This article contains major character or plot details.
On their journey to the altar, the Rocky Mountain romantics of Love Is Blind Season 9 must summit a range of relationship challenges. But will their differing approaches to conflict, money, physical intimacy, and even style prove to be insurmountable? Or will they rise to the occasion when the rubber meets the road — preferably in an understated yet practical Kia if Jordan is driving.
This season, 32 Denver singles entered the pods eager to form emotional bonds through deep, meaningful conversations instead of based solely on physical attraction. In the first six episodes, futures are planned, intense connections take shape, and “I love yous” are shared — in the case of one man, with two different women. Ultimately, five couples leave the pods engaged and head off to a romantic getaway, while one stays grounded back in Denver.
Keep reading for a recap of the connections made inside the pod so far and what happened when the new fiancés finally met face-to-face. Check back here for more updates as the season continues.
Ali and Anton
STATUS: STILL TOGETHER
In the pods, Ali and Anton quickly discover they have a lot in common. They both began learning English as a second language at age 8, worked at McDonald’s as teenagers, and shortened their first names in order to assimilate into American culture. They’re also both looking for partners with whom they can be their full, authentic selves, and they find just that in one another. Even with a literal wall between them, Ali is able to let her own figurative walls down and fall in love with Anton. All the signs point to marriage, so he gets down on one knee and the couple becomes the first to get engaged this season.
When they finally meet face-to-face, Anton is blown away by Ali’s beauty. While on vacation together, he can’t take his eyes off her, even when they kiss. Though Ali says his eye-wide-open kissing technique is a bit “creepy,” it definitely isn’t a deal-breaker. The two explore the physical side of their relationship, and the other couples admire how attentive they are with one another.
Madison and Joe
STATUS: STILL TOGETHER
Together, Madison and Joe have a lot of fun discussing future dates, which include karaoke with a pit stop at 7-Eleven. But as they get to know each other in the pods, their conversations turn more serious. When Madison opens up to Joe about her degenerative eye condition that could lead to blindness, he reassures her that it doesn’t change how he feels about her. He, in turn, shares that he was previously engaged, but it didn’t work out because he and his former fiancée were just too different. That isn’t a problem for Madison and Joe, who are both outgoing, caring, and fun-loving. In fact, their only difference seems to be that Madison is a cat person and Joe is more into dogs. After discussing moving in together and a shared desire for kids, Joe’s heart is set on Madison and their “natural” connection. They both say “I love you,” he proposes, and she says “yes.”
At their reveal, Joe is completely flustered but insists he is attracted to Madison. On their romantic getaway, he does admit that she isn’t his usual type. However, he believes the physical side of their connection will grow. Madison, though, worries about his true feelings since he never seems to say “I love you” first. At the pod squad meetup in Mexico, he has a little too much fun, which leaves her confused and concerned. When Madison returns to their hotel room to talk to Joe, who left the party early to sleep it off, their evening ends with an explosive argument.
Kalybriah and Edmond
STATUS: STILL TOGETHER
From their first date, Edmond makes Kalybriah’s heart flutter. Right off the bat, he’s excited by her drive and desire for a future partnership in which all responsibilities are shared. When Edmond finds out that Kalybriah is a social worker, he shares his experience growing up in the foster care system. She’s blown away by his ability to get vulnerable and comforts him as he works through his emotions. Kalybriah also opens up about her own struggle to forgive her father for not being present in her life. The safety and sense of peace the two feel with one another is so strong that other potential connections simply cannot compare. Eager to take the next steps with Kalybriah, Edmond sprints to the pods to propose. The two say “I love you” and move forward with an engagement.
After a very sweet first meeting, they head off on vacation, which starts well, with Edmond surprising Kalybriah with a special gift — a pair of sneakers to match his. However, over a meal, she asks how he would react if another man tried to hit on her at the club and isn’t pleased with his answer. She wants a protector, but Edmond just isn’t all that confrontational. Kalybriah also takes issue with how much Edmond compares himself to others and their relationship to the others that formed in the experiment. After Edmond finds out that they’re the only couple that has not been physically intimate, he starts to tearfully question where they stand and is upset that, in the past, Kalybriah has allowed men she’s been much less serious about to explore that side of her.
Kacie and Patrick
STATUS: IT’S COMPLICATED
Kacie and Patrick kick off their flirtation by chatting about sports and travel. They make plans to show one another their skills on the basketball court and maybe even take a trip to Colombia together. Their banter, chemistry, and friendly competition are major turn-ons, but they get a bit more vulnerable when the conversation turns to the topic of physical attraction. After some prodding from Kacie, Patrick shares his ethnicity and how dating as an Asian man in predominantly white Denver has at times been difficult. Though she’s only dated white guys, Kacie reassures him that race doesn’t factor into their connection and that her family is extremely accepting.
At the same time, Patrick gets closer to Anna, with whom he has a lot in common, even though they are not each other’s typical type physically. But when she leaves the experiment unexpectedly, Patrick continues on, determined to find the love of his life in the pods and believing that Kacie could be it. His only remaining concern is over how interested she really is in him, but Kacie makes it clear that she’s only here for him. On their next date, they exchange “I love yous” and get engaged. Their first meeting seems to go smoothly, but outside of the pods, Kacie begins to second-guess her decision. When the two meet back up in the hotel, she tells Patrick that she can’t stay in the experiment but adds that it’s not because she doesn’t find him attractive or isn’t actually in love with him. Patrick leaves believing they will continue the relationship back in Denver but take things slow.
Annie and Nick
STATUS: STILL TOGETHER
Early on, Nick calls Annie his “wild card” because it doesn’t seem like their lives will align seamlessly, but their spark is strong. Both Nick and Annie are ambitious and ready for marriage, plus on their pod dates, they laugh a lot. So much so that Nick begins to think he might be willing to move from his secluded life in the mountains to be with her in Denver. But each of them has another connection. Nick tells Kait he’s in love with her, while Annie rates Brenden as her No.1 pick.
After bonding with Annie over a desire to raise their children in a Christian household, Nick realizes he could see himself proposing to her. As Annie searches for reassurance from Brenden, Nick questions his future with Kait because of their differing religious views. On their next date, Nick says “I love you” to Annie, bumping her other connection out of the running. When he pops the question, she’s all in. Though Nick doesn’t look at all how Annie pictured — he’s more “boujee” than rugged — the reveal goes well, and both are thrilled with their decision to soon say “I do.” And on vacation, the kisses keep on coming.
Megan and Jordan
STATUS: STILL TOGETHER
With his simple black T-shirts and her sparkle-heavy wardrobe, Jordan and Megan’s aesthetics don’t quite match. But their personalities do seem to complement one another. Jordan is attracted to her independence and confidence, and Megan is impressed with his sense of humor and devotion to his kid. When she learns that Jordan’s son has Type 1 diabetes just like her late father, Megan starts to wonder if their connection is meant to be. However, as she gets to know Jordan, she’s also drawn to Mike and Blake. Megan contemplates putting Jordan in the friend zone because she doesn’t believe their lifestyles will align, but she’s surprised by how much deeper their conversations seem to become with each passing pod date. He shares more about his past relationships and his hopes of one day being with a more compatible partner with whom he hardly ever argues.
After Blake ghosts Megan, and she realizes that Mike is too much like other men she’s been with in the past, she’s ready to leave the experiment with Jordan. When he asks for her hand, she excitedly accepts, and all their nerves melt away at their first meeting. Megan is pleasantly surprised to discover that Jordan is covered in tattoos and really appreciates his Gucci shoes — maybe their aesthetics aren’t so different after all. Looking at pictures of Jordan’s son for the very first time, both become even more excited about intertwining their lives. In Mexico, the physical connection between Jordan and Megan is definitely present. However, at the pod squad meetup, his constant joking begins to grate on her a little bit.
