Family Meeting: Litia Garr

Grant Ellis brought Litia Garr to meet his family in Dominican Republic, marking the first time his parents and sister had been together in nearly a decade. Garr charmed them all, with Ellis’ mom praising her humility and sincerity, while his dad appreciated her readiness for marriage. 

The only issue? Garr wants kids soon, like really soon, while Ellis hopes to travel and enjoy life first. His dad reminded him that love requires flexibility, and by the end of the visit, Ellis and Garr were all in.

“I am the most confident that I’ll be engaged at the end of the week,” Garr said.

Family Meeting: Juliana Pasquarosa 

Juliana Pasquarosa’s turn to meet Ellis’ family kicked off with a concern: is she truly ready for engagement? Ellis’ mom questioned Pasquarosa about her feelings, and while she seemed to see a future with Ellis, she was hesitant to say the L-word before knowing she was the final choice — something his mom saw as a red flag.

“If she doesn’t tell you she loves you, I am asking you to walk away from that,” his mom said.

Ellis defended Pasquarosa, and his dad calmed down the situation by connecting with Pasquarosa. Ellis and his dad later shared an emotional heart-to-heart, where his dad told Ellis how proud he is of him while apologizing for his past mistakes.

“I love the man that you’ve become,” Ellis’ dad said. “I’m not leaving you no more.”

After meeting the family, Pasquarosa and Ellis sat down together to conclude their visit. In a surprising turn, Ellis told Pasquarosa, “I love you” first — after some conversation, she said it back. 

Last Chance Dates:

Ellis’ final dates with Pasquarosa and Garr were his last chance to find clarity and make his decision. On a catamaran, Pasquarosa initially hesitated when asked if she was ready for engagement, but after champagne and swimming, she eventually reassured Ellis that she was all in.

On Garr’s date, the couple went horseback riding and had deep conversations. Ellis asked Garr a few final key questions, including how flexible she is willing to be on her marriage and children timeline. Garr assured Ellis she wants him to feel ready and excited.

Both women left Ellis emotional and torn, and by the morning, he was still just as confused as ever.

The Final Decision:

Ellis picked out a ring, still uncertain of who it was for, as producers pressured him to make a decision. Typically, the first woman to step out of the SUV would be heading home, and in the dreary rain, that woman was Garr. Her too-tight dress forced her into tiny, careful steps as she approached Ellis, unaware of what was coming.

With hope in her voice, Garr delivered her heartfelt pre-proposal speech — only for Ellis to shatter it moments later. Blindsided and furious, she called him out for his mixed signals, making it clear he had some explaining to do with Pasquarosa.

“Juliana is a beautiful woman, and she deserves love,” Garr said. “And I love her. And I would have a lot of questions if I were her, from the things that you’ve said for me. That’s stuff for you guys to work out — that’s none of my business.”

Despite his apologies, Garr wasn’t having it.

Pasquarosa arrived for the final rose, delivering a heartfelt speech before Ellis drops to one knee and proposes — of course, she said yes. At the season reunion, Pasquarosa called their journey a “fever dream” and said they’ve spent the past few months reconnecting. When asked about Ellis’ last-minute indecision, Pasquarosa said she’s given him “grace,” not grief, praising his open heart and thoughtful approach. The couple announced they are moving to Boston to start their future together, but whether they will make it long term remains to be seen.

Review

This finale was one to remember, with some of the final moments teased throughout the entire season. Many viewers had their hesitations with the uncertainty Ellis faced at the end, as “The Bachelor” is prone to making things look a bit more dramatic. 

However, for maybe the first time, the previews did not even do the drama justice. As someone who felt that Garr was not being completely herself throughout the season, her true colors certainly came out the second Ellis rejected her. 

There have been runners-up in the past that have given the bachelor a piece of her mind, like Clare Crawley in season 18, but Garr took it to a whole new level, using Ellis’ own words against him both during the breakup and after the Final Rose. Some of what she mentioned was shocking, including when she said Ellis gave her a journal to write down her feelings during the process so they could read it together once engaged.

Garr expressed her disappointment in Ellis right after he ended things with her and said he was much different than she thought he was. This threw him for a loop and caused him to trip over his words for the remainder of the goodbye. Garr held her composure incredibly until she was in the car, in which she expressed her disappointment in Ellis again and shed a few tears. 

During After the Final Rose, Garr gave Ellis a laundry list of all the things he said to her to make her completely confident that she was his final pick and accused him of not staying true to the values he claimed he embodied throughout the season.

Ellis responded with what now seems like his favorite phrase — “I’m not perfect.” He issued a few apologies to Garr and said he did love her, to which she responded, “I’m excited for this to be the last time that I talk to you about this.”

If Garr wasn’t your favorite during the season, chances are that changed the second her true personality came out, standing up for herself and even Pasquarosa in the process.

Speaking of Pasquarosa, she got her happy ending — an engagement to Ellis and the final rose. Many people were expecting Pasquarosa and Ellis to be broken up by now, especially after the countless times throughout the season Ellis essentially said Garr was his dream woman, but they seem to still be happily together. 

After the Final Rose ended with the host, Jesse Palmer, discussing the next season of “Bachelor in Paradise” and all it will include. Palmer had been teasing a major twist to next season, and at the end of this week’s episode, it was announced: contestants from “The Golden Bachelor” and “The Golden Bachelorette” will be heading to the beach. 

It is not yet clear how exactly this will work and if the “Goldens” and the regular contestants will truly be mixed together watching each other date, but it is sure to be interesting regardless. 

All in all, this season of “The Bachelor” was one for the books, providing entertainment and drama in every episode. Until “Bachelor in Paradise” airs over the summer, it’s time for all of us to find a new brainless series to watch to get our fix. Some recommendations — “Temptation Island,” “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” and “Vanderpump Rules.” 

Happy watching!