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⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ 4/5
A beach house. Two brothers. One girl caught in the middle.
You already know where this is going, and somehow that doesn't make it any less fun.
The Summer I Turned Pretty is Jenny Han's YA classic about growing up, first love, and the kind of summer that changes everything.
The audiobook is narrated by Lola Tung, who also portrays Belly in the TV adaptation, and that connection makes this version feel extra personal.
Listen to it if: you want a nostalgic, feel-good coming-of-age story with a slow-burn love triangle.
Skip it if: love triangles and classic YA tropes aren't really your thing.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | The Summer I Turned Pretty |
| Author | Jenny Han |
| Narrator(s) (audiobook) | Lola Tung |
| Series | The Summer I Turned Pretty, Book 1 |
| Genre | Young Adult |
| Subgenre | Coming-of-age, contemporary romance |
| Audiobook length | 6 hrs (unabridged) |
| First published | 2009 |
| Audiobook release | 2022 |
| Publisher | Recorded Books, Inc. |
Belly has always measured her life in summers.
Every June, she and her family head to the beach house that belongs to her mom's best friend, Susannah. Susannah's sons, Conrad and Jeremiah, have been part of Belly's summers for as long as she can remember. They're the brother figures, the crushes, the whole messy in-between.
But this summer feels different. Belly isn't the same tagalong kid she used to be, and Conrad and Jeremiah are starting to notice.
What follows is one wonderful, complicated summer where everything Belly thought she understood about herself, her family, and these two boys starts to shift.
Belly is the kind of narrator you either see yourself in immediately or wish you'd had around at fifteen. She's earnest, a little awkward, and very much still figuring out who she is outside of being "Susannah's kids' friend."
Conrad is broody and hard to read, the kind of crush that feels dangerous precisely because he never quite lets Belly all the way in.
Jeremiah is warmer and easier, someone who actually shows up and pays attention, even when Belly barely notices him doing it.
The tension between the three of them isn't really about grand gestures. It's about small moments, glances that linger a beat too long, and the particular ache of realizing the people you grew up with are suddenly people you might be falling for. That's what keeps readers picking sides for years after finishing the book.
What sets this apart from a lot of YA romance is Susannah. She's not just a background character who owns the beach house. Her presence, her illness, and her relationship with Belly's mom give the story an emotional weight that goes beyond the will-they-won't-they of the love triangle.
The nostalgic, sun-soaked summer setting also does a lot of heavy lifting. Han writes summer the way people remember it, slightly golden and a little too good to be true.
The honest criticism: the story jumps around in time more than you'd expect, moving between different summers to build up Belly's history with the boys, and it can take a chapter or two to get your bearing on where you are in the timeline. It's not confusing exactly, but it does ask a little patience up front.
Lola Tung narrates this edition, and her connection to the material is obvious. She plays Belly in the TV series, so she already knows this character inside and out, and that familiarity comes through in the performance.
Her voice captures Belly's mix of hopefulness and uncertainty well, especially in the quieter, more reflective moments. It gives the audiobook a warmth that fits the nostalgic tone of the story.
At around six hours, it's a short, easy listen, the kind of audiobook you could knock out over a couple of beach days or a handful of commutes.
Good fit if you:
Maybe not for you if:
The Summer I Turned Pretty audiobook is exactly the kind of comfort listen its fans keep coming back to.
It's not reinventing the YA romance formula, and it doesn't need to. Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah have stuck with readers for over a decade for a reason, and Lola Tung's narration adds a genuine, familiar warmth if you already know her from the show.
If you're new to the series, this is obviously where to start. If you've read the books before, the audiobook is a nice way to revisit a story you already love.
Some audiobook platforms offer free trials or promotional credits for new listeners, so if this one's calling your name, that's a low-pressure way to give it a try.
Who narrates The Summer I Turned Pretty audiobook?
Lola Tung, who also plays Belly in the TV adaptation, narrates this edition.
How long is The Summer I Turned Pretty audiobook?
It runs about 6 hours, unabridged.
Is The Summer I Turned Pretty a standalone or part of a series?
It's Book 1 in Jenny Han's Summer trilogy, followed by It's Not Summer Without You and We'll Always Have Summer.
How can I listen to The Summer I Turned Pretty audiobook for free?
Eligible new listeners may be able to listen to The Summer I Turned Pretty through a free trial. You can find the free-trial link below to check availability and start listening. You can also check your local public library, as many libraries offer audiobooks through apps like Libby or OverDrive with a library card.
Do I need to watch the TV show before listening to the audiobook?
No, the book stands on its own. But if you've seen the show, hearing Lola Tung narrate adds a nice extra layer of familiarity.
