Does Susannah die in 'The Summer I Turned Pretty'? Here's what's going on in season 2

When Susannah, 'The Summer I Turned Pretty's family matriarch, gets troubling news, suddenly summer looks very different

Belly and Susannah, The Summer I Turned Pretty. Pictured: Lola Tung and Rachel Blanchard in The Summer I Turned Pretty season 2
(Image credit: Prime Video)

Does Susannah die in The Summer I Turned Pretty season 2? Heartbreak abounds in Jenny Han's YA series, but are all tragedies related to the teenage romance at the trilogy's core? Or are we bracing ourselves for something more difficult? 

We've just returned to Cousins Beach, but that carefree vacation energy isn't quite as palpable this time around. Sure, Belly (Lola Tung) is at a bit of a crossroads with the Fisher brothers, but what happens when their matriarch informs everyone that her cancer has returned?

One dynamic we cannot overlook is the close connection between Laurel Conrad (Jackie Chung) and Susannah Fisher (Rachel Blanchard)—a relationship that brought this crew together in the first place. 

"The friendship is so wonderful, and I think it's true," Jackie Chung told Collider. "Because I feel like we all go through so many romantic relationships in our lives, but it's your friends who are there throughout all of them, and their bond is so tight."

What will this dynamic look like during our return to the beach house? Here's what happens to Susannah in The Summer I Turned Pretty season 2. 

*Warning: spoilers ahead!*

What happens to Susannah in 'The Summer I Turned Pretty'? 

Since the TV series does follow the book to some capacity, unfortunately, Susannah does succumb to the disease and passes away, which changes the relationships we encounter forever. Plus, if the novels are anything to go by, the beach house crew will have to put the fate of their gathering spot in the hands of Susannah's nasty sister. 

Is summer as Belly knows it over for good? There's definitely going to be a lot to grapple with during season 2, so you might want to have some tissues nearby. 

“The show is exploring so many different kinds of love — love for Susannah, love for family, romantic love and self-love,” Tung told NBC News. “I think self-love is a big thing this season, because everyone’s on their own journeys.”

Belly's journey is a difficult one this time around, having struggled significantly in the wake of Susannah's passing. 

"She can’t get out of this hole that she’s in, and the whole arc of season two for her is finding out how to move forward and reconnect with the things that make her happy," Tung added. 

Although we know we're going to encounter some ups and downs while in Cousins Beach, don't expect everything to pan out exactly the way it does on the page. Author Jenny Han particularly likes switching things up for the screen. 

"Nothing will really match up to the story that you saw in your own head when you read the book, but you will always have that experience, and that will always be alive for you in your imagination," the author told People. "This is just my version of The Summer I Turned Pretty TV show, how I envisioned it and how I wanted to tell it."

The Complete Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy (Boxed Set) by Jenny Han RRP:

The Complete Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy (Boxed Set) by Jenny Han RRP: $20.68 | Amazon

Includes paperback copies of The Summer I Turned Pretty, It's Not Summer Without You and We'll Always Have Summer. Here's how to read The Summer I Turned Pretty books in order. Be sure to also explore  books like The Summer I Turned Pretty.

The Summer I Turned Pretty season 2 is streaming weekly on Fridays beginning July 14. The first three episodes are currently available. Here's what you need to know about TSITP season 3

Danielle Valente
Digital News Writer

Need a TV show recommendation? Maybe a few decor tips? Danielle, a digital news writer at Future, has you covered. Her work appears throughout the company’s lifestyle brands, including My Imperfect Life, Real Homes, and woman&home. Mainly, her time is spent at My Imperfect Life, where she’s attuned to the latest entertainment trends and dating advice for Gen Z.

Before her time at Future, Danielle was the editor of Time Out New York Kids, where she got to experience the best of the city from the point of view of its littlest residents. Before that, she was a news editor at Elite Daily. Her work has also appeared in Domino, Chowhound, and amNewYork, to name a few. 

When Danielle’s not writing, you can find her testing out a new recipe, reading a book (suggestions always welcome), or rearranging the furniture in her apartment…again.