Love Is Blind’s Kacie McIntosh Defends How She Treated Patrick Suzuki

Kacie McIntosh is standing her ground.

The star of *Love Is Blind* season nine explained why she ended her engagement with Patrick Suzuki right after the pods. She clarified that his looks had nothing to do with the split.

For Kacie, coming face to face with her pod connection made him “feel like more of a stranger.”

“I’ll never be able to explain the feeling of, you think you’re really in love with this person, and then you meet them, and you’re like, ‘Oh wow, I actually don’t know this person,'” she explained to Netflix’s Tudum in a recent interview. “I did crash out a little.”

In fact, Kacie said Patrick’s looks weren’t a main concern of hers at the time, despite her stating in an episode four confessional that she ended things because she didn’t think her attraction to him was “gonna grow that much.”

“He’s a handsome guy,” she continued. “It was more about him being a stranger in my arms than it was what he looks like.”

Indeed, Kacie insisted that she was being honest when she suggested they take their relationship off camera and try to date outside of the show—though she admitted it “came off weird.”

Looking back, I really messed up a situation, and I deeply regret how it played out. I realized it came across as manipulative – almost like I was trying to make someone question their own reality, and that’s the last thing I ever want to do. Honestly, I wasn’t communicating what I was feeling, and I was desperately hoping things could work out, even when it clearly wasn’t the right path. I kept thinking, ‘Maybe, just maybe, this could be salvaged,’ but I should have been more honest with myself and everyone involved.

Okay, so I’ve been following the Kacie and Patrick situation, and while Kacie admits she could have been more upfront with Patrick about *why* she did what she did, she wants to shut down any idea that this was all just for attention. She really feels it’s important people understand it wasn’t about ‘clout’ or trying to get famous.

She explained that she’s facing a lot of criticism, with people questioning her worthiness of love, but she’s choosing to stay positive. At 34, she’s ready to share her life with someone and hoped the show would help her find a deeper connection than just a physical one.

As for Patrick, the 31-year-old admitted that he was “blindsided” by the sudden breakup.

In an interview with *People* magazine, he shared that he went through a lot of self-doubt, wondering if the reason for the rejection was his appearance, personality, being overwhelming, or if she was already seeing someone else, or even if she was seeking publicity.

In the end, the construction manager – who had shared his concerns about dating as an Asian man in a predominantly white area on the show – said he was thankful for having gone through the experience.

He told *Tudum* that the experience really boosted his confidence. He said he wouldn’t have been able to overcome his long-standing issues without Kacie, and that sharing his story was incredibly liberating.

Oh my gosh, you guys, new *Love Is Blind* is coming! I literally marked October 8th on my calendar! While we wait (it’s TORTURE!), Netflix is giving us a sneak peek at all the singles for season nine. I’m already obsessed and haven’t even seen them yet!