If you don't find love the first time around in The Bachelor franchise, you can always try and try again on Bachelor in Paradise. Both The Bachelor and The Bachelorette have multiple men and women vying for the heart of one person, so the odds are more in the contestants' favor on Paradise for ending up with an elusive ring before the season is over. But then there are those hypothetical couples from Bachelor -past that didn't get a fair shot at Bachelor in Paradise , either because they arrived too late or they didn't receive a rose. Either way, it was just too bad these pairings never got the chance they may have hoped to receive.
Unlike its sibling shows, Bachelor in Paradise is essentially the franchise's second-chance-at-finding-love show, sending former contestants to Paradise (aka Mexico) to pair up on their own. Sounds simple enough, but it doesn't always go so smoothly. Every week, a new blast from Bachelor or Bachelorette past shows up to reignite new flames or rivalries, which then sometimes stops relationships from blossoming. And then the cycle continues. Even though BiP Season 3 ended with three engagements, not everyone is lucky enough to emerge from Paradise newly coupled — or with a bid to be the next Bachelor, like Nick Viall. But the duos below could've had a shot.
1. Nick Viall & Amanda Stanton
Nick arrived in Paradise first and had a good time on a date with Amanda — but then his old Bachelorette rival Josh Murray rolled through. After Josh and Amanda bonded, there was no turning back and Amanda and Nick will always have that unfufilled potential.
2. Joshua Albers & Lauren Iaconetti
Lauren hoped for a date with Joshua when he arrived in Mexico during Season 2 with a date card. One problem: He asked Tenley out and not Lauren. So Lauren picked up and left, but not without telling viewers that she's the other woman in a relationship back home. Ouch.
3. Joe Bailey & Juelia Kinney
Joe asked out Juelia during Season 2 and confessed he was only after her rose, because he was waiting for Samantha. If only he had given Juelia a real chance.
4. Jared Haibon & Clare Crawley
After a super fun bungee jumping date, Clare was excited about a potential Season 2 relationship with Jared — but he shut it down due to their age difference. It's too bad.
5. Justin Reich & Samantha Steffen
When Justin arrived in Paradise, he asked out Samantha, but she said no, because she was involved with Joe. Would he and Cassandra have still ended up together if Samantha had accepted that date? I guess viewers will never know.
6. Chris Bukowski & Tenley Molzahn
Last year, the former Bachelorette contestant decided to quit reality TV after he got drunk and got rejected by Tenley during Bachelor in Paradise. All fans have are the "what-ifs" — what if Chris had arrived, took it easy on the booze, and asked out Tenley as a sober gentleman? Who knows what the result would've been.
7. Jared & Jaclyn Swartz
These two came thisclose to going on a date in Paradise — I mean, it was clear that Jaclyn was going to ask — but then Ashley I. got there first with her own date card and relentless pursuit of Jared in BiP Season 2. Jaclyn was not pleased and nothing (that we know of) ever happened between these two.
8. Ashley I. & Jared
Talk about a will-they-or-won't-they thrill ride of a friendship — for Ashley, anyway. She and Jared tried dating during Bachelor in Paradise Season 2, but it didn't work out and the duo stayed best friends. That seemed to work out for them, but when they both appeared on Season 3, Ashley made it clear she still wanted more from Jared. Unfortunately for her, Jared wanted to date Caila Quinn.
9. Leah Block & Chad Johnson
The former Bachelor contestant showed up in Mexico ready to ask out Season 3's rebel, but Hurricane Chad drunkenly insulted everyone and stormed out of the show. Alas, their mutual love of protein powder has fulfilled its romantic potential.
10. Wells Adams & Shushanna Mkrtychyan
When Shushanna arrived on Season 3, she asked out Wells, who was courting multiple women at the time, including Jami and Ashley I. He gave his rose to Ashley, showing that he wanted to focus his romantic efforts on her. Could it have worked out with Shushanna? They seemed to have a good time, but now fans will never know.
11. Carl King & Emily Ferguson
These two connected on a physical level during a Season 3 date on a booze cruise, but that seemed to be it. Emily and twin sister Haley quit the season during the fourth week and Carl was eliminated. I guess they can always try to give it a go in the real world.
So just like real life, sometimes it's all about timing when it comes to finding love on Bachelor in Paradise — and some couples will just have to forever wonder "what if."
Image: Rick Rowell/ABC
