'The Bachelor' star Sean Lowe cuts Desiree Hartsock and determines his final three bachelorettes

The Bachelor star Sean Lowe eliminated Desiree Hartsock and narrowed his love search to three women during last night's broadcast of the ABC reality dating series' seventeenth season.


Desiree, a 26-year-old bridal stylist from Los Angeles, CA, was ousted during the eighth episode's Rose Ceremony.

"It's not right. It's not. I don't even know what I'm going to do about my life. I think it was a huge mistake. I think out of everyone there, we have something. I took such a risk coming here and hoping for the best. All I want to do is make someone happy. That's all I want to do. I don't want to say goodbye," Desiree said following her ouster.

The Bachelor's eighth seventeenth-season episode began with Sean and his remaining four bachelorettes traveling to their hometowns where Sean would be meeting their families while getting to know the bachelorettes better within their own element and comfortable surroundings.

Sean first traveled to Houston, TX to spend the day with AshLee Frazier, a 32-year-old personal organizer.


AshLee truly felt in love with Sean but worried what it would feel like to not get chosen in the end, as she was very afraid of that happening. For their date in Houston, AshLee took Sean for a walk in a park with her little dog Bailey. She told him about how her father was a pastor and loved the outdoors just like Sean. She also let Sean know it was a life-changing moment for her when he assured her that she wasn't a broken woman just because she had gotten married in high school.

Sean appreciated AshLee for who she is and told her to be confident in what they had, and AshLee was convinced he'd be the man to protect her heart. She said she had never brought anyone home to meet her family whom she was "madly, deeply" in love with and had dreamt about this moment since she was four or five-years-old. Her family's opinion and acceptance of Sean was extremely important to her.

Sean then went on to meet AshLee's mother Deborah, who wanted her daughter's heart to be loved and protected and for a man to give her 100% percent of him, and her father Bruce. Deborah got some alone time with Sean and directly asked if he was going to break her daughter's heart. Sean said "no" immediately but then couched it a little better by saying that certainly wasn't his intention.

Deborah then revealed AshLee had been in and out of five foster homes in one year before they adopted her. She felt a sense of abandonment which had been cycled throughout her young life. Afterward, Sean asked Bruce why he had signed off on letting AshLee get married at the age of 17, and Bruce said since she was almost 18-years-old at the time, he thought it was her choice to make and stopping her might hurt their relationship.

Bruce said AshLee's wedding was a very sad day in his life, and if he could go back and do it all over again, he'd handle things differently. Sean then asked Bruce for his permission to propose to his daughter if that's what he wanted to do at the end of his journey. Bruce actually admitted he was excited about that possibility and would welcome Sean into the family if that was to happen.


AshLee's dad then told the group the story of when he first met his four-year-old daughter and how he immediately and completely fell in love with her. AshLee apparently loved to listen to her emotional father tell the story and it made her cry every time as well. At the end of their date, AshLee knew she wanted to marry Sean as soon as possible and didn't want to wait because she was convinced they were both in love with each other.

"Sean makes me feel like I can conquer anything. I need him to be the one to love and nurture and take care of, and then when I finally hear, 'I love you,' there's a whole life ahead of us to go. Today has been magical, just magical. It's like there's little pixie dust everywhere. This has absolutely been my dream come true," AshLee said after walking Sean out.  

Sean traveled to Seattle, WA to visit Catherine Giudici, a 26-year-old graphic designer, next.

Sean said he loved hanging out with Catherine, as they always laughed and had so much fun together. The pair first caught fish one at a time at a local street vendor, and Sean loved Catherine's energy and how much she smiled. He thought she brought out a goofy "big kid" in him. The pair shopped around town and had lunch, and in between their silly moments, they got very romantic.

Catherine said if Sean got along well with her family, it'd be a dream come true because she was crazy about him and wanted to take their relationship to the next level. Afterward, Sean met Catherine's mother, grandmother and Monica and India, her two sisters. Sean seemed to fit right in. He went into the kitchen, wore an apron and rolled egg rolls with her mom, and then Catherine's grandmother decided she wanted to steal him away because she thought he was handsome.


Catherine's sisters then got Catherine alone and asked her if she was ready to get engaged, get married and have children. Her eldest sister said it seemed like Catherine was trying to convince them to like Sean rather than just letting it happen naturally.

Catherine acknowledged Sean was vulnerable and supportive and she had opened up to him about her past regarding the tragic death of an old friend and her once suicidal father. During her conversation with her sisters, Catherine didn't understand why she had to keep defending her relationship when she wanted to just gush about it.

Catherine admitted she really cared for Sean and felt she was fighting for him when she shouldn't have to. She feared her sisters would say something to make Sean question their relationship, and she just assumed someone was going to mess it up for her.

When Sean talked to the sisters, they agreed they couldn't see Catherine having kids right away because she was a woman with goals and dreams to pursue -- someone who would need a man to support those goals entirely. Catherine's sisters then told Sean that Catherine was messy and had mood swings, like she'd be very fun but then very focused.

Sean the sisters were a little hard on her or just figured they were doubting The Bachelor process. Afterward, Sean talked to Catherine's mother, who said she didn't want her daughter to get hurt. She noted how she understood the show was an adventure, but Sean assured her that he thought the world of Catherine.


In a final plea, Catherine's mother asked Sean not to lead Catherine on. He took her request to heart and then asked for her blessing to maybe propose to Catherine. Catherine's mother said, "We'll see what happens," because he still had three other ladies in the picture. Sean clearly didn't receive the blessing he was hoping for.

"Today did not go as expected. Catherine's family is very skeptical, and Catherine's sisters brought up things about Catherine that made me doubt our relationship. I certainly don't have any firm answers after tonight," Sean told the cameras. "Honestly, I'm not sure where we go from here. I don't know how to move forward with Catherine."

"Sean had a really great first part of the day, and right now, I'm kind of nervous about how his experience was here. It made me really feel like Sean and I were on this island and everyone was against us for some reason when I came here so excited for everybody to just lift us up, and that's just not what happened. I'm crazy about Sean and this is a big week, and it does scare me because this is getting really serious. I want love with Sean. That's why I'm here, and I hope he sees that," Catherine explained.

Sean's next stop was Fort Leonard Wood, MO, where he went to meet the family of Lindsay Yenter, a 24-year-old substitute teacher.

Sean was especially nervous to meet Lindsay's father, who is a two-star general in the army. Lindsay said if the date went well, she'd be ready to tell Sean she's falling in love with him. Sean loved how he felt with Lindsay, as he got butterflies around her and felt like a kid again at times.


The pair walked around the town, and Lindsay said she could definitely see herself raising a family with Sean there. Sean felt like they were a real couple already and so did she. Sean believed Lindsay had a big heart and was loving, supportive, and ready to settle down with a man.

While having lunch, Sean asked Lindsay what to call her father upon introductions. Following a little playful debate, they decided on "Mr. Yenter." Lindsay thought it was cute how nervous Sean was. Afterward, Sean got "army ready" for Lindsay's family. The army brat, who was raised all over the world, put Sean through some physical exercises and joked with him throughout her own little training camp.     

Sean hoped Mr. Yenter wasn't the intimidating man he had anticipated him to be, and he hoped they would love him and not disapprove. Sean then met Lindsay's father Mark and her mother Lisa.

Lindsay told her family how she got out of the limo the very first night in an extravagant wedding dress. They laughed and Sean said he got to know Lindsay's personality and sense of humor overtime, which led him to believe she was no longer the "crazy lady" he had originally pegged her for.

Lisa said Lindsay looked content and happy in her relationship with Sean, but she didn't expect things to happen between them so fast. Sean told Lisa he was crazy about her daughter, and when asked straight forward if he loved Lindsay, Sean said he wasn't in the position to say that yet because he would only say "I love you" to the woman he was ready to spend the rest of his life with. Those words are sacred to Sean, and Lisa actually really loved and respected his answer.

Lisa told Sean that Lindsay was absolutely ready to settle down, have a family and children -- even though she was only 24-years-old. Sean then spoke to Mark, and Mark admitted he was worried about the process ending and Lindsay being hurt. Sean said he wanted to avoid that situation and at least saw marriage potential with Lindsay because she was so incredible. Sean told Mark that in case he couldn't talk to him again, he wanted his blessing to propose to Lindsay if he decided that's what he wanted to do.


Mark said it was tough to just give his blessing to Sean, as he had never been asked a tougher question in his life. He didn't have an answer at first but then Mark gave him his blessing, saying that Sean now had the authority to make that decision if he wanted to. Sean was relieved and thought Lindsay's father was "a really nice guy." Sean said he felt accepted, like he was worthy to be in her family, and that made Sean even more attracted to Lindsay.

Before Sean left the house, Mark gave him a set of dog tags with the army's values engraved in them such as honor and integrity. Sean was very appreciative to be given something to remember them by and Lindsay was thrilled that everything seemed to go smoothly.

"Today was probably one of the best days of my life. My parents approving is big and for them to welcome Sean into our home with open arms, the fact that Sean fit in so well, kind of brings it all together. I just have so much love in my heart I can't even handle it," Lindsay said. "I found my husband and I'm absolutely falling madly in love with him. I've been looking for this all my life and to finally find it is amazing."

Lindsay then told Sean she was definitely falling in love with him, and Sean said that meant so much to him.

Sean then traveled to Los Angeles, CA, to visit Desiree and her family.

Desiree brought Sean on an "ordinary date on a Saturday." They did a little hiking outdoors and she just wanted to spend time together as a real couple. That night, Sean and Desiree prepared dinner for her family. Suddenly, a man arrived at Desiree's doorstep all anxious, and he asked them to shut the cameras down. This man admitted he loved Desiree and had been calling her but she wasn't answering her phone.


Sean was thinking maybe he should just leave, and then the ex-boyfriend asked Desiree in disapproval, "You're with this actor?" Sean scolded him, asking the guy not to talk as if he wasn't standing right there in the room. Sean was getting fired up and asked Desiree if she wanted to talk to the man, and Desiree unconvincingly said, "No."

Sean then asked the man to leave but he wouldn't. The guy was persistent to talk to Desiree alone and then put his hands on Sean. Sean barked at him to take his hands off and couldn't help but think about what he wanted to do to the guy. When everything seemed to come to a head, Desiree revealed it was all a prank and the man was just an actor. Desiree said it was revenge for Sean pranking her earlier in the season at an art gallery.

Desiree liked seeing how protective Sean was over her, meanwhile, Sean learned Desiree could not only take a prank but dish one out as well. Afterward, Sean met Desiree's mother Roxanne, father Tony and brother Nate. Roxanne said Desiree was glowing and she thought her daughter looked beautiful. Roxanne noticed a spark between the pair and saw something was really happening between them. Tony similarly could see Sean as his future son-in-law.

Desiree then talked privately with Nate, who told her that she shouldn't just look for a guy who makes her happy -- as there's more to it than that. Desiree agreed and said finding a husband meant also finding her best friend, but Nate was very skeptical Sean was Desiree's best friend. Nate noted the process just seemed "stupid" and he sure things weren't going to work between them. Nate then acknowledged that although Desiree seemed ready for love, he didn't want her to be falling "for the wrong dude."

Desiree was worried because she knew her brother was intense and passionate about how things weren't going to work out for her and Sean. Desiree feared Nate would scare Sean away, and she was ultimately right. Nate got some alone time with Sean and told him that he could see Desiree was really into him but he didn't see Sean reciprocating those feelings.

Nate asked Sean if he really was into his sister, because he just didn't see a connection between them, and Sean assured him that he was crazy about Des. Nate then called Sean out for being "crazy about a lot of girls."


Sean argued that he appreciated Desiree but admitted he wasn't sure who was going to be the woman for him yet. Sean apologized for giving Nate the wrong impression, insisting he truly did feel strongly for Desiree and was constantly affectionate with her. Apparently more frustrated, Nate called Sean "a playboy" and thought the Bachelor was just taking advantage of a fun opportunity. Sean was clearly pissed off and told Nate that the person he was describing definitely wasn't him.

Sean told Nate his character and integrity was No. 1 to him in his life. Afterward, Sean told the cameras he felt Nate was calling him a fraud and he didn't know what to make of it. Sean wanted to tell Nate off but he didn't want to cause a scene and get into a big fight with Desiree's brother in front of the rest of her family.

Once Sean returned from his conversation with Nate to have dinner, Desiree could see in Sean's face something bad happened, and she could tell he was upset. Nate then announced at the dinner table that being skeptical of Sean's relationship with Desiree was "an understatement." Sean was trying to stay calm and could tell Des and her parents were embarrassed by Nate's behavior. 

"I'm telling myself that I'm not going to allow Nate to affect my feelings for Des, but at the same time, it's impossible not to picture myself in this family who has this brother who we don't get along," Sean explained.

"I'm really disappointed. It's like not at all how I wanted the night to end. I just don't feel good because it's like I had such a wonderful day and the beginning of the night was so good and then [Nate] had to go and ruin it," Desiree said.

"I really do see my sister getting hurt through all of this because I know she is falling in love with this dude, and I just don't see it ending well for her if he doesn't choose her," Nate told the cameras.


At the dinner table, Nate insisted to his family that Sean just wasn't "the one" for Desiree.

Before the Rose Ceremony commenced, Sean said he had no idea what he wanted to do and had no clarity. The Bachelor star then sat down and talked with Chris Harrison. Sean admitted he was confused. He said he had four incredible women left and didn't know who to send home. However, Sean explained he had narrowed it down to eliminating either Catherine or Desiree.

Sean told Chris he loved Desiree's parents but it was concerting how her brother was always going to be around and could possibly always get under her skin. In terms of his relationship with Catherine, Sean wondered whether their lives aligned. Sean loved how independent Catherine was and how she had goals set for herself, but therefore, he worried she may not be ready to settle down and get married any time soon.

Sean admitted he wasn't confident, and that scared him. Sean said his heart was "tearing" and he didn't want to wake up in the morning and realize he had made a huge mistake.

It then became time for Sean to hand out his three remaining roses. Just as he was about to give out his first rose, Desiree asked to speak with him. The couple went outside and Desiree apologized for her brother being rude. She said she felt terribly that Nate had upset Sean, and she noted her brother's comments were uncalled for and hurtful. Sean said he understood and it was fine.

While Desiree talked with Sean, Catherine started thinking maybe she should've pulled him aside as well. She was "scared as hell" to get eliminated.


Sean then gave roses to AshLee and Lindsay.

After some hesitation, Sean placed the third and final rose back on the table. He walked out of the room and needed to contemplate his decision more. Sean was having a very hard time because he could see himself spending the rest of his life with both Catherine and Desiree. Sean said it felt like a lose-lose situation, and Chris suggested he take his time and make the right decision.

Sean wondered which girl he'd miss the most once tomorrow came, and he determined that's the girl he should keep around. He had decided to send Des home, however, her little speech at the end of the night broke his heart and started to change his mind. Sean was very confused about what to do.

Once he rejoined the women, Sean handed out the third rose to Catherine. The Bachelor then walked Desiree out and she was obviously devastated by his choice. They sat down and talked things through for a bit before she departed.

"I can't even cry because I'm like...," Des began with tears in her eyes.

"I've been battling this all day long. I know you have every quality that I'm looking for in a wife. I know you do. That's why I think I might wake up tomorrow and realize that I've made a giant mistake," Sean told her.


"I really think you are. I really do. I honestly feel like I can make you the happiest out of anyone there. I think you're making a huge mistake Sean, like I really do," Desiree explained.

"I have been praying for clarity this entire time and each Rose Ceremony, I seem to get it. And today, I didn't get it. I didn't get it. And I'm trusting that the decision I make is the best for both you and me. I'm not certain of that," Sean said.

"I give so much and people just take me for granted," Desiree said while breaking down.

"I know you do. I know how incredible you are. I'm not taking you for granted," Sean insisted.

"I know that, but it's just like, I mean, I want somebody who's going to love me as much as I love them. And if you feel you have a better relationship with another girl, then so be it. But I really do feel this is a huge mistake -- 100% percent -- not even 99.9, like 100% percent," Desiree said.

Desiree then wished Sean happiness and the couple hugged one last time and said goodbye. Desiree told him not to let her go, but he did.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski