Critical response
For the first season, the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 88% approval rating with an average rating of 7.1/10, based on 24 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "The Summer I Turned Pretty doesn't need more time to become a swan, coming out of the gate a solidly charming and sweet rom-com with appeal across generations." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 72 out of 100 based on 8 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Angie Han of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "As a coming-of-age story, Amazon's The Summer I Turned Pretty is a cut above. Tenderly written and endearingly acted, it's sensitive to the subtle but irreversible shifts in self-perception that come with late adolescence—and at the same time clear-eyed enough to understand that teenagers, up to and including its own blushing heroine, sure can act like clueless jerks while they're figuring out how to wield their newfound powers." Delia Cai of Vanity Fair also gave a positive review, commenting that "the specificity of Laurel's fantasy summer is ultimately what rescues The Summer I Turned Pretty from being too sticky sweet."
Writing for The Playlist, Marya E. Gates wrote, "Although the voiceover in which [Belly] shares [her] feelings is unevenly deployed, it's refreshing to see a story that puts the girl in the driver's seat and gives her the room to work through the contradictions of adolescence and sexual coming-of-age on her own terms." Joyce Slaton of Common Sense Media said the series is "as sweet, light, and refreshing as a soda on ice by the swimming pool...[and] tackles the confusion and loveliness of an awkward coming-of-age."
Abby Cavenaugh of Collider noted "though at some points, the love triangle—or quadrangle, with Cam included—can feel a bit forced, overall this story works on many levels. You grow to really care about these characters and want to see them happy," adding "Belly is the star of the show, and Tung sells every moment of it with her luminous performance."
The second season holds an approval rating of 62% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 13 critic reviews, with an average rating of 6.5/10. On Metacritic, the second season received a score of 71 based on reviews from 6 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Some critics welcomed the series' tackling of the heavier themes of grief and loss. Lauren Chval of The A.V. Club said that season 2 raises the stakes of the central love triangle and makes a strong case for a Jeremiah relationship with Belly. Tung's performance received continued praise, with Kayleigh Donaldson of TheWrap writing that "the season is at its best when it focuses on Belly, giving space to her emotional strife and the oft-derided difficulties of being a teenage girl in a world where you're positioned as something between a sex object and a punching bag." The soundtrack also received praise.
Others felt the second season lacks the breeziness and fun of the first season. Though critics noted the narrative stays faithful to the book, some said the integration of flashback scenes was at times confusing and that important storylines were being skipped. Writing for Collider, Therese Lacson gave an overall positive review but noted that the season's addition of new characters meant less time to develop their arcs and the meat of their stories. Nicole Gallucci of Decider wrote season 2's "emotional roller coaster serves as a harsh reminder that life isn't always a beach, but its unique mix of 'miserable and magical' will keep you hooked until the end."
The third season has an approval rating of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 12 critic reviews.
