If The Bachelorette star Emily Maynard felt that her decision to cut Chris loose after last week’s hometown dates was hard, this one was near impossible. Things got even more serious, emotional and dramatic in Curacao as Emily went on very romantic dates with Arie Luyendyk, Jr., Sean Lowe and Jef Holm. Three worthy candidates, only two roses in play. Who would she pick? And how would she handle the fantasy suite card situation, given that she’s a mom? Follow this link for all The Bachelorette spoilers we know about the July 22 finale, then continue on for THG’s +/- recap of the penultimate episode! Obligatory Curacao nature montage and recap of the final three guys and their “journey” with Emily so far. Minus 4 for the even-longer-than-average filler. Emily has nice penmanship, even in sand. Plus 2 . Sean’s shoes match his blue shirt perfectly. What guy does that? Apparently Sean Lowe, Ames Brown and Pauly D. Minus 5 , in spite of the obvious effort. Look at Sean, getting all flustered talking about his ex … and a little more unnerved trying to open up to Emily. Cute or a red flag? Hard to read. Even . Time’s running out to go there, Sean. Minus 10 . His letter to Ricki made it dusty in here. Plus 25 . Still holding something back, though. Just say it man. Go on. Okay, that kind of counts for redemption. Gotta love that the fantasy suite card is from Chris Harrison. Host-pimp sure knows how to take care of his ridiculously attractive employees. Plus 15 . Plus 20 for Emily calling it a night solo. Even after the hot tub makeout session no less. Girl’s priorities and commitment are pretty impressive. Minus 5 , because as awesome as Sean is, do they lack a spark? Is he too safe? Not exciting enough for Emily, who seems to like guys with an edge? Jef Holm has vaulted from dark horse to full-on frontrunner status. “I’m so happy with where our relationship is right now.” What more can Emily say? “I hope to be the second biggest part of Emily’s life.” – Jef. Smart guy. Plus 10 . There’s a level of communication here that transcends Sean’s. “The sun is setting here in Curacao, but for me and Emily, our whole life together is just beginning.” – Jef/ Bachelorette staff writers. Groan. Minus 5. Emily says she’d move to “wherever you are.” Woman certainly knows what she wants, and more and more, that appears to be Jef. Plus 9 . This is the most serious date in Bachelorette history. Why are you still single? Would Ricki like me? Not leaving anything on the table, are we? Jef quasi-rebuffs the Fantasy Suite invite before Emily can do it to him. Guy’s been playing hard to get from the get-go. Interesting tactic. Plus 7 . “There is a time and a place for everything, and now is the time to bridle these passions.” Very mature move, but who talks like that? Minus 14 . “My connection with Arie was literally almost immediate.” – Emily. That makes literally almost no sense, but we totally get it, so Minus only 3 . “We always want to kiss each other, and it feels great.” – Arie. Well put. Minus 7 . Swimming with the dolphins looks awesome. But not as much as kissing, which is all they seem to do. All of his “top moments” involve kissing. Hey, they’re both good at it. Who wouldn’t want to make out with either of them? So Plus 11 . Ah, but back to reality … what does Arie Luyendyk, Jr. do on a Tuesday morning?! No one knows! Minus 10 , because physical chemistry and dream dates will only carry you so far, even on The Bachelorette . Jef may have the edge as a result. Arie sleeps until 9 and goes out to dinner every night? Not exactly stepfather stuff … but he does seem legitimately interested in Ricki, so Plus 7 . Emily makes Arie feel like a natural man. Or something. Plus 3 ? He’s SO good looking … Emily won’t give him the fantasy suite card because she doesn’t trust herself! The Bachelorette: Mom Edition definitely lacks the sleaze factor of past seasons. Plus 25 , even if it’s sometimes less entertaining. Fireside chat with Chris/filler time. Minus 8 . To paraphrase Chris from like every episode … this could be one of the hardest decisions in Bachelorette history. She seems genuinely interested in all three guys and unsure of who she’ll send home. Break out the tissues early. But she’s got great clothes. Plus 2 . Sean goes all in on his video message at least. Will it be too little, too late against Jef and his usual eloquence, or Arie’s surprisingly moving profession of love? All of them collectively, combined with the circumstances, move her to tears. Plus 10 . Long speech. Longer pause. JEF. Even longer pause. ARIE. Poor Sean. That ranks among the saddest goodbyes in recent memory. Minus 20 . EPISODE TOTAL: +47. SEASON TOTAL: +171. Did Emily Maynard make the right call sending home Sean Lowe? Who do you think she should choose on The Bachelorette finale?
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The Bachelorette Recap: Who Made the Final Two?
