What happens when the summer you once looked forward to becomes a reminder of everything you have lost? It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han explores this question through a touching story about heartbreak, grief, friendship, family, and first love. The second novel in The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy takes readers back to Cousins Beach, where Belly Conklin must face a summer without Susannah and without the relationship she once shared with Conrad Fisher.
The story follows Belly as she struggles to accept the death of Susannah Fisher, the mother of Conrad and Jeremiah. Her relationship with Conrad has also fallen apart, leaving her confused about her feelings and uncertain about the future. When Jeremiah calls to tell her that Conrad has disappeared from college, Belly agrees to help find him.
Their search brings them back to the beach house where so many of their happiest memories began. But things are no longer the same. With the future of the house uncertain and the brothers dealing with their own grief, Belly must decide whether to keep holding on to her first love or open her heart to someone who has always been beside her.
In this It’s Not Summer Without You summary, we’ll explore the complete plot, main characters, emotional themes, love triangle, ending explained, and whether Jenny Han’s second Summer novel is worth reading.
It’s Not Summer Without You: Book Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Book title | It’s Not Summer Without You |
| Author | Jenny Han |
| Publication year | 2010 |
| Genre | Young adult contemporary romance |
| Series | The Summer I Turned Pretty |
| Series position | Book 2 |
| Main characters | Belly, Conrad, Jeremiah |
| Setting | Cousins Beach and Brown University |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
It’s Not Summer Without You is the second book in Jenny Han’s bestselling Summer trilogy. It continues Belly’s story after the events of the first novel.
Unlike the first book, which focuses heavily on summer romance and Belly’s growing feelings, this installment has a more emotional atmosphere. Grief, family relationships, jealousy, and the consequences of heartbreak become important parts of the story.
The book also gives readers more insight into Jeremiah’s feelings through sections narrated from his perspective.
What Is It’s Not Summer Without You About?
It’s Not Summer Without You follows Belly Conklin, who is struggling after losing someone who has been an important part of her life.
Every summer, Belly visits Cousins Beach with her mother and brother. They stay at the beach house belonging to Susannah Fisher, her mother’s best friend.
The summers have always included Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher, two brothers who have been part of Belly’s life since childhood.
However, everything changes after Susannah dies from cancer.
Belly is also dealing with a painful breakup with Conrad. Their relationship ended shortly before Susannah’s death, leaving many unresolved feelings between them.
When Jeremiah contacts Belly because Conrad has disappeared from his college summer program, she agrees to help.
Their journey takes them back to Cousins Beach, where they discover that the family beach house may be sold.
As the three young people try to protect a place filled with childhood memories, their complicated romantic relationships become even more difficult.
The novel explores whether first love can survive heartbreak and whether moving forward means leaving the past behind.
It’s Not Summer Without You Summary: Complete Plot
1. A Summer Without Susannah
The story begins with Belly facing a summer that feels completely different from every summer she has experienced before.
For years, Cousins Beach has represented happiness, friendship, and the freedom of summer vacation.
Belly has always looked forward to spending time with Susannah, Conrad, and Jeremiah.
But Susannah has died after battling cancer, and the loss affects everyone around her.
Belly’s mother, Laurel, is also struggling. Susannah was her closest friend, and Laurel has difficulty returning to normal life after losing her.
Instead of spending summer at Cousins Beach, Belly remains at home.
She feels disconnected from the people and places that once made her happiest.
Her relationship with Conrad has also ended, making the situation even more painful.
2. Belly and Conrad’s Relationship Has Fallen Apart
Before Susannah’s death, Belly and Conrad had finally started dating.
Their relationship had been something Belly wanted for a long time.
She had spent years developing feelings for Conrad, hoping that one day he would see her as more than a childhood friend.
However, their romance becomes difficult because Conrad is emotionally distant.
He is dealing with his mother’s illness and struggles to communicate what he feels.
Belly wants affection and reassurance, but Conrad often withdraws when she needs him most.
Their relationship eventually ends around prom night.
Belly remembers how difficult it was to feel that Conrad was no longer interested in being with her.
The breakup leaves her hurt, confused, and unsure whether their relationship ever meant as much to him as it did to her.
3. Jeremiah Calls Belly About Conrad
Just when Belly is trying to move forward, she receives an unexpected call from Jeremiah.
Jeremiah tells her that Conrad has disappeared from his summer-school program at Brown University.
He is worried about his brother and wants to find out where he has gone.
Jeremiah asks Belly to help him search for Conrad.
Although she knows seeing Conrad again could be emotionally difficult, she agrees.
She tells her mother that she is going to stay overnight at Taylor’s house and leaves with Jeremiah.
Their journey becomes an opportunity to revisit memories of the past and understand how much their relationships have changed.
4. Belly and Jeremiah Search for Conrad
As Belly and Jeremiah travel together, they begin discussing their experiences since Susannah’s death.
Both have been struggling, but they have handled their grief differently.
Belly realizes that she has not been as supportive of Jeremiah as she could have been.
He has been dealing with his mother’s death while also feeling that his friendship with Belly has changed.
Jeremiah’s feelings for Belly are also becoming more complicated.
He has always been close to her, but he now realizes that his affection may be stronger than ordinary friendship.
Eventually, they discover a clue about Conrad’s whereabouts.
He has been spending time at the Cousins Beach house.
Belly and Jeremiah decide to go there, hoping to find him and understand why he disappeared.
5. Returning to Cousins Beach
When Belly arrives at Cousins Beach, she experiences a mixture of comfort and sadness.
The beach house is filled with memories of Susannah.
Every room reminds her of the summers they spent together.
However, the atmosphere is different without Susannah’s presence.
Conrad is there, but he is not happy to see Belly.
He appears distant and unwilling to explain his actions.
Belly and Jeremiah discover that Conrad has been avoiding his college responsibilities.
He has also been spending time at the beach house for a reason that neither of them initially understands.
The property is connected to a much bigger family conflict.
6. The Fisher Beach House Is in Danger
Belly soon discovers that Conrad’s disappearance is connected to the future of the beach house.
Adam Fisher, the brothers’ father, is planning to sell the property.
For Conrad, this is unacceptable.
The house represents Susannah, their childhood, and the memories of the family before everything changed.
Conrad does not want to lose the place where his mother was happiest.
He has been staying at the house because he hopes to prevent the sale.
However, Jeremiah is hurt when he discovers that Conrad and Belly have not told him the full story.
The situation creates another argument between the brothers.
Their different ways of dealing with grief make it difficult for them to understand one another.
7. The Brothers Confront Their Father
When Adam arrives at the beach house, tensions become even stronger.
Conrad is angry with his father because he believes Adam does not understand how important the property was to Susannah.
He also resents his father’s behavior during Susannah’s illness and believes Adam has no right to decide the house’s future without considering the boys.
Jeremiah has a different emotional response.
He wants his father’s approval and is still struggling with the relationship between them.
The brothers argue, revealing years of resentment and competition.
Their disagreement is not simply about the property.
It is also about feeling overlooked, losing their mother, and struggling to understand their place in the family.
8. Jeremiah Suggests a Party at the Beach House
After the argument, Jeremiah leaves but eventually returns.
He proposes holding a party at the house for one final celebration.
The idea gives everyone an opportunity to enjoy the property together before its future is decided.
Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah watch old home videos showing their childhood summers.
Seeing Susannah in the recordings makes the experience emotional.
The videos remind them of the happier times they shared before illness and heartbreak changed their lives.
During the party, Belly drinks too much and becomes emotional.
She also apologizes to Conrad for the hurtful things she said at Susannah’s funeral.
Their conversation brings some of their unresolved feelings to the surface.
However, their relationship remains complicated.
9. Laurel Helps Save the House
The next morning, Laurel arrives after learning where Belly has gone.
She is angry that Belly lied to her and traveled without permission.
The argument becomes emotional, with Belly explaining how important the beach house is to her.
She also tells Laurel that Susannah would not want the property to disappear from their lives.
Laurel initially struggles to understand Belly’s actions, but she eventually realizes how deeply her daughter is hurting.
She also recognizes that she has been emotionally absent while dealing with her own grief.
Laurel decides to help.
She speaks with Adam and explains why keeping the house matters.
Eventually, Adam offers a compromise: Conrad must return to Brown University, complete his exams, and pass them. If he does, the brothers can keep the beach house.
This gives Conrad an opportunity to protect the property while taking responsibility for his education.
10. Belly and the Brothers Return to Brown
Conrad agrees to return to university and finish his exams.
Belly and Jeremiah stay with him while he prepares.
The three spend time together, and the situation brings back some of their earlier closeness.
After Conrad completes his exams, Belly and Jeremiah have an important conversation.
Jeremiah tells Belly that he was hurt because she did not reach out to him after Susannah died.
He needed his friend, but he felt abandoned during one of the most difficult periods of his life.
Belly understands his feelings and apologizes.
Their conversation creates a new emotional connection between them.
Eventually, they share a passionate kiss.
However, Conrad sees what happens.
The moment creates an emotional turning point for all three characters.
Main Characters in It’s Not Summer Without You
1. Isabel “Belly” Conklin
Belly is the main character and narrator of the story.
She has grown up spending summers at Cousins Beach with her mother, Susannah, and the Fisher brothers.
Belly is emotional, romantic, and sometimes impulsive. She has spent years loving Conrad, but their breakup forces her to question what she really wants from a relationship.
Throughout the novel, she struggles with grief, jealousy, and the difficult process of growing up.
2. Conrad Fisher
Conrad is Susannah’s older son and Belly’s first love.
He is intelligent, reserved, and emotionally complicated.
After his mother’s illness and death, Conrad becomes increasingly withdrawn. His difficulty expressing emotions creates problems in his relationship with Belly.
He also feels strongly about protecting the family beach house because of its connection to his mother.
3. Jeremiah Fisher
Jeremiah is Conrad’s younger brother and one of Belly’s closest friends.
He is usually more outgoing and affectionate than Conrad.
However, the novel reveals that he has been struggling with grief and feelings of being overlooked.
His growing romantic feelings for Belly create the central love-triangle conflict.
4. Susannah Fisher
Susannah is Conrad and Jeremiah’s mother and Laurel’s best friend.
Although she has died before the main events of the novel, her presence remains important throughout the story.
Her memories connect the characters to their childhood and the beach house.
Her illness and death are the emotional foundation of the novel.
5. Laurel Conklin
Laurel is Belly and Steven’s mother.
She is also Susannah’s closest friend.
After Susannah’s death, Laurel struggles with grief and becomes emotionally distant from her children.
Her relationship with Belly improves as the story progresses, particularly when she decides to help protect the beach house.
6. Taylor Jewel
Taylor is Belly’s best friend.
She tries to encourage Belly to move forward after her breakup with Conrad.
Although their friendship experiences tension, Taylor remains an important part of Belly’s personal life.
7. Steven Conklin
Steven is Belly’s older brother.
He is part of the Conklin family and has grown up sharing the summers at Cousins Beach.
His presence connects Belly’s childhood memories with the Fisher family.
Major Themes in It’s Not Summer Without You
1. Grief and Loss
Grief is the most important theme in the novel.
Susannah’s death changes the lives of everyone who loved her.
Belly struggles with losing someone who was almost like a second mother, while Conrad and Jeremiah must learn how to live without their mother.
Laurel also experiences profound sadness after losing her closest friend.
The story shows that grief affects people differently and that everyone needs time and support to process it.
2. First Love and Heartbreak
Belly’s relationship with Conrad is an important part of the novel.
She has loved him for years, making their breakup especially painful.
The story explores how first love can shape someone’s expectations about relationships.
It also demonstrates that loving someone does not always mean that the relationship will work.
3. Family and Childhood Memories
The Cousins Beach house represents more than a holiday destination.
It is a place filled with memories of family gatherings, childhood friendships, and important life experiences.
The characters’ desire to save the house reflects their fear of losing another connection to Susannah.
4. Jealousy and Sibling Rivalry
Conrad and Jeremiah have different personalities and ways of dealing with their family problems.
Their disagreements reveal deeper feelings of jealousy and insecurity.
Jeremiah sometimes feels that Conrad receives more attention and approval from their father.
Their rivalry becomes even more complicated because they both have feelings for Belly.
5. Growing Up and Moving Forward
Belly is learning that growing up means accepting change.
The summers she once considered permanent are becoming memories.
Her relationships are changing, her family is struggling, and she must make decisions about her future.
The novel explores the difficult transition from childhood into adulthood.
Spoiler Warning: It’s Not Summer Without You Ending Explained
Does Belly Choose Conrad or Jeremiah?
Belly ultimately chooses Jeremiah at the end of the novel.
After sharing a kiss with Jeremiah at Brown University, Belly realizes that her feelings for him are becoming stronger.
Conrad witnesses the kiss and confronts Belly.
He notices that she is wearing the infinity-symbol necklace associated with his feelings for her.
He tells her to take it off because she clearly has feelings for Jeremiah.
Belly realizes something important about her relationship with Conrad.
Although she believes he loves her, he rarely communicates his feelings clearly.
She no longer wants to spend her life trying to understand someone who cannot tell her how he feels.
She decides that she deserves a relationship in which affection and commitment are expressed openly.
What Happens to Conrad and Belly?
Conrad struggles with the idea that Belly may be moving on with his brother.
During their confrontation, he tells Belly that he never cared about her or wanted to be with her.
However, he later admits that he did not mean those words.
During their journey home, a storm forces them to stop at a motel overnight.
Conrad quietly tells Belly that he did not mean what he said.
Nevertheless, Belly has already begun accepting that their relationship is over.
She returns the infinity necklace, symbolically ending their romantic connection.
Does Jeremiah Love Belly?
Yes.
Jeremiah has developed romantic feelings for Belly, even though he has often hidden them behind his friendly and outgoing personality.
His conversation with Belly at Brown University reveals how much her absence affected him after Susannah’s death.
He wants a relationship in which he feels valued rather than constantly competing with his brother.
Their kiss marks an important change in their friendship.
Does the Fisher Family Keep the Beach House?
Yes. The brothers get the opportunity to keep the beach house.
Adam agrees to let Conrad and Jeremiah have the property if Conrad returns to Brown, finishes his exams, and passes them.
Conrad accepts the arrangement and completes his academic responsibilities.
The house remains an important connection to Susannah and their childhood.
What Does the Ending Mean?
The ending represents Belly’s decision to stop living in the past.
For years, she believed that Conrad was the person she would eventually end up with.
However, she begins understanding that love also requires communication, emotional support, and mutual commitment.
Her decision to hold Jeremiah’s hand represents a willingness to explore a different future.
The epilogue takes place a couple of years later.
Belly is wearing a white dress and running toward a car in the rain. A man gets ahead of her and opens the door.
The scene suggests that Belly has reached a more peaceful stage of her life, although the epilogue leaves the man’s identity unstated.
Does It’s Not Summer Without You Have a Happy Ending?
The ending is hopeful, but it is also bittersweet.
Belly makes a decision about her relationship with the Fisher brothers, and the beach house is saved.
However, Conrad and Belly’s relationship ends with unresolved emotions.
The epilogue suggests that Belly has grown and is becoming more comfortable with uncertainty.
Readers who prefer a clear romantic resolution may find the ending emotional because the love triangle continues into the final book, We’ll Always Have Summer.
Is It’s Not Summer Without You Part of a Series?
Yes. It is the second book in Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy.
The recommended reading order is:
- The Summer I Turned Pretty — Book 1.
- It’s Not Summer Without You — Book 2.
- We’ll Always Have Summer — Book 3.
Reading the first book before this one is recommended because the relationships and emotional conflicts continue directly from the earlier story.
What Genre Is It’s Not Summer Without You?
The novel is primarily a young adult contemporary romance.
It also includes elements of:
- Coming-of-age fiction.
- Family drama.
- Friendship.
- Grief and loss.
- Love triangles.
- Summer romance.
Unlike a light summer romance, this installment has a more serious and emotional tone.
Is It’s Not Summer Without You Appropriate for Young Readers?
The book is categorized as young adult fiction.
Publisher and bookseller listings include age guidance starting around 12, although suitability depends on the individual reader.
Content includes:
- Romantic relationships and kissing.
- Mature language.
- Grief and death.
- Emotional distress.
- Family conflict.
- Alcohol use.
- Sexually suggestive situations.
Parents and younger readers should consider these themes before reading.
It’s Not Summer Without You Review: Is It Worth Reading?
It’s Not Summer Without You is a strong continuation of Jenny Han’s Summer trilogy.
The first novel introduces Belly’s romantic feelings and the special connection between the Fisher and Conklin families.
This second installment explores what happens when those relationships are affected by loss, heartbreak, and changing expectations.
What Makes the Book Interesting?
1. More emotional storytelling
The novel explores how Susannah’s death affects every character, rather than focusing only on Belly’s romance.
2. Jeremiah’s perspective
Getting insight into Jeremiah’s feelings makes him a more developed character and adds depth to the love triangle.
3. The Cousins Beach setting
The beach house becomes an important symbol of childhood, family, and memories.
4. A complicated love triangle
The relationship between Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah creates emotional tension throughout the novel.
5. Realistic family relationships
The story explores sibling rivalry, friendship, parental relationships, and the difficulty of communicating during painful situations.
What Might Not Work for Every Reader?
Some readers may find the story slower and more melancholic than the first book.
The emotional conflicts can also become frustrating, especially when the characters struggle to communicate.
Readers looking for a simple summer romance may be surprised by how much the novel focuses on grief and family tension.
Final Verdict
It’s Not Summer Without You is worth reading if you enjoy young adult romance with emotional depth.
Its strongest feature is the way Jenny Han explores grief while continuing Belly’s complicated romantic journey.
The novel also makes Jeremiah more interesting by showing his vulnerabilities and giving readers a better understanding of his relationship with his family.
Final rating: A compelling and emotional young adult romance, especially for readers who enjoyed the first Summer novel.
Frequently Asked Questions About It’s Not Summer Without You
1. What is It’s Not Summer Without You about?
The novel follows Belly Conklin after the death of Susannah Fisher and her breakup with Conrad. When Jeremiah calls about Conrad’s disappearance, Belly returns to Cousins Beach and becomes involved in a family conflict over the beach house.
2. Who wrote It’s Not Summer Without You?
Jenny Han wrote the novel. She is also the author of The Summer I Turned Pretty and the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series.
3. Is It’s Not Summer Without You the second book?
Yes. It is the second installment in The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy.
4. Does Susannah die in It’s Not Summer Without You?
Yes. Susannah dies from cancer before the main events of the novel. Her death affects Belly, Conrad, Jeremiah, and Laurel.
5. Does Belly end up with Conrad or Jeremiah?
At the end of this novel, Belly moves toward a relationship with Jeremiah after kissing him and deciding to let go of her relationship with Conrad.
6. Why does Conrad disappear?
Conrad leaves his summer-school program and goes to the Cousins Beach house because he wants to protect it from being sold.
7. Does the Fisher family lose the beach house?
No. Adam agrees to let Conrad and Jeremiah keep it if Conrad returns to university and passes his exams.
8. Why is Jeremiah upset with Belly?
Jeremiah feels hurt because Belly did not reach out to him after his mother’s death. He needed her friendship during a difficult period.
9. Is It’s Not Summer Without You a sad book?
Yes. It includes themes of grief, heartbreak, family conflict, and emotional loss. Its tone is more melancholic than the first novel.
10. What book comes after It’s Not Summer Without You?
The third book is We’ll Always Have Summer, which continues Belly’s romantic story and brings the trilogy to its conclusion.
11. What is the ending of It’s Not Summer Without You?
Belly returns Conrad’s infinity necklace and begins moving forward with Jeremiah. The epilogue takes place a few years later and shows Belly looking toward an uncertain but hopeful future.
12. Is It’s Not Summer Without You worth reading?
Yes, especially for readers who enjoy emotional young adult romance, complicated friendships, family drama, and love triangles.
Final Thoughts
It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han is more than a story about a girl choosing between two brothers.
It explores how grief changes relationships, how difficult it can be to move on from first love, and why family memories sometimes become even more important after someone is gone.
Belly’s return to Cousins Beach forces her to confront the past while deciding what she wants from the future.
With emotional storytelling, complicated characters, and an unforgettable love triangle, this second installment gives readers another reason to return to the world of Cousins Beach.
If you enjoyed The Summer I Turned Pretty, this book is an important continuation of Belly’s story.
