In Episode 19 of “Love Island USA” Season 7, the girl islanders head to Casa Amor to kick off what viewers know as one of the most exciting points in the show. But all that doesn’t happen without a twist.
When the islanders receive a text that they are about to play a kissing game, the boys suit up — with blindfolds and noise-canceling headphones — as the girls take seats to await directions. That’s when host Ariana Madix sweeps through the villa, unbeknownst to the guys, to secretly tell the girls to sneak off to Casa Amor.
But then a twist to the typical games of Casa is introduced. Here’s how goes down.
What is Casa Amor — and what is the Season 7 twist?
While most of “Love Island USA” takes places in a tricked-out villa, another residence nearby awaits the islanders as a spot where they can test the romances they’ve already formed — and potentially pursue new ones. That place is known as Casa Amor.
The show typically sends all the guys or all the girls to Casa, while the others stay back at the villa for the week. New bombshells await those islanders at Casa — and new bombshells join those who remain at the villa. At the end of Casa week, the islanders can choose to couple up with a bombshell or stay in the couple they’re in.
The rules changed a bit for Season 7.
In Episode 19, as the girls secretly slip from the villa to head to Casa Amor, the guys are left standing behind, unable to see or hear. That’s when five new girl bombshells tip-toe into the villa to see through the kissing challenge. Each of them get to kiss all the guys, though the boys have no idea who they’re kissing.
When blindfolds and headphones come off, Ariana gets the boys up to speed. The girls headed to Casa Amor, she says, which means it’s time to test connections, both new and existing. Except this season, there’s a twist: The islanders are getting a total reset.
All the girls and all the guys are now single, Ariana reveals, and each of the guys at the villa will be coupling up with one of the new bombshells. The islanders and bombshells over at Casa will be doing the same. And then comes a second twist: When the girl islanders come back from Casa, all the new bombshells — the ones at Casa and the ones at the villa — will be sticking around, whether they locked in new connections or not.
‘Love Island USA’ Season 7, Episode 19, recap: What happens at Casa
When the rules of Casa week are revealed after the kissing challenge, the five bombshell girls in the villa are tasked with picking out of the six boy islanders to couple up with.
Here’s how it shakes out:
- Coco and Taylor
- Jaden and Austin
- Vanna and Ace
- Clarke and Nic
- Gracyn and Pepe
TJ isn’t picked — and Ariana tells him that he has 24 hours to find a connection or else he’s dumped from the island.
Meanwhile over at Casa, the girls get to exchange intros with the guy bombshells. Then Ariana shows up and lets them know the new stakes. After a kissing game of their own, the guy bombshells are tasked with choosing the girl islanders they’d like to couple up with.
Here’s how that shakes out:
- J.D. and Huda
- Elan and Cierra
- Chris and Chelley
- Zac and Iris
- Bryan and Andreina
- Zak and Olandria
Amaya isn’t chosen, so she’s in the same situation that TJ is in over at the villa: If she doesn’t find a connection in 24 hours, she’s eliminated.
So the chatting commences. The pressure is on for TJ and Amaya, though, and they get to work. TJ at the villa pulls Vanna for a chat and their conversation is pleasant. Amaya in Casa chats with Zak — and her go ends with a kiss.
As for the rest of the islanders, Olandria and Chelley enjoy their respective conversations with Zak and Chris over at Casa. Andreina and Bryan also vibe right away and kiss. Nic pulls Jaden for a chat by the villa’s dock and he has her giggling.
Episode 19 wraps there — so viewers will have to tune in tomorrow to see how this all plays out.
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
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