Former Bachelorette Rachel Recchia may be getting another shot at love.
“This is crazy getting a second chance,” Rachel, 27, says in a Monday, August 21, first look at Bachelor in Paradise season 9, after sharing a passionate kiss with who appears to be Jordan Vandergriff. “I think things happen for a reason.”
Rachel met Jordan during season 19 of The Bachelorette, in which she starred alongside Gabby Windey. Despite wanting “to like [Jordan] a lot” when they dated last year, Rachel told a producer during the ABC series that the twosome were missing a spark and he was sent home on week two.
Rachel later got engaged in Mexico to Tino Franco during the season 19 finale, but their relationship was short-lived. The pair called it quits after Tino kissed another woman while they were going through a hard time in their relationship post-filming. While Aven Jones, who made it to Rachel’s final two, showed up to woo her during her After the Final Rose special later that year, Rachel ultimately left her season single.
Now, Rachel is hoping for romance on BiP season 9 — and Jordan isn’t the only person vying for her heart. In Monday’s teaser, the reality star also catches the eye of former season 20 Bachelorette contestant Brayden Bowers.
Despite winning Charity Lawson’s first impression rose earlier this year, Bowers eventually quit the show in week four when Lawson chose Aaron Bryan as the group date winner. While he returned two dates later, he exited for good shortly after when he realized he was “getting in over [his] head.”
Now, however, Brayden is seemingly more ready for romance, telling Rachel during a champagne toast, “Cheers to finding someone who can match my crazy.”
Rachel may have multiple men competing for her heart, but not everything appears to be fun and games. She can later be seen crying during a confessional as she confesses, “I don’t want to do this.”
Elsewhere in the teaser, season 17 Bachelorette Katie Thurston makes a surprise appearance on the island, where ex-fiancé Blake Moynes is also looking for love.
Katie, 32, accepted a proposal from Blake, 33, during the August 2021 finale of The Bachelorette season 17. At the time, viewers were questioning whether she was over Greg Grippo, who quit after a tense hometown date.
By October 2021, the pair called off their engagement and less than one month later, Katie announced she started dating fellow season 17 contestant John Hersey, whom she had remained close to since sending him home in week 2. After dating for less than one year, however, Katie and John called it quits.
“I don’t think Blake’s going to be happy I’m here,” Katie tells host Jesse Palmer in Monday’s BiP trailer. As the exes come face to face, Blake warns, “I don’t think there’s a worse scenario.”
Medical emergencies — including a “poop baby” — tearful breakdowns, truth boxes gone wrong and a wedding are just some of the other explosive moments to come on season 9 of the ABC dating series.
“Who will leave in tears and who will decide to get married in paradise?” Palmer asks before the camera cuts to a couple exchanging vows as he officiates the ceremony.
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Bachelor in Paradise premieres Thursday, September 28, at 9 p.m. ET.
