The Bachelor {Hometown Dates}

Last night’s episode began (again) with a rose ceremony. And honestly, I’m not a fan of an episode ending without a rose ceremony. It’s annoying. Seriously. But anyway, it was an interesting one, as Britt had been talking about leaving since her blowup in the previous episode. What the what?! She really exploded, but I’m glad. Her personality just didn’t seem to mesh with Chris and his lifestyle. And she really needed a lot of attention. I can’t really judge her, because I know that I would not be mentally stable enough to even attempt to vie for a man’s attention, affection, and love with 29 other women. Just, no. But back to Britt, she had just had enough, and I’m honestly proud of her for sticking to her gut and not allowing Chris to meet her family, since her feelings were all over the place. Kudos, girl!  

This week, Chris went on hometown dates with Becca, Whitney, Kaitlyn, and Jade. (I seriously cannot believe this season is so far in! It feels like it was just starting). 

I really like Becca. She’s very down to earth and genuine, and her chemistry with Chris is awesome. The way she lights up around him is very telling and real. However, her family was real as well. Becca’s sister flat out told Chris that Becca is not an intimate person and doesn’t show affection. Umm, what?! Just because this girl hasn’t had a serious relationship before (she’s only 26) or brought a guy home doesn’t mean that she’s incapable of being affection or intimate. What a way to throw a guy off! I wasn’t a fan of that conversation at all. However, I loved that after meeting her family and hearing those things, he took her to the Louisiana State Fair on the Ferris Wheel, and she leaned on him and they just kept making out. Pretty apparent that she’s an affectionate AND intimate person. Just sayin’. 🙂 

Whitney’s hometown was next, and those two are just seriously adorable. She took him to her place of employment and showed him what it is that she does. The way she explained how the fertility process works and what she does for a living really made me love her even more! Chris then met her family, but Whitney has no parents. Instead, he met Whitney’s sister and uncle, who are both very important in Whitney’s life. But Whitney’s sister couldn’t give Chris her blessing for him proposing to Whitney. And I’m really proud of the way she handled it! She doesn’t want her baby sister to be 1 of 4 possibilities – she wants her to be the only possibility for a wife for Chris. It didn’t change their relationship, but it really hurt Whitney and caused her some pretty serious feelings. She also told Chris that she loves him and sees herself marrying him – so, so sweet! 

Kaitlyn’s ‘hometown’ was next on his trip. He met her in Phoenix, Arizona, and their first activity was rapping in a recording studio. Kaitlyn had previously experienced his rapping skills and either thought it was super adorable or wanted to completely embarrass him further by making him do it AGAIN on national TV. He was a good sport about it, but the man really cannot carry a tune to save his life. Fo’ real. Then Chris met Kaitlyn’s family, and the conversation between Kaitlyn and her mom really struck a chord with me. It opened my eyes to a new side of Kaitlyn, and I’m really starting to like her more and more. She’s outgoing and fun, but she’s also deep and serious when she wants or needs to be. Her mom was worried about her based on a prior relationship and heartbreak, but Kaitlyn reassured her several times that her heart was in a good place. Aww…

The last hometown was in Gering, Nebraska with Jade. She was super nervous as soon as she saw him step out of the car for their date, and for a good reason. She had a secret to tell Chris that was really weighing on her mind. But first, meeting her family! Jade’s dad was super amazing and really gave Chris his blessing. You could tell that he really just wants what’s best for Jade, whatever that may be, and is open to her following her heart wherever it leads her. Jade’s brother had a conversation with Chris that kind of left him shocked and concerned. He talked of Jade as a wild mustang, and it really caught Chris off guard. He hadn’t seen a wild or rebellious side of Jade and always saw her as being shy and timid. Later that night, Jade finally opened up to Chris and told him about her wild years upon moving to LA. She posed nude for Playboy! And as if that wasn’t enough for Chris to process, Jade continues by saying she could show him some pictures if he wanted. He left it up to her (good answer), and she pulled out the laptop. Not only were there nude photos, but there was also a video. How awkward! But Chris handled it so well and made her feel at ease over it. It definitely wasn’t a deal breaker for him as Jade had worried about. He really put her mind at ease, and she dubbed the night as ‘couldn’t have gone any better’. Talk about a huge weight being lifted off of your shoulders! 

There was no cocktail party this week, and the final four girls all stunned in amazing evening wear for the rose ceremony. They all killed it! Lucky Chris. 🙂 He then handed out three roses: Whitney, then Kaitlyn, and finally Becca. Jade was crushed, but seemed to understand. Chris walked her out to the car and explained to her that it was nothing negative, but he had relationships with the other three girls that had progressed further and he had to pursue them. He was in a different place with them. She cried, smiled, hugged him and was off. Then we’re left watching Chris sit alone crying, as he said that it could be the night he regrets for the rest of his life. He apparently went with his gut on this one and thought his relationship with Jade wasn’t in the same place, so she couldn’t be the one for him. But he obviously had very serious feelings for her based on his reaction to her leaving. 

Next week: fantasy suite dates! 

My pick out of the final three is definitely Becca. She hasn’t been the frontrunner during this season, but she’s definitely opened up to Chris, and I just love them together! She’s also the one I can most see moving to small-town Arlington, Iowa and being a farmer’s wife. I think it’d be difficult for Whitney to relocate with her career, and Kaitlyn is kind of a bomb in the whole thing. She’s spunky and very much a spit-fire. I just can’t see her in Iowa.