This summer, determined to read the book before the series, I read We’ll Always Have Summer, the third and final book in the Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy and the basis for season three. I am also caught up with the series so far, and my thoughts about the two are taking over my brain, so I have to put them here to get them out. 

• We’ll Always Have Summer is the weakest of the three books. In fact, I found myself rushing through pages just to be done with it. The series is so much better, and that’s saying something because I know elements of the series can be frustrating too. 
• In the books, Belly and Jeremiah come up with the brilliant idea of getting married in the spring of Belly’s freshman year. She’s 19. He’s 20. And they don’t understand why everyone is against them. 
• I see pros and cons to the time jump in the series—yes, making them 21-22 sounds better than 19, but it forced writers to create a new catalyst for this decision (the emotions surrounding Steven’s accident) as compared to two characters making a rash decision probably out of grief. The time does complicate the Bonrad/Jelly debate, though it forces a comparison of a relationship that has gone on for 3 years (Jelly) vs. a few months (Bonrad) whereas in the book, both relationships were relatively short.
• I kept wondering if my age was clouding my view of this whirlwind engagement. I was someone who got married way too young, so as I was reading this, my head kept yelling, Belly, girl, just sit down and let me tell you. But I wondered if I were a 14-year-old reader, would I find this romantic? Would I look past the poor decisions and get caught up in the emotions? My 15-year-old son watched some of the series with me and when he saw Belly leave the wedding and go to the airport, he said, “I know I haven’t watched all the series, but from what I know, this seems like the best decision this character has ever made.” Maybe teenagers can see how doomed this wedding idea is. 
• She still reveals the engagement at the dedication ceremony. I get that characters should have flaws because humans have flaws, but the character of Belly comes off so immature and self-centered sometimes that it is very hard to root for her. 
• I am so happy the series has spent the time to develop Steven and Taylor as characters more. Steven is basically absent from We’ll Always Have Summer, and I kept wondering where he was. He grew up with Conrad and Jeremiah, too, and surely was one of their oldest friends. It seemed so weird that he wasn’t there to give any input on the wedding. 
• Belly’s frustration about Jeremiah taking the job with his dad. Belly, he’s a pretty rich boy, and I don’t think he’s very smart. This is all he’s got. There’s no ambition. He has no dreams (although the series sort of builds this interest in cooking). This is what he should do. It’s all he has going for himself. Let him. 
• I still maintain my opinion after reading The Summer I Turned Pretty: The prequel is the story: Laurel and Susannah; Laurel and Adam dating before Susannah and Adam; Laurel setting them up; Laurel getting pregnant with Steven. Sorry, but I think this love story beats the Belly-Jeremiah-Conrad mess. 
• The book rushes the ending. I am so glad the series is giving a little more development and letting Belly grow up a little in Paris. 
• Also glad the series is giving us Benito. It’s good for us to see her with someone whose last name isn’t Fisher.

Overall, We’ll Always Have Summer as a book was not my favorite book in the series, and it might have been my least favorite read of the entire summer. I’m grateful the series is filling in some details to make the characters and plot more complete, and while I know the book’s ending and am still rooting for a surprise Belly chooses herself ending that I don’t think will happen, I’m still looking forward to these last few episodes.