The Bachelor Season 29's Alexe Godin Reveals How The First Impression Rose Twist Put Her At A 'Disadvantage' With Grant Ellis

The Bachelor season 29's Alexe Godin revealed that the first impression rose twist, which automatically gave her the first one-on-one date with Grant Ellis because she'd received it, actually put her at a disadvantage with the leading man. During The Bachelor season 29 premiere night, Alexe received the first impression rose from Grant Ellis after she arrived at the mansion with Linda, her live, "no-drama" llama. This meant that she also went on the first one-on-one date, during which she and Grant explored the Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles, which they had all to themselves.

In an interview with People, Alexe revealed that she thinks that getting the first impression rose hurt her relationship with Grant because it was too much too soon. She shared, "I think it did play in a disadvantage because it's the first time meeting that person, and you're not going to trauma-dump everything on the first [date], especially when you're sitting on the ground at the mall."

Although Alexe participated in several group dates after her one-on-one date with Grant, they never had the chance to really get to know each other more deeply because she was waiting for a hometown date to open up to him, which she didn't receive. She said, "I feel like I maybe didn't share as much afterward because I was waiting for hometowns to be the right time." However, Grant sent Alexe home the week before his hometown dates.

Despite having high hopes at the beginning, Alexe isn't sure if she and Grant were right for each other in the end anyway. She said, "I’d like to say that it probably wouldn't have worked out regardless, just because maybe I wasn't what he was looking for and vice versa."

Alexe added that she doesn't like to say that she regrets things in life, but she does wish that she would've had more time to have been more open with Grant. She shared, "I wish that maybe — I don't want to say regret because I'm a big believer [that] everything happens for a reason — but maybe I would've opened up a little bit more. But I think I wanted to have more time, maybe not in a ten-minute conversation, to open up a little bit more because I think it deserves that."

However, Alexe is happy that she didn't share too much with Grant because he didn't choose her in the end. She said, "I think he had his mind set on the girls he was really interested in, and it wasn't me. So I'm glad I didn't share that part of myself because I'm a big oversharer, and I need to learn to keep some things for the right people."

I think it did play in a disadvantage because it's the first time meeting that person, and you're not going to trauma-dump everything on the first [date], especially when you're sitting on the ground at the mall. I feel like I maybe didn't share as much afterward because I was waiting for hometowns to be the right time. I’d like to say that it probably wouldn't have worked out regardless, just because maybe I wasn't what he was looking for and vice versa. I wish that maybe — I don't want to say regret because I'm a big believer [that] everything happens for a reason — but maybe I would've opened up a little bit more. But I think I wanted to have more time, maybe not in a ten-minute conversation, to open up a little bit more because I think it deserves that. I think he had his mind set on the girls he was really interested in, and it wasn't me. So I'm glad I didn't share that part of myself because I'm a big oversharer, and I need to learn to keep some things for the right people.

What Alexe's Feelings About The First Impression Rose Twist Mean For The Bachelor

Alexe Didn't Have The Chance To Build Her Relationship With Grant

The Bachelor season 29 producers wanted to spice things up by giving the first impression rose higher stakes than ever before, but they ended up hurting Alexe in the process. Because most contestants only receive a single one-on-one date each season, Alexe's relationship with Grant had nowhere to go but down. They started off with such a strong connection, but then it seemed as though he had forgotten about her as he began to explore his relationships with the other women.

It makes sense that Alexe didn't want to tell Grant everything about herself on the first date, even though she did open up to him quite a bit about her difficult relationship with her parents. It was unfair to Alexe that she received so much attention at the beginning of The Bachelor season 29 because it was too much too soon.

After receiving the first impression rose and the first one-on-one date, Alexe had to fight for Grant's attention on group dates which were dominated by the other women's drama. To make matters worse, Alexe got a concussion while riding a mechanical bull on a group date in Madrid, and couldn't participate in the nighttime portion of the date, which cost her even more time with Grant.

Our Take On The Bachelor Season 29 First Impression Rose Twist

There Shouldn't Be Any Twists During The Bachelor

I believe that the Bachelor season 29 first impression rose twist was a colossal mistake, and it should never happen again. In fact, in a reality dating series like The Bachelor, there shouldn't be any twists at all. During The Bachelor season 27, a twist gave contestant Brianna Thorbourne America's First Impression rose, which kept her safe during the first rose ceremony, but left her wondering if leading man Zach Shallcross really even wanted her there. She eventually self-eliminated.

In addition, during The Bachelor season 28, contestant Lea Cayanan was chosen to receive a card that gave her the chance to steal a one-on-one date with Joey Graziadei from any woman up until the hometown dates. She burned the card in the Bachelor mansion fireplace because she didn't want to hurt one of her fellow contestants or force Joey to go on a date with her. These twists put the women in very awkward positions, which is exactly what happened to Alexe as well.

Twists are an important part of reality competition series such as Big Brother, because they make the game more challenging for the contestants and keep things fresh for the audience. However, on a reality dating series, things should play out naturally. While Grant chose Alexe to be his first impression rose recipient, he was then forced to take her on the first one-on-one date, which put too much pressure on their relationship too soon. Hopefully, Alexe will have another chance to find love either on Bachelor in Paradise season 10 or, even better, as the next star of The Bachelorette.