Skip to main content

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and P.S. I Still Love You started out as the first two books in a series by Jenny Han. The hit Netflix movies have probably reignited interest in the story from the books, but there are some key differences between the two. The second movie, To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, changes certain details about Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor)’s relationships from the books. While both show Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo) and John Ambrose McClaren (Jordan Fisher) trying to win Lara Jean’s heart, there are some differences from page to screen.

How ‘To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You’ changes Lara Jean’s relationship with Peter

Lana Condor and Noah Centineo of 'To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You'
Lana Condor and Noah Centineo at the premiere of To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You | Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage

The relationship between Lara Jean and Peter is at the heart of both To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You. Yet it is not exactly the same in the second movie as it is in Jenny Han’s book. One minor difference between the two is that in the movie, Lara Jean and Peter are dating from the beginning. In the P.S. I Still Love You book, according to Buzzfeed, their relationship starts later on in the story.

Peter also seems to have a fancier taste in dates in the movie when compared to the book. Seventeen mentions Lara Jean and Peter’s first date is very different in the book. While in the movie, he takes her to a fancy restaurant and then they go to the lantern festival, in the book Peter and Lara Jean have a more casual dinner at Peter’s favorite restaurant Biscuit Soul Food and also watch a movie. Seventeen also mentions the different ways they promise not to break each other’s hearts in the movie and the book.

In the movie, they promise this at the lantern festival during their first date. While in the book, they put it in writing by having a new contract for their relationship. Insider talks about the different reasons Lara Jean has for choosing Peter in the book and in the movie. In the book, instead of realizing she doesn’t have feelings for John Ambrose after kissing him, she feels that she could fall for him if Peter didn’t get there first.

How the Netflix movie changes Lara Jean’s relationship with John Ambrose

Lara Jean’s relationship with John Ambrose is extremely important in To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You. Nevertheless, much like Lara Jean’s relationship with Peter, there are some differences between their relationship in the movie and their relationship in the book. For example, in the movie, Lara Jean does not reply to John Ambrose’s letter, however in the book they become pen pals before reuniting in the flesh at the time capsule party. In the book, Lara Jean also asks John Ambrose to send her letter back to her.

Another difference between the book and the movie, according to Seventeen and Insider, has to do with Stormy. Stormy is a resident of Belleview, the retirement home where Lara Jean volunteers in the book and the movie. Except, in the book she is related to John Ambrose, since she’s his grandmother. While in the movie, Lara Jean and John Ambrose both volunteer at Belleview, in the book, it’s just Lara Jean’s thing.

That’s right, John Ambrose doesn’t volunteer at Belleview at all in the book. However, he does come there to visit his grandmother and goes to the party with Lara Jean. The party is another difference between the book and the movie. While the pair do dance together in both the book and the movie, the kiss only happens at the party in the movie.

In the book, they dance together and then clean up after the party. Then they run into Peter and Gen and Lara Jean, not wanting to lose a game they all are playing, gets into John Ambrose’s car. At a red light, the two of them kiss. Lara Jean’s feelings for John Ambrose also seem to be more intense in the books as she tells him that she could fall for him easily and that she would pick him if Peter didn’t already have her heart.