Entertainment
Prime Video’s Newest Book Adaptation Is the Perfect Watch for ‘Summer I Turned Pretty’ Fans
Since its 2022 premiere, audiences have been enamored by the romance of The Summer I Turned Pretty. While everyone at Cousins Beach seems to have found their happy ending, somewhere in Barry’s Bay, a young woman is about to confront the consequences of her past in the streaming platform’s latest book-to-screen adaptation. Every Year After checks every box for viewers craving more TSITP-style drama: childhood friends, dreamy locations, and lots of messy emotions. With The Summer I Turned Pretty movie release date still unconfirmed, Every Year After will be the perfect series to fill the void in the meantime.
‘Every Year After’ Is Based on Carley Fortune’s Book ‘Every Summer After’
Every Year After is based on Carley Fortune’s novel Every Summer After, a book that alternates between two timelines much like the show. In the present, readers are introduced to 30-year-old Persephone “Percy” Fraser (Sadie Soverall), who has spent most of her life in Toronto. In the book, she works as a senior editor for an interior design magazine, but Percy is also haunted by memories of her childhood, which she has spent years trying to bury ever since she turned 18. When she receives a call informing her of a loved one’s death, she is suddenly pulled back into the past. Forced to confront everything she left behind, Percy packs her bags and returns to the one place she has sworn never to return to for the last 12 years: Barry’s Bay.
In the past timeline, the story follows Percy year by year, across six summers, all the way to her final year in Barry’s Bay. Long before she became the guarded version of herself seen in the present day, 13-year-old Percy was a shy horror nerd with towering insecurities and a fragile friendship with Delilah (Abigail Cowen), one of the most popular girls at school. When her parents purchase a cottage in Barry’s Bay for their summer vacations, Percy’s lonely summer becomes a lot rowdier after she meets the Florek brothers: Charlie (Michael Bradway) and Sam (Matt Cornett).
‘Every Year After’ Stays True to Source Material While Expanding Character Development
Like any book-to-television adaptation, Every Year After takes some creative liberties. Instead of being a magazine editor, Percy works as an obituary writer for a Seattle newspaper. Barry’s Bay is not set in Ontario but is reimagined as a fictional location in British Columbia. As seen in the official trailer, Percy does not return to Barry’s Bay alone; she is joined by her best friend Chantal (Aurora Perrineau). In the novel, Percy only interacts with her via phone or text, but in the series, Chantal joins the journey, allowing the show to expand on Percy’s friendships outside her relationship with the Floreks.
This same depth is given to additional side characters, such as Delilah, who moves beyond just being a popular girl, Sue (Elisha Cuthbert), Sam and Charlie’s mom, and Sam’s best friend, Jordie (Joseph Chiu). Every Year After still stays faithful to its source material with some of the book’s most iconic moments. Most notably, the series shows us Sam and Percy’s present-day reunion at The Tavern, where Sam repeats the novel’s memorable line, “You came home.” But for lovers of the anatomy book scene, the show takes a bit of a different approach. The same can be said for how the season ends, which naturally leads the show into a potential second season.
Lola Tung Delivers Shocking Update on ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Movie [Exclusive]
Lola Tung will next be seen opposite Lili Reinhart, Victoria Pedretti, and Alexandra Shipp in the horror-comedy ‘Forbidden Fruits’.
‘Every Year After’ Isn’t Just a Copy of ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’
It’s easy to see why Every Year After gives off strong TSITP vibes. The two shows have striking resemblances when it comes to characters. During their teenage years, Percy and The Summer I Turned Pretty’s Belly (Lola Tung) are remarkably similar: both are young, naïve, and far more inexperienced than their peers, eager to appear more mature than they truly are. Most importantly, neither Percy nor Belly had experienced a serious romance before their summer vacations. Like TSITP‘s Fisher brothers, the Florek brothers are opposites: Charlie is outgoing and charismatic, while Sam is quiet and reserved. Percy also shares a close bond with the Floreks’ mother, Sue (Elisha Cuthbert), similar to Belly’s relationship with Susannah Fisher (Rachel Blanchard).
However, where it differs from TSITP is in its approach to conflict. Every Year After doesn’t have a love triangle overarching the majority of the storyline. It is about Percy learning how to forgive herself for her past mistakes. Percy’s actions in the novel cause a major rift between her and the people around her. Percy, unlike Belly, is returning to Barry’s Bay over a decade later, just when old wounds have started to fully heal. The storylines presented in the show feel far more heavy than the ones in The Summer I Turned Pretty. Every Year After retains the dreamy summery vibes found in TSITP, but at the same time, it has a more mature appeal, with the idea of learning to own up to your mistakes and no longer running away from the problem being a major part of Percy’s storyline. This makes it the perfect choice to fill in the void while waiting for The Summer I Turned Pretty movie!
- Release Date
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June 10, 2026
- Network
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Prime Video
- Showrunner
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Amy Harris, Leila Gerstein
- Directors
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Gillian Robespierre, Tara Nicole Weyr, Jeffrey W. Byrd
- Writers
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Julie Rottenberg, Elisa Zuritsky
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