The Bachelorette star Clare Crawley and one of her former contestants, Blake Monar, have sparked dating rumors after posting about their recent visit together in Indiana. Blake first appeared in Clare's season but only lasted until the second rose ceremony because they did not form a connection. He hardly had any screen time, so he was a bit of a mystery when he showed up on the beach in Mexico during Bachelor In Paradise season 7. He dated Tia Booth, but they broke up when Tia felt that Blake was not putting enough effort into their relationship, and she gave her rose to James Bonsall instead of him.
Clare has been a Bachelor Nation fan-favorite since she appeared in Juan Pablo Galavis' season of The Bachelor in 2014. She was praised as a strong, independent woman who confronted Juan Pablo about the inappropriate manner in which he spoke to and about women. Fans were rooting for her to find love in Bachelor In Paradise seasons 1 and 2, in 2014 and 2015, but she eliminated herself during both seasons when she didn't connect with anyone. In 2018, Clare got engaged to Benoit Beauséjour-Savard on the Bachelor Winter Games reunion special, but they parted ways just two months later. When Clare was offered the lead role on The Bachelorette in 2020 at age 39, fans were excited to see a woman older than the typical age on these shows have a chance at finding love. Clare fell head over heels in love with Dale Moss, ending her season after just 12 days. They got engaged and left the show to Tayshia Adams, who took over as the lead. Unfortunately, Clare and Dale had a very painful breakup in September 2021.
Clare and Blake both posted about their time spent together in Indiana, sparking dating rumors. Clare shared a video montage with the caption, "Went for business, left with the most unexpected remarkable memories! Indy, you were truly beautiful and exactly what my soul needed." Both Clare and Blake are in the beauty industry, as Clare is the co-owner of De Facto Salon in Sacramento, California, and Blake is the founder and CEO of Statum Style Cosmetics. It is likely that this is the "business" to which Clare was referring in her caption. However, as she said, the trip turned into so much more. In her video montage, Clare and Blake are seen bowling, shopping and spending time with Blake's young niece and nephew, riding around the kitchen on their ride-on toy. Clare also included a sign outside of a store that said, "You are loved by real people." Blake posted an Instagram Story of Clare playing with his niece and another in which he is hugging Clare as they walk down the street with the caption, "How's walking on black ice with a grown man hanging on your back, @clarecrawley?" She replied by posting the same video in her Instagram Story, adding to the caption, "Better than gliding solo across the driveway and ending up under your car." Their happy smiles and comfortable vibe in the video made fans wonder if there was something more than just friendship between them.
Clare responded to some of the comments on her post with even more hints about her potential new relationship with Blake. One person commented that Blake is the sweetest person, to which Clare replied, "He truly is." Another follower wrote, "This makes my heart happy!" and Clare agreed, adding, "Mine too." Perhaps the most telling comment from Clare came after someone wrote, "Love seeing you look authentically happy, you deserve it Clare!" and Clare responded with, "Feels good when the authenticity is reciprocated." This is most likely a reference to the fact that Clare accused Dale of being fake and impersonal with statements from his publicist after their breakup. She even wrote on Instagram that she "had a front row seat since day one" when Dale made his acting debut, implying that he was never genuine with her. Fans are thrilled to see that Clare has found someone like Blake.
Clare has had a very rocky journey throughout her time with the Bachelor franchise. Perhaps looking for love in a more natural setting, rather than on a show like The Bachelorette, will be a better way for her to find what she is looking for. Based on the videos they posted, Clare and Blake seem to have had a wonderful time together. Hopefully, this will finally be Clare's happily ever after.
Sources: Clare Crawley/Instagram, Blake Monar/Instagram