normal college boy would want to do - go on a Cabo beach trip to have fun with friends. Anyways, Belly got upset about this; and they end up breaking up before he left. She sounded whiny, clingy and insecure about the whole thing-even though he had invited her to go with him. After she learns about Jeremiah's hookup during the spring break trip, she gets upset, accusing him of being "selfish" even though she was the one getting bitchy about the trip and even though they had already separated before the trip. Despite this hiccup in their relationship, Jeremiah and Belly eventually get engaged...From here, it went a little downhill for me. The rest of the book describes her planning her wedding, the lack of closure between her and Conrad, and the events leading up to the end.

I'm not sure what the author was trying to communicate - perhaps that it's entirely possible or even desirable to "love" and be loved by the seemingly unattainable/unavailable guy? Yes, sometimes that happens in real life and it works out; but, usually most of us are better off with someone real, honest, loyal-a best friend who isn't afraid to take emotional risks. I wished Belly could have shaken off her obsession with Conrad, her first and biggest crush. Maybe she could have even dated other guys and really know mature love - perhaps even with someone who wasn't one of the Fisher boys. Now that would've made for a more interesting plot...

My Thoughts:
Oh yeah. That's the stuff.

Belly and Jeremiah are now together, going to college. They plan on getting married, but everyone thinks they are too young are against it. It feels they are rushing in to things, and maybe they are. Maybe Belly is trying to prove something. But she loves Jeremiah. He's the one who's always treated her with respect, makes her laugh, and she can always count on him.
However, things happen that complicate their relationship, but it's not something they can't work thorough. Because they love each other. Belly wants to spend her life with Jeremiah. She's over her love for Conrad who repeatedly has shown that he doesn't care about Belly. But sometimes, no matter how much time goes by, some bonds can never be broken.

There's not much to say. You can't not finish this trilogy. This book is as good as the first 2, and my love for these characters only increased. I've watched Belly, Conrad and Jeremiah grow up and mature. I feel like I know them. And I'll never forget them.

I was highly satisfied with the way this series ended. It was exactly what I wanted, which doesn't happen very often when I read books. It was perfect. And perfect endings are just what's needed sometimes.

Favorite Quotes:
"There are moments in every girl's life that are bigger than we know at the time. When you look back, you say, That was one of those life-changing, fork-in-the-road moments and I didn't even see it coming. I had no idea. And then there are the moments that you know are big, life could go in one of two directions. Do or die. This was one of those moments. Big. They didn't get much bigger than this."

Bottom Line: This series is summer and sunshine and beach and freedom. It's first loves and heartbreak and everything in between. 5/5

Belly and Jeremiah are in college together, trying to act like Belly really wants to be with Jeremiah instead of his brother. Since Conrad made it clear he wouldn't choose her, she's convinced herself that she's content with Jeremiah, though she still has a special place in her heart for Conrad. They've managed to make it into something special and Belly's sure he's the one. Until he does the unthinkable.

I loved the characters in this series, especially in the latter part of the final book. You could really see how they'd all grown over the years, as they'd gotten older and wiser (in most cases). They still made stupid mistakes, but they learned from them. They still had their flaws, of course; Belly was still whiny about Conrad not loving her, Jeremiah was still whiny about Conrad getting all the love and Conrad was still an asshat.

One thing I didn't like was the direction Jeremiah's character went. We've known him for years, and I felt like his betrayal was completely out of character. He had his reasons (aka his excuses), but it still didn't feel like something the Jeremiah we know and love would do. There were several chapters told from Conrad's POV which I think were meant to portray him as a long-suffering good guy caught in a bad situation. While I appreciated finally seeing things the way he did, it was too little, too late. I understand he had problems and issues, but that was no excuse for treating Belly like he did.

Just like the first 2 books, We'll Always Have Summer was entertaining and fun. I wasn't expecting the ending, and I can't say I'm exactly happy with it. But it made sense for the characters and felt true to them.

Belly is off at college with Jeremiah and everything is pretty status quo. They go to parties, eat meals together, hangout with friends, and study. It's a pretty average college experience, except Jeremiah isn't the "perfect" boyfriend that Belly thought he was going to be. And in the back of her mind, she is always wondering about Conrad and the path she didn't take. Jenny Han's conclusion to the Summer series, We'll Always Have Summer, is everything I'd hoped it would be and more.

If you follow my blog, you know how much I respect Han as a writer. She is, hands down, one of my favorite young adult authors. There is no one out there that gets to me like Han can. She paints a picture in my mind that comes alive. It's as if I am there experiencing it all with Belly. I want to marinate in her words and the story; it's all so breathtaking. As I was reading We'll Always Have Summer, I didn't want it to end. I savored every word. Here's one of my favorite parts that I must share:
"There are moments in every girl's life that are bigger than we know at the time. When you look back, you say, that was one of those life-chanigng, fork-in-the-road moments and I didn't even see it coming. I had no idea. And then there are the moments that you know are big. That whatever you do next, there will be an impact. Your life could go one of two directions. Do or die." (E-galley page 300)
The characters in the Summer series are incredible. I love Belly and I think she really grows in this book. She's faced with situations, once again, that make her stop and think. Although I didn't always agree with Belly's actions in this novel, I could see where she was coming from. She's still growing up and figuring things out.

Of course Cousins Beach is in this story and just like the other books in this series, the setting becomes so significant that it develops into a character itself. I adore Han's descriptions of the beach and how she makes the beach house important to all the characters, but in different ways. Of course the memories and flashbacks to their childhood always break my heart, because it feels like I was part of them too.

For the record, Conrad has always been my favorite, but I could see why Belly was attracted to Jeremiah. I will admit that I was even partial to Conrad when he was a moody mess. What can I say? I'm a total sucker for the bad boy type. Also, I loved how Conrad and Belly connected in this novel and truly developed an even stronger friendship. And to continue my swoon-fest, I love how Han ended the novel. I was happy with the ending and sobbing as I flipped the final page. On one hand I was elated as I approved of the ending, but on the other hand, I was so sad! It was like saying goodbye to a childhood friend. I didn't want the series to be over, but just like the season of summer itself, I knew I had to say goodbye and I did so with a smile on my face.

It's kind of hard to review this book, because I don't want to give anything away, but you must drop what you are doing and go get We'll Always Have Summer or the entire series if you haven't read it. You will fall in love with every word. As I finished the last page, my heart was pounding and I realized I was changed by this book and by this series. Han's Summer series is a story that I will never forget. It has made a lasting impression on me.

Also reviewed on my blog, The Vintage Bookworm [...]

This series has become one of my favorites this year. I started the series in late November and couldn't stop thinking about them, so of course I continued on and finished the series! I finished this book last week, and since then I have been trying to find a way to write my review. Nothing has come to me. I don't know what to write! This series is so good! And believe it or not, I think this book--the last in the series--may be my favorite one of all three. I know, crazy!

I'm really sad that this series is over. But at the same time it, the ending was as perfect as imaginable. I'm not going to say anything more about it because I don't want to spoil it if you haven't read it. But I'm very content with it. =)

Belly may have been a bit immature and whiny in the beginning of series, but each year that passed and she grew older and experienced more, she grew! I really like the woman she grew into.

Belly was the only point-of-view in the first book, and then it was Belly and Jeremiah's point-of-view in the second book, and in this book it was Belly and Conrad which I loved! Conrad has grown up so much since the first book. All of the characters have really. You really get to understand how Conrad really feels for Belly and the torment he has over letting her go.

Overall, this series really gets you a real feel for true love. It makes you think about that ONE true love and how if it's meant to be, then it will happen. Which I really loved. =) Everything felt real to me. So thank you Jenny Han! It would be awesome if she maybe created an adult series of what happens with Belly and that certain someone. I would definitely read it! I'm really curious of what happens after the ending of this book.

Just reading the summary of this book makes me want to cry giant Conrad-shaped tears, before rugby tackling Jenny Han and giving her a hug to end all hugs. That woman put me through the emotional wringer with We'll Always Have Summer, and even though I was expecting that to happen, I wasn't expecting to want to face punch Jeremiah and elope with Conrad. My loyalties have lied with the latter since reading It's Not Summer Without You, but I've always had a place in my heart for lovely, thoughtful Jeremiah. I knew things wouldn't go smoothly for my beloved Belly, but did I think those.. those THINGS would happen?! Hell no I didn't!

Anyway, this is a very hard review to write without spoiling anything. Jenny Han gives you happy, rainbow-coloured things then rips them away before you've even managed to fully appreciate them. She sends you on a rollercoaster ride of ifs and buts, and makes you guess. Yes, GUESS! I got to the end I was so emotionally drained that I had to have a lie down (actually, I was already lying down. It was 3am. It made me want to sleep). I felt bad and good for Belly, but I also wanted to rewind her life and live it all over again on one continuous loop. There is no contemporary YA series as amazing as this, and I never should have been worried about reading this final, long-awaited instalment. Jenny Han delivers in true epic Han style, and all I was left with was a great sense of loss. I feel like 3 of my BFFs have upped and left, leaving their story miles from finished. Of course, their story is finished (For now? Jenny, will there ever be more? Tell meeeee!), but dammit I could have read about these characters until they were 80-years-old and renting the Cousins beach house out to young whipper snappers experiencing a summer love for the first time.

*sheds tear*

OH! And don't even get me started on the letter. The letter that Belly reads. If you've read this book you must know which letter I'm talking about. The most heartbreaking of compositions, written for a much-loved girl on the most important day of her life. I bawled my eyes out reading it for the first time, and again for the second and third (Yes, I went back and put myself through the misery and ultimate happiness a couple more times). I'm happy with how things ended, I really am. It might not have been what I expected or hoped for, but I'm happy. Belly's happy, so obviously I am too. Ahh, that girl.

What I'm really trying to say is that every female reader and lover of YA should read this series. Jenny Han's a certified genius, and she inspires me to write these crazy reviews that make me sound like I've just downded 10 cups of coffee. For the record, I don't like coffee, this is all pure book love you're reading here. Aside from my extreme sadness upon turning the final page of We'll Always Have Summer, I was also left with an urgent desire to re-read the whole series, starting with The Summer I Turned Pretty. I've since got the first 2 books out of storage and they're waiting to be summoned. The Summer series might just be my new summer reading ritual, and I can't think of a better group of fictional people to spend the long hazy nights with. Thank you Jenny Han for making me want to live in yet another fictional world. If that was your intention, then you succeeded with many ribbons and flying colours. If only the pages of a book were big enough to jump into, I'd be at the Cousins beach house right about now!

Words cannot even begin to describe how mad I was after reading this book. I fell in love with the series since the first book came out, but now I can't believe it ended the way it did. First off, Jenny Han COMPLETELY changed the characters I had grown to love. Jeremiah was sweet, caring, and amazing, but in this book he was such a jerk I couldn't stand it! Secondly, nothing really happened in the book except for maybe three major events. This makes it move slow and repetitive. And then it all wraps up in three pages, which really made me upset because I wanted to know how life was after Belly finally made her decision, but no. Now I have to say, Jenny Han is an excellent writer who really knows how to bring out emotions in her book, I just hated the way she toyed with her readers by making them jump from guy to guy because she kept on changing personalities throughout the series. Maybe I'm just bitter because I don't like not being sure about what I'm feeling, especially about people who aren't even real. So all in all, I feel like two is too harsh, but four is too generous, so a I give three stars to the book that is written exceptionally well but was unfair to the readers.

Full review posted on http://myriadinklings.wordpress.com
I really did enjoy this trilogy, however the last novel will only be getting 3/5 from me due to the drawn out time gap between the novel and the final execution of the “wrapping up” of the plot. I felt like there were too many holes that couldn’t be filled which was kind of disappointing. I love Jenny Han’s writing style and I tried really hard to like the ending, but I couldn’t. Not because of what happened, but HOW it happened. I really wish that it wasn’t as rushed and dramatized. Since this is the concluding book of the trilogy, I felt like there should have been a little more focused on the ending resolution, instead of the events leading up to the ending. Overall, I did enjoy this trilogy, but it would not make my favorites list.

Two years have passed since Belly began dating Jeremiah. They now go to the same college and Belly is incredibly happy with him, even if she does find herself thinking about Conrad now and again. So when Jeremiah shockingly proposes to Belly at the start of the summer, she immediately says yes. Suddenly Belly's days are full of wedding preparations at the beach house while simultaneously trying to pacify her mother and get along with Conrad. Belly is certain that she loves Jeremiah, but as the summer slips by, she has to ask herself if she's really in love with him...or still in love with Conrad.

We'll Always Have Summer is the perfect conclusion to Jenny Han's Summer trilogy. The two years since the second book's conclusion have given all of the characters room to grow up a little and find some happiness after the emotional tumult of Susannah's death. However, there are still plenty of pent-up feelings, emotions, and drama as the characters face the pain of her absence still two years later, and the consequences of their actions right after her death. The dynamics between Belly and Jeremiah are sweet and easy, but they are often overshadowed by the tension between her and Conrad and all that isn't being said. This builds throughout the wedding planning, which is fun, despite the knowledge that Belly may be getting married for the wrong reasons. Like in the previous two books, Belly's narrative is punctuated by plenty of memories at the beach house and the occasional chapter from one of the boy's perspectives, which keeps things interesting. The amazing setting of the beach house continues to stand out--it's more than just the descriptions of what it looks like. It's the feeling and atmosphere of the place that Han evokes so well in the reader that makes this entire trilogy so memorable. This is a beautiful, gut-wrenching, authentic book, with a perfect and wholly-satisfying ending. This trilogy is one that completely absorbs you, and finishing it will be at once bittersweet and gratifying.

Woah! This book really takes readers for a ride! We'll Always Have Summer is the final book in the summer trilogy by Jenny Han, and I felt it was written to perfection! I can't even tell you how many times I had tears in my eyes during this book.

This book takes place 2 years after book 2, It's Not Summer Without You. Belly and Jeremiah are together, and at college, living the typical "college life" and being happy together. Belly, of course, still thinks about Conrad all the time. Then, Belly's world turns upside down when she learns a devastating secret about Jeremiah. But, she still tries to believe in them and their relationship and things take a very surprising turn!

During We'll Always Have Summer, we see Belly question who she truly loves. She can't forget about Conrad and she soon finds out that maybe he feels the same. They find themselves all at Cousins Beach again but it's just not the same. Conrad tries to be more distant and deal with the situation as best he can but it's hard to forget about what he has been through with Belly.

Heartbreaking!! I was so shocked during this book and I still wasn't sure who I wanted Belly to be with. It was easy to see how much she had grown up and how, many times, she was on her own with her thoughts. She knew no one would really understand what was going on in her mind.

I won't go into too much detail on this one because it is a very surprising ending for this series, but I will say that if you haven't read this series, do it! I already miss these characters and Cousins Beach. I want to see what happens next! I was so satisfied with how everything was wrapped up. I liked the little "glimpse" into the future we get at the end.

We'll Always Have Summer was a picture-perfect ending to this captivating series! Jenny Han writes in a way that allows readers to really connect with characters on a deeper level. Even though parts are skipped, we still look back at the missing experiences of the characters and that helps connect the dots in the story. Absolutely flawless!

This series has been a roller coaster of emotions. I loved it. Again i thank Jenny Han for her incredible writing that she has shared with all of us. Thank you so much, i for one am
a lot like Belly. Sometimes i say stupid things that i end up regretting.
But most of what i do has good intentions. I hate hurting people, especially when my
life id full of choices that can hurt people.
Now i just want to say that i cant decide
who i would choose, between the two boys.
But once i found out that Jeremiah cheated on Belly i felt hate boiling in my blood. And i cried a lot during this book. But still i didn't like the way everything started, and i didn't understand the ending.
I think that in a way Conrad treated Belly better. Everything was going so well with Jeremiah, i liked him, he was kind and funny, and he sounded cute. But in the end he didn't treat Belly well. And i think there needs to be another book written, about the wedding and their future. Conrad's future with Iz. And i want to know what problems they faced. What happened.
I hate to say this but in some parts there was lack of detail, that would really make the book better. I loved everything about the characters, but some parts really were ruined, because of the fact that Jeremiah made cheated on Belly. And the part when Conrad says why he let Belly go, didn't make sense at all. If he loved her why would he let her go, right. STUPID. not the author's choice but the words and the reason. Conrad was also very selfish and never payed much attention to Belly, which kinda ruined it for the character. And i just can't get Jeremiah out of my head, near the end of the book he was Soooo rude. He didn't treat Belly right, if i was Belly i would probably slap both of them, hard enough to break thier jaw then move on. To who i don't know. Probably Conrad. But after i got over the fact that Jeremiah CHEATED ON HER i would probably go with Jeremiah. Now this book has left my head in a knot, thinking about what happened with the characters.
I need to rest, thanks for the book.

This series got better with each book! When I first started reading book one, I almost gave up, but by the end of the book I was hooked. I fell in love with Belly (worst name ever) Conrad and Jeremiah.
Then in book two, my heart broke 100% over the ending! I was in shock, I couldn't believe what happened.
Enter book 3 and wow, what an ending!
I was seriously SO mad at Jeremiah, I couldn't believe what happened... but I was also excited because although I love him its always been Belly and Conrad for me.
This book had so much drama, heartache, and discovery really. I mean these 3 characters although in college at this point are still super young with so much to learn.
It definitely has an HEA ending, and it has become one of my favorite contemporary YA books because the writing was so perfect and effortless.
This is a series I would recommend to just about everyone, dont give up on the first book stick with it because the last book makes it totally worth it!