'Bachelor in Paradise' Season 7 finale: Kenny and Mari, Maurissa and Riley, and Joe and Serena get engaged after Becca dumps Thomas and Abigail and Noah break-up

Bachelor in Paradise featured three couples getting engaged, Becca Kufrin dumping Thomas Jacobs and seemingly regretting it, and an update on Abigail Heringer and Noah Erb's relationship post-filming during Tuesday night's Season 7 finale broadcast on ABC.


The three couples who left Paradise engaged were Kenny Braasch and Mari Pepin-Solis, Maurissa Gunn and Riley Christian, and Joe "Grocery Store Joe" Amabile and Serena Pitt.

The Bachelor in Paradise finale began with all the couples having fun at "Paradise Prom," except for Abigail, who just got dumped by Noah unexpectedly and felt totally blindsided and betrayed.

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Noah said he loved all the time he had spent with Abigail and really wanted their relationship to work out, but Abigail expressed how he had caught her totally off-guard considering he had initiated the conversation about falling in love and she was just about to tell him that she reciprocated his strong feelings.


"You were pushing me to open up, and that f-cking hurts," Abigail lamented, adding that if Noah was feeling like Abigail wasn't his "person," he never should have dropped the L-bomb.

Abigail broke down crying in her hands and said, "I don't want to do this anymore. I honestly don't know what you want me to say. I don't. There is nothing else to say."

"I want to say goodbye," Noah noted, before hugging Abigail.

Noah insisted he had no regrets about sticking with Abigail the whole time in Paradise and trying to make their romance work. He just believed in his heart the relationship simply didn't work out and he and Abigail weren't meant to be.

"I don't recall even one time lying to her. Even her bringing up me saying, 'I'm starting to fall in love with you,' I'm not lying about that," Noah said in his final words.


"I had fun, we loved each other's company, and it was effortless. As far as us being each other's soul mates, that's the shame of this whole thing. We were great, but weren't that... It's just another chapter of life."

Abigail then told her friends that Noah had left and she was going to leave Paradise as well, which apparently shocked and blew everybody away.

Everybody in the cast clearly felt for Abigail and determined Noah's choice "was not cool." Serena even cried, feeling so sad for the couple since they had broken up.

Abigail said she felt "numb" when leaving Paradise alone and would need some time to process everything.

"What hurts the most about all of this, is he said he was falling in love, and for him to just give no indication that anything was wrong or he was having any doubts, yeah it f-cking hurts," Abigail cried in a confessional.


"Why would he get me all happy and excited, just to take that away from me?"

Abigail ultimately determined, "Honestly, I think he's just scared, that he's holding back and using his gut feeling as an excuse. But I can't convince him to stay with me and work it out. That's something he needs to figure out on his own. I really thought we were going to leave together."

Since Abigail and Noah's romance had been "inspiring" to others in Paradise, according to Mari, the group wondered who else might be experiencing similar doubts and concerns to what Noah had been going through.

Serena cried to the cameras, saying she was terrified to get her heart broken like Abigail.

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The next day, the cast began questioning what they really want out of the show, and Joe said everyone was looking forward to a much-needed cocktail party to have some serious conversations.

Joe said each couple had to determine whether they wanted to break up, leave together, or get engaged.

Natasha Parker wondered where Ed Waisbrot's head was at and if he was more interested in Mykenna Dorn.

The group then gathered together, and bartender and "Master of Ceremonies" Wells Adams announced the cocktail party was going to be canceled and he hoped everyone made the most of their time at "Paradise Prom."

Anna Redman expected James Bonsall to "tap out" after that announcement, and Tia Booth had been hoping to have a serious chat with Aaron Clancy about whether they should keep dating on and after the show.


It then became time for Bachelor in Paradise's fifth Rose Ceremony. Wells asked the seven men to take their decisions seriously, and two women were aware they'd be going home that night.

Joe kicked the ceremony off by giving his rose to Serena, and he told the bachelorette that he never wanted to let go of her.

Riley, feeling secure in his relationship, gave Maurissa his rose and noted he was "excited" about their future together.

Kenny offered his rose to Mari and said their romance in Paradise was just the beginning for them, even though the process was coming to an end.

Thomas handed his rose to Becca, saying they had "a big week" full of conversation.

Thomas explained to the cameras how he wanted to leave the show with Becca and could picture himself falling "madly in love" with the Season 14 The Bachelorette star and giving her all the love she could possibly ask for.


James then gave his rose to Anna, sharing how he wanted to see where their connection could go, and Anna said it had been a long time since she had "vibed so well" with someone.

Aaron announced he wanted to give a rose to Tia and she had been a surprise to him, and then Ed handed out the final rose of the evening to Mykenna because he wanted to continue exploring their relationship.

Ed's decision resulted in Natasha and Chelsea Vaughn getting eliminated.

"I'm just really sad. I've worked really hard to try to be an understanding and caring and patient person," Natasha said through tears on her way out. "And for whatever reason, that's not enough. It sucks to leave like this."

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Natasha apparently learned she must trust herself more in relationships.


"I always get the short end of the stick, and I'm tired of it. The older I get, the harder it gets," Natasha vented in her final words.

The next day, only seven women and seven men remained, and Wells met with the group again during breakfast to prepare them for another big announcement.

Wells welcomed Bachelor in Paradise Season 6 couple Dean Unglert and Caelynn Miller-Keyes, who proceeded to give the cast members some advice and hope for the future.

"This woman gave me a chance, and now we are more in love than ever before," Dean announced after referencing how he had made a lot of mistakes on the show prior to meeting Caelynn.

"Not a day goes by when I'm not grateful for Paradise bringing us together."

Dean then declared Paradise "over," and Caelynn explained how Fantasy Suite dates would take place that evening and each couple needed to decide if they were serious enough to stay together and take that next step.


Thomas said he didn't know where Becca stood, and Tia admitted she was totally stressed out about the news. Tia said she and Aaron had a fun and flirty connection but she wasn't sure where it would go from there.

Anna told the girls that she'd like to explore her relationship with James further, and James agreed he had been laughing with the bachelorette and enjoying her company -- although he wasn't necessarily convinced what they had could turn into love.

Kenny expressed to the other guys how Mari may not be ready for a really serious relationship and could have been scared to miss out on being single in her twenties since she's only 25 years old and he's 40, but he knew he didn't want to break it off with her.

Kenny pulled Mari aside for a chat and suggested that he felt love at first sight with her. Kenny needed to know they were on the same page about their future, and Mari insisted she's always wanted to get married young and was in a different place from other women her age.

"If Kenny proposes, I am definitely saying 'yes,'" Mari gushed in a confessional.

Meanwhile, Becca admitted to her girlfriends that she felt "anxious." Becca said she needed "more humanity and more realness" from Thomas and so she was "struggling" about how to proceed.


Thomas said what he felt with Becca was "special" and "not easily found," and so he suggested they should have an overnight date. But Becca appeared torn; she said she never expected to connect with a man in Mexico so deeply.

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Becca called Thomas "a pleasant surprise" and complimented him for being supportive and positive, but she confessed that he almost seemed "too good to be true," which scared her.

Becca said she didn't 100 percent, fully know Thomas, and so she decided to stop their journey on the show and not go into a Fantasy Suite date together.

Thomas seemed devastated and said he was "falling in love" with Becca, but she countered, "I haven't seen any of that!... We have had time."

Thomas explained they shouldn't call off "a potential life" together just because they were having fun and things were "too good." He said he just couldn't make sense of that.


"There is just something missing -- something more that is lacking," Becca admitted. "I feel like I see a part of Thomas but I don't see all of Thomas. I just haven't gotten that from you."

"I think the only way I can show you that is by trusting your decision right now," Thomas replied.

Thomas started to cry, wishing Becca had seen all sides to him, but he said he'd live with her decision if it made her feel happy and content.

As Thomas headed out of the resort, Becca ran after him and assured him that she really cared about him. Thomas begged Becca to just let him go, but she said what they had was real and special.

But Becca trusted her gut and gave Thomas another hug goodbye.

"It sucks that I'm now seeing another side of Thomas that I wanted to see throughout this entire time and it's under these circumstances," Becca said in tears after leaving Paradise.


"He was like, 'Just leave me with and have faith in us.' I've never heard that from a guy before. I didn't hear that from the last two guys I was engaged to, that's for sure."

Becca was referring to her first ex-fiance Arie Luyendyk Jr. and her second ex-fiancee Garrett Yrigoyen.

Becca said she initially felt confident in her decision but then she found herself "torn" after Thomas pleaded with her to give him a chance and showed some real heart and emotion.

Afterward, Ed told the cameras he'd love to have a Fantasy Suite with Mykenna and really liked her and had connected with her, but the pair had just met the day before and Mykenna acknowledged she wasn't ready for that big step with him and wanted to end things.

Mykenna said something was "missing" for her and them as a couple wasn't meant to be. Mykenna also explained how they live far apart and a long-distance relationship would be tough since they hadn't established a strong foundation.

As Ed persisted and kept fighting for Mykenna, the bachelorette determined it would be best to go their separate ways and leave Paradise as single individuals -- and then Ed jokingly yelled out, "Boys, I've been dumped!"


Anna then had a conversation with James. Anna said she really liked James and hoped he felt the same way about her in return and would want to continue their romance in Paradise, but James gently shut her down.

"I don't think I'm in the place right now where I can see us falling in love," James responded. "We owe it to ourselves to not adjust our standard of what we're looking for."

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Anna said she felt "slightly led on," which James insisted was the last thing he had wanted to do. James apologized and shared with Anna how it hadn't been an easy decision to make.

Anna left the show upset and defeated, saying James letting her go "stung more" than she thought it would and she "should've known better."

Anna said she wanted it so bad and wished her romance with James was real, but James explained that he was certain Anna is not his "person" or "The One" for him.


James then asked Aaron to ride it out of Paradise with him, continuing their strong "bromance," and Aaron immediately agreed and pulled Tia aside for a chat. Aaron spoke really quickly and said he wanted to leave with James, and all Tia could do was laugh.

Aaron told Tia that he wanted her phone number, and then he ran off into the sunset -- on James' back.

"I came here looking for a big love story, but I came here and found a best friend. Maybe I did find love in Paradise, with an unexpected person in Aaron, but that's the way the cookie crumbles!" James joked on his way out.

Tia therefore packed her bags and left Paradise as well. Tia left single and proud, saying she was done dating in Paradise forever and would never return to Mexico again to look for love.

Afterward, Riley psyched Maurissa out, making her think that he was about to dump her when he was just formally inviting her into the Fantasy Suite date with him. It was clear Maurissa's heart dropped in her chest and she playfully yelled at Riley for fooling her.

"I love Riley. I love that man. I want to have a romantic night, that time away from everybody else just to be able to see what life will be like outside of Paradise," Maurissa gushed. "I am ready to go to the end with him. Who loves Riley? Riss loves Riley!"


Serena also confirmed that she loved Joe and wanted to tell him that soon. She realized it was "now or never" since the summer was about to end.

Joe complimented Serena on how she handled Kendall Long being at the same resort, revealing her behavior was part of the reason why he had fallen for her. Joe also thanked Serena for convincing him to stay in Paradise and let his guard down.

Serena shared with Joe how he had given her butterflies and their connection just felt "right." The pair therefore agreed to have their first Fantasy Suite date with each other considering Serena had dumped Matt James after hometown dates on his The Bachelor season.

"I'm in love with you," Serena said on the beach before kissing her man.

"I was going to say that later! You're saying it now?! I love you too," Joe replied. "Very much so."

Serena said the experience had brought out the best in her and she was really happy to be in Joe's arms. Serena told the cameras she never expected this and Joe was such a good surprise.


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As a result, the three couples who enjoyed Fantasy Suites off-camera, alone, and without distractions were Joe and Serena, Maurissa and Riley, and Kenny and Mari.

Dean and Caelynn asked the pairs to ask each other difficult questions such as, "Would you be willing to move to my city?"

Joe just hoped Serena wouldn't flip on him and get cold feet before Fantasy Suites like Kendall had on Bachelor in Paradise's fifth season when Kendall had dumped him.

But Serena admitted to Joe during the dinner portion of their overnight date she had never been so scared of losing someone and getting her heartbroken before. In turn, Joe shared how one conversation with Serena left him feeling like he could fall in love with her.

"There's a part of me that wanted to run away from that because I was probably scared of it. But when we said we were falling in love with each other, it was real, and it meant more to me than anything that's ever happened to me," Joe gushed.


Joe said it was easy to talk about his feelings with Serena and he really loved her and she "could be The One." Serena was also "so in love" with Joe and acknowledged it would be very hard for her to say "no" to Joe if he decided to pop the question the next day.

Meanwhile, Mari assured Kenny that she wasn't interested in partying anymore and she had become an adult at a young age, when she needed to step up and care for herself. Mari said she got an "odd" feeling around Kenny she had never experienced before.

Kenny said his family doesn't say "I love you" to one another and they tease each other frequently; however, he could confidently tell Mari, "I think, I mean, I know that I love you."

"I love you too," Mari replied.

Kenny couldn't believe he had found the love of his life on Bachelor in Paradise, and Mari said she felt very secure in what they had and could only be 12 hours away from an engagement.

During Maurissa and Riley's dinner, Maurissa told Riley that he's definitely her "person," but Riley pointed out how he was nervous about the idea of an engagement, especially since she hadn't even met his mother yet.


Riley told Maurissa everything he wanted, a wife and children, was so close and he just hoped he wouldn't fumble the ball. Riley said all he wanted was to wake up next to his wife on Sunday morning, listening to his daughter's little feet running into the room and asking for breakfast.

Riley said he didn't want anything more than quality family time and he could see that future with Maurissa, which he noted felt "unbelievably good."

"I know for certain that I love you. I have no question, and it's the greatest feeling ever," Riley told Maurissa.

"I love you too," she responded, wondering if everything was too good to be true because Riley was the man she had been waiting for her entire life.

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Maurissa told the cameras that Riley was going to be her future husband and she didn't want to live another day without him.


Maurissa went on to lick whipped cream off Riley's chest, and Kenny served Mari an appetizer of tacos completely naked, teasing her that the next course would be delivered soon. Joe also quickly kicked the cameras out after making out with Serena on their bed for the night.

The next day, Joe confirmed he and Serena had taken their relationship to the next level physically and emotionally. After an incredible night, he felt totally confident in what he had with Serena and ready to get engaged.

And both Maurissa and Mari were head over heels for their men and just hoped they wouldn't get cold feet about the future and potentially getting engaged.

When Riley left Maurissa in the morning, he apparently whispered in her ear that he didn't know if he was ready for a marriage proposal and could go through with something like that. Maurissa therefore felt "crushed," knowing her partner felt unsure -- maybe about her.

"It hurts... If you would've asked me this morning, I was happy, ecstatic and confident about how today was going to go, but now, I'm honestly unsure. I want to be engaged and I want him," Maurissa lamented.

Going into the big finale, Kenny said getting engaged to a person so soon was "insane" but he'd be an "idiot" not to wife Mari up and he was absolutely crazy about the girl.


Mari, wearing a long floral white dress with her hair down and curled, then met Kenny -- who had "100 percent of her heart" -- on the beach.

Mari told Kenny she had entered Paradise with high hopes and their first two days were magical. Mari, scared what they had was too perfect, ran away from him -- only to fight for him and win him back. Mari said she felt like the luckiest woman in the world to be with him.

Kenny said in reply that he was "blown away" by Mari's beauty at first sight and felt something entirely new for her. Kenny said they had been tested like no other couple in Paradise.

Kenny's hands were shaking and he needed to pause and take a deep breath, before yelling, "Mari, I am so f-cking in love with you! And I can't see my life without you. You are an amazing woman and you've changed my whole outlook on life."

Kenny therefore got down on one knee with his "old bones" and presented Mari with a Neil Lane ring.

"I asked Mari to mar-ry me!" Kenny quipped, before Mari and Kenny each exchanged a final rose. "This is my fiancee. We are engaged!"


Riley and Maurissa's big moment was up next, and Maurissa showed up to the Final Rose Ceremony in a blue jumpsuit with a plunging neckline.

Maurissa explained how her life had been full of letdowns and broken promises until she met him and was able to find out what a real man is. Maurissa essentially called Riley her "dream," saying fairy tales do exist after all.

"I knew I loved you the first night that I met you. You were adventurous and passionate, and I knew I was going to do whatever I needed to, to make you mine. And today I know I want to make you mine forever," Maurissa gushed.

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After Maurissa repeated how she loved Riley and he made her feel safe and protected, it was Riley's turn to express himself.

Riley said he had been searching for something special, something one cannot always see. Riley had been waiting for butterflies, a fast heartbeat and goosebumps on his arms.


"I know that that feeling is love. So Maurissa, I love you -- and I've loved you since our very first date," Riley said. "But I just need to be sure."

With that said, Riley got down on one knee and asked Maurissa to marry him. Maurissa cried in her hands and repeated, "Yes, yes!"

Maurissa showed off her bling and Riley proudly shouted, "Yeah, I did that! I did that! I love this girl!"

And last but not least, Joe said his love for Serena was "undeniable" and he was ready for one of the biggest moments of his life -- to propose marriage to Serena.

But instead of Serena, Kendall approached Joe on the beach in a pink and orange dress!

Joe looked totally shocked and Kendall acknowledged she's probably not what Joe had been expecting. Kendall, on the verge of tears, explained she had entered Paradise with the intention of finding closure with Joe and then starting a new relationship with an open heart.


But instead, Kendall said her journey on the show was actually about letting Joe go.

"You're an amazing person, and I'm really excited for you and Serena. And I felt I couldn't leave this beach without fully expressing that to you," Kendall said.

Joe told Kendall that nothing was fake with them, and Kendall agreed they had tried their best and did not break up due to a lack of love. Kendall said she'd always love Joe, and Joe assured Kendall that he thought she was a catch and always will be for another man.

Joe seemed a little stunned and stressed after seeing Kendall again, and he walked away from the set to take a moment to reflect on what just happened.

Once Joe returned to the platform by the ocean, Serena approached him in a white silk dress. After an amazing experience on the show and feeling stronger about a man than ever before, Serena told Joe on the beach that he had made her believe in love again.

"Between bad breakups and failed relationships, I started to doubt if I was really going to get there with someone... And then I met you," Serena began.


Serena recalled going through obstacles with Joe in Paradise, but she bragged about him being understanding, honest and reassuring. Serena said she was "head over heels in love" with Joe and was so grateful to have met him.

Joe started off his speech by telling Serena his ex just showed up on the beach but seeing her again made him even more confident in how much he loved Serena.

Joe expressed surprise he had fallen in love on Bachelor in Paradise twice, even more so this time.

"We've had some speed bumps along the way, but the way you handled it shows me what a kind and loving person you are. I am really into you -- your smile, your charm, your looks, this whole thing, and your Toronto accent... It happened fast," Joe said.

Joe told Serena that he couldn't imagine waking up in the morning without her by his side.

"When I think about forever, you know, that's scary. But when I think about it with you, it feels right," Joe gushed. "You told me you were falling in love with me first, you told me you loved me first, and now it's my turn."


Joe then got down on one knee and presented Serena with an engagement ring.

"Serena Pitt, I love you very much. Will you marry me?" Joe asked, getting a little choked up.

"Yeah!" Serena replied in tears.

"Wow, it looks really good!" Joe gushed. "I love you... and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I am convinced of that."

Joe subsequently accepted Serena's final rose, and Joe told Serena that he'd never stop loving her if she chose to accept his last rose.

The finale concluded with the three happily-engaged couples toasting to having found true love, followed by onscreen graphics providing updates on the show's singles and couples.


According to ABC, Noah and Abigail realized they missed each other after leaving Paradise and so they have been hanging out and are taking things "SLOWLY."

Becca and Thomas also started dating again after Paradise and "are happy and in love."

Brendan Morais and Pieper James are "laying low" while Natasha has amassed over 460,000 Instagram followers.

As for Kenny and Mari, their love is "insatiable," just like Kenny's desire to eat Mari's tacos.

And Maurissa and Riley have begun living Riley's dream and "are madly in love."

Finally, Prom King and Queen -- Joe and Serena -- are "happily engaged" and she's "excited to be a grocer's wife."


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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski