One of Bachelor Nation’s most dramatic relationships of the summer has come to an end.
A source tells E! News exclusively that Bachelor in ParadisestarsBrendan Morais, 31, and Pieper James, 23, broke up earlier this month.
“The backlash from the show was too hard on both of them,” a source close to the pair shared exclusively with E! News. “They decided to split and focus on themselves. Pieper thinks it’s best for her to spend time reevaluating her life.”
The source added, “She thinks this is a good life lesson, but wants to move on.”
Bachelor in Paradise viewers had a front-row seat to the couple’s love story, which didn’t receive support from many co-stars. In the first weeks of the show, Brendan was pursuing Natasha Parker. But when Pieper showed up, she quickly asked Brendan to go on a date. As their relationship grew, rumors began to spread that the pair was dating before the show even started filming.