New chapter, same dilemma — The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 Episode 10 shows Belly surrounded by new friends in Paris while Conrad and Jeremiah wrestle with guilt back home. The triangle is far from over. 👉 Feel the emotional layers deepen.
A New Chapter, Same Heartache: The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3, Episode 10 Layers Belly’s Parisian Freedom with Lingering Love and Guilt
The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3, Episode 10, titled “Letters from the Heart,” premiered on Amazon Prime Video on September 10, 2025, and plunges viewers into a poignant chapter of Isabel “Belly” Conklin’s (Lola Tung) journey. Set against the romantic backdrop of Paris, this episode follows Belly as she embraces new friends and a fresh start after the wreckage of her canceled engagement to Jeremiah Fisher (Gavin Casalegno) in Episode 8 and her chaotic departure in Episode 9. Yet, the iconic love triangle with Conrad Fisher (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah remains unresolved, as both brothers grapple with guilt and heartbreak back in Cousins Beach. Episode 10 weaves a rich tapestry of emotional layers, blending Belly’s quest for independence with the inescapable pull of her past. This 1000-word analysis explores how the episode deepens the series’ emotional stakes, keeping the love triangle alive while showcasing the characters’ evolving struggles.
Belly’s Parisian New Chapter
Episode 10 opens with Belly navigating the enchanting chaos of Paris, a city that symbolizes both escape and reinvention. After securing her study abroad spot in Episode 9, Belly is now immersed in a world of cobblestone streets, bustling patisseries, and the hum of French conversations. The episode captures her tackling the practicalities of her new life: securing a shared apartment in the Latin Quarter, enrolling in a French language course, and working part-time at a quaint bookstore. Lola Tung’s performance shines as she portrays Belly’s mix of excitement and vulnerability, her wide-eyed wonder tempered by moments of self-doubt. In a voiceover, Belly reflects, “Paris is everything I dreamed, but it’s hard to outrun a heart that’s stuck in Cousins.”
The Parisian setting is a vibrant contrast to the nostalgic shores of Cousins Beach, with cinematography that emphasizes warm, golden hues and lively street scenes. Belly’s decision to introduce herself as “Isabel” to her new friends marks a subtle shift, signaling her desire to redefine herself beyond the girl caught between two brothers. Yet, the arrival of Conrad’s letters—heartfelt missives that begin pouring in—ensures that her past remains a constant presence. The first letter, read in the quiet of her Parisian apartment, recalls their childhood summers and whispers of unresolved love: “You’re in Paris, but I see you in every sunset here.” Set to the melancholic strains of Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?,” these moments underscore the episode’s theme of balancing a new chapter with old dilemmas.
New Friends, New Perspectives
Belly’s Parisian journey is enriched by a cast of new friends who offer fresh perspectives on her life. Chief among them is Gemma, the spirited Parisian introduced in Episode 9, who becomes a pivotal figure in Episode 10. Gemma invites Belly into a diverse group of international students, including Aisha, a sharp-tongued British artist, and Mateo, a gentle Spanish guitarist. Their late-night gatherings in a dimly lit Parisian cafe, filled with debates about love, art, and freedom, provide Belly with a sense of community untethered from her past. Gemma’s encouragement—“You don’t need to have all the answers, just keep asking questions”—pushes Belly to embrace her independence, a stark contrast to her reliance on the Fisher family in earlier seasons.
These new connections challenge Belly to see herself beyond the love triangle. In a touching scene, Aisha helps Belly sketch a Parisian street scene, prompting her to reflect on her creative passions, which have often been sidelined by romance. Mateo, meanwhile, shares a story of leaving his own family drama behind, resonating with Belly’s need to carve her own path. These interactions, underscored by the upbeat rhythm of Maggie Rogers’ “Love You for a Long Time,” highlight Belly’s growing confidence, even as Conrad’s letters pull her back to Cousins. The new friends act as a mirror, reflecting a version of Belly who is more than the sum of her romantic entanglements.
Conrad and Jeremiah: Guilt and Grappling Back Home
While Belly finds footing in Paris, the Fisher brothers are consumed by guilt and turmoil in Cousins Beach. Jeremiah’s arc is particularly devastating, as Gavin Casalegno delivers a raw portrayal of a young man unmoored by heartbreak. The fallout from his canceled engagement to Belly has pushed him into a spiral of self-destructive behavior—skipping classes, drinking heavily, and lashing out at those around him. A gut-wrenching scene shows Jeremiah confronting Laurel (Jackie Chung) at the beach house, his voice breaking as he accuses her of favoring Belly: “You let her break me, and you didn’t even care.” This moment, heavy with the weight of his mother Susannah’s absence, reveals the depth of Jeremiah’s pain and his struggle to find an identity outside of Belly’s love.
Conrad, meanwhile, has fled to Stanford, seeking distance from the chaos of Cousins. Christopher Briney’s performance captures a quieter but equally profound guilt, as Conrad wrestles with his role in disrupting Belly’s engagement. His letters to her, a narrative thread unique to the show’s adaptation, are both a confession and a lifeline. In one, he writes, “I broke everything by telling you how I felt, but I’d break it again if it meant you’d know the truth.” These words, narrated over a montage of Conrad walking alone on Stanford’s campus, highlight his internal conflict—wanting to let Belly go but unable to stop loving her. A flashback to a tense conversation with his father, Adam (Tom Everett Scott), shows Conrad refusing to “fix” Jeremiah’s pain, a sign of his growing resolve to prioritize his own healing.
The Unresolved Love Triangle
The love triangle, a cornerstone of the series, remains far from over, with Episode 10 deepening its emotional complexity. Conrad’s letters keep him at the forefront of Belly’s heart, their poetic reflections— “I carry you in every wave, every grain of sand”—stirring memories she’s trying to outrun. Jeremiah, though physically absent from Paris, lingers in Belly’s thoughts through her guilt over their broken engagement. A poignant moment sees her staring at an old photo of them on her phone, her fingers hovering as if to call him before she sets it down. The episode subtly tilts the triangle toward Conrad, as his introspective approach contrasts with Jeremiah’s chaos, but the show leaves room for ambiguity, keeping viewers invested in both brothers’ fates.
The introduction of a potential new love interest, Leo (Fernando Cattori), adds a fresh wrinkle to the dynamic. Leo, a charming Parisian student, shares a fleeting but electric moment with Belly at her bookstore job, his playful banter—“You’re learning French, but your eyes speak a language I already know”—hinting at a possible spark. Unlike the Fisher brothers, Leo carries no baggage from Cousins, offering Belly a glimpse of a future unburdened by her past. However, the episode keeps this thread understated, focusing on Belly’s friendships and self-discovery rather than rushing into romance, ensuring the triangle remains the emotional core.
Supporting Cast and Emotional Depth
The episode’s supporting characters deepen its emotional layers. Laurel, grappling with her role as a surrogate mother to the Fisher brothers, shares a quiet scene with Jeremiah that underscores her own grief over Susannah. Jackie Chung’s nuanced performance adds weight to Laurel’s struggle to hold the family together. Taylor (Rain Spencer) and Steven (Sean Kaufman) provide lighter moments, their rekindled romance offering humor and warmth. Taylor’s blunt advice to Jeremiah—“You’re breaking your own heart now, Jere”—cuts through his denial, while Steven’s steady presence grounds the group.
Toward a Heartfelt Finale
With the finale approaching on September 17, 2025, Episode 10 sets up a high-stakes resolution. Will Belly respond to Conrad’s letters, or will she lean into her Parisian life, possibly with Leo? Can Jeremiah find redemption, and will the brothers reconcile? The episode ends with Belly on a Parisian balcony, clutching Conrad’s latest letter, her voice soft: “I’m building something new, but you’re still woven into me.” This cliffhanger, paired with Jeremiah’s solitary walk along the beach and Conrad’s reflective gaze at Stanford, leaves viewers aching for answers.
The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3, Episode 10 is a masterful exploration of new beginnings and unresolved love, with Belly’s Parisian chapter layered against the guilt and heartbreak in Cousins. As new friends offer perspective and the love triangle deepens, the episode proves that even in a new city, old dilemmas linger, keeping hearts in tender, uncertain flux.
