For the second time, Jenny Han’s “The Summer I Turned Pretty” trilogy has grabbed the attention of romantics all around America—first from the books and now from the television series. With the weekly releases of the final season of the series, there has been considerable chatter among fans. Each watcher is tuning in every Wednesday night to find out which Fisher brother, the main character, Belly will end up with. Although the show is very popular, some original fans of the books are disappointed in the inconsistencies between the show and the books.

The main plot line navigates through Belly’s relationship with two brothers, Conrad and Jeremiah, and the self-actualization that occurs after her indecisiveness becomes too overwhelming. This complicated love triangle brings drama and angst that makes fans feel like they’re alongside Belly during the whole series. Like with any relevant piece of pop culture, there are heated debates on whether the show or the books are better. Many readers who grew up with the trilogy argue that the series has strayed from Jenny Han’s original work.

One of the changes fans find very detrimental to the original plot line is the time jump between seasons two and three. The jump in the TV series was four years, while in the books it was only two. This large jump caused a loss of focus on the original plot line of the love triangle, causing many subplots that seemed irrelevant to the narrative. Additionally, it created more conflict in the minds of the viewers about whether Belly’s true love, Conrad, should end up together, given that she had been with Jeremiah—the safe option—for so long. Moreover, fans were bothered by certain drawn out story lines that took up a large amount of time in the limited episodes.

Another major inconsistency between the series and the books is Belly’s personal study abroad journey. After her engagement with Jeremiah broke off in the books, she decided to study abroad in Spain to cope with her dramatic life changes. Similarly, in the TV series, she decides to escape her problems and leave her broken relationship behind but this time in Paris. Fans noticed that in the series, there was a bigger focus on Belly’s personal journey and development rather than just her relationship with the Fisher Brothers. Belly’s time in Paris extended to over a year, where she found her own identity outside of her previous identity of “summer.” Some people appreciated this new perspective of Belly’s newfound individualism, even though it wasn’t the original direction of the books.

Although discrepancies throughout the TV series had original fans taken aback, the success of the show was not hindered by it. Many accredit Jenny Han as a talented writer and producer and appreciate how she translated her original story into an entertaining yet heart-wrenching modern tale. The new fandom has even allowed Han to extend her original series and create a movie that elaborates on the characters’ lives after season three. Because of the show’s less emotional elements and uninteresting subplots, we are rating the television series a 4 out of 5 stars. The books earn 4.5 stars out of 5 because they capture what really matters: the essence of Belly and Conrad’s relationship. Whether starting with the show or the book, fans of the series will appreciate immersing themselves in the world of “The Summer I Turned Pretty.”