Love Is Blind Season 11 follows 30 Boston-area singles
The first five episodes of Love Is Blind Season 11 were released on Netflix on Wednesday, October 14. The season follows 30 singles from the Boston area and across New England who are ready to find lasting love and settle down. The central challenge is to pursue an engagement without first seeing the person they could marry.
Married celebrity couple Nick Lachey and Vanessa Lachey host the season, bringing their experience with engagements, marriages and breakups across 10 previous seasons of the show. The cast includes 14 men and 16 women between the ages of 28 and 40. Their professional backgrounds range from entrepreneurship, engineering and consulting to account management, sales and other careers.
Spoilers for the first five episodes follow.
Early pod connections and engagements
Blake Carver, Benita Paloja and Erika
Blake Carver (@tropicanacoyote), 38, is a Cancer and yacht captain seeking someone comfortable with life on the open seas. He was surprised by how quickly he connected with Benita Paloja (@benitapalo), who had not spent much time on a boat. The pair bonded over Balkan culture: Benita is Albanian from Kosovo, Albania, while Blake briefly lived in Croatia.
Blake also connected with Erika (@errrika1), a 37-year-old marketing director who is a Cancer. Their conversations included banter about their favorite sleep practices and how they show up in relationships. Erika, who loves her home as much as travel, said the sea makes her feel grounded, and Blake invited her to join him on his yacht. They later discovered that they had both lived in San Diego and started beverage companies.
Benita, a 31-year-old insurance agent and Taurus, immigrated to the United States with her family in 1999, which she says made her extremely close with them. She connected with both Blake and Morrey Eglin but appeared to form a stronger bond with Blake. After she sensed that Blake had a stronger connection with Erika, Benita chose to walk away, saying Blake was making the “biggest mistake of his life.” Erika continued growing her connection with Blake despite being uncomfortable about his bond with Benita, and the pair became engaged in the pods.
Morrey Eglin, Sarah Williams and John Shannon
Morrey Eglin (@morrey__), 32, is an entrepreneur, boxer, part-time bouncer at a busy Boston bar and self-described full-time Libra. He met both Benita and Sarah Williams in the pods, but a disagreement with Benita led him to end that connection because he did not want to rush into a commitment.
Sarah Williams (@swillyyyy), 34, is a healthcare program manager, part-time bartender and Libra who has been single for six years. She wants a connection built on friendship rather than looks. Sarah formed relationships with both Morrey and John Shannon, ultimately choosing John.
John Shannon (@johnshannon_), 33, is an account executive, Gemini and devoted dog dad who recently found out he has multiple sclerosis, or MS. He is looking for a lifelong partner with strong convictions. Sarah overheard John calling her part of his “bottom two,” but they moved past the awkward moment, hit it off in the pods and ultimately became engaged.
Cameron âCamâ Halloran and Aneha Singh
Cameron “Cam” Halloran (@cameronhalloran), 29, is an HR generalist and Scorpio who has spent time in Ghana and India. During his time in India, he read My Gita, a book based on The Bhagavad Gita, several times. His connection with Aneha Singh (@anehahaha), who comes from a Hindu family, was a natural fit.
Cam also connected with Malaine Thorpe (@melinmotionxo), a breast cancer survivor who bonded with him after he shared that his mother had survived cancer. Cam ultimately formed a stronger connection with Aneha, said she might be his person, and ended his relationship with Malaine.
Aneha Singh, 28, is a principal engineer and Aquarius. She describes herself as “stubborn,” and says she has never drunk alcohol. Aneha is passionate about her biotech research and says she is looking for a “gentleman.” Cam proposed to her in the pods.
Malaine Thorpe, Wilson and Wilnie
Malaine Thorpe, 33, is a senior portfolio analyst and Pisces who values self-improvement. She named Barack and Michelle Obama as her relationship goals and wants a partner who can join her at the gym as a workout buddy. Malaine connected with Cam and Wilson, but she left the experiment after Cam ended their relationship.
Wilson (@willymilll), 35, is a senior compliance manager, Gemini and recreational basketball player. He used to struggle with believing that he deserved love, but he is ready for the experience of self-discovery in the pods even if he does not find a match. He formed strong connections with both Malaine and Wilnie and focused on Wilnie after Malaine left.
Wilnie (@wilnie_), 33, is a mental health counselor and Aries. The youngest of her siblings, she hopes to find a partner who gets along with her family. She made it clear to Wilson that she was falling for him, and the pair became engaged in the pods.
Jacqueline âJaxâ Guelli and Scott âStewâ
Jacqueline “Jax” Guelli (@jacquelineguelli), 31, is an entrepreneur and Taurus who works in the beauty industry and owns a skincare line. She admits that she cares about looks. Jax bonded with Scott “Stew” (@scooterstew) over their shared interests in saunas and design.
Their relationship reached a rough patch after Stew said he had never said “I love you” to a girlfriend before, which soured their last meeting. Stew still proposed to Jax, who accepted, but the engagement did not work out after they met face-to-face.
Stew, 34, is a director of engineering, Gemini and a self-proclaimed “sauna aficionado.” He and Jax described their dream weddings to each other in the pods. Jaxâs remaining doubts were cemented when she met him in person, and she left the experiment shortly afterward.
Rob, Diana and Michaella Giorgio
Rob (@feels_3310), 40, is an Aquarius who works in AI infrastructure sales. He is looking for a partner with traditional family values who is comfortable with his friends and will join him on the golf course. Rob connected with both Diana (@diananicolep) and Michaella Giorgio (@michaellagiorgio), but he had difficulty deciding which relationship to prioritize in the pods.
Diana, 29, is a nanny and Sagittarius who describes herself as an old soul who is “annoyingly traditional.” A proud Sicilian, she bonded with Rob over their love of family. Diana eventually expressed her discomfort with Robâs connection to Michaella and asked him to break it off.
Michaella Giorgio, 35, is a retail consultant and Virgo looking for someone she can always laugh with. She found that person in Rob, with whom she bantered in the pods, including through Robâs Donald Trump impression. Rob ultimately focused on Michaella and proposed to her in the pods. He gave her a bracelet that had belonged to his late father, cementing their care for each other.
More Season 11 singles and their relationship priorities
Amenawon “Iman” Johnson (@aggamenawon), 34, is a Pisces software engineer who describes himself as a “geek at heart.” He says he has previously put a partnerâs needs above his own and fears falling for someone who takes advantage of that tendency. Jay Robinson (@jrobb__), 36, is a Capricorn director of sales in the sports industry whose career leaves him too busy to date. He wants a partner with her own drive and goals, as well as someone who does not mind his freestyle rapping. Mark A. Colantonio (@markacolantonio), 37, is a Taurus wine sales consultant seeking a partner who remains understanding under stress. He values acts of service as a love language, and friends say he would give someone the shirt off his back.
Matt Waldrip (@mattsmenu14), 37, is a Capricorn beekeeper and father to an 8-year-old son. He is looking for his “queen bee” in the pods and is ready to impress with romantic dinners such as his signature chicken parmesan. Michael Arisco (@m_arisco), 35, is a Leo account executive from Connecticut who values vulnerability and hopes that being open in the pods will allow him to find a genuine connection. Scott Shuman (@scottshuman9), 38, is an Aries who does not believe in astrology. A former professional baseball player turned baseball coach, he is looking for a woman who shares his Christian values and, ideally, does not believe in astrology either. Tucker Myhre (@tmyhre802), 35, is an Aries senior solutions consultant who describes himself as a know-it-all who loves Wikipedia rabbit holes. He wants a partner who shares his love of Boston sports teams, especially the Red Sox.
Brittany Bianco (@britt_catalina), 34, is an Aquarius attorney from a “huge Italian family,” and she says cooking is her love language as long as her partner cleans up afterward. Brittany is open to dating every zodiac sign except Sagittarius men. Jenn Mouser (@jennmouser), 39, is a master hairstylist and mother to a 7-year-old son. She describes herself as a Pisces “through and through,” and she wants a sensitive partner who is open to children and ready to hit the beach with her every morning to watch the sunrise. Kara Grumoli (@karagrumoli), 32, is a Virgo strategic account manager hoping to find someone who can balance her “calm, cool, and collected” personality. She would also like a partner who could accompany her on her familyâs annual trip to the Vineyard.
Kerry Cashman (@kerryc2), 37, is a Scorpio athletic director looking for a partner who can keep up with her extroverted, upbeat personality. She wants someone with whom she can be both deep and silly. Liz Rounds (@liz.rounds), 34, is an Aries NICU nurse looking for a “generous and committed” partner to enjoy her free time with; she is passionate about music and binge-watching television on Sundays. Rachel Aukema (@thatsaukward), 32, is a Cancer academic advisor seeking a strong leader. After previously living in Spain, she has decided to settle in Boston permanently and hopes to have “Bostonian babies” one day. Sahar (@saharm11), 34, is a Scorpio orthodontist and proud Persian who immigrated to the United States at age 10. She says Leo men have previously ruined her life, although she does not hate them and is a little afraid of them. Sahar wants a caring partner with whom she could possibly build a multicultural household.
Netflix release schedule for Season 11
The first five episodes of Love Is Blind Season 11 were released on Netflix on October 14. New episodes are scheduled to air every Wednesday at 3 a.m. ET through the Episode 12 season finale on November 3.
Why This Matters
Season 11 places a Boston-area cast at the center of an established format hosted by Nick Lachey and Vanessa Lachey, who have followed engagements, marriages and breakups through 10 previous seasons. The participants span 14 different career paths and include entrepreneurs, engineers, consultants, account executives and other professionals, giving the new regional cast a broad range of backgrounds and relationship priorities.
The first five episodes also demonstrate why the transition from the pods to face-to-face meetings is so consequential. Blake and Erika, Sarah and John, Cam and Aneha, and Wilson and Wilnie become engaged before meeting, as do Rob and Michaella. Jax initially accepts Stewâs proposal, but their engagement does not survive their first in-person meeting. With new episodes scheduled each week through November 3, the remaining story will show which pod connections endure once the participants meet in person and how the remaining singlesâ relationships develop.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the first five episodes of Love Is Blind Season 11 release?
The first five episodes were released on Netflix on Wednesday, October 14. Subsequent episodes are scheduled for Wednesdays at 3 a.m. ET, leading up to the Episode 12 season finale on November 3.
Who hosts Love Is Blind Season 11, and who is in the cast?
Nick Lachey and Vanessa Lachey host the season. The Boston-area cast includes 30 singlesâ14 men and 16 women between the ages of 28 and 40.
Which couples became engaged during the first five episodes?
Blake and Erika, Sarah and John, Cam and Aneha, Wilson and Wilnie, and Rob and Michaella became engaged. Stew also proposed to Jax, and she accepted, but the engagement ended after they met face-to-face.
