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Love Island USA season 7 returned with a new episode on June 15, 2025. The segment featured three new bombshells (newcomers) — Iris, Pepe, and Jalen — get coupled with existing islanders. However, the decision to choose their partners was not theirs; it was America's. The voting lines opened for the public to select each bombshell's partner, creating chaos in the villa.
As the bombshells got paired up, three islanders became single. However, that was not the end of the night. After host Ariana Madix conducted the recoupling ceremony, which was shocking in itself, she revealed there would be an elimination in which those islanders who recently lost their partners to the bombshells were at risk of going home.
Charlie, whose partner Hannah got recoupled with Pepe, Taylor, whose partner Olandria was paired with Jalen, and Huda, whose partner Jeremiah was matched with Iris, faced the possibility of being dumped from the Love Island USA villa. The decision was given to the islanders who were not recoupled to choose who the evictee would be, and they decided to send Charlie packing.
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I would be lying if I said I didn’t gasp while watching the recoupling ceremony that split three couples. While I was pleased to see Olandria get paired with someone willing to give her attention, I had not expected the public to couple Jeremiah with Iris. I believe the right word to describe the situation is messy.
Viewers wanted drama, and they met their own expectations by breaking up Huda and Jeremiah, the villa's so-called parents. Then they split Hannah and Charlie, only to see the latter suffer, as if he weren’t already stressed about losing Hannah to a bombshell.
However, that was not all. I was rendered speechless when Ariana announced the surprise elimination. After a couple of cold episodes, Love Island USA finally raised the stakes. I loved every second of the episode because it delivered everything the latest season promised — unending drama.
"We don't wanna do that" — Love Island USA star Amaya struggles to come to terms with the elimination twist
Episode 12 of Love Island USA saw Ariana tell the islanders that the recoupling was unlike anything they had done before. Why? Because it allowed viewers to choose the bombshells' partners, and if there’s one thing fans of the show enjoy, it's drama.
Consequently, they made decisions that resulted in maximum tension. Jalen was paired with Olandria, leaving her original partner, Taylor, single. While Jalen said he was "happy" with the result, Olandria felt conflicted. Taylor, on the other hand, admitted he was "hurt" because it was the public's decision, not the islanders'.
Next was Pepe, who was coupled up with Hannah, Charlie's partner. It was upsetting to see Charlie feel defeated and to witness his worst fears come true. However, from a viewer's perspective, it felt just right. There was palpable tension, a sense of betrayal, and helplessness, all in one shot, as the Love Island USA islanders were at the mercy of the viewers.
Lastly, Iris was coupled up with Jeremiah, Huda's partner. This outcome, in particular, was far too dramatic. Not only did the viewers break apart one of the so-called strongest couples in the villa, but they also tested Huda's insecure possessiveness about Jeremiah by pairing him with someone new. It was evident from Huda's reaction, who said:
"What? What the f**k?"
Her co-stars were just as surprised, while Ace laughed at the surprising outcome. However, it was the announcement of the surprise elimination that shocked the Love Island USA islanders.
"We don't wanna do that," Amaya responded to the announcement.
The decision on who would be dumped was given to Chelley, Amaya, Cierra, Nic, Austin, and Ace. Charlie immediately started pitching his case, detailing his connection with Hannah, as he hoped to stay in the villa longer. The scene was intense as it showcased his desperation and helplessness.
If you ask me, this is what Love Island USA is all about: creating unforgettable, controversial, and landmark moments. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the turn of events.
While Cierra, Chelley, and Amaya voted for Charlie, Nic and Ace cast their votes for Huda. Meanwhile, Austin chose to vote for Taylor. With three votes against him, Charlie was eliminated from the show. The result left the islanders in tears and created some unresolved feelings, as Ace called out Huda and Jeremiah for being too "closed-off."
The episode perfectly embodied the tension that Love Island USA viewers love to watch. I was pleased with how well it was executed, and I hope the intensity will continue to increase moving forward.
Love Island USA is streaming now on Peacock.
