5 Books To Help You Through The Summer I Turned Pretty’s Final Season
If you are already mourning the end, or just need something to keep the emotional momentum going after that finale, we have a solid TBR list for you.
The Summer I Turned Pretty’s final season airs on 16 July, and whether you plan to pace yourself or binge the entire thing in one sitting (no judgment), one thing’s for sure: fans are not ready to say goodbye to Cousins Beach.
These five books are packed with summer romance, complicated friendships, and all the messy feelings that made the show so addictive in the first place. Whether you are team Conrad, team Jeremiah, or just team Belly’s peace, these stories will keep the Cousins Beach vibes going long after the credits roll.
On Our Way Back to Always by Nina Moreno
Lou and Sam used to be inseparable, until a middle school dance proposal goes terribly wrong and leads to them turning into strangers. Now, Lou is a quiet gamer with Ivy League-level pressure on her shoulders, while Sam is everyone’s favourite golden boy, grieving the loss of his father. But when Lou finds a forgotten bucket list they made as kids, it sparks something in both of them. What starts as a mission to cross off silly dares and heartfelt dreams slowly becomes a summer of second chances, soft healing, and maybe something more.
One True Loves by Elise Bryant
Lenore Bennett is bold, stylish, and a force in every room—until graduation hits. Her parents expect her to be 110% prepared for the future, but Lenore’s stuck in that TBD vibe with a whole lot of pressure on her. During a post-grad Mediterranean cruise, she meets Alex Lee, the definition of a five-year plan and, unfortunately, Alex is her cruise companion. As they bounce from port to port, their slow-burn tension turns into something much more romantic. With Black joy, self-discovery, and travel vibes in every chapter, this book feels like the older sister of TSITP.
Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen
Ever Wong thought she was getting shipped off to a rigid programme in Taiwan. Where she’d experience early mornings, academic pressure, and her parents’ dream of her becoming a doctor. But what she walks into instead is a summer-long, unsupervised whirlwind full of late-night parties, drama, and more chaos than she ever expected. Nicknamed “Loveboat” by the students, the programme quickly turns into a backdrop for everything Ever’s been told to avoid—including a complicated love triangle between two very different guys. One is golden-boy Rick, who seems to check every box on her parents’ list, and the other is Xavier, a bad-boy heartbreaker who might just understand her better than anyone else. If you want to follow up TSITP with another love triangle, this one is for you.
Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Rowan and Neil have been academic rivals for years, but it all comes down to one final battle, their school’s all-night senior game. When they realise their classmates are targeting them first, they form a truce—but only until everyone else is out. If you were obsessed with the slow-burn bickering in TSITP, this is the kind of tension-filled, enemies-to-lovers that will ruin you in the best way.
Out of Character by Jenna Miller
For TSITP fans who are interested in a sapphic love triangle, let me introduce you to Cass Williams, a fat, queer high school senior coasting through life without too much attention. On the outside, she’s dating Taylor Cooper—the popular, effortlessly cool girl. But what no one knows is that Cass is also deep in the world of Tide Wars fanfiction, roleplaying online as a bold, fearless spaceship captain. It’s nerdy, it’s obsessive, and it’s her escape. However, her online bestie, Rowan, is starting to feel like more than just a friend, and Taylor might be catching on. With her double life closing in fast, Cass is forced to confront what she actually wants and who she’s been pretending to be. If you were clocking the emotional avoidance in TSITP, Out of Character brings that same messiness.
