Lauren O’Brien isn’t holding back.
Following the emotional whirlwind that was Love Is Blind Season 8, Lauren is finally breaking her silence on ex-fiancé Dave Bettenberg’s attempt to rekindle their relationship—and she’s not sugarcoating anything.
In a candid moment shared during a recent podcast interview, Lauren revealed that Dave did, in fact, reach out after the reunion aired. But instead of being swept up in the idea of a second chance, Lauren was left feeling more skeptical than smitten.
“It felt very disingenuous,” she said bluntly. “Like he was trying to rewrite history or salvage his image—not actually repair what we had.”
According to Lauren, the timing of Dave’s message raised more questions than hope. Coming after a storm of online backlash against him and waves of support for Lauren, she couldn’t shake the feeling that his sudden change of heart was more about public perception than personal growth.
“I think he realized how it all looked. How it made him look. And suddenly I was supposed to believe he was ready? That he’d changed?” she continued. “But love isn’t a PR move.”
Their Final Goodbye
While fans had held out hope that the pair might find their way back to each other, Lauren says the door is firmly closed.
“There’s no going back,” she confirmed. “I gave everything I had the first time. I was honest, I was vulnerable. And instead of cherishing that, he questioned it. He questioned me.”
Dave’s reluctance to fully commit during the pods and his wavering post-engagement behavior left Lauren feeling emotionally drained and deeply disappointed. And though he may be trying to circle back now, Lauren has made peace with moving forward—on her own terms.
A New Chapter Ahead
Lauren is focusing on healing, self-growth, and embracing what’s next. “Closure doesn’t always come from someone else,” she said. “Sometimes it comes from knowing you showed up with love and integrity—even when they didn’t.”
As for future love? She’s not ruling anything out—but this time, she’s guarding her heart a little more closely.
“I still believe in love. But I’ll never again settle for someone who can’t see my worth the first time around.”
For Lauren O’Brien, the experiment may be over—but her story is far from finished.
