Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty might be held up as the best love triangle show on TV in recent years, but Netflix’s alternative beats it in one significant way. The Summer I Turned Pretty and My Life With the Walter Boys, based on bestselling books, are compared nonstop because they’re rife with similarities.

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It doesn’t matter that Novak’s My Life With the Walter Boys book was inspired by The Vampire Diaries, not Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy. The brother love triangles, character types, and premises are undeniably similar. As such, it’s fair that people compare them.

Generally speaking, The Summer I Turned Pretty wins out because of the writing and character development. However, the Netflix show beats the other when it comes to one aspect of the show.

Jackie’s Backstory Makes Her A More Sympathetic Main Character Than Belly

Jackie and Belly are both teen girls falling in love for the first time and trying to figure out how to be in a good relationship. It’s bound to be messy as they figure out their feelings, and I’m all for a messy girl protagonist. However, Belly’s messiness becomes grating eventually, while Jackie’s backstory makes her behavior more sympathetic.

Jackie is a Type A perfectionist overachiever who has just lost control of her life. She had no control over losing her entire family, moving to a new state, living with a family of twelve, or attending a new school. She has been thrown into a new environment with new people during one of the most traumatic moments in her life.

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The teen girl is only just getting to know Alex and Cole for the first time, so it’s natural that she’d flip-flop as she learns more about their real personality. Plus, it makes perfect sense that she would refuse to be with the boy who makes her feel out of control. It also makes perfect sense why she would be in a relationship with a boy who makes her feel in control.

Meanwhile, Belly has known the Fishers her entire life. She doesn’t have a reason for her selfish and controlling behavior. Her age explains her messiness early on, but not enough to excuse her continued flip-flopping.

Belly Plays With Her Love Interests’ Feelings More Than Jackie Does

In The Summer I Turned Pretty season 1, Belly has some self-awareness that’s refreshing when it comes to a love triangle. She also doesn’t play with their feelings too much. However, that changes in seasons 2 and 3. Belly is the cause of Conrad and Jeremiah’s issues. They had a good relationship before her, and she knows that.

Why The Summer I Turned Pretty Is Ending With Season 3

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On the other hand, Jackie becomes more self-aware in the second season, intentionally distancing herself from Cole in a romantic sense. The only time they spend together is related to school.

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She did screw over Alex and Cole by getting back together with Alex, knowing she had feelings for Cole. Both of the Walter brothers deserved better than the ending of My Life With the Walter Boys season 2; however, there’s at least an explanation. Her family situation is not an excuse, but it is an understandable explanation. Also, she’s not the cause of Cole and Alex’s issues.

Jackie’s Storyline Can’t Repeat A Belly Mistake

Belly is never really honest with her love interests about her feelings, and she drags them along for far too long, not making up her mind. It gets to the point where it feels malicious after six years. There’s really no excuse for agreeing to marry one brother while being in love with the other one.

Jackie flip-flopped and hid her feelings throughout the first two seasons. However, she cannot continue to be indecisive and dishonest throughout My Life with the Walter Boys season 3.

She gets more leeway than Belly since she has only just met the Walters and is recovering from a traumatic situation. However, my patience is running thin. She would become automatically less sympathetic if she continued to string Alex and Cole along for much longer.