Conrad Is Living Proof That Yearners Earn

So many thoughts, yet so little scenes of Conrad and Belly. I feel like I enjoy the exploration of other characters—as I mentioned before—but sometimes I’m like, why does Conrad have 30 lines? Even though I missed dear old Conrad and Belly on my screen together, I still enjoy diving deeper into other storylines.

If you’ve been reading along these reviews, you’ll know I am Team Bonrad till the day I die. They just make sense. And as my 16-year-old self reading those books, I will never forget the way I felt. But even with my everlasting love for the two, I felt bad for Jeremiah and Belly.

Yeah, getting married at 21—not the greatest idea, especially when you’re in debt and decided to get engaged on a whim. But the lack of support from Laurel—who, to be fair, I would probably act the same as—breaks my heart for Belly. Not having any motherly figure there with her hurts. The last time she tried on dresses, Susannah and Laurel were there. Now she has nobody. I felt an ache in my chest for Belly when she called Jeremiah about not having her mom there while trying on wedding dresses.

I get Laurel having deep feelings about Belly getting married young. Nobody really supports the crazy idea, but the feeling of not having support—or worse, having it but it not feeling genuine—seems well, hurtful. I truly do not remember Laurel being this distraught and mean in the books, but perhaps it was the same and I disliked Jeremiah so much I let it slide.

The Wedding Tension

I yell almost two times per episode: “read the room.” Like first of all, I’m sorry Jeremiah—I’m not—but you bring Laurel flowers and Belly a cake and want to sit down and have a conversation about the wedding? Mind you, not even 12 hours before, Laurel wouldn’t go and see her daughter try on dresses, and you think she’s going to change her mind? Yeah, no.

Also side note—the cake was a cute touch, and him going to surprise her after a hard day was sweet. I can admit when there are sweet moments.

Again, I felt terribly because all Belly wanted was an inch of support from her mother. She wanted her to be there, to try on dresses, to do wedding things. It was her birthday, which hurts even more, given I can only imagine there were various birthdays before that wouldn’t compare to that one. Being a reader of the series, I know it’ll get better, but I just don’t wanna see Belly do all these things without Laurel—and even worse, Susannah. Somehow, it hits harder on screen than on page.

Taylor Jewel You are Loved

Now Taylor is growing on me. I’ll admit I had some thoughts about her last season. She is Jeremiah and Belly’s biggest fan, yet I can’t dislike her? I change my mind every now and then—especially when she talks to Conrad horribly, as if he would everrr cheat on Belly.

The situation with her mom breaks my heart. I can see both ends, and how sometimes obliviousness is a blessing and a curse at the same time. All her mom wanted was company—she’s lonely—and yeah, her company went downhill. Will she recuperate? Maybe, maybe not. But it’s difficult to see Taylor give up her internship to stay and help her mom. I like their relationship—it shows a deeper side to Taylor that I feel we lacked the previous two seasons.

As a viewer and reader of the series, I’ve seen so much growth from Miss Taylor Jewel and I love it. I can only hope they turn it around—since if I remember correctly, Belly has her wedding shower at Taylor’s house. Truly loving the character development being shown from Taylor.

Cousins House Chaos (and Tears)

Given the argument between Belly and Laurel, sadly enough, it led to Belly going to Cousins with Jeremiah. The song hit harder than I expected, and I love it so much. As a One Tree Hill fan, it reminded me of so much—the memories between the two, the parallels like the event for Susannah in Season 1 and this episode in parallel to Christmas.

As a reader of the series, I suspected Conrad to be there—and I felt like the episode had finally started.

So many things irritated me surrounding their stay at the Cousins house. Jeremiah, I get you want to speak to your brother about being your best man and all—but let’s be 100% serious. If you weren’t even slightly okay seeing Conrad and Belly together, how do you think Conrad feels?

The mocking of Conrad absolutely made me livid. The one song coursing through my head as Conrad hears Jeremiah and Belly—whose room is directly facing the mockery—is “Evergreen” by Omar Apollo. I would have personally gone down there and given them a reason to laugh, but mature Conrad is here and he’s not leaving.

Seeing Jeremiah leave had to be one of the great moments of this episode. As soon as he left, I knew we were going to be fed. When Conrad and Belly are alone, memories flood their brains—it’s like time stops, and they’re back in that house, on that beach.

I feel like once Belly was truly able to sit with her thoughts, she felt the truth and derail of her actions and the feelings that came with them. I believe they had the best intentions when it came to getting engaged and trying to win over the family—but what they aren’t seeing is the consequences. What kills me is that they feel like they have to get married that summer. Why not wait?

Seeing the flashback of Belly as a child with Laurel and Susannah hit home so hard. It was incredibly difficult to watch. She needs her mom—now and then. She will always need her mom. And she can’t have her, and yet she’s staying in the place where she’s always needed her most. It deeply hurts. And the song “Landslide”? Are you joking? I think every time a song plays, there must be cameras filming me—it feels like a sick joke.

That Door Scene? Destroyed Me.

Conrad’s head on the door, hand on the door—that’s all I’ll be thinking about until next week. He is in agony hearing Belly cry. He cancelled his flight because he heard her cry. Men who yearn are men who earn, guys. It hurt—and I mean hurt—to see him in pain over her being upset.

It only fuels his reason even more to convince Laurel to come to the wedding. He wants to see her happy—and he would sacrifice his own happiness if it meant she was.

They give married couple energy way too many times for them not to be endgame. Conrad looked like husband material as soon as she walked down those stairs. Her entire mood shifted after hearing Conrad was attending the wedding. Call me delusional. It is entirely always the small moments between these two—the good muffins, the excitement over her favorite dessert, the reactions between the Oreo cake and the muffins. I can’t take it anymore. And you’re telling me I have to sit through this until September?

If Conrad looking the way he did and the tension between the two wasn’t enough, Billie Eilish played? It was like the dock scene in Season 1 all over again—not just the emotions in the scene, but my own. Tears came down my face as soon as I heard the song. And you mean to tell me “Halley’s Comet” made it worse?

Apart from my emotions setting off, we are so getting Conrad POV next episode. And perhaps the peach scene, the shopping for vases scene, and the wine drinking scene. Which now I know—that wine bottle is the gift Laurel and John gave her.

I will be recuperating this next week and I cannot handle any more tears. Wrap it up, please. I just know the further we get into this season, the more I cannot wait until September 17th. Whether you’re Team Jeremiah and Belly or Team Bonrad, I am feeling every emotion alongside you—even if they’re different ones. Next episode is too far. Waiting is not an option. But I’ll be here next week.

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Side notes:

• Adam’s assistant being the one he cheated on Susannah with being in the show is diabolical, I realized that way too soon.
• The difference in color between the boys’ rooms at the Cousins house—blue like Belly’s, and uh tan if I remember correctly for Jeremiah.
• I kind of like Denise? I do see something happening between her and Steven, but I’m hearing Jeremiah as well? Not sure how I feel about that.
• John being there for Belly regardless is what I needed to hear.
• Belly’s dress was gorg and I loved it—and her prom dress was in the back amidst all that.
• Loving him was red, you guys.