Four Leave Hearts in San Francisco on 'Bachelor'

By
ABC

Without blogger and sober Jenna Burke, Monday night's episode of The Bachelor didn't have as many tears, but was still infused with plenty of heartbreak and surprising twists.

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Ben Flajnik's first one-on-one date was with…his sister? A San Francisco resident, Julia met up with little bro Ben to find out about the ladies he's courting. She hopes he finds a good mate so they can go on double dates.

Speaking of dating a sibling, Emily revealed to Ben on their one-on-one that she was matched with her older brother on an online dating site, so that was the end of the cyber dating pool for her. Emily and Ben climbed up to Cloud 9 by scaling the Bay Bridge. Conquering her fear of heights, Ben rewarded her with a kiss and said, "My father loved my mother because he thought she was smarter than he was and, in fact, I think you're smarter than me. I like to live up to my father's expectations." He offered her a rose and they were treated to a private fireworks show, well sort of. The other girls were like Mrs. Kravitz from Bewitched, spying on their date via a telescope.

On the group date, Ben's snow bunnies stripped down to their ski-vves to take on San Francisco's slopes in bikinis before enjoying a more intimate evening in one another's company. Sparks flew on their one-on-one last week and this week, Ben said Kacie B. "sparkles." The rose, however, was given to a "blushing" Rachel, who, in Ben's eyes, stood out from the pack.

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The next one-on-one date card was delivered for Brittany. Jennifer could sense that Brittany "seemed disappointed" at being asked out. Grandma's girl admitted, "Something didn't feel right… I have to follow my heart and my heart just isn't here." Her mind was made up and she packed her bags. Brittany threw Ben a "curveball" when she intruded on his group date to surrender: "I really think you're going to find a wonderful woman here, it's just not me. I don't want you to waste a one-on-one date here in San Fran."

The now-available date went to Lindzi, the first impression rose recipient. The blossoming lovebirds rekindled their initial romance as they hit up hotspots in the City by the Bay. Ben summed up his feelings, saying, "I've been utterly impressed with you. You're making a lasting impression, not just a first impression." Lindzi’s fears earlier in the episode of feeling "overlooked" subsided. She ended the date saying, "I don't think there's anything that can ruin tonight."

Boy did she speak too soon. At the cocktail party, Shawntel Newton arose from the dead of Brad Womack's season. Based on the looks on the bachelorettes' faces, one would think a ghost had actually appeared when the funeral director joined the cocktail party unannounced. Shawntel had some unfinished business to sort out with Ben before he got engaged to someone else. Afraid she would regret not knowing if they were soul mates, Shawntel ambushed everyone by asking Chris Harrison to join this season mid-way through. Flabbergasted, Ben gathered his thoughts to prepare for the most dramatic rose ceremony yet.

Courtney, who at one point said she didn't "feel threatened by any of the other girls here," was so irritated by Shawntel's entrance into the competition, she was prepared to leave the show even if she was offered a rose. Not staying true to her words, the model ultimately took the rose from Ben.

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Buckling under the pressure, Erika had a Marie Osmond Dancing with the Stars moment by fainting. After receiving medical attention, she was one of the last three women standing without a rose. Ben decided not to hand out the final rose, thus sending Shawntel, Erika, and Jaclyn home. "Flattered" by her risky proposal, Ben told Shawntel, "I just didn't think it was fair to me, you, or to the rest of the girls." She confessed to the camera, "There was a connection there with Ben and [me.] I just think he wasn't being man enough to accept that." Ouch!

On next Monday's The Bachelor on ABC, Ben takes the narrowed field of ladies to Park City, Utah, where he treats "best kisser in the house" Jennifer to a one-on-one date.