We survived it. Love Island USA Season 7, is finally over. After 36 episodes, a confusing finale and way too much online drama, we’re still sitting here asking “what exactly did we just watch?" Shoutout to Amaya and Bryan for taking the crown, but let’s not act like this season played out how anyone imagined.
Season 6 raised the bar with real connections, viral moments and couples the audience could actually root for. So naturally, Season 7 had everyone hyped. But instead of building on that momentum, it gave us controversy, unnecessary drama and a bunch of questionable choices. It felt like producers were scrambling to please the internet, while losing sight of the actual show.
So let’s break it all down. From surprise dumping's and toxic couples to social media chaos and missed opportunities. Here is our recap of the most pivotal moments that made Season 7, the most complex season.
All image credits: Peacock / Google
Yulissa Removed From The Villa
This season spiraled early with Yulissa’s overnight removal after an old video surfaced of her using a racial slur. Viewers demanded her removal and production followed through. That’s when America realized it had control. From that point on, social media basically ran the show. People knew if they pushed hard enough online, the show would conform to it.
Huda & Jeremiah
Then came Huda and Jeremiah. They coupled up on day one and instantly shut down any interest in exploring other connections. Some Islanders and viewers accused Jeremiah of love bombing Huda. Things got sticky when Huda revealed she was a mother, Jeremiah was visibly caught off guard. The couple had been intimate and Jeremiah tried to stay committed. However, Huda’s behavior became increasingly toxic. She constantly argued with Jeremiah, refused to hear him out and publicly called him names.
The villa became tense, and even viewers were uncomfortable watching the situation unfold. When Iris entered the villa, America jumped at the chance to give Jeremiah a reset and voted for them to re-couple. That only made Huda more upset, leading to even more explosive behavior. Despite her being up for elimination twice, the Islanders saved her both times, not knowing that it was what the public wanted.
Jeremiah later coupled with bombshell Andreina and just when viewers were starting to root for his comeback, America’s vote left him vulnerable. The Islanders voted him out, cutting off a connection that could’ve gone somewhere. The person causing most of the drama stayed, while someone trying to move forward got sent home. It became the season’s most frustrating storyline and a reminder that protecting the wrong person for too long can derail everything.
Questionable Eliminations
Viewers were also frustrated when Charlie got eliminated, separating him from Hannah. Then Hannah was dumped not long after, ending her connection with bombshell Pepe. America had tried to be strategic with their voting. However, at the end of the day, the Islanders still had to make the final call, with whatever options they were given. When those decisions didn’t align with what the public wanted, fans turned around and acted confused or outraged, saying the choices "made no sense." The reality is, the Islanders were doing the best they could with the limited choices.
Olandria, Taylor, Jaylen & Clarke
Taylor and Olandria had been coupled up since day one, but it quickly became clear that Taylor wasn’t as into Olandria as she was into him. Viewers picked up on it and pressured production to bring in someone new for her.
Then enters the bombshell Jaylen. Taylor turned up the heat and tried his best to prove to Olandria, that he cared about their connection. Olandria tried to give Jaylen a chance, but her heart was still with Taylor, so she re-coupled with him, upsetting fans who felt she deserved better. While separated during Casa Amor, Olandria didn’t find a new connection and was temporarily eliminated. Meanwhile, Taylor hit it off with Clarke.
Taylor was suddenly more affectionate and more locked in, than he ever was with Olandria. When she returned to the main villa, instead of ending things, Olandria still tried to make it work and often referred to Taylor as “her man.” Taylor had obviously been leading Olandria on. He continued adding to the confusion by entertaining both women and not making it clear that his heart had shifted.
He chose Clarke during the recoupling, but never directly addressed things with Olandria, making the whole situation messier than it needed to be. During the Mailbox Challenge, Olandria made her feelings known and the pressure was on Taylor. With everyone watching, he chose his connection with Clarke.
Chelley, Austin, Ace, Amaya & The Viewers
Chelley was originally paired with Austin, someone the audience never really got behind because of his political views and alleged racism. She later decided to fully explore her connection with Ace, who she had met briefly before the show. However, some viewers didn’t like Ace either. Many saw him as controlling, especially after Jeremiah’s elimination, and blamed him for influencing the male Islanders too much. His short-lived connection with bombshell Amaya also led to criticism, with fans claiming he wasted her time.
When Chelley and Ace officially coupled up, social media ran wild with rumors that they were secretly dating before the show and had plotted to win the money. Even though there was no proof and their connection grew naturally on screen, the damage was done. Ace was one of the few Islanders consistently communicating and doing thoughtful things for his partner, but none of it mattered. The audience had already decided they wanted him out, and nothing could shift that narrative.
Heart Rate and Mailbox Challenge Drama
The Heart Rate and Mailbox challenges turned an already tense situation into a full-on disaster. After Casa, Chelley and Ace rekindled their connection, even though both had explored other options. Chelley had some chemistry with Chris, and while she ultimately chose Ace, there was still unresolved tension.
During the Heart Rate Challenge, Chelley danced on and kissed Chris twice. It was a little questionable, but nothing too serious. Then Huda, went all in with Ace, giving him a lap dance that made everyone visibly uncomfortable. She turned around and looked like she was about to sit on his face before the cameras suddenly cut away. It was too much and the energy in the villa completely shifted.
Chelley was visibly upset but remained calm. She told Huda they could talk the next day because she didn’t want to say anything out of anger. Huda twisted the narrative, telling others that Chelley declined to talk altogether and was seen crying throughout the night. The following day, Huda admitted she took things too far, but during the Mailbox Challenge, she sent a message questioning why Chelley was even upset.
Chelley also questioned Huda about expecting others to follow standards that she doesn’t stick to herself. Which then opened the door for Chelley to call her out for lying about bringing Chris back for her (Chelley), when it was clearly for herself. Olandria backed her up, revealing that Huda had kissed Chris and kept it a secret. Huda was upset that Olandria shared something said in private.
Sure, it could be seen as wrong or breaking girl code, but Olandria seemed to reveal the secret to make a point. If kissing Chris was really no big deal, then why hide it? Keeping that from a friend isn't being a girls' girl; it's lying and withholding, which is the opposite of what Huda claimed to be. Instead of the public recognizing the manipulation, they doubled down on their support for Huda and flipped on Chelley and Olandria.
These two, who had never shown signs of bullying or drama before, were suddenly labeled "mean girls," because they challenged the wrong fan favorite.
Cierra & Nic + Cierra Removed From Villa
Cierra came to the island as a bombshell and eventually coupled up with Nic. She quickly became a fan favorite, until things shifted. Viewers still liked Cierra, but it was clear Nic wasn’t as into it. Their connection seemed to rely more on physical intimacy.
Cierra’s removal was a social media mission. Fans weren’t as invested in her connection with Nic because they had already built up the fantasy of 'Nicolandria' with Nic and Olandria. So they went digging. When an old screenshot surfaced of Cierra using a slur directed at the Asian community, viewers ran with it. Petitions started, pressure hit the network and the show gave in and sent her home.
Cierra had to sit back and watch her former connection and her friend become fan favorites while she got dragged. People went even lower, calling ICE on her family just to add extra punishment. And for what? Yes, she may have hurt people along the way and that deserves space to be addressed. But what happened online wasn't accountability, it was harassment disguised as outrage. Cierra has since apologized on social media and provided extra context with proof. However, nothing has improved. Are we actually wanting change or are we just addicted to having power online? Production has said nothing. No protection, no statement, just silence as usual.
Chelley & Ace Eliminated
To us, out of the final five couples, Chelley and Ace were the only ones that truly felt like winners. The chemistry was there from day one. They faced challenges, communicated like grown adults, and Ace went out of his way to show Chelley love in thoughtful ways. They made their relationship exclusive and were one of the few couples that actually made sense.
So when America voted them last after family day, it didn’t just feel disappointing, it felt unfair. How do you dump the only solid couple left while others with zero chemistry skate through? Chelley and Ace were everything the show claims to celebrate. Their exit felt like the final sign that this season wasn’t about real love, it was about popularity and optics.
The Final 4
Iris & Pepe
Bombshells Iris and TJ had built a solid connection, but TJ was voted out. After Hannah’s earlier elimination and Casa Amor, Pepe re-coupled with Graclyn but later admitted he was still stuck on Hannah, even though their time together was brief. It felt like he missed the intimacy more than the actual connection. He opened up to Graclyn about it and shortly after, she was eliminated. Instead of choosing to leave the villa, Pepe stayed and coupled up with Iris. They seemed to build something in the final days and were also intimate. But it raised the question: was it a real connection, or just two friends with benefits riding things out to the finale?
Olandria & Nic (Nicolandria)
We here at Hella Complicated are definitely team Nicolandria, but it was only a fun fantasy. However, fans were determined to get Nic and Olandria together and production clearly listened. After both were dumped during Casa, production stepped in and gave them the option to re-couple or go home. Nic and Olandria had been close all season, shared a few challenge kisses and had undeniable secret chemistry. So, they took the offer.
They shared a passionate kiss, but the next day they decided to keep it platonic. Nic was still tied to Cierra, and Olandria hadn’t moved on from Taylor. However, after Taylor chose Clarke and Cierra was removed, Nicolandria got a second chance.
This time, they decided to be fully invested and America loved it. But, let’s not act like it wasn’t forced from the start. The way production inserted themselves showed just how far they’ll go to please the internet, even if it messes with the flow of the actual experience.
Amaya & Bryan
Amaya's journey was one of the most misunderstood in the villa. She started out coupled with Ace, then ended up with Austin and later Zak. Despite her being open, the same feedback kept coming from each guy; “Amaya was moving too fast” or “too emotional.” That critique seemed more about their discomfort, than anything she was actually doing.
Everything shifted after the 'Who Would You Rather' challenge revealed that America loved Amaya. Suddenly, the same guys who had written her off started showing interest. Bombshells Zak and Elan began expressing feelings for her. Also Bryan, who had previously defended her 'babe' comments as part of her Dominican background, became fully locked in.
Amaya ended up choosing Bryan and while a lot of fans were happy to see her finally being seen and celebrated, others questioned the timing. Was Bryan all in because of how he felt, or because he knew America loved her and could potentially secure a win? Either way, we’re glad that Amaya finally got to enjoy the experience, without constantly having to explain herself.
Huda & Chris
After Huda & Chris coupled up, things got physical, but instead of bringing them closer, it only exposed how disconnected they really were. From there, their relationship was full of miscommunication, tension and constant disagreements.
Chris tried to have honest conversations, but Huda often shut him down, talked over him, or walked away. One of the main issues was public intimacy. Chris asked why Huda always looked around before kissing him. Huda said she didn’t like PDA and wanted to handle things differently than she did with Jeremiah. Chris couldn’t make sense of that, especially since they were already being intimate in a shared space. Honestly, that was a fair point on his end.
Huda and Chris argued most times they were shown on screen and whatever connection they had clearly wasn’t working. Still, they stuck around until the end. Then, on their final date, they finally ended things. Yes… they broke up in the finale.
Their breakup wasn’t surprising, but it still felt like a slap in the face to viewers who supported the show for real connections. We lost actual couples so this toxic back-and-forth could drag on. This is what happens when popularity and social media hype outweigh genuine relationships. If that doesn’t sum up the season’s biggest problem, nothing does.
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The final four were a mix of fan favorites and bombshells, not real couples with solid bonds. The chemistry was... blah, and most of the connections looked more like game plans than relationships. By the end, it was hard not to wonder how we even got here.
Amaya winning was something we could actually get behind. If it wasn’t going to be Nicolandria, at least it went to someone who deserved it. Still, this season was all over the place.
Same Time Next Year?...
To the Islanders, thanks for sharing your stories. We hope you're taking care of yourselves and putting your mental health first after all this.
To the Love Island producers, fans and the franchise overall, remember what this show is really about. Love Island was built on real connections, not solely popularity or social media pressure. When votes become more about who's trending than who's growing, it takes away from the people who came here for the right reasons. That’s not just frustrating, it's unfair. Especially for new viewers trying to understand the heart of the show. If love keeps taking a backseat, then what’s the point of even calling it Love Island? It's time for a serious reset.
Catch y’all at the reunion.
