‘Bachelor’ fantasy suite recap: Did Duke grad Zoe get a rose after overnight date?
This season of “The Bachelor” is coming to a close and we’re getting closer to finding out if a Duke University graduate took home the final rose.
After a hometown date in her home of New York City, Zoe McGrady is among the three women left hoping to win the heart of Grant Ellis.
In Monday night’s episode, the group headed to the Dominican Republic for more one-on-one time with Grant and potentially overnight dates in the fantasy suite. That’s all leading up to the last group rose ceremony of the season — and maybe a proposal.
So let’s get to it (and avoid reading any further if you want to skip spoilers!)
Here’s a recap of what happened during Monday night’s episode and who got eliminated.
Advice about the ‘slow burn’
The first date of the week went to Juliana, with Zoe next in line for the alone time.
Going into fantasy suite week, an eager but nervous Zoe chatted with another Bachelor Nation star about her feelings.
As the contestant going into overnight dates with the least amount of time spent with Grant, she got a lot of insight from Rachel Nance from Joey Graziadei’s — who happened to be in the same position last year. Zoe is the only one in the final group not to have had a date with Grant, so she feels like she’s playing catch-up in getting to know him.
“Now is the scary part, because this is where people can get hurt, and it’s also where I’m still trying to figure some stuff out,” Zoe said. “We haven’t had a chance to really talk about just like those little lifestyle things, future things, like what does raising a family look like?”
With it being the “final countdown” to the final rose, Rachel encouraged her to get the clarity she needed, but to also enjoy her time with him.
“I think it was great to talk through it before I talk to Grant because I am feeling optimism that we do have a connection and that we can grow it within the time frame that we have and that we can get to the point by the end of it that we both trust each other and see a future,” Zoe told producers.
With a date designed to focus on a connection, Zoe and Grant took part in a silent yoga session.
Despite being newbies to the practice, the two ended up finding their groove — between a lot of giggles — to connect with one another through different poses.
But by the dinner portion of the date, the two got time to speak more about where things stand between the two of them.
“Although things have been a little bumpy here and there, I think that maybe we’re exactly when we’re supposed to be,” Grant told her. “I know obviously we didn’t get a one-on-one date but I decided, I said ‘Zoe has so much potential and she’s such an amazing woman that regardless of us not having a one-on-one date, I want to see more about her.’”
But Zoe was honest with him. She felt like she didn’t know much about him, which led to them opening up about their past experiences and future desires in a long-term relationship — and a night together in the fantasy suite.
“Grant and I have a lot of similarities in our upbringing. I think that gives us a sense of empathy and understanding for one another,” she told producers. “I’m even surprised about how similar our outlooks are because of that. This conversation has definitely gotten us closer to me envisioning us at the end of this.”
The next morning, over a picnic on the beach, the two both said they felt good about their relationship and how they understood how much they want to build better families than what they had. Grant even said he had no doubt they could make that happen.
But is his relationship with Zoe as strong as his connections with Litia and Juliana?
He told Litia he loved her — feelings that she reciprocated.
Who got eliminated and did not receive a rose?
Litia and Juliana are Grant’s final two, leaving Zoe without a rose.
She held her head high as Grant walked her out.
“Saying goodbye to Zoe is really hard and I’m happy that I got to know her because Zoe is an amazing woman,” Grant told producers. “But ultimately, Zoe and I weren’t in a place to get married. We just weren’t.”
In an emotional goodbye, Zoe told Grant that she was genuinely excited for him to find love.
“It’s been hard to find love in my life,” Zoe said, wiping away some tears. “The tough exterior is obviously built for a reason and underneath it is just a small girl looking for love and people who care about her.
“I’m still deserving of romance, and the right man will see that and they’ll think that I’m deserving of that and they’ll give me all the amazing things and I’ll do the same to them,” Zoe said.
“I know that I’m ready to be an amazing partner to my person when I find them.”
Next week promises to be just as dramatic as Grant’s family gives him guidance as he makes the toughest decision yet.
What happened on previous episodes of ‘The Bachelor’?
How to watch ‘The Bachelor’
You can tune in and watch “The Bachelor” every Monday at 8 p.m. on ABC and the next day on Hulu.
This story was originally published March 17, 2025 at 9:28 PM with the headline "‘Bachelor’ fantasy suite recap: Did Duke grad Zoe get a rose after overnight date?."
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