The Bachelor franchise has seen its fair share of dramatic breakups. On any given season, a contestant is far more likely to be sent home in tears than find love. Many of the couples who leave the show together also end up splitting. Of all the breakups in Bachelor Nation, few have led fans to declare that “love is dead” like Kendall Long and Joe Amabile. Ahead of their reunion on Bachelor in Paradise Season 7, revisit what led to their breakup in the first place.
The couple met on ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Season 5
Long and Amabile met on the fifth season of Bachelor in Paradise after two very different journeys on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. Long was the third runner-up on Arie Luyendyk’s season. Amabile, conversely, went home on the first night of Becca Kufrin’s season, only to rise to fan-favorite status as “Grocery Store Joe.”
The two quickly hit it off on BIP, but Long was hesitant to make things official. Amabile, who was ready to take the next step, ultimately decided to leave Paradise. After realizing that she wanted to pursue a relationship with him, Long exited the show as well.
The couple reconciled in Chicago and officially began dating.
They broke up after two years together
Amabile moved to Long’s hometown of Los Angeles, where they moved in together. The pair dated for two years and appeared to be entirely committed to their relationship; they even adopted a dog and spoke publicly of engagement. Therefore, their breakup in 2020 came as a surprise to many fans.
According to Long, she was surprised by the split as well.
“It was a little bit of a surprise,” she said to ET. “But I think, ultimately, Joe foresaw his happiness and work in Chicago, and I can’t resent him because of that. And for me, I just never foresaw a future there.”
According to Long, the decision to move became something of an ultimatum in their relationship, especially as they began discussing marriage.
“So I think that it became an ultimatum within itself, where either I move to Chicago or we break up, and I didn’t really wanna have a relationship like that,” she said.
Because of the terms of the breakup, however, the Bachelor in Paradise alums remain friendly. Long noted that they often speak multiple days a week.
Long and Amabile will reunite on ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Season 7
On the latest season of Bachelor in Paradise, the former couple will reunite on the beach. Long joins the cast much later than Amabile, who was one of the first to arrive in Paradise. Because of this, he’s had time to build a relationship with Serena Pitt.
Still, fans wonder if the time in Paradise will be enough to bring the couple back together. They can watch the tearful reunion and potential reconciliation play out this season on Bachelor in Paradise.
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