Love Island Season 7 Reunion Recap: The Tea Was Hot, the Apologies Were Lukewarm

I have to note this first: I’ve watched Love Island on and off for a long time, but I became a full-on supporter during Season 6 because of JaNa and Serena, two Black women on my screen, living their lives fully and trying to find the right person for them. After such an amazing Season 6, I honestly wasn’t planning on watching Season 7 because I didn’t think anything could top that and I was right. I should’ve stuck to my decision not to watch, because this season would’ve been better left alone.

This has been one of the most draining and exhausting seasons I’ve ever watched. If we’re being completely honest, it just wasn’t good. The issue is that Love Island ended Season 6 on such a high note, and we expected that momentum to continue. Instead, Season 7 brought in a new audience; viewership jumped by 49% and many of these new fans weren’t familiar with previous seasons. That influx shifted the vibe of the show entirely. It no longer felt like our show, and it fueled unnecessary “stan wars,” which were frustrating to watch.

Now, let’s get into the Season 7 reunion of Love Island USA.

I’ll admit, this reunion was better than Season 6’s. That one fell flat, but this time they had Andy Cohen co-hosting with Arianna. Andy has been hosting reality TV reunions for nearly 20 years—most famously the Real Housewives reunions. He knows how to navigate multiple strong personalities, ask the right questions, and keep things on track. As an OG Atlanta Housewives viewer, I know the value of a solid reunion host, and Andy’s presence made a huge difference. The questions were more thoughtful, and while they did handle the cast with “kid gloves” at times, I understood why—it was likely their first and last reunion.

There were several moments that really stood out:

Chris & Huda: Chris spoke up about feeling uncomfortable with Huda’s behavior post-villa and called her out on it. He revealed that she reached out to him just three days before the reunion, which came across as disingenuous. This was a necessary moment because, truthfully, we had no idea how Chris really felt outside of one podcast appearance, he hadn’t said much. As for Huda, her refusal to acknowledge her new relationship (despite going public on a red carpet) was odd.

Claiming she “couldn’t talk about it” didn’t ring true, especially since it started almost immediately after leaving the villa.

Brian & Amaya: They’ve unfollowed each other (just like Pepe and Iris), so there’s not much to discuss there they seem to be over already.

Nicolandria: They continue to be a bright spot. Their “friends-to-lovers” dynamic is loved beyond measure. We loved them as a couple before they did. I loved that they sent love not only to their supporters but also to their haters. As they pointed out, if someone is tracking your every move while claiming to dislike you, it says more about them than it does about you. I hope they keep thriving.

Chellace (Chelley & Ace): This couple should’ve made the Top 2, and I will always stand by that. They brought an authentic way of navigating their relationship, and their exit felt premature. During the reunion, they stood their ground, addressed the hate and “villain edit” they received, and spoke their truth calling out whoever needed to be called out, whether in Casa or within the main cast. They handled themselves with strength and grace, and I was genuinely proud watching them.

Taylor (Three Dreads) His apology was weak. I wouldn’t have accepted it. He has a lot of growing up to do, period.

I have to talk about Jaden. She rightfully called out Austin’s behavior and made it clear that all she wanted was honesty. Don’t embarrass me or make me look stupid that was her message, and I completely understood it. Adrienna even backed her up when Austin tried to deny. Austin, on the other hand, seemed detached and unprepared, barely following the conversation.

Honestly, he could’ve stayed home, along with a few others (looking at you, Cierra and Yulissa).

Seeing the uncut version of The Heart Rate  Challenge explained why Chelley felt the way she did. It was intense. We also learned a scene was cut where Ace was actually held accountable during the reunion that was frustrating. Why didn’t we see that?

Finally, I have to address this as a Black woman: the misogyny and racism displayed yet again towards Black women was appalling. The way Chelley and Olandria were painted as “mean girls” was completely unfair. We barely saw any on-screen defense of them at the reunion, only to later learn people did defend them, but production cut those scenes. Why?

This is a recurring problem with Love Island USA. It’s disheartening to see narratives manipulated at the expense of Black women. Even Huda, who also faced hate and racism, failed to truly hear Olandria’s pain when she described the horrific racism she endured; her face was edited onto George Floyd’s body. Instead of listening and acknowledging that trauma, Huda deflected and made it about herself. Yes, two things can be true: she experienced hate and racism, too but at that moment, Olandria’s experience should’ve been centered.

At this point, I’m done. Love Island USA continues to uphold damaging patterns in how it portrays Black women, and I can’t support it anymore. They can keep it.