Bachelor in Paradise participants eliminated Megan Bell and Clare Crawley and saw JJ Lane quitting for a girl back home during Sunday night's broadcast on ABC.

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The episode began with JJ calling Joe Bailey selfish because Juelia Kinney was so devastated about being played. Dan Cox said no one wanted Joe there anymore. Juelia cried because she knew she'd make an amazing wife but it was probably going to be her last night in Paradise.

Joe was bothered by the fact all the guys were mad at him, but Samantha Steffen told him it didn't matter, that she was there for him and hated all the drama.

Before the Rose Ceremony, Joe addressed the group and apologized for lying about the fact he had communicated with Samantha prior to the show and looked forward to meeting her in Paradise. Joe explained that they didn't engage in any serious conversation because Samantha was afraid of people getting mad at them or believing they had bad intentions, which was exactly what had played out.

Joe told his fellow castmates that he didn't blame people for thinking he had played Juelia for her rose, but he insisted that's not what happened.

Joe also took responsibility for the entire blowup, insisting Samantha didn't deserve any heat. Because Joe sort of owned up to his behavior, Tanner Tolbert -- who had proof in a screenshot that Samantha asked Joe to do whatever it takes to stick around in Paradise so they could get together -- respected Joe but had no respect for Samantha since she refused to come clean.

Meanwhile, Jared Haibon kissed Ashley Iaconetti again and she finally felt like they were on the same page. She was crazy about him and thought they had amazing chemistry.

It became clear Dan and JJ were going to be the wild cards when it came to handing out the roses. Dan had a great first date with Amber James but their relationship was new and Dan was close friends with Juelia. Similarly, JJ enjoyed a date with Megan but also wanted Juelia to find love because she had been through so much in her life.

Juelia, however, didn't want a guy to give up his chance at romance just so she could stay in Paradise. JJ hated the position he was in, especially because Tenley Molzahn was campaigning for him to give his rose to Juelia. JJ saw potential with Megan even though she was being shy and wasn't kissing him.

Juelia then sought out host Chris Harrison to see if there was any way she could remain in Paradise considering she had been betrayed by a guy and left her daughter at home to find love.

Juelia told Chris that she didn't want a sympathy rose from anyone and she had wrongly let Mikey Tenerelli go. Juelia asked if Chris could bring Mikey back because he "went to bat" for her and they had felt an immediate connection in Paradise they just didn't act on.

At the Rose Ceremony, Joshua Albers gave his rose to Tenley, Jared gave his rose to Ashley I, Kirk DeWindt offered his rose to Carly Waddell, Tanner handed his rose to Jade Roper, and then JJ shockingly gave his rose to Ashley Salter. Afterwards, Joe offered Samantha his rose and then Dan gave his rose to Amber after having a brief talk with his friend Carly.

JJ explained Ashley S was his friend and Juelia asked JJ not to give her his rose. As for Dan, he felt it was important to pursue love in his own life although it meant seeing Juelia go home alone.

JJ then stood in front of everyone and revealed he had broken up with an amazing woman at home in Denver to appear on the show. JJ said being on the island every day reminded him of what he had lost and what he really wanted back. The show gave JJ a very heroic portrayal, as he admitted he was going to beg and plead that special girl to take him back.

Megan, Juelia and Clare Crawley were therefore eliminated. Clare told the cameras she was officially retiring from Bachelor in Paradise, while Joe told the cameras, "Boom, gone, game over," as Juelia walked away.

However, on Juelia's way out, Mikey stepped out of a car and hugged her. She was overjoyed and Mikey told her that he had also felt a spark with her at the beginning of the show. Juelia called Mikey her "knight in shining armor" because she couldn't believe he came all the way back to Mexico just to date her. Everyone was so happy for the couple, except for Joe and Samantha.

When Chris told the participants Mikey was brought back because Juelia had been "deceived," Joe told Samantha he looked like the biggest villain in the world because he screwed over a mom and widow. Samantha just kept complaining about having to deal with so much drama.

Tanner then received a date card, and the next morning, he jetted off to Tequila, Mexico with Jade. Tanner couldn't imagine spending a day without Jade, and so he realized he was falling for her. The couple enjoyed a fantasy suite that night and Tanner opened up about his feelings. Tanner told Jade he was falling for her but was afraid they'd go their separate ways after the show and things wouldn't work out.

"I'm all in. I'm falling for you, Jade. It's scary but I like the feeling," Tanner told her.

"I'm falling for you too. My feelings are right there with you and I'm scared too," Jade said, adding that their relationship was real and she cared so much for him. 

"I want to call you my girlfriend," Tanner said.

Jade was thrilled she had become official with Tanner, and she pointed out that they could leave the show possibly more than girlfriend and boyfriend.

Meanwhile, Joe was on Cloud 9 with Samantha, telling the cameras that she could absolutely be his future wife and the mother of his children. Samantha was entirely focused on getting to know him and she didn't plan on giving any other man attention.

Nick Peterson then arrived in Paradise after telling Chris he looked forward to seeing Samantha because they had exchanged text messages and talked on the phone beforehand.

Samantha had apparently already guaranteed Nick she'd go on a date with him, so he intended to ask her immediately even if that meant stealing someone's girl. Nick thought Samantha was "a smokeshow" and she was the only girl he cared to get to know.

Kirk told the cameras it would kill Joe if Samantha accepted Nick's date, but Carly laughed and said Joe would deserve the agony.

In the end, however, Samantha turned down Nick's invitation, and he was shocked. Mikey noted that Samantha probably just felt guilty to leave Joe and had backed herself in a corner. Mikey assumed Samantha would've loved to go on that date with Nick. As a result, Nick asked Ashley S. out since she was basically the only single girl left.

Nick and Ashley S. were supposed to go to a private island for their date, but it was closed due to dangerous hurricane conditions. The pair ended up ripping shots of tequila and getting massages. Nick found Ashley S. gorgeous and energetic. He liked spending time with her but confessed she seemed "a little out there."

Still, he and Ashley S. madeout many times, and she thought they had incredible chemistry. The pair got really drunk together and Ashley S. ended up saying some weird things that turned Nick off.

Back at the villa, it was Joe's 29th birthday, and she said he was the luckiest guy in the world to be able to celebrate it with Samantha. The cast made fun of Joe for following Samantha around like "a lovesick puppy," and he admitted he was paranoid because Samantha was way out of his league. Joe felt things were too good to be true, and he later found out they were.

Samantha was becoming increasingly more distant from Joe. Joe could tell she was acting different, and she explained that it was difficult to hear so many bad things about him. She questioned whether Joe was really the nice guy she had originally believed him to be. Joe felt insecure and realized Samantha was slipping through his fingers.

Later on, Jared told a few of the guys it "just wasn't there" with Ashley I. Jared acknowledged her feelings were much stronger for him and so it was important to break things off before she got really hurt. While Jared was getting ready to dump Ashley I, she thought he was planning a cute at-home date just for the two of them.

Much to Ashley I's surprise, Jared explained he wanted her to experience Paradise with other guys. He didn't want to hold her back from going on other dates. Jared didn't want to fake having something significant with Ashley I just to get her rose, so he decided to be open with her and communicate how he was feeling. Jared called Ashley I the sweetest person he's ever met but insisted there just wasn't enough chemistry between them.

Jared basically said he wasn't over Kaitlyn Bristowe, and Ashley I started bawling. She asked Jared to leave her alone and then called Kaitlyn, asking her what she had done to Jared to make him so "obsessed" with her. Kaitlyn didn't really know what to say. Ashley I cried to the cameras about how she had been intimidated by Jared's perfection and she wished she hadn't been so shy around him.

Samantha also dumped Joe. She said things happened really fast, and although he seemed like a nice guy, she could no longer deal with all the drama that surrounded him and their relationship. Samantha was seeing red flags, but Joe was disappointed she didn't just believe what he was telling her. Samantha confessed she wanted to be herself in Paradise and go on other dates.

Joe didn't understand why Samantha changed her mind about them and said she wasn't the girl he thought she was if she was more concerned about her image than making something work with a great guy. Joe noted that if the tables were turned, he'd be at Samantha's side through all of this.

While Samantha revealed to the group Joe wasn't "the one," Joe talked to Joshua about outing Samantha because she was acting like "a b-tch" and they had exchanged about "700 text messages" in a month before the show filmed. Joe explained to Joshua that Samantha had asked him to do whatever it takes in Paradise to stick around for her. Joe said he just followed Samantha's orders.

Joe felt completely backstabbed and insisted he was ready to "clear the air and watch them squirm." He said he had "the cold hard facts" and was prepared to blow up Samantha's spot.

In a preview for an upcoming episode, Tanner was shown saying Joe fell on the sword for Samantha and then she took it out and stabbed him with it.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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