The Bachelorette Season 19, Episode 9 recap: Fantasy Suites

We’ve made it, Bachelor Nation! We have hit the beginning of the end of Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey’s journies to find love on The Bachelorette Season 19. Fantasy Suites are the final hurdle before the proposal that both Bachelorettes are desperately waiting for.

Let’s find out what happened during Fantasy Suites on The Bachelorette Season 19!

The Bachelorette Season 19, Episode 9 recap

1) Erich and Gabby

Gabby and Rachel touched base in Mexico to start this week’s first episode of The Bachelorette Season 19. The remaining men get to experience a more intimate time with the bachelorettes at the Playa Escondida Resort in Sayulita, Mexico. Aven and Erich are first up with Rachel and Gabby respectively.

Following their deep, emotional hometown date, Erich is the first of Gabby’s men to have an overnight date. Their first adventure is to el Salto de Los Enamorados or Lover’s Leap. The two plunged into a cenote, which is a natural pit of water. They tested their love, diving from the tower’s highest point into the depths below. After the jump, the two shared an emotional conversation about their hometown date and how Erich was holding up. Gabby felt supported during the jumps and could see herself getting engaged to him in the end. He said it was hard to leave his family, but he knew he needed to be there for her.

The two capped off the day with a couch conversation, diving deeper into their relationship. They discussed his hometown date and how much his family adored Gabby. That conversation took them to Gabby’s family where she talked about not having a relationship with her mom. Erich told Gabby how hard it was for him to leave her after his hometown date, and they revealed that he was in love with Gabby. She revealed that she was falling in love with him. The two decided to stay in the suite together and headed to their sanctuary.

The couple woke up and had breakfast after spending a great night together. Erich was starting to feel jealousy creep in as the relative of another man having this experience with Gabby entered his head. He was very emotional about leaving Gabby in the morning, and she did her best to reassure him that the process had been there herself. Gabby said she felt bad for leaving Erich but felt that she had more to work on with herself and the other men here. There are tough decisions ahead for this bachelorette.

2) Aven and Rachel

We opened Rachel’s portion of the show with Tino having a moment worrying about Rachel exploring physical relationships with other men. He doesn’t understand why she would do that if she feels this strongly about Tino. Well hate to break it to you, buddy, but there are still other men that Rachel feels strongly about whose parents didn’t upset her.

Rachel and Aven started their date on the water on a yacht ride in the ocean. Aven revealed on his hometown date that he was falling in love with Rachel but she didn’t return the gesture. Aven was hoping she would do that tonight. As these two shared a moment on the boat, we moved back to Tino’s meltdown, which prompted a visit from Jesse. Jesse asked about their hometown date and Tino revealed how poorly his dad treated her but did little to change the situation.

Back with Aven, they discussed their more enjoyable hometown date and how both of Aven’s parents welcomed and accepted Rachel. The producers paralleled Aven and Rachel’s conversation with Jesse and Tino. One was going well, and one was not. Tino said that if he didn’t have affirmations from Rachel, this week would be the easiest to walk away from. He went far enough to say it’s mind-boggling how Rachel doesn’t know who she wants and that he wouldn’t need to sleep with anyone else.

The couple rested their sea legs on the beach for dinner and dived into a deep conversation. Rachel asked Aven if he was ready to propose, and he said yes. He went on to say that she has made the process easy and that he has approached this in the right mental state and would be ready for that in the end if he found the right person. He again reiterated that he was falling in love with her, and after a long monologue, Rachel revealed the same. They decided to spend the night together but before retiring to their suite they witnessed a personal fireworks show. Fireworks were going off both literally and figuratively between these two.

Rachel said that Aven was the full package, and it would be hard to top their night. I hope Tino wasn’t watching. The couple departed with Rachel reiterating that she is falling in love with Aven. Tino is again featured before his date, signaling that he could be the focus of Rachel’s journey.

3) Tino and Rachel

Rachel walked into this date both excited and nervous following her very successful first overnight date of The Bachelorette Season 19. His family will definitely be discussed on this date. The two met in the Mexican countryside before riding horseback to explore. Rachel was hoping for a country boy, but Tino had a lot of trouble steering his ride. Their journey ended at a cenote similar to where Gabby had her date.

They began by discussing their hometown date and their feelings for each other. Rachel expressed her anxiety this week, having a bad experience during this time last season, and didn’t have a great reception during his hometown date. She didn’t appear to be this nervous with Aven. A serious conversation needs to occur between these two. Rachel said in an aside that if they can’t resolve it she doesn’t feel she can move on with Tino. The two dived into the water, but part of the date felt forced as both were unwilling to address the awkward elephant in the room.

They shared dinner, and Rachel baited Tino by asking if there was anything on his mind. He wanted her to feel comfortable and let him know if anything was bothering her. She replied, wanting to discuss their hometown date since it seemed to be the source of all her anxiety. She said his dad was their biggest antagonist. This is ironic, seeing how Rachel’s dad reacted to Clayton, but in the end, he came around. Tino’s dad did not. Rachel revealed that his dad said he wouldn’t disown Tino but wouldn’t accept their relationship or marriage. Tino tries to explain by saying that his dad doesn’t know him but then ends by saying his parents know him. It can’t be both.

Rachel asked how his parents would react if he called them and said he was engaged to Rachel, and he said they wouldn’t have a choice but to like her. He has been giving off some possessive, aggressive vibes but somehow Rachel sees through it. During his speech he told Rachel he loves her and she returned the favor.

Every time they’ve had a difficult conversation, Tino has said he’s either falling in love or love with Rachel.  The two agreed to spend the night with Rachel seeing Tino’s comment, as they will have to love you enough to continue the relationship. With two other great men in line, she is willing to look past her worst hometown date to be with Tino. The producers did not show any clips of the hometown date between these two or the morning after.

4) Johnny and Gabby

These two lovebirds met on the beach and took a sailboat cruise in the ocean. The two discussed their love journey thus far on The Bachelorette Season 19, and Johnny said that Gabby is his person and has all the traits he’s looking for in a woman. They talked about how comfortable they are around each other. They left the boat and shared a moment on the beach. Gabby needs to know if the two can see a future together.

Johnny led by saying it takes him a while to open up, but Gabby has made it easy and has made him a better person. Gabby revealed she is ready to settle down with someone, and Johnny said it’s serious now, but he knows how he feels about her. She said she was ready to be engaged and asked Johnny where he stood, but he didn’t have a straight answer. He said they still have a week, but he is not ready to propose. He said he could see himself falling in love with her and seeing life with her but may not be there yet. The conversation stalled and Gabby had to take a moment aside.

It’s interesting to note here that during the show Johnny appears in a promo for Bachelor in Paradies. Gabby returned, and Johnny revealed that he couldn’t propose in a week if that were ultimately what Gabby was looking for. Gabby said they could have made it work in another life, but right now, they are in two different places. This has to be the most prolonged goodbye ever. The two decide to part ways as they are in two different places in life. Johnny will have his chance to find love in a more comfortable environment on Bachelor in Paradise.

While Gabby and Johnny depart Jesse is having a conversation with Jason where he revealed that he isn’t quite falling in love with Gabby yet. Jesse asked if he would be able to propose in the end but Jason said it would be hard to get to the point of engagement in a week. Well, that narrowed things down for Gabby.

5) Mystery Note of The Bachelorette Season 19

After her upsetting date with Johnny, Gabby retired to her room and received a mysterious note asking her to meet her on the bridge. It was Erich. He wanted to touch base with Gabby after her second date and express his jealousy and feelings right now, knowing that she could be having the same experience with other men. Gabby doesn’t take this well saying that they had this conversation off camera and were past it. Now he is bringing it back up when the cameras are out.

Erich said that’s not why he brought her here but didn’t provide another reason. Gabby said she’s feeling pressured to make a decision and is frustrated because they already discussed this. She told Erich that she is honest and open and has been the whole time with him. He apologized because this was not the way he saw this meeting going. Gabby took the defensive approach and felt blindsided. She felt Erich was testing her and making her defend herself. She said that this is not something you do to someone you love.

She started to doubt her feelings for Erich and we all know what is most likely to happen with Jason leaving Gabby with no man in the end. She left saying walls and barriers were going up and she doesn’t know where she and Erich stand. After The Bachelorette Season 19 was full of Rachel having her down moments Gabby has one at about the worst possible time.

Don’t forget this is a two-episode week of The Bachelorette Season 19. Check out the article above on how to watch tomorrow’s episode or catch up on previous episodes.

Alright, Bachelor Nation, where are we at with Tino? Do we think he is telling Rachel what she wants to her? Will the couple last if they get engaged?  

Let us know what you think in the comments below, Bachelor Nation!