No one understands "Bachelor in Paradise" better than former cast member Krystal Nielson, who met her now-husband, Chris Randone, during production of the show last summer. Their nuptials will be televised on a future episode of "Bachelor in Paradise" this year. Every Wednesday, Nielson will recap "Bachelor in Paradise" for "Good Morning America," weighing in on her favorite couples and all the jaw-dropping drama.
Her latest entry is below.
Hey guys! Wow, so many emotions are running through me after watching this week of "Bachelor in Paradise". Before we jump into the nitty-gritty, I want to take a moment to commend ABC for showing that love can come in many forms, and regardless of how it looks or what people think, it’s about having the courage to follow your heart.
The "Bachelor" franchise is built upon the foundation that love does exist in sometimes the most unexpected places, and this week set the bar. The vulnerability we’ve seen from Demi as she has navigated her heart is truly refreshing and I feel that many people will be inspired to live life courageously and stand up for what they believe in, regardless of the criticism that may come.
Now, let’s dive in!
The biggest moment this week, and not to mention Bachelor history in the making, was Demi reuniting with her lover, a woman she has been dating back home named Kristian.
Insert jaw-dropping emoji.
Kristian’s arrival into Paradise created a whirlwind of emotions for Derek, Demi, and Kristian. This love triangle was different and unique from anything we’ve seen in the past. The conflicted feelings Demi has had between a male and female partner have brought us to tears because of the fight she’s had to keep inside for so long.
Right before Kristian arrived, Demi was shutting down emotionally. At one point, there were signs Demi was leaving because of the struggle deep within her. Demi has expressed her feelings for someone else and it seems the stronger Demi and Derek became the more she thought about Kristian. But instead of closing off, Demi became more transparent and open with Derek. That can be inspiring for anyone to not be afraid of communicating in a relationship! How many times have we closed off someone because we were scared of how we felt? Let this be a lesson that it’s okay to express how you feel, even if it’s going to hurt the other person!
Demi coming out on national television was big in itself but then to show it front and center shows us the love she had for Kristian. Kristian was shocked to hear Demi had feelings for someone else when she arrived into Paradise. At one moment, we see Kristian breakdown as she sat alone and one can imagine the whirlwind of emotions going through her when hearing the news.
But the understanding Derek shows is what helps the situation. Unlike many other guys, Derek showed patience, understanding and emotional intelligence with Demi and Kristian. Instead of being bitter, jealous, or feeling insecure, Derek lets Demi know that if she feels Kristian is the right person for her, then she’s not making a mistake, in fact, she’s making the right decision. Kudos to Derek for not being controlling, manipulative, or trying to get what he wants in this situation but rather making sure Demi is happy and that Demi feels okay with her decision. Derek has proven that there are still good guys out there and putting someone’s emotions first rather than their own agenda is a quality we’d all love to see in a partner. #teamDerek
Outside of history being made, there was major drama on the beach as this week kicked off with the continuation of the Jordan and Christian fight. Nicole wanted aggressiveness and she got it. Jordan and Christian got into a scuffle where Christian was upset with Jordan trying to ruin their date. But things took a turn for the worst when Jordan body slams Christian leaving Nicole scared and Paradise shook. The anger and aggressiveness between Christian and Jordan was the clarity Nicole needed to know she had a great guy in Clay on the beach this entire time.
Chris Harrison comes down during the rose cocktail hour to send both Christian and Jordan home which leaves Kevin, Wills, and Cam vying for a rose. Onyeka seemed to be the wildcard with signs pointing to her giving a friendship rose to Cam. Unfortunately, Onyeka informs the group at the beginning of the rose ceremony that she knows her person isn’t in Paradise and she leaves without giving her rose out. Cam didn't get a pity rose for the second time.
"My mom told me I should take my multivitamins and right now I'm taking my vitamin B and vitamin D." - Hannah
Oh, how I love puns... The main rose that had all the attention was who would Hannah give her rose to: Dylan or Blake? Earlier in the night, we saw Blake sweep Hannah off her feet yet again with his suave dance moves and smooth-talking. (Side note, I don’t think Blake will ever swing dance after watching this season..amiright?!) Dylan also planned a cute picnic with her favorite sweets and cheese board which was a play right out of my husband’s playbook. Last year Chris surprised me with the same setup! The constant back and forth between Dylan and Blake left much of Paradise questioning Hannah and her intentions throughout the night! But she finally answered all of our questions when she chose Dylan (Hallelujah!!) in the rose ceremony solidifying their relationship leaving Blake alone in the dark.
Just when we thought Dylan getting a rose meant Blake was going home, we were wrong. Kristina threw her favorite pitch -- a curveball -- by giving the final rose to Blake. Kristina mentions she wants Blake to find love but then states “she wants to keep him in Paradise hell”. Was this a friendship rose? Or is she just enjoying the fact that Blake will suffer watching Dylan and Hannah’s relationship blossom? Either way, I don’t think either move was the right decision and with them both having no connections, it might’ve been best for them to both leave Paradise.
A new week in Paradise means new faces at the beach and new dates that cause high stress. The first person to arrive was none other than the queen herself, Hannah Brown.
Hannah checks in on Demi with how she’s feeling because she knows about Demi’s girlfriend back home. Demi expresses her struggles and opens up to tell Hannah that her parents know Demi's sexual orientation which was a huge step for Demi throughout this journey. Hannah consoles her like the best friend she is and this sparks the conversation among Paradise about how Demi's really feeling about the whole situation.
A new girl walks into Paradise and it’s Caitlin from Colton’s season. Caitlin is a beautiful girl who genuinely looks like she’s there to find someone special. After discussion with a few guys, Caitlin takes Blake on the date which was probably the best thing for him to get away from Paradise after an exhausting rose ceremony. Surprisingly, Blake had no previous history with Caitlin which gave us some positivity for this date.
Blake and Caitlin end up on a sexual yoga date (oh no they didn't!), where they get close and personal with each other. Close enough to where Blake opens up about everything to Caitlin. I was really happy to see Blake take full ownership of his debacle and be upfront with Caitlin about everything that took place. Caitlin showed maturity and understanding that everyone makes mistakes and shows Blake compassion in the situation. Blake and Caitlin seem to have good chemistry throughout the remainder of the date and top it off with a nice makeout session in the hot tub!
When Blake and Caitlin come back from their date, Dylan gets a date card to take his trophy girlfriend Hannah on a date (talk about perfect timing!). Dylan opens up fast that he’s falling in love with Hannah. It was really fun to see that Dylan and Hannah’s date took place at the exact spot Chris and I first said I love you! Major flashbacks were flowing and seeing another couple follow in the footsteps we took was quite emotional. Hannah now seems to be all-in on Dylan and I’m excited to see where this relationship goes.
The next morning was not such a great moment for another strong couple. With another girl set to invade Paradise, Katie tells Chris if he wants to go on a date that he can go. Katie came off carefree which set an alarm off in Chris’s head. He wondered if Katie is serious like him about their relationship. The words Katie expresses disappoint Chris which enables him to accept a date card from the newly arrived Jen.
Jen is a beautiful bombshell from Ben’s season. Jen takes Chris on a boat date where it turns out to be a disaster throughout the ride as Chris gets seasick. Probably the best thing that could happen for Katie except Chris wants to make it up to Jen for getting sick and has a date planned for her when they get back to the beach. This leaves Katie distraught and thinking that she did in fact “dig her own grave”.
I am so happy to see that Caelynn is removed from the Blake drama and is finding happiness in her relationship with Dean. They are one of my favorite couples because they bring out such a playful and calm side in one another. Caelynn revealed that she does have reservations because of Dean's history in abruptly ending relationships so she is slightly guarded to let down the walls to her heart. I hope that she is just being careful but a woman's intuition is NEVER WRONG. I guess we will find out next week.
Next week is a really big week....mine and Chris's wedding!!!!! And just as you'd expect, get ready for some major drama and major tears! Truth be told, I haven't seen any photos yet so I'm a little nervous... but at the same time, I can't wait to share this moment with the world!
Thanks for tuning in and see ya all next week for a very special recap!!