Why isn't Shayla in The Summer I Turned Pretty season 2? |

Why isn’t Shayla in The Summer I Turned Pretty season 2? HITC explains.

Weekly episodes are such a tease, but nevertheless, the fandom is thrilled to welcome The Summer I Turned Pretty back into their lives. Created by Jenny Han, the coming-of-age drama premiered on Amazon Prime Video in 2022, teasing a second season that began to arrive with installments each Friday on July 14th 2023. We’re reunited with Belly, Conrad, Jeremiah, and a host of other fan favorites, as well as some new cast, but there’s one clear omission this time around: Minnie Mills as Shayla. It’s no surprise that some audiences are curious about her absence, so why isn’t Shayla in The Summer I Turned Pretty season 2?

Why isn’t Shayla in The Summer I Turned Pretty season 2?

Shayla doesn’t appear in The Summer I Turned Pretty season 2 because the character doesn’t feature in the second book that these episodes serve as an adaptation of.

The series is based on Jenny’s trilogy of novels. Season 1 is based on the first book, which is where the series takes its name from. It was published in 2009, and its follow-up, 2010’s It’s Not Summer Without You, serves as the basis for season 2.

With Jenny staying relatively faithful to her own work, Shayla wasn’t shoehorned into season 2 in an attempt to deviate too drastically from the source material.

For those unfamiliar with the trilogy of novels behind the show, the third and final chapter is We’ll Always Have Summer, published in 2011.

‘I am so honored I got to work with her’

Opening up about the experience of coming aboard the show, Minnie previously spoke to Cherry Picks about how overwhelming it was to land her debut role:

“I had not read the book yet, but I was definitely a fan of Jenny Han and was so excited when I got the audition! She is a huge figure in the Asian American and, more specifically, Korean American entertainment space, and I am so honored I got to work with her on my first project.”

She added: “I was getting coffee with my friend, India, when I got the call! It still feels so surreal! I remember, on the drive home, she screamed out the window that I was going to be on TV.”

The Summer I Turned Pretty fans react

Some have found themselves missing the dynamic between Steven and Shayla this season, but it hasn’t been a total dealbreaker for everybody.

“The fact that I watched and fell in love with this series because of Steven and Shayla and now in season 2 he’s still my favorite and doesn’t disappoint me so far,” one fan wrote. “I’m still hoping they will bring back Shayla in season 3 though.”

One also weighed in that “This might be an unpopular opinion but I’m really liking Taylor and Steven this season too. I loved him with Shayla but Taylor is his endgame for real.”

Then there are those who downright oppose the decision: “Oh Shayla broke up with Steven? Jenny Han making her the villain, I’m sick.”

The Summer I Turned Pretty season 2 is streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

Why isn't Shayla in The Summer I Turned Pretty season 2?