Rachel “Made Mistakes” Before Her Bachelor In Paradise Exit

The third time wasn’t the charm for Rachel Recchia on Bachelor in Paradise. After previously appearing on The Bachelor and co-leading The Bachelorette, Rachel self-eliminated during Season 9’s ninth episode and left Mexico a single woman.

Her promising start in Paradise at first suggested a happier ending could’ve been in the cards. Despite failed BiP romances with Brayden Bowers and Tanner Courtad, she was “so excited” when she got another chance with late arrival Jordan Vandergriff, who appeared on her and Gabby Windey’s joint Bachelorette season.

“I deserve someone who is all-in on me, and Jordan could be that person,” she said during the episode, adding that there was “no one else” she’d rather give her rose to at the ceremony later that evening.

What Went Wrong

Jordan wasn’t quite on the same page, though. “I do feel a connection with Rachel,” he said. “We had a great date, and it was great to go out with her and have fun.” However, he wanted to “explore things” with Mercedes Northup, who’d just broken up with Tyler Norris.

At the rose ceremony, Jordan coupled with Mercedes, leaving Rachel with only two contestants remaining: Brayden and Taylor Pegg. Holding the final rose, Rachel decided she needed a second and walked away.

Host Jesse Palmer followed her. “I think I might need to go,” she told him. “When I came down those steps, I told myself if there was a point where I knew I [needed] to go, I would go. And it’s gonna be so hard, but I think I know that this is that moment.”

Rachel Says Goodbye

Rachel didn’t leave without saying goodbye, though, and the final cast members gave her a group hug.

“Even if I’m not leaving with anyone, for me, Paradise has been just being able to stand on my own two feet for the first time,” she said. “I feel like I was meant to be here in Paradise, even though I don’t have a partner I’m walking away with. It’s just been the most amazing experience, and I’m just happy. But it’s sad because it’s ending.”

Rachel’s Regrets

Before her BiP exit, Rachel appeared on a recent Bachelor Happy Hour podcast and discussed how she “made mistakes” and might have handled things differently. For starters, she would have talked with Tanner, who’d just given her his rose, before she went on a date with Jordan — but she was worried about getting friend-zoned.

“Now, looking back, I absolutely should’ve been like, ‘Are we friends and what do you think?’” Rachel told co-hosts Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt. “But at the time, I didn’t want to be embarrassed and have Tanner be like, ‘Why are you pulling me?’ It was a very weird week.”

Heading into her final BiP rose ceremony, Rachel still had feelings for Tanner, despite saying on the show that she was “not considering” choosing him. (Tanner eventually accepted Jess Girod’s rose, following her and Blake Moynes’ split.)

“In that moment, it was really hard to say which connection was strongest because Tanner just came out of nowhere in my mind,” she said on Bachelor Happy Hour. “The romantic part of our connection came out of nowhere, and I really wanted to explore what could be with him while Jordan was going to explore as well.”