Sean McLaughlin: Timing, Drama, and the Pursuit of Jess Girod

Sean McLaughlin, Jess Girod and Blake Moynes ABC/Craig Sjodin (3)

During their time on Bachelor in Paradise, Sean McLaughlin found Jess Girod intriguing from the start. However, he regretted not expressing his feelings sooner.

Reflecting on his experience during an exclusive interview for We's "Here For the Right Reasons" podcast on Friday, October 27, the 26-year-old admitted, "Looking back, I realize I should have pursued the relationship much earlier, but it was challenging."

Navigating through the show posed its difficulties, making it tough for Sean to act on his emotions.

Sean, a contestant from Charity Lawson's season 20 of The Bachelorette, was immediately captivated by Jess, 24, when they met on the beach spinoff. From the very beginning, he tried to win her over by mentioning her fondness for Taylor Swift. According to Sean, Jess is an absolute sweetheart and he felt that their personalities would complement each other well, especially after witnessing her shining personality on Zach Shallcross' season. Additionally, the fact that they both live in Florida made it seem like the distance between them would not be an issue. However, Sean acknowledges that he may have been too focused on the future, contemplating if they could make it through Paradise and how that would make things easier in the end. He realizes that this approach may not be the best way to approach a relationship.

Sean affectionately referred to Jess as a "sweetheart" and a "gem," praising her for her sense of humor, kindness, and her love for Taylor Swift. Meanwhile, Jess had her eyes on Blake Moynes, and they appeared to be one of the most adored couples during the first two rose ceremonies of season 9. However, their relationship faced a challenge during the Thursday, October 26, episode when they played a game of truth or dare.

Blake Moynes and Jess Girod on “Bachelor In Paradise” ABC/Craig Sjodin

When asked about her favorite person on the beach, Jess took a long pause before choosing Blake, who is 33 years old. Interestingly, Blake, who was previously engaged to former Bachelorette Katie Thurston in 2021, started questioning the status of their relationship by the end of the episode.

Sean wasn't surprised to see Jess and Blake's relationship facing difficulties. He tells us that Paradise can be tough and a challenging situation for anyone. Although he wasn't shocked, Sean admits that if he had similar information about any of the other couples there, he wouldn't be surprised if they also encountered rough patches. Therefore, the issues between Blake and Jess were not exclusive to just them.

Sean shifted his focus to Rachel Recchia after realizing he couldn't pursue Jess romantically. Despite giving Rachel a rose during the first ceremony, Sean decided to slow down their relationship. However, this decision led to a heated argument with Rachel, who was upset about rumors regarding Sean's comments about her.

Sean clarifies, "To be honest, I never said that Rachel was more into me. So, when Brayden Bowers brought it up, he could have simply approached Rachel without mentioning my name, and everything would have been fine. The way he put it just bothered me. However, we are friends now, and I didn't dwell on it after the incident at the beach. There's nothing more I can do."

Rachel and Brayden, both 24, had a fantastic date on Thursday's episode and instantly connected.

"I believe they're both really enjoying themselves," Sean remarks. "They both have a fun and adventurous side to them, which is great. Since we filmed a while back, I'm really enjoying watching their entertaining chemistry."

Bachelor in Paradise airs on ABC Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET. For more from Sean, listen to We‘s “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast.

Reporting by Sarah Hearon