'The Bachelor Presents: Listen to Your Heart' recap: Julia Rae and Brandon Mills pair up and get sent home, Sheridan and Savannah leave brokenhearted

The Bachelor Presents: Listen to Your Heart featured Julia Rae breaking Sheridan Reed's heart to be with Brandon Mills, only to get eliminated with Brandon after she claimed he had abandoned her during their duet in front of judges Rachel Lindsay, Bryan Abasolo, Andy Grammer and Toni Braxton.


Julia, a 27-year-old patient advocate from Philadelphia, PA, and Brandon, a 34-year-old in private security detail from Louisville, KY, paired up after going on a date, which resulted in their former partners -- Sheridan, a 27-year-old musician from Austin, TX, and Savannah McKinley, a 25-year-old yoga instructor from Nashville, TN, respectively -- going home.

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However, Brandon and Julia lacked chemistry during their subsequent performance in front of a panel of celebrity judges, and so they were denied roses and were eliminated from the musical competition.

"I'm certainly wondering why Brandon treated the performance the way he did... Truth be told, he treated it like a solo performance!" Julia vented in her final words.


"I wish I could go back and choose Sheridan. I came here to find a genuine connection, and Brandon kept disappointing me. I am definitely done with him... Sheridan taught me so much about what a good partner is, and now I know what I'm looking for -- is a lot of what Sheridan was."

The Bachelor Presents: Listen to Your Heart broadcast began with Ryan, a 28-year-old ophthalmic technician from Dearborn Heights, MI, telling the cameras Brandon and Savannah, had lacked chemistry in their performance the other night but he couldn't envision the pair breaking up because they seemed solid.

Meanwhile, Brandon gushed to Savannah about waking up, feeling such gratitude to have her in his life. Brandon said he'd be heartbroken if he had to wake up without Savannah being in the mansion.

Savannah also felt great about her "harmonious" relationship and where she stood with Brandon. She said she really cared about him and Brandon had been "a rock" for her throughout this entire experience.

Sheridan was also feeling good about Julia. He said they shared something "real" and had true potential to make it as a couple in the real world. Sheridan had every intention of keeping their spark alive.


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The Bachelor host Chris Harrison then arrived at the mansion and admitted to the group of cast members chemistry had been missing between more than just one couple, Bekah and Danny, who had been eliminated from the competition.

Chris explained that he wanted everyone to feel confident in his or her partnerships and the chemistry they have -- musically, emotionally and physically -- and so he wanted to put that to the test by sending some people on dates with new partners they had not sung with before.

"It's meant to push you, to have a different perspective. In some ways, it may strengthen your relationship. But at the end of this journey, we all need to know that the last couple standing is really committed both to each other and to love," Chris said.

Chris therefore announced Jamie, a 21-year-old hostess from Nashville, TN, would be going on a date with Ryan; Rudi, a 24-year-old studio vocalist from San Antonio, TX, would be going on a date with Chris, a 30-year-old from Los Angeles, CA; and Julia and Brandon would be embarking on a date with Brandon.


Chris said if the cast members determined they're not in the best relationship, there was still time and difficult conversations needed to be had. Chris hoped to see only committed and strong connections at the next gathering.

Julia said she felt "amazing" about what she and Sheridan had at this point, especially after singing together, but he was feeling uncertain and worried since Julia and Brandon already had a connection.

Sheridan hoped, best case scenario, Julia would return with clarity that he was the one whom she wanted.

Rudi had really wanted more time with Matt, a 32-year-old musician from Milford, CT, and she was a bit anxious about leaving Matt at the mansion with Natascha Bessez, a 33-year-old pop singer from New York, NY, whom Rudi called a little "flirty."

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Rudi admitted to the cameras she's a jealous girl and couldn't help it.

Meanwhile, Trevor Holmes, a 29-year-old in social media marketing from Thousand Oaks, CA, had a tough time seeing Jamie go off with Ryan.

On their date, Rudi talked to Chris on a picnic about how she struggled to open up and be vulnerable with Matt, and Chris revealed he was falling for Bri, a 28-year-old waitress from Provo, UT, and no longer wanted to date random people and be single.

Rudi and Chris discovered they were definitely just friends, and Jamie and Ryan felt the same way on their spa day.

Julia and Brandon went to The Roxy Theatre, an iconic music venue, where they wrote their own song with the help of a professional songwriter Joel Crouse, who has worked with Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift.


Julia felt her date with Brandon was "make or break," and she wondered whether they were both ready to take a leap of faith together and send Sheridan and Savannah home as a result.

"I feel we would be doing a disservice to ourselves if we didn't pursue it and it's there," Julia said of a romance with Brandon.

The couple then performed their song together, and Julia hoped it would push them over the edge and give them the clarity she needed.

After singing with Brandon, Julia realized she was "falling for Brandon," saying they had chemistry both in music and the romance department. She therefore decided she wanted to end up with Brandon.

As Julia and Brandon vibed musically, Sheridan wrote a sweet love song at the piano about still wanting Julia while he waited for her at the mansion.

All of the couples returned from their dates later that day, except for Julia and Brandon. Savannah anticipated Brandon would just come back to her because he had said he was just going to have fun on the date, with no intention to leave her or pursue Julia.


Once Julia and Brandon finally arrived back at the mansion, Brandon gave Julia a kiss and said they'd talk soon. Julia then sat down with Sheridan and broke the bad news she had chosen Brandon over him.

Julia was emotional and told Sheridan on the verge of tears, "It's so hard. I don't know what to do." She said she found the clarity she needed, adding, "I just feel like I can't do this with you."

Sheridan wished Julia the best with Brandon and then walked away. Julia snapped at Sheridan for walking away from her, asking, "What else can I do?!... I've done my best. I put myself out there, and clearly it's not enough."

Sheridan told Julia he was trying to laugh just so he wouldn't cry, and then he said goodbye to her. The rest of the cast apparently couldn't believe Julia's decision, with Trevor saying Sheridan was a real, genuine soul who had been nothing other than himself the whole time.

Matt also called Sheridan "a great dude" with "the patience of a saint" to have even stayed as long as he did and supported Julia. Matt gave Sheridan props for leaving and not allowing himself to be Julia's second choice.

"I wanted somebody that I could be honest and open with and direct and have a healthy relationship with. I found somebody I thought might be able to do that, but she wasn't The One," Sheridan said in his final words.


"I think she's been with a lot of sh-tty guys and I was trying to be the one to break that cycle. I thought she deserved that, but maybe she needs a few more. It's her falling back into her old patterns, it's whatever."

Sheridan continued, "I put myself out there and I thought it was going to be enough to get the girl, but it wasn't. I think there must be something wrong with me to consistently not be enough for the people that I'm with. And I think that's what gets to me. I don't know."

Julia vented to the girls about how her relationship with Sheridan had been "lacking something significant" and she felt a genuine spark with Brandon.

Brandon then pulled Savannah aside to talk, and Savannah told the cameras she believed in what they had and could see longevity.

"I think I still have feelings for her," Brandon admitted to Savannah.

Savannah immediately looked deflated because Brandon had allegedly given her his word that everything was going to be okay. Brandon thought Savannah was 95% into their relationship but there was 5% of her that was mysterious and scared him.


"I want to feel chosen, but I don't," Savannah insisted.

Brandon said they needed to work on communication because Savannah was essentially copping an attitude with him and trying to fight, and then Savannah snapped, "I don't need you to be confused; I'm done. I'm not going to be a choice. I deserve so much more than that."

"I know, you made that point clear, so many times," Brandon complained.

Savannah walked away from Brandon crying, and he asked, "What can I do to fix this?... My choice is you. I am here for you."

But Savannah argued Brandon had said nothing along the lines that he was done with Julia and had found the closure he needed. Brandon told Savannah that she had never asked him that, which just made Savannah more mad.

"I want to work this out with you if you think there is any capacity in your heart to trust me, fully," Brandon told Savannah.


"What's in my heart is at this point, no, I don't trust you. I'm not going to be a second choice... I don't want to figure this out, Brandon. This is done for me," Savannah said, adding that she was tired of having to question their relationship and its future.

Savannah decided to leave the show as a result, and Brandon went running back to Julia. Brandon told Julia that he was choosing to do the show with her and move forward with her.

"I didn't think it was going to be like that at all," Savannah cried in her final words.

"I want the kind of love that keeps you up at night and you just feel like you're absolutely incomplete without the other person... I just thought that we could grow into it... [But] I absolutely know the right person isn't going to take that much to open up."

The next day, Julia said she felt relieved about having finally figured her feelings out.

Chris then showed up at the mansion again and told Julia that he respected her decision to switch relationships. He then revealed everyone would be performing the following night at The Novo, a concert venue in downtown Los Angeles, CA, with new judges.


Jamie and Trevor were given "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" by Meghan Trainor and John Legend. Chris and Bri were given "Lover" by Taylor Swift, which was one of Bri's favorite songs ever.

Ryan and Natascha were asked to perform "You Are The Best Thing" by Ray LaMontagne, and Matt and Rudi were given "Tennessee Whiskey" by Chris Stapleton. Matt felt relieved since he knew the song well, and he felt music was bringing Rudi and himself closer.

And Julia and Brandon began rehearsing "We Belong" by Pat Benetar, which Brandon wasn't happy about.

"It's not my jam at all," Brandon admitted, adding that it's an '80s power ballad.

Brandon said his breakup with Savannah was raw and his new relationship with Julia was new and fresh, and so he acknowledged having 24 hours to be concert ready was certainly a task.

Natascha then asked Brandon if he would've stayed with Savannah had she been willing to stick it out with him, and he nodded his head yes. Natascha called Brandon "a player" and anticipated his lack of chemistry with Julia would show onstage.


When it became time for the performances, Jamie said she and Trevor had something real together, but she was extremely nervous again.

Julia said she was falling for Brandon and it was "refreshing to feel this good," but shortly before the show commenced, Natascha approached Julia with some bad news.

Natascha thought Brandon was pulling the wool over Julia's eyes, so Natascha warned Julia, "[I asked Brandon], 'What would you have done if [Savannah] said I'm going to stay?' And he was like, 'I probably would've stayed with her.'"

Julia didn't like the conversation and said it didn't feel good. Natascha insisted she didn't want Julia to feel bad, but Julia walked away from the conversation and said it felt "dirty" and "manipulative."

Julia alleged Natascha didn't care about anyone but herself since she had brought this up right before performances. Julia called Natascha "vindictive" and couldn't believe one singer would do that to another singer.

Julia then approached Brandon about what she had just heard, and Brandon basically shrugged off the conversation by saying he and Savannah didn't see eye to eye and he never definitively said he'd choose Savannah over Julia.


Brandon told Julia they were about to have a great show and so she needed to relax.

Matt and Rudi performed "Tennessee Whiskey" first for Rachel, Bryan, Andy and Toni, and they set the bar high because they appeared to have so much fun on the stage together.

Rachel and Bryan said their chemistry was great and Matt complemented Rudi so well, and Andy noted the couple's vocals were strong. Toni said she wanted Matt to "play the guitar like you were playing her," but she dubbed the duet "fantastic."

Jamie and Trevor were up next with "Like I'm Gonna Lose You," and it was apparent to the judges and Jamie's friends that she was so nervous and in her head.

Natascha said their energy was "off" and Trevor didn't seem "fully in it." Natascha added it wasn't the most comfortable performance to watch.

And the judges seemed to agree. Andy told Jamie her nerves affected some of the notes but she got better deeper into the song, and Rachel told Trevor that she wished he had matched Jamie's passion a little more.


"We're looking for the chemistry and passion, and it just didn't come out in your performance," Rachel told the couple.

Toni told Jamie to sing with confidence because she's a beautiful woman and there's no need to hide her face or shy away from the audience.

Jamie cried after her performance thinking she failed and disappointed Trevor, but he assured her that wasn't the case.

Once Bri and Chris sang "Lover" together, Toni exclaimed, "That's what I'm talking about! I was feeling it. I was uncomfortable but that's good! It's was wonderful, splendid and I see the connection!"

Rachel told the couple they sang while showing love at the same time and that's exactly how it should be done. Rachel could tell Bri and Chris were lost in each other's eyes during the song.

Andy told Chris his vocals were "special" and Bri has "a lot of power" in her voice.


Bri then revealed to the crowd she whispered to Chris after their performance, "I love you," but he couldn't hear her.

"I didn't hear it or else I would've said, 'I love you,'" Chris announced.

Bri called the moment "magical," and Chris said it felt amazing to feel love again considering he had closed himself off following his father's death.

"I wish my Dad could be here to meet her. I would tell my Dad that I met the sweetest woman in the world and that I think she's perfect for me," Chris told the cameras.

Julia and Brandon then took the stage with "We Belong," and Julia said Natascha had motivated her to be even more passionate onstage with Brandon. Bri thought their duet looked uncomfortable, probably given they had a lot to process before singing to an audience.

Julia and Brandon shared with the audience they had recently switched partners, but Brandon insisted he didn't regret the decision and it was "the best decision" he could have made.


Rachel said she could feel that Julia and Brandon were a new couple because they seemed a little disjointed as if they were singing karaoke together. Andy complimented the couple on giving their all and "pushing through it."

And then Toni thought the pair just had a fight before going onstage because she could sense some "tension" between them. Toni said it looked like Julia was trying to make up with Brandon while they were performing.

Julia told Brandon backstage that she felt like he had abandoned her, and Brandon admitted he probably disconnected from her more than he should have but he was trying to be strong for her.

Julia began questioning her decision to leave Sheridan because everyone had raved about her previous performance with her ex on the show.

Ryan and Natascha finally belted out "You Are The Best Thing," and the audience loved it. The judges were even on their feet, clapping and dancing along with the song.

Toni called the pair "super talented" and said they had utilized the entire stage and connected with the audience. Andy told Natascha her voice is "unbelievable" and "crazy," and Rachel said she felt like she received a sneak peek into their fun, flirty and sexy romance.


"Natascha is a bad person. What performer purposely throws off another performer? That was so unfair!" Julia griped backstage. "I mean, there's no way we're not going home tonight."

Julia later confronted Natascha, saying Natascha should have pulled her aside to talk the day before her performance -- not right before. Natascha explained that she was just trying to be a good friend, but Julia confessed it felt "dirty" and "slimy."

Natascha told the cameras that Julia was "obsessed with herself" and she was over it.

It then became time for the season's next Rose Ceremony, and Brandon said he brought everything he could to the stage but had a very emotionally-taxing few days.

Bri and Chris received the first rose, and they were then followed by Matt and Rudi, Natascha and Ryan, and finally Trevor and Jamie.

Brandon and Julia were ousted as a result, and Julia felt "angry and frustrated."


"To deal with Natascha today, I just didn't deserve the way I've been treated. And I'm frustrated because I told Brandon to check in with me and he didn't," Julia cried in her final words, before saying she wished she had stuck with Sheridan as her partner.

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski