Why The Summer I Turned Pretty Resonates So Deeply with Midlife Women

When Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty first landed on our screens, it was marketed as a sweet, young adult (YA), coming-of-age romance. Think first loves, beach houses, heartbreak and a dreamy soundtrack.

But what’s fascinating is how the series has captured not just teenage viewers, but also those in midlife - women who find themselves binging it with equal passion.

Why? Because beneath the pastel sunsets and teenage drama, it offers something far more layered.

Nostalgia for Our Own Summers

For many women in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, the show is a portal back to simpler times. Watching Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah navigate love and identity is like leafing through old diaries, remembering beach holidays, summer crushes, and the electric thrill of youth. It’s a chance to reconnect with a version of ourselves unburdened by careers, mortgages, or parenting.

Themes That Don’t Age

While the cast is young, the storylines of love triangles, grief, family tensions, unspoken feelings, are universal. Midlife women are often at an age where we’re navigating transitions ourselves: children growing up, parents aging, marriages evolving. The Fisher family’s emotional complexities mirror our own, making the show feel less like teen fluff and more like a mirror of timeless human emotions.

Escapism in a Demanding World

The show’s dreamy aesthetics of sun-drenched beach houses, perfect playlists, and endless summer nights, offer pure escapism. For women juggling careers, households, and the invisible labour of daily life, The Summer I Turned Pretty is a reminder of carefree summers that feel out of reach today. It’s not just TV; it’s a two-hour vacation in every episode.

A Gentle Rebellion

There’s also something liberating about midlife women unapologetically embracing a YA series. It pushes back against the idea that entertainment should be “age appropriate.” Instead, it reminds us that joy, desire, and longing don’t have an expiration date. Watching Belly fall in love is as much about reawakening our own sense of possibility as it is about her storyline.

The Power of Soundtrack and Storytelling

From Taylor Swift to indie classics, the soundtrack hits differently for midlife viewers. It’s music that scores not just the show, but also our own youth. Combined with Han’s layered storytelling, it creates an emotional alchemy that hooks us across generations.

In the end, The Summer I Turned Pretty isn’t just about Belly’s coming of age, it’s about ours, too. For women in midlife, it’s a chance to remember the girl we once were, reflect on the woman we’ve become, and dream about the summers still to come.