It’s Tuesday afternoon and the air smells like roses and a little bit of desperation which can only mean one thing – it’s time for another recap of “The Bachelorette!” During this season of Bachelorette, we’ve been cheering on local suitor Xavier Bonner as he competes for Charity Lawson’s heart — and the journey is flying by! Can you believe it’s week six and we’re meeting families already? We’re down to four contestants and, because he’s wonderful, Xavier is still in the running. As the title of this recap might suggest we have traveled to each gentleman’s hometown so Charity (and all of us) can meet their families.

To kick things off, Charity has traveled to Houston Texas to spend time with Aaron B. and his family. Aaron’s mom, dad, brother, and sister-in-law are there to greet them with open arms. As expected, they are a lovely group of people, and Charity wows them all by being her sweet charming self. To be honest, my favorite part of Aaron’s hometown date was the moving conversation he shared with his father. I could tell that it was really important to Aaron to hear that his father is proud of him, so I’m glad they let us in on that moment.

A fun fact about hometown visits — families will often ‘borrow’ the home of a friend or family for filming. I see this as more protective than superficial. I wouldn’t want to let people into the privacy or the intimacy of my home for the sake of reality TV either. However, during this episode I came to the conclusion that none of these families gave off the vibe that we were witnessing anything other than their true homes & hearts.

Aaron’s date ends with a visit to his high school football field where he and Charity share a picnic and a dance to the Lauren Alaina song they enjoyed on the first one-on-one date this season. This feels a little ‘I peaked in high school’ but clearly Charity appreciated the moment, so who am I to judge?

And just like that, it’s time to travel to Collegeville, Pennsylvania for Joey’s hometown date. I’m pretty disappointed for Charity that she doesn’t get to go to Hawaii. Joey immediately takes her to a tennis lesson where he only seems only slightly annoyed that Charity would rather make out than learn how to play tennis.

Joey definitely has always exuded “never been around toxic masculinity raised by sisters” energy, so I’m not surprised by his family’s soft, gentle dynamic. I always get emotional during hometown visits because as silly and produced as reality tv is, these are real families (maybe in not real houses) that are genuinely protecting and encouraging one another.

Uncle Joe really turns on the intensity and creates the first glimpse of doubt in Charity’s mind when it comes to Joey. I’m sure that definitely won’t be a catalyst for confusion at a later time.

Overall, as expected, Joey is a great reflection of his sweet family.

Grab the tissues y’all, because we are off to Cleveland, Ohio to spend time with Xavier’s family. I know we’re all disappointed we didn’t get to see a hometown date in Carrboro, but the first stop is a peaceful knitting group with a sweet eclectic group of people – that feels kind of Carrboro adjacent, right? It’s so nice to see Xavier in his element and confirm that his element is not reality television.

It’s really special to meet Xavier’s parents given what we know about their loving relationship and how committed to caring for Xavier’s mother his father is. No matter how this shakes out, it really has been a pleasure rooting for a man like Xavier during this journey and it’s no surprise to learn his family is just as genuine and loving as he is.

I mentioned last week that Xavier really needed to turn it around during his hometown visit because he was starting to feel like an underdog and I feel very confident that he more than made up for it with Charity and his family.

Let me just cut to the chase as we jump to Fresno, California with Dotun’s family: I cried the whole time. Surprising to no one, Dotun’s whole family is basically the personification of a cozy blanket on a chilly day. They clearly love in a big way and I think they would welcome Charity into the fold with ease. The image of them sitting around a patio table was so casual and authentic – we’ve all sat around a table with friends and family laughing way too hard and loving every minute.

Charity and Dotun continue their date at a drive-in theater where they watch a slideshow of baby pictures and moments together from their Bachelorette journey so far. In moments like these, I wish I knew how much of what we see was planned by production, and how much contestants are able to have a say in the details of their date.

What a gift these hometown dates were! Occasionally there is a family member who is less than pleasant, or someone who is very jaded to the potential for success on these shows, and it really takes you out of the moment. I’m proud of Charity for the final four she chose, and watching her meet their families was a delight.

Because she has narrowed the field down to four solid fellas, Charity doesn’t have an easy decision ahead of her. She decides to send Aaron B. home, meaning she will whisk Dotun, Xavier and Joey away for overnight dates. I’m assuming the hardest part of this for Charity is not just that she has really great guys in front of her, but during her time as a contestant on the last season of The Bachelor, Charity was sent home after the hometown dates. She knows exactly what she’s putting Aaron B. through by not giving him a rose immediately after meeting his family. I’m sure it stings.

Contestant Power Rankings

Oddly enough, my rankings for this episode go in the same order as the hometown visits.

4. Aaron B. peaked too early and got distracted this season. He got the first one-on-one date, things were going well, but then he started to spend his alone time with Charity focused on Brayden or other drama in the house. He and Charity are still riding the high of that first date because it was a big deal for both of them, but I think the authenticity of their connection has suffered due to Aaron giving into distractions along the way. It was

3. Typically Joey’s ‘aw shucks’ charm wouldn’t work on me, but there’s something genuine about him that I like. I mentioned earlier in the season that Joey was my frontrunner to be the next Bachelor if he doesn’t win and I’m sticking by that. (For anyone taking bets, I’m also adding Tanner to the short list.) I was a little put off by Joey’s uncle suggesting Charity doesn’t know the real Joey because that either means his uncle is a saboteur, or Joey has fooled us all. Neither option is really that great.

2. Unless Dotun drinks too much and makes out with a producer, I don’t see a scenario where he and Charity don’t end up together. He’s only in my second place spot because I think Xavier squashed any notions of being an underdog this week, and he was running out of time. Dotun and Charity had instant chemistry, found a deep connection early, they’ve never been caught up in any drama, and he’s always been sure & straightforward with how he feels about her. His whole family is the type you dream of marrying into, and I felt like I was watching Charity plan her entire future around that patio table.

1. Xavier has been a breath of fresh air into The Bachelorette franchise and he turned the charm up to 11 this week just like I hoped! His hometown date, on paper, was my favorite. The knitting class and a sweet coffee shop perfectly reflect his gentle demeanor, and given what we know about them, I’ve been waiting all season to meet his parents. I think he would make a great Bachelor if producers asked him, but I also don’t think he’d take them up on the opportunity. I know I mentioned it earlier, but I got really lucky that I could center “A Local Rose” on a man like Xavier.

X Marks the Spot

Knitting & Coffee with Xavier

Mulberry Silks & Fine Fabrics in Carr Mill Mall is a local classic, and I recently learned they offer Sewing Classes every Saturday! I know this may not seem as cozy as knitting, but a sewing date would be a great way to learn someone’s attention to detail and patience. When you finish getting your arts & crafts on, it’s a quick walk to Open Eye Cafe for great coffee and great service in the heart of Carrboro.

Drive-in with Dotun

My husband grew up in Eden so we’ve been lucky enough to venture to their classic drive-in theater a handful of times. Unfortunately, Chapel Hill doesn’t have a drive-in, but a very cool private movie option that would make you feel like the star of the show is the option to rent a theater at Silverspot at University Place. You can pick a new movie (good luck deciding between Barbie and Oppenheimer) or you can stream a movie of your choice. I have yet to experience this, but if I ever get the chance, I’m streaming Hamilton and singing every word.

We’re at a race to the finish for Charity’s season of The Bachelorette! I figure we’ve got at least three more episodes – Fantasy Suites next week, The Men Tell All, and the annual Season Finale + After the Final Rose extravaganza. I can’t wait to see all of our questions get answered including, of course, who will win Charity’s heart!

See you next week for steamy overnight dates and a super dramatic mystery limo arrival! Fingers crossed it’s Dotun’s grandmother announcing she wants to join Garry’s season!

Ali Evans is a three-decade Chapel Hill resident currently living in Mebane with her husband Brian, dogs Cameron & Macaroni, and cats Brooke & Dexter. Ali is a Marketing professional in Durham, and a reluctant reality TV expert. She currently serves as President of Leadership Chapel Hill-Carrboro through The Chamber For a Greater Chapel Hill Carrboro. Ali loves all things local – food, drinks, people and places and is a really big fan of trains. You can find Ali on twitter @helloalievans, or get in touch via email – helloalievans@gmail.com.

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