Episode 1:
Since the premiere dropped so late, my besties and I were forced to watch it separately. But let’s be real, there was absolutely no way I was waiting. I stayed up and hit play the second it dropped. We’ve waited too long for this moment, and I was not about to let TikTok spoil it, even though I’ve already read the books. Let’s dive right in. (And in case you missed it...massive spoilers ahead!)
We start with Belly moving into college. It’s a one-year time jump from where we left off in Season 2. Belly is now starting her freshman year at Finch, and Jeremiah is entering his sophomore year. But then, just seven minutes in, Jenny Han hits us with another time jump. This time it’s three whole years. Belly and Jeremiah have now been together for four years, and we’re seeing their lives as full-on adults in their 20s.
Then finally, after what seems like an eternity of having to suffer (and burning my retinas with Jelly scenes), we are blessed with Conrad’s presence on our screen. I just have to say, he looks better than ever. (They really weren’t joking when they said this season is for the Conrad girlies. Wink wink.)
We get a glimpse into Conrad’s therapy session and, honestly, it’s about time. He’s been having panic attacks since Season 1, and it’s always been hard for him to take care of himself because he puts everyone else first. Exhibit A: putting his feelings aside so his brother could be happy with the girl he loves. He literally removed himself from the picture for years so they could be together, because being near Belly makes it impossible for him to hide how he feels. Meanwhile, Belly has been going through her changes, too. We find out she stopped playing volleyball after injuring her knee in a game and hasn’t played since.
And in case you thought the Steven and Taylor situation was going to be drama-free, think again. We learn they broke up, but after the time jump, there are hints they’ve rekindled things. Then it’s revealed they both have significant others. So basically, they’re seeing each other on and off on the side. It’s giving more situationship rather than a relationship if you ask me.
Then comes the big news. Belly gets accepted into a study abroad program in Paris, and us readers know what Jenny Han is setting that up for. I sense long-distance handwritten letters somewhere in the near future. But from who? (Stay tuned to find out.) Of course, this moment gets complicated when Belly finds out Jeremiah won’t be graduating on time and will still be at Finch in the fall. Suddenly, the idea of going to Paris doesn’t feel so simple. But let’s be real. What girl is going to give up Paris, her dream, for a man she’s not even supposed to be with? And if Jeremiah truly loves her, he would never want her to stay behind for him.
Jeremiah tries to distract Belly with a cute little dance moment while hiding the fact that he cheated on her during spring break. Yes, that happened. Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, Conrad is sitting at a bar with his friend Agnes, pouring his heart out. He talks about how Belly is the only girl he’s ever loved. He says on a scale of one to ten, she’s a ten. He says that being around Belly and Jeremiah was too painful, and he knew he couldn’t be alone with her again because there’s no way he’d be able to hide how in love he still is.
Do you know how much someone has to love you to stay away from you? Just because they know being near you would expose everything they’ve tried to bury? Meanwhile, Jeremiah was out here cheating. (Major side eye…that’s all I’m going to say.) Also, can we talk about how amazing Conrad looks in this episode? Because if you’re not a Bonrad fan at this point, it’s because you want Conrad for yourself. Let’s be honest, girls.
The whole episode Conrad is deciding whether he can make it to Cousins for Susannah’s dedication ceremony. He’s supposed to give a speech with Jeremiah, but he just landed his dream job at a clinic and isn’t sure he can take time off. The real dilemma? That talk with Agnes reminded him exactly why he’s stayed away for so long. Because if he’s around Belly again, his feelings will come right back to the surface. And let’s be honest, they never really left…but is the same true for Belly?
The episode ends with the moment us readers have all been waiting for…the Lacie Barone cheating reveal while Belly overhears girls discussing at the party, which leads to a massive fight with Jeremiah, rightfully so. And if you were hoping for the perfect music cue for the cheating reveal, you probably guessed “lacy” by Olivia Rodrigo. But no. Jenny Han gave us “You’re Losing Me” by Taylor Swift instead. And honestly? It was better. Jenny is a Swiftie at heart, and she always picks songs that hit. This one was devastating in the best way as it played during this heartbreaking scene where we could see Belly’s disappointment as her heart broke over the guy she was sure would never hurt her. Way to go, Jeremiah, any team Conrad fans surprised…not really!
Episode 2:
Well, well, well. Remember when Belly told Jeremiah that what they had was gone forever after finding out he cheated? Turns out that was true…until it wasn’t. Because now they’re engaged. For those of us who read the books, we knew it was coming, but still, how did we get here? How I wish those words had stayed true when she said them, because seriously, how do you come back from something like that? Oh wait, you just slap a ring on it, I guess. Something Conrad would never do. Not just the ring part, but the hurting part. He’s always cared about her too much for that. Wonder how many Jelly fans we’ve lost after that plot twist…
Just kidding (kind of). Because Jenny Han really did deliver, maybe not “lacy” in the exact moment Belly finds out about the cheating, but something even better: a flashback filled with tension, heartbreak and, yes, “lacy” playing in the background like the emotional gut-punch we needed. That scene marked the beginning of the end for their relationship. Lacy was the perfect background track to show how that moment tainted everything. Once again, Jenny knows what she’s doing.
Let’s take a quick break to compare fight styles: Jelly fights vs. Bonrad fights. Jelly? Screaming, arguing, Jeremiah getting defensive and saying the absolute worst things. Now let’s rewind to when Susannah was literally on her deathbed. Conrad could’ve lashed out at Belly a dozen times, but he didn’t. He kept his cool and stayed quiet because he couldn’t bear to hurt her. Just take that in for a second. Still team Jelly? That’s wild.
When Jeremiah gets back from Cabo, he and Belly finally talk. In this flashback, she tells him they were always together, which should’ve calmed him down, but it doesn’t. Instead, he spirals. Because in his mind, they were broken up, and he had already done what he did. And honestly, if Conrad were in his shoes, no matter how unsure he was about the status of their relationship, he never would’ve done that to Belly.
Even Taylor, self-proclaimed CEO of Team Jeremiah, starts to reconsider. She straight up says Jeremiah was supposed to be the one who deserved Belly, but maybe he never did. If Taylor’s jumping ship, who’s to say the rest of Team Jelly won’t follow? Oh, and while we’re talking symbolism, did anyone else notice Belly wearing red while reminiscing on all the “golden” moments with Jeremiah? Red. The color she wore when things were real. The color she wears around Conrad. Coincidence? Yeah, okay.
Then came the moment we’ve all been waiting for, the December flashback. The scene that had me writing in the margins of the book, “Back to December” is *so* their song. Belly in red. Again. Conrad looks at her like she’s the only girl on earth. Then she trips, and of course, he carries her. And in that moment, she knows. She says it herself, a part of her will always love him. And just in case there was any doubt, she finished the crossword puzzle he started. The final clue? “P.S. I still love you.” Like we needed a crossword to confirm what we’ve always known.
And just like that, we wrap up the episode with Belly realizing that after Steven’s car accident, life is way too short not to spend it with the person you love. Don’t worry, Steven is okay! So she and Jeremiah rekindle things, but they don’t stop there. Jeremiah pops a very important, life-altering question: Will you marry me? And without a second thought, Belly says yes.
Every girl’s dream, getting proposed to outside a hospital. Such a Jeremiah move. But hey, I guess it felt right in that moment. Suddenly, they’re back together like they were never fighting. Like there was never even a Lacy Barone. But the real question is whether this is really enough to make her forget about Conrad completely. Or, as she mentioned earlier in the episode, will a piece of her heart always belong to him?
Guess you’ll have to tune in next week to find out where the story goes from here. Goodbye for now.
Think you know how Season 3 ends? Share your predictions on IG @girlslifemag!
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Slider Image: @conradgirliess
