“The Summer I Turned Pretty’s” third and final season has finally ended. Since the show is based on Jenny Han’s book trilogy, it already had a decent sized fanbase. When the fandom exploded after the first season aired on Amazon Prime, it grew from a small book lover community to one of the biggest teen drama’s fanbases. Of course, like many teen drama shows like “The Vampire Diaries,” “Dawsons Creek,” and “Felicity,” a love triangle is at the center of the story.

Cousins Beach, where the characters all grew up spending summers together, hasn’t been the same since Conrad and Jeremiah’s mom, Susannah passed away four years ago. Right after Susannah died, Conrad and Belly, the main female character, broke up because he was struggling with his grief and only a few months after that, Belly started dating his brother, Jeremiah. Season three dives deep into the long running love triangle between Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah, while also exploring themes of grief, friendship, and self-discovery.

The first few episodes of the season felt slow, and a lot of side characters were getting more screen time than the main characters, but as the season progressed, the drama picked up and the love triangle took center stage, keeping fans hooked up until the finale. One of the biggest things that shine throughout the season is the acting from Lola Tung and Chris Briney. Lola brings a lot of vulnerability and warmth to Belly’s character, and Chris’s performance makes Conrad’s struggles so real that you can’t help but feel his pain.

Another thing that stood out this season was the soundtrack. The show has always been known for relying heavily on artists like Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Frank Ocean, and Lana Del Ray. Season three expanded its range with a more diverse mix of music. Along with the music us fans expected, this season included classics from The Rolling Stones, Otis Redding, The Jackson Five, U2, and Radiohead. The soundtrack still had the same sense of familiarity to it but also had a more timeless feel to some of the best moments.

The finale really paid off all the buildup this season was leading to, and it gave fans the closure they had been waiting for an exceptionally long time. The love triangle finally ended in the way that still felt true to the characters, bringing the story to a close that was perfect. It was emotional, and very bittersweet, but overall, extremely satisfying. It is the ending that leaves you sad that it is over, but happy you got to experience it.

Overall, the third and final season feels like the perfect wrap up to “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” The love triangle may be over, but with a movie on the way, fans can look forward to even more at Cousins Beach.