The Summer I Turned Pretty… but My Trauma Didn’t

We don’t love The Summer I Turned Pretty just for the beach houses and love triangle—we love it because the characters’ flaws mirror our own. Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah are all trapped in cycles of grief, insecurity, and self-doubt. This story hooks us because it’s not just about first love—it’s about learning how to get out of our own trauma, and what happens when we don’t. In this episode, I unpack each character’s wounds, their healing journey, and what they teach us about ourselves.