Matchmakers Predict Heartbreak on “Love Is Blind”

While singles everywhere know just how rough the dating scene can be, season 8 of “Love Is Blind” suggests that a dramatic overhaul of dating norms might not be all sunshine and rainbows.

“Love Is Blind” couples are facing a boatload of issues within their relationships, from classic concerns about exes to financial differences. 

The couples still have a ways to go before the altar, and any relationship may improve (or, more likely, devolve). But you can tell a lot about a couple by their first few weeks together, and these couples are no exception.

We spoke to Kara Laricks, Date Coach & Senior Matchmaker at Three Day Rule, about her relationship predictions for season 8’s couples. While we wish everyone on the show a happily ever after, it’s safe to say that some of them may be back on Minneapolis’s dating scene after finishing the show.

While their surface-level connection may be great, Kara said she believes that Sara’s and Ben’s values won’t go the distance. 

The matchmaker told us, “Sara and Ben, sadly, won’t last. Her values around social issues are deeply rooted and very personal. Ultimately, his political apathy is going to be a turnoff. As a brave, outspoken advocate, she needs an equally strong and informed support system.”

According to her, Ben’s disinterest in social issues was a big red flag. “It’s not just that Ben isn’t into politics — it’s that he seemed completely disengaged from the issues that matter deeply to Sara,” she specified. “Values misalignment isn’t just about opposing views; it’s about whether you even care to have the conversation. Sara clearly does, and Ben’s ambivalence suggests a fundamental disconnect in how they see the world and, more importantly, their future.”

“His political apathy is going to be a turn off.” –Matchmaker Kara Laricks

Now more than ever, socially minded singles like Sara are prioritizing deeper compatibility over an initial connection. “Love Is Blind” attempts to encourage more depth by pulling physical attraction out of the equation of compatibility. 

Unfortunately, you can’t always figure out your core compatibility in a couple of days. You need time. And the more time Sara and Ben have together, the weaker their relationship seems.

Some of Lauren’s and David’s attraction to each other seems rooted in existing relationship patterns in their lives. This can be a positive thing: My best friend and my partner have very similar personalities, and I’m very compatible with the traits they share. 

However, the patterns that Lauren and David are following suggest an unpleasant power dynamic is coming their way.

“While he admires her ‘motherly’ ways now, I think this is going to turn into her mothering him,” Kara explained. “I’m not surprised he feels comfortable with Lauren’s sweet and nurturing ways while at the same time drawn to the familiar dynamic of a strong female presence holding him accountable for ‘what’s right.’”

Additionally, David is concerned about how his sister — whose judgment he highly values — will respond to his engagement. If she responds negatively, conflict will certainly ensue. “David describes how close he is to his sister, and yet, he fears her reaction to this process,” Kara said. “Not only will David’s sister and Lauren clash, but I think he will end up feeling controlled.”

The matchmaker told us David showed his true colors in the pods. “From the moment he stepped into the pods, Dave was cracking jokes about women’s ages — something that immediately read as tone-deaf and lacking emotional intelligence,” Kara said. “If he were truly serious about the experiment, he’d recognize that the women on the other side of the pod wall were in a vulnerable position, looking for deep, meaningful connections — not dismissive quips that felt more like locker-room banter than genuine conversation.”

Insensitive jokes — especially in the context of early dating — can tell you a lot about a person and what their deeper beliefs are. Often, jokes give people a way to say what they really think without being held accountable.

At the same time, David seems to be hung up on Molly. “Molly was fun, lighthearted, and upfront about her lack of long-term relationship experience,” the matchmaker said. “He knew their similarities might not lead to lasting love, yet he couldn’t shake his attraction to what felt easy and exciting.” 

David may have chosen Lauren, but if trouble comes to paradise, that seed of attraction may sow some doubt in his relationship.

We haven’t spent enough time with Virginia and Devin to get a firm sense of what their relationship trajectory will be, but for now, it seems they might be on course.

“I think Virginia and Devin have some staying power,” the matchmaker said. “Unless they were on their best behavior in the pods and their personalities shift once together in the real world, these two seem well-suited based on values, demeanor, and appreciation for a more traditional type of relationship.”

“On paper and based on appearances, these two are a fit.” –Matchmaker Kara Laricks

At the same time, disagreement over the decision to sign a prenuptial agreement hints that there may be a deeper divide over finances within the couple. Some people see prenups as a sign of insecurity in a relationship, while others see them as a necessary safeguard, only to be avoided out of insecurity (to be transparent, I fall in the latter category). 

Each viewpoint suggests a different financial and, to an extent, marital value system.

No one — including us — can get enough of Monica and Joey this season. It’s early days, but they may be this year’s Cam and Lauren (though no one can truly be Cam and Lauren). 

“Monica and Joey are my pick for the season 8 success,” Kara told us. “These two quirky birds seem to get each other. They are the type of couple who will develop their own language  —  two peas in a pod!”

Monica’s sister may be suspicious of Joey, but that may just be a natural reaction to finding out your sister got engaged to someone she met two weeks ago. Most people would, realistically, give a bit of a side-eye. We think they’ll work through family concerns and go the distance.

Taylor’s and Daniel’s insecurity in their relationship seems to ooze out into their conflicts in a way that’s almost sure to bring the relationship down. Nowhere was this more clear than with Taylor’s hang-up on Daniel’s social media.

“After the big reveal, Taylor’s reaction to Daniel suggested she might have been expecting — maybe even hoping for — someone different,” Kara theorized. “If the attraction had been instant, would she have still gone digging for a reason to sabotage the relationship? Accusing him of knowing what she looked like all along felt more like a knee-jerk attempt to rationalize her doubts than an actual red flag on his part.”

“I have a feeling that if Daniel was 6’1” and in finance (does he have blue eyes?), she may have never mentioned the possibility of the two crossing paths already on social media,” Kara proposed. “I get the sense he would adore her, and she would quietly and sweetly, yet quickly, walk all over him, eventually losing respect.”

“From the jump, Daniel was hyper-focused on his height, bringing it up repeatedly.” –Matchmaker Kara Laricks

On the flip side, Daniel’s short stature was a major motivating factor in his decision to go on “Love Is Blind” in the first place. 

“Sure, height can matter in dating, especially on apps, but confidence and presence usually outweigh inches in real-life chemistry,” Kara told us. “His insecurities were basically the whole reason he entered the experiment, and as any matchmaker will tell you, if you don’t truly love yourself, it’s hard to build a healthy relationship with someone else.”

We’ve all done it: We get into relationships that are doomed by ignoring red flags. Ask any friend after a breakup, and four out of five times, they’ll tell you that the signs of disconnect were there the whole time. 

When it comes to a four-week engagement, watching out for those red flags is all the more important. Contestants may not have time to see if the yellow flags in their partners are benign or malignant. They should listen to their gut, take stock of the warning signs and insecurities, and if they aren’t 100% positive about their relationship, say no at the altar.