When the going gets tough

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This week Emily put her bachelors to the ultimate tests. It was interesting to see who shined and who caved under the pressure. With the tests aside, the dates this week were the best so far. There was a lot of chemistry between the bachelorette and her suitors, and it was hard not to swoon over the adventurous yet romantic dates.

Emily’s first date was with Chris and it was full of adrenaline. The pair climbed the side of the Mint Museum here in Charlotte to get to dinner. When the weather turned stormy, you could tell Emily was nervous. However, Chris did a great job putting her mind at ease. His protective side was sweet, but what impressed me the most was his respect for her. Chris didn’t rush into kissing Emily, he waited until the moment was right. He was all about making her comfortable and he quickly became one of my favorites.

As the first of two tests for the night, we also got to watch her friends grill the guys. You could tell the girls were having fun with it, but they took the interviews seriously, too. The “friends test” allowed us to get to know Sean. He really impressed her friends; in fact, I think they may have been drooling a little. I’m not surprised he got the date rose, but I’m glad they liked Doug, too.

Doug and Sean stood out during the “kids test” as well. Some of the other bachelors weren’t as impressive, like Ryan. I felt his priorities were wrong when he walked away to find Emily. Instead of proving he could be great with kids, he was more interested in flirting. Then he implied that he didn’t want Emily to gain weight. In just a few minutes, Ryan proved that he wasn’t the right guy for her. We'll see how long it takes her to see the side we've started to see!

Emily’s second date was with Arie. The trip to Dollywood was full of adventure and I loved Emily’s smile when Dolly Parton showed up. Not only did it make her so happy, but Dolly was able to give her a little more of that woman’s intuition. With the judgments of her friends and Dolly, Emily is heading in a good direction.

Arie and Emily’s dinner conversation was also interesting. He was the only bachelor who was armed with questions for Emily. They were able to really discuss their expectations for each other and it looks like they are on the same page. Oh and that kiss on the carousel? Very romantic!

While Emily’s dates with Arie and Chris were filled with chemistry, there were also a lot of tense moments with the remaining bachelors. When Kalon asked Emily to stop talking, she finally saw how condescending he can be. I was amazed he wasn’t sent home. Alessandro also disappointed Emily. When he said her daughter was a compromise, she sent him home right away. Although, I did wonder if there was a bit of a language barrier -- in other languages the root of 'compromise' indicates more of a duty or obligation. We'll never know!

Tony also didn’t make it to the rose ceremony. Although it was hard for her, Tony was really missing his son. Emily knows how hard the “Bachelor/Bachelorette” experience can be as a parent, and for him, she knew it was the right decision to send him home.

When it was finally time for the rose ceremony, there was only one bachelor going home. Tonight she chose Stevie.

Sean, Arie, and Chris really stood out in tonight’s episode. Emily looked happy, which reaffirmed her own belief that she could find love. With that being said, the remaining bachelors will have to step up their game. Emily is looking to find a husband for herself and a father for Ricki. As the going gets tougher, the bachelors will have to prove they’re ready for the role.

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