As season eight of the reality television series “Bachelor in Paradise” came to an end, viewers that tuned in every Monday and Tuesday night were truly shaken by the drama-filled ending. Fans of the show, known as the “Bachelor Nation” were on the edge of their seats during this season’s finale.

Love triangles, heartbreaks, drama, and breakups-this season had it all. As soon as the contestants made their way to the beach, true connections began to form. However, the connections that were established from the start, were very different from the connections that ended the season. One major factor in these heartbreaks was the huge, shocking announcement made by the host Jesse Palmer.  The women on the beach will be forced to leave to go to a private resort, while the men will stay at the beach, but with new women arriving. This announcement was made to test their relationships which for some worked out great, but for others, it didn’t.

One couple that ended the season on a bright note was Michael Allio and Danielle Maltby. When Michael first arrived on the beach, he felt a strong bond with Sierra Jackson, but after their break up, Allio thought he would never find love. However, when Maltby arrived in paradise, the two sparked interest in each other since they both lost their previous partners. At the end of the season, they decided to continue to date each other post-paradise and continue to love each other. Allio and Maltby’s connection was one of my favorites because they both found each other through tough times; therefore, I think they are truly meant to be, and I hope they continue their relationship and eventually get engaged.

However, for Shanae Ankney, the paradise experience didn’t end so well. After exploring many connections, Shanae established a strong relationship with Logan Palmer, who pursued Kate Thurston but ended things in the finale. However, afterward, she explored things with a new arrival, Joey Young. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out between the two, and they both left paradise unhappy. I think that the way things ended between this couple was super awkward, and their connection wasn’t that strong to begin with.

During the split-up, Brittany Galvin was able to start a new relationship with Tyler Cameron. Before the paradise split where the women were forced to leave, Brittany had established a connection with Andrew Spencer.  However, when the original women returned to the beach, Brittany and Andrew ended things, and Brittany continued to date Tyler. I think Brittany and Tyler had a great connection, and even though things seemed to work out in the end, bachelor nation soon finds out that the couple has broken up.

One of the strongest connections, but also filled with the most drama, was the connection between Genevieve Parisi and Aaron Clancy. What started off very strong, ended very badly with this couple. Throughout their time together, the couple experienced several ups and downs, however, after every argument they both made things right which made their connection stronger. In the end, things didn’t work out between the two which I was a bit disappointed about. They seemed to be a strong couple even with their drama, but I do believe the constant fighting led to their break up.

Now, the final two couples who moved on to get engaged were Brandon Jones and Serene Russell as well as Johnny DePhillipo and Victoria Fuller. 

One thing to mention is that the connection between Brandon and Serene was one that many dream of. It was love at first sight between these two, and I think they were the top couple at the beach. They had the strongest connection, and it was no doubt that they would get engaged. In the final episode, they announced that they would be getting married in the near future, and they even confessed their love. “Brandon, I have always yearned for a life-changing love, but I had never seen it or experienced it firsthand. But then I met you,”  Russell said in the 2022 finale.

However, things didn’t end the same way for Johnny and Victoria. During their night in the fantasy suite together, Johnny mentioned how getting engaged is a scary commitment, however, the two were the happiest they’d ever been as they got engaged the next day. The two cried and Victoria expressed, “I know that it’s right, and I know that it’s only right because it’s Johnny,” Fuller said. But, back in the studio set in the finale, Palmer announced that there were social media threads, posts, photos, and videos all across the globe related to rumors that Victoria cheated on Johnny with Greg Grippo. Johnny goes on to explain that they have broken up and are no longer engaged. After a long, intense, back-and-forth conversation, leaving the crowd in shock, Johnny left the stage and Victoria and Greg announced that they are now together. I think what Victoria said about Johnny was incredibly disrespectful, and they ended things so horribly.

Overall, one can see how drama-filled this season was. I think that this season was great because it was so engaging. I would rate this season a 10/10.