Joey Graziadei’s ‘Bachelor’ Hometown Dates Lead to 3 Out of 4 Admissions of Love
The Bachelor’s Joey Graziadei made meeting the parents look easy during hometown dates — but not every family was buying into his charm.
Before making his jaunt around the United States (and Canada) during the Monday, March 4, episode, Joey, 28, made it clear that what went down during each hometown date could be “a really big deal” for the future of his relationships with his final four contestants: Daisy Kent, Kelsey Anderson, Maria Georgas and Rachel Nance.
“I’m hoping that, after this week, we have the ability to look forward to what can come at the end of this and where our relationship can continue to grow to,” the tennis pro said during a confessional. “That’s the best-case scenario.”
Keep reading for a breakdown of each of Joey’s hometown dates — and to find out who from his final four went home:
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Kelsey Anderson
The hometown dates kicked off with Kelsey taking Joey on a tandem bike ride through City Park in New Orleans. They continued to explore the city — and ate some beignets — before Kelsey took Joey to meet her family, which included her dad, Mark, her brother, Matthew, and her sister, Taylor.
“My feelings for her are real and they do make sense. I’m extremely hopeful, I really am,” Joey told Mark during their one-on-one conversation. Kelsey’s dad was “reassured” by Joey’s feelings but was also “concerned” for his daughter. In the end, however, Mark had faith in the future of their relationship.
“I feel very, very happy, and it was wonderful to see Kelsey and to see Joey and the connection they have,” he told the camera. “I understand there’s still the other women, but I think Joey will take care of Kelsey. I do hope she’s engaged when she comes home.”
While Kelsey admitted in a confessional to wanting to “blurt that I love him,” she did not share her feelings with Joey by the end of their visit.
Rachel Nance
While Rachel is from Hawaii, her hometown date took place in Rancho Cucamonga, California. Joey got an inside look at her Filipino culture when he met Rachel’s mom, Noela, her dad, Hakim, her sister, Amanda and her nephew, Liam, during a backyard celebration — complete with a spit-roasted pig.
Both Rachel’s mother and father were skeptical of their daughter’s relationship with Joey. “The verdict is still out,” her mom declared at one point. Joey even made it clear to Hakim that he would be asking for permission to propose if Rachel was the one to earn his final rose. “She has my number,” Rachel’s dad told Joey.
Despite the pushback from her family, Rachel did tell Joey that she is falling in love with him.
Daisy Kent
Just like Taylor Swift, Daisy’s heart is at a Christmas Tree farm, which is where Joey met her for a hometown date. The duo explored Daisy’s family business in Becker, Minnesota, before meeting her mom, Julie, her dad, Brandon, her sister, Josephine, her brother, Harrison, her Grandpa Ted and Grandma Gloria.
It's apparent that Daisy’s family is immediately taken with Joey, but Julie is concerned that her daughter is “not being vulnerable to the full extent.” All that changes, though, after Daisy has a much-needed heart-to-heart with her dad. The hometown date allowed Daisy to tell Joey that she’s falling in love with him.
“I’m so excited to see where this is going, and you make me so happy and feel so special and my whole family can see that. Regardless of what happens, I’m just going to go for it wholeheartedly because I think that there’s something amazing here and I want to see what it could be,” Daisy said. Joey replied, “I feel the same way.” (A reminder to Bachelor Nation: Find someone who looks at you like Joey looks at Daisy.)
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Maria Georgas
Finally, Joey headed to Niagara Falls, Canada, where he and Maria went on the famous Maid of the Mist boat ride. They were also forced to have a serious sit-down after she nearly walked away one week prior.
While Maria admitted to Joey that she was “scared,” he wished that he felt “more confident” about where they stood — especially after Maria revealed that Joey was the first significant other she’s ever brought home.
Tensions were high as Joey walked into what seemed like a modern-day installment of The Godfather film franchise.
“Maria’s 100 percent daddy’s girl,” Maria’s dad, Nick, told the cameras. “If she gets hurt, it would be a problem for Joey.” (Joey met Nick along with Maria’s mom, Lori, her brothers, Steven and Soto, and a friend named Brittany.)
Initially, it seemed like this hometown date would give JoJo Fletcher’s hometown during Ben Higgins’ Bachelor season a run for its money, but Joey’s charm won over Maria’s family — even her father.
During his one-on-one conversation with Maria’s dad, Joey expressed that he wanted to speak “with intention” to each of the four women he had left, explaining that he hasn’t shared love for anyone just yet. Joey earned Nick’s respect with this comment — and received his blessing if Maria was The One. When the night came to an end (after Joey watched home videos of Maria as a baby), she “froze” and couldn’t share her feelings.
Joey’s post-hometown rose ceremony took place in an airplane hangar with Maria pulling him aside before roses were handed out. Despite not saying it before, Maria told Joey she was falling in love with him.
Maria’s hesitation, however, ultimately cost her a rose. In fear of being “dishonest” and still having “doubts” after meeting her family, Joey sent Maria home.
The Bachelor airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.
