The second season of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” will premiere on Amazon Prime this July.
According to PEOPLE Magazine, the first three episodes will drop on July 18 with the finale streaming on August 18. There will be eight episodes in total.
The show is based on a book series of the same name by Jenny Han, who wrote the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy. It follows Belly who is caught in a love triangle with two brothers, who she has spent every summer with growing up as a child.
This season’s cast will feature a few changes, with Kyra Sedgwick and Elsie Fisher joining the cast, Collider reports. There has also been one major departure. Minnie Mills, who was a recurring cast member in season 1, announced in April that she would not be returning for the second season.
Mills played Shayla, the love interest of Steven (Belly’s sister). Shayla was not originally a character in the books but fans were happy that her inclusion meant that they got to see a romance between two Asian characters.
Mills penned a long goodbye to the character and fans, which she posted to Instagram.
“…Shayla was unapologetically herself. She took up space, she was confident, kind and compassionate: a fully fleshed, powerful woman all on her own. She didn’t need to prove that to anyone, she did not need a white boy to deem her worthy, she didn’t have to grapple with her identity in order to be beautiful or the “it” girl. Being Asian was simply part of who she was, not an obstacle to who she wanted to be,” she wrote.
“Shayla and Steven’s love story will always mean so much to me. To see two asian characters in a healthy loving relationship, communicating with and understanding one another through their issues was huge, and something I really hope we get to see more of. Building their story and love for one another, and creating their relationship with one of my favorite humans was truly such a gift that I will always cherish.”
According to POP Buzz, many fans were disappointed that the writers got rid of Shayla. Although people are not excited to watch Steven’s romance with Belly’s best friend Taylor, a plot that unfolds in the books, they’re still excited for the upcoming season.
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