After a year of dating, Shanté and Brion both dream of starting a family together. But there’s one thing — or one person, rather — holding them back. Outgoing and sexually adventurous, Brion became involved with someone else early in their partnership. Since then, Shanté has struggled to feel confident and believe Brion can resist the lure of other women, especially since he has quite a fixation on bringing other people into their bedroom. 

Heading into Temptation Island, the pair hopes to strengthen their connection by leveling up their communication skills as a couple. “I want to learn how to be more patient in conversation and listen more,” Brion tells Tudum, which is good since Shanté says “being heard” is her biggest turn-on. But Shanté also needs Brion to learn how to navigate his own emotions and be vulnerable with her so she can do the same. While on the island, Brion hopes Shanté can reclaim her worth by stepping out of her comfort zone and maybe even having a little fun. But will Brion be too distracted by the other women to notice? 

Caught up on the season and want to know more about how it went for Brion and Shanté? Check out our interview with Brion for all the details surrounding that steamy shower moment. 

Ashley and Grant have been on-again, off-again for a year and a half. Their cycle of breaking and making up stems from Grant’s infidelity early in their relationship, giving Ashley major trust issues. On Temptation Island, it’s Ashley’s turn to put her needs first and find out if she can get back in touch with her “carefree self” — with a little help from new friends, and of course, outside suitors. But only time will tell if she’ll actually enterain other options. “I am not easily tempted. When I am committed, I’m all in,” she says. 

Despite his track record, Grant is determined to demonstrate that he’s a changed man. “I have given into temptation in the past, but going into this experience, I feel ready to hold up to the temptation,” he says. That might be easier said than done, since Grant admittedly struggles to resist a certain type of woman: “If she can have fun, be adventurous, and has a good head on her shoulders at the same time, it’s likely only a matter of time for her to catch my eye.” But if he does remain faithful, Grant hopes that Ashley will finally let go of the past and become the “soft and loving” partner who can show up for him and his daughter from a previous relationship. But if Ashley speaks of him poorly while on the island — his biggest fear entering the experiment — then their future is in serious jeopardy. 

Three years in, Alexa and Lino want to be “100% confident” in their connection before settling down for good. Having never been in a serious relationship, Lino is looking to make sure there’s no other fish in the sea — or, more specifically, on the island — who could capture his heart. As for Alexa, she hopes to discover her independence in the experiment. “When you're deeply in love, it’s easy to become codependent, and I believe this experience will help me assess whether I truly need Lino in my life or if it's simply that I deeply want him to be in my life forever,” she says.

But both are fearful of how the the “high-pressure environment” of Temptation Island could change their relationship forever, especially given their “rocky” start. Early on, Alexa was dishonest about dating other people while they were supposedly exclusive, leading Lino to feel like he’s a “second choice.” And he’s repeatedly put his own life on hold in order to prioritize Alexa’s career ambitions, moving across the country three different times for her job. Despite their challenges, Lino is still very sweet on Alexa, and knows exactly how to make her smile: words of affirmation and ice cream. “If I can reassure her and share a treat, I’ve definitely made her day,” he says.

Tayler and Tyler jumped right into a relationship immediately after he ended his six-year marriage. Diving into a new romance so qucikly means that Tyler has “never dated around,” making him the perfect candidate for Temptation Island. But having fun isn’t his only objective. “I want to work on understanding myself better — what I need in a relationship, what I have to offer, and whether I am truly in a place to commit,” Tyler says. That’s definitely something he needs to figure out, since Tayler has been searching for the security that comes with true commitment. “I want my partner to use this experience as a way to find himself and from that place of self-discovery, confidently choose me as his partner,” she says. 

Hopefully, Tyler's path to enlightenment won't involve repeating past mistakes. "Loyalty is a trait I deeply value, and it’s something I take very seriously," Tayler says. “Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for Tyler. He’s already been tempted outside of the relationship.” Tyler, meanwhile, isn’t worried about Tayler straying any time soon. "She’s older, dated around, and ready for something real," he says. "I've never doubted that when she's with me, she's fully in it." 

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