You could not have finished this summer without having watched The Summer I Turned Pretty. If you are a reader, even more so. Your TBR would have starved without the simple delicacies of books like The Summer I Turned Pretty. Jenny Han fan or not, there are books on your list that have come close to the show. This is your chance to admit that a beach house and hot boys are your cup of tea.
Summer romances would have been the last things on my list this year. Then, Netflix dropped a new recommendation, and I had to write about it. #thesummeribecameabrat makes more sense for me than the original title, but I’ll admit the show is popular. By default, the books have risen in their second-hand fame. (Reminds me of when the Internet was divided about Twilight.)
What the fans are squealing about:
- Team Conrad vs Team Jeremiah
- Scene clippings making the perfect reels to Charli xcx’s Brat
- Pure escapism, especially after Love Island
- Austenian love triangle, but make it confused teenagers
- A hit among the Swifties, boasts no less than 20 Taylor Swift songs
- Shares filming location with the beloved One Tree Hill
- Calling it dramatic would still be an understatement
11 Best Books Like The Summer I Turned Pretty
While it is not easy to find books exactly similar, we’ve attempted a curation of books like The Summer I Turned Pretty. Keep an eye out for the twin scale to give you an idea of how close it comes to the main book in this discussion! Here’s what to read if you loved The Summer I Turned Pretty:
1. My Life With The Walter Boys by Ali Novak
Rating: 3.76/5
Twin scale: 3/5
This Wattpad-hit-turned-debut-novel is a chick-lit YA romance perfect for summer. Jackie Howard is prim, proper, and perfect. She moves in with the Walters (and their eleven boys + Parker) upon the tragic death of her family. Will this Type A girl have to give up more than perfection among these wild teenage boys?
Brothers fighting, questionable parenting, and base inconsistencies will not stop readers. Though the book is entertaining in its own right, the show fares much better. A good follow-up for those looking for books like The Summer I Turned Pretty.
2. Better Than The Movies by Lynn Painter
Rating: 4.26/5
Twin scale: 2/5
If you would admit how vexing Belly is, then she would be best friends with Liz. Liz Buxbaum is a sucker for romance stories. She also has a forever-crush on Michael. Until Wes Bennet, boy-next-door, decides to step in and help her out. When Liz is weighing out her potential boyfriend scale, what will her HEA look like?
A sweet, easy read among romantic YA summer reads. This childhood-frenemies-turned-lovers also accommodates references from well-known rom-coms. It certainly sets itself up for a frustratingly cute experience.
3. Beach Read by Emily Henry
Rating: 3.97/5
Twin scale: 1.5/5
Nothing like this Adult enemies-to-lovers to remind us of what makes summer romance books special. Augustus Everett and January Andrews are polar opposites. They have nothing in common, except for writer’s block. (And months for names, of course.) To get out of their creative rut, they agree on exchanging genres. It seems while they will end up with a book each, no one will fall in love. Right?
Needless to say, this one’s top among YA beach romance books (pun intended). Dripping with sarcasm, if you hadn’t caught on from the blurb, this plot offers a rollercoaster of emotions. Witty, it is undeniably attractive. Characters are fun to be around; their chemistry is the least of it.
RELATED READING: 11 Love Triangle Books For Romance Fans
4. Sunkissed by Kasie West
Rating: 3.81/5
Twin scale: 1.5/5
For Avery, music offers perfect escapism. That falls short when her best friend betrays her. Her parents decide to change the tide – family camp! She meets Brooks, mysterious and off-limits. On her self-discovery journey, will she fall in love again?
While beachside doesn’t seem to be in the picture, the campsite offers the same kind of refuge that Cousins Beach offers Belly. This fast read amplifies growing pains with the sweet relief of falling in love, with oneself, and all the joys a bubbly YA book brings.
5. One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
Rating: 4.32/5
Twin scale: 0.5-1/5
Replace the beach with a lake, the house with a cottage and you’ve got this plot. Set in the same world as Every Summer After, this stand-alone will give you all the feels. Alice has spent just one summer at the cottage by the lake with her Nan. She was seventeen then, the year in the photograph.
A photographer now, she prefers to stay on the sidelines. When Nan breaks her hip, she plans to revisit the magical place that is Barry’s Bay. Familiarity sets in when the man in the yellow speedboat drops by. The boy from the picture, Charlie Florek, is all grown up. And he has set his sights on Alice. Will Alice look away?
While this one doesn’t entirely comply with similar books to The Summer I Turned Pretty, there are certain elements that resonate (faintly). Either way, it is a win, because you don’t turn away, especially if it is Fortune.
6. Chloe And The Kaishao Boys by Mae Coyiuto
Rating: 4.03/5
Twin scale: 0.5/5
When Dimple Met Rishi X Loveboat, Taipei. Chloe is waiting for her life as an animator to begin. With a nosy aunt who has plans for a traditional debut at Chloe’s eighteenth birthday, her father chances on finding her an escort. Suddenly roped into a string of kaishao (arranged date/s), will love be another thing to look forward to?
While we don’t see this as an essential among books like The Summer I Turned Pretty, messy love lives are where plots meet. Character development, romance, and humor fall short of great. We don’t compliment easily, and yet. A happy-sad plot, there are elements that will stay for every kind of reader. It won’t disappoint, we promise!
RELATED READING: 13 Beautiful Younger Man-Older Woman Romance Books
7. The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther
Rating: 3.88/5
Twin scale: 0.5/5
We follow the Fox family, and their tradition of the Assassin game at Martha’s Vineyard. They haven’t been there since Meredith’s sister’s death, but wedding bells have been ringing. Two weeks before the big day in the family, Meredith’s long-term boyfriend breaks up with her. Her target is a cute groomsman, but she does not want another doomed love story. In time, will she lose the game, and her heart too?
Beach setting, attempts at reconnection, and a whole lot of self-discovery: enough similarities. Everything else in Walther’s plot screams away from The Summer I Turned Pretty. In ways, perhaps, this could have been a nudge in a solid direction had Han focused on the depth of characters and human connection, family or not. Then again, similar plots do not set up for originality.
8. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
Rating: 4.03/5
Twin scale: 1/5
Lina (17) loses her mother to pancreatic cancer. She is on her way to Florence to honor the dying wish. She would do anything apart from staying there with her father, Howard. This man who had not been around for sixteen years. Yet, with her mother’s journal for company, she tours Italy and meets Ren. A ploy: for love, and gelato.
Enamored with love (in the cutest form) and hope, this plot unearths solid emotions. Endurance in life, and the faith to keep going just about scratches the surface. With strength and healing at its core, it offers quiet respite. Yet, if you are looking for something light and summery, this is spot-on! And so will be your decision to tour Italy.
9. Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols
Rating: 4/5
Twin scale: 3.5-4/5
One unforgettable summer. Two irresistible boys. Lori has been one of the guys among the Vader brothers. Until she wants to be seen as a girl, for who she is. Turning sixteen, she’s aiming for Sean, the older Vader brother. Will she stand a chance, if Adam (the younger Vader) can help it?
The only proper love V that comes close to The Summer I Turned Pretty. Readers can finally (!!) get excited that there is something remotely close to plot lines, even if it’s not the same story even when Lori tries to make Sean jealous by getting together with Adam.
Note: This combination book offers plots of both The Boys Next Door and Endless Summer.
RELATED READING: 25 Spicy Enemies To Lovers Books You Will Love
10. Summer Boys by Hailey Abbott
Rating: 3.69/5
Twin scale: 3.5/5
Teenage romance, different stages of love, and a seashore summer. Join cousins Ella, Beth and Jamie on their summer flings at Pebble Beach. With too many boys, and a handful of already ongoing love stories, there’s always room for more drama. Specifically, boy drama.
Another perfect love-to-hate book, it is an easy summer read. The first in the Summer Boys series, this plot with its interconnected stories is a good summation of teenage summer romance. Cliché, but we’re here for nostalgia.
11. The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles
Rating: 3.48/5
Twin scale: 2.5/5
Rochelle “Elle” Evans is popular and pretty. But she has never been kissed. When she falls for her best friend’s older brother, Noah Flynn, things go awry. Or do they? With a plan to set up a kissing booth at the Spring Carnival at school, her kiss with Noah has room. Yet, her HEA seems further away, and headed for heartbreak.
The Netflix movies offer the kind of entertainment we’re looking for better as:
- The author was only 17 when she wrote it
- British writing takes over American setting
- Might have had better luck on Wattpad (readers are more forgivable there)
- The friendship between Lee and Elle had more chemistry
Conclusion
This attempt at curation only made one thing clear: love isn’t one-size-fits-all. Maybe I would have made a clean break if I had opted to make a ‘differences’ list, but alas. While I bawl my eyes at this re-realization, which one of these will you add to your TBR?
FAQs
1. What should I read after finishing The Summer I Turned Pretty?
If your top choice isn’t diving into Jenny Han’s To All The Boys universe, then we’d recommend Summer Boys by Hailey Abbott and (the combination version of) Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols.
2. Are there any TV shows similar to The Summer I Turned Pretty?
Though varying forms of media do not offer the exact same plot, there are titles that come close. My Life With The Walter Boys, we were liars, and Surviving Summer are good options.
3. Which author writes books similar to Jenny Han?
Kasie West, Stephanie Perkins and Morgan Matson are upvoted to be authors that share similar writing to that of Jenny Han.
4. Are these books suitable for teens and young adults?
Yes, most books on this list are catered towards the teens/YA audience. Light-hearted love stories with slightly heavy themes (of loss, grief) can easily be confirmed before reading.
