Loved The Summer I Turned Pretty? 10 Shows With The Same Vibe

Summer flings and new beginnings on a distinct ranch? Sounds too much like The Summer I Turned Pretty! Except, in this one, we have Alex, Cole, and Jackie, caught in a love triangle in the backdrop of a foster family. Both of the series have the same memo: a brooding brother, a golden-retriever brother, and an indecisive, evolving girl, torn between siblings. It's the same summer story in a different skin!

IMDb rating: 6.9/10

Cast: Nikki Rodriguez, Noah LaLonde, Ashby Gentry

Seasons: 1

Release year: 2023

Streaming platform: Netflix

A high school love triangle, but with more desi representations, specifically a South Indian household. Like Belly, Devi is torn between the geeky nerd Ben and the hot, emotional Paxton. The undertones of grief are another commonality between both shows as Devi grapples with her father's loss, while Belly faces her mother's best friend, Susannah's loss. So, she does what any teenager would dream of doing: dating both at the same time! Unlike Belly's summer love triangle, this one sees Devi through her high school years up until college. It deals with complex issues, like eating disorders, sexuality, breaking stubborn stereotypes, and stays true to its nature of showcasing a high school immigrant girl in America. 

IMDb rating: 7.8/10

Cast: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan, Darren Barnet, Jaren Lewison

Seasons: 4

Release year: 2020

Streaming platform: Netflix

Cousins Beach finds its match in Newport Beach from The O.C. Like Belly, this series revolves around the love triangle between Ryan-Marissa-Luke and Seth-Summer-Anna/Zach. The common thread further extends to the setting that offers an escapist fantasy to viewers — a hatchet into the summery textures of a distant land. While The O.C. focuses more on class differences and familial clashes, it also covers the intensity of first loves, heartbreaks, and gives the aftertaste of a The Summer I Turned Pretty binge session. 

IMDb rating: 7.6/10

Cast: Mischa Barton, Adam Brody, Peter Gallagher

Seasons: 4

Release year: 2003

Streaming platform: Prime Video

Add in the intrigue of a mystery treasure and a looming death to The Summer I Turned Pretty, and you will get Outer Banks. The latter is set in the beachside town of North Carolina. It revolves around the struggles between the Pogues (have-nots) and the Kooks (haves). The Pogues, led by Chase, are on a treasure hunt while being constantly threatened by the Kooks. Mini spoiler alert: several beloved characters die, so we wouldn't attach ourselves to any, if we were you! 

IMDb rating: 7.5/10

Cast: Chase Stokes, Madelyn Cline, Madison Bailey

Seasons: 4

Release year: 2020

Streaming platform: Netflix

Summertime and The Summer I Turned Pretty share a similar adoration for summer marking the season as a time for change and monumental happenings. Inspired by Federico Moccia's book series, Summertime revolves around Summer, who leaves her town to see the world and crash-lands into Ale, a motorcyclist. The entire series covers a summer on the Adriatic coast and commits to the same scenic aesthetics as The Summer I Turned Pretty. 

IMDb rating: 6.1/10

Cast: Coco Rebecca Edogamhe, Ludovico Tersigni, Amanda Campana

Seasons: 3

Release year: 2020

Streaming platform: Netflix

Dawson's Creek began the original memo of beach love triangles and teens growing up, bound together. Set in the beachside Cape Town, the series revolves around Dawson, Joey, and Percy, who navigate heartbreaks, growing up, and the changes that life throws at them. And, if you thought Team Jelly or Team Bonrad was getting out of hand, you should see the debates you'll get into once you realise Joey can belong with either Dawson or Percy. 

IMDb rating: 6.8/10

Cast: James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams

Seasons: 6

Release year: 1998

Streaming platform: Prime Video

Spearheading the Jenny Han universe (the same author who wrote The Summer I Turned Pretty) are Lara Jean and her sister, Kitty. The latter's series X.O. Kitty takes after her life after Lara Jean's gone to college. The series is an amalgamation of first love, first heartbreak, acceptance of one's sexuality, closely-knit friendships, and an almost love triangle with a clear end game. Kitty rushes off to Seoul to study and reunite with her boyfriend Dae, but in the process falls for Yuri and Min Ho. Alongside the intense romantic entanglements, the series deals with the emotions of moving out and living independently from your family even if it was an involuntary repercussion. 

IMDb rating: 6.5/10

Cast: Anna Cathcart, Choi Min-yeong, Gia Kim

Seasons: 2 (Season 3 is in the making!)

Release year: 2023

Streaming platform: Netflix

Summertime in Shorehaven is almost similar to the glistening, peaceful summer at Cousins Beach. But unlike a messy love triangle, grief and brother brawls, Surviving Summer takes the surfer route. Summer heads to Australia, where she falls for surfer teen Wren, but soon becomes a part of a triangle with Ari, who hates Summer's guts. With a surfer competition looming and Summer's competitive streak merging with her romantic side, you really will not be surviving summer right without a teen series with heartbreak that forces you to binge and develop an unhealthy obsession to learn surfing. 

IMDb rating: 6.6/10

Cast: Sky Katz, Josh Macqueen, Lilliana Bowrey

Seasons: 2

Release year: 2022

Streaming platform: Netflix

Motorheads is all about firsts: your first love, your first love triangle, but most importantly, your first bike. Twins Zac and Caitlyn may never be friends with Belly, but one thing they can probably rant about is how all three of them get caught in love triangles. Zac woos Alicia, but she already has an obnoxious boyfriend, while Caitlyn is caught between brooding Curtis (Conrad lite) and the mayor's daughter, Kiara. Motorheads also has a streak of thriller and mystery as the story takes place in a rust-belt town. 

IMDb rating: 7.5/10

Cast: Ryan Phillippe, Michael Cimino, Melissa Collazo

Seasons: 1

Release year: 2025

Streaming platform: Prime Video

An app institute in Jaipur may not be any match for Cousins Beach. But the love triangle between Dimple, Rishi, and Harsh did create separate debates, just like Belly's love triangle. While Dimple is competitive and goal-oriented, her character's trajectory lands her in the same muddled romantic chaos as Belly's. Towards the end, she faces similar heavy emotions of grief and loss, and mirrors Belly's involuntary evolution as she is pushed 'to grow up' and take charge, all while juggling emotions of two men deeply in love with her. The series also explores intricate love stories of the supporting characters, exposes the struggles of wanting to 'fit in,' and spotlights the intricacies of sexuality and the power of female friendship.

IMDb rating: 6/10

Cast: Prajakta Koli, Rohit Saraf, Vihaan Samat

Seasons: 3 (Season 4 is in the making!)

Release year: 2020

Streaming platform: Netflix