ABC Serena Pitt and Joe Amabile.
Bachelor in Paradise fans are questioning the chemistry between “Grocery Store” Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt – or lack thereof.
The Bachelor Nation couple became engaged on the season 7 finale of the ABC reality show that aired in October 2021, but their 11-year age gap and other issues have sparked buzz among fans who think they will never make it down the aisle.
Joe, 35, and Serena, 24, already have logistical issues, as he lives in Chicago and she lives in Toronto, Canada. But now fans wonder if they even have the chemistry it takes to make their romance last once they live together in the same country.
Fans Zeroed in on the Body Language in a Holiday Photo of Joe & Serena
Joe and Serena spent the Christmas holiday together in Canada with Serena’s mom’s family. On Instagram, Joe shared a photo of an outing the two made to a local garden display while in Serena’s hometown. Several fans noticed that the grocery store guru was standing with his hand in his pocket and seemed aloof as Serena leaned into him.
“Joe….why do you never have your arm around Serena?” one fan asked.
“I saw that immediately in this pic. Get that hand out of your pocket,” the commenter added.
“Right? He’s completely disconnected from her in this pic,” another agreed.
“He doesn’t look like a man who’s in love,” another commenter wrote.
“I agree! Definitely more like a big brother,” another replied.
Others pointed out that Joe was the same way when he was with his first “Bachelor in Paradise” girlfriend, Kendall Long.
“He did that with Kendall too! He isn’t romantic at all!” one fan noted.
But others said they have seen plenty of photos where Joe seems to be affectionate with Serena.
This is Not the First Time Fans Have Commented on the Couple’s Age Gap & Lack of Chemistry
ABCJoe Amabile Serena Pitt
Ever since Joe and Serena fell in love on the “Paradise” beach in Mexico, fans have speculated about the authenticity of their relationship.
Joe told The List “there were sparks right away” when he met Serena, but not everyone is buying it. On Reddit, one viewer wrote, “I do not see the chemistry between Joe and Serena at all. I think they wanted Joe to have a love story and Serena bit.”
Another predicted that the long-distance won’t sink the couple, but that “the yawning age gap is what will do them in.”
“[Serena] even admitted that her ‘heart sank’ when she found out how old he was,” the Reddit user revealed.
Another wrote that even aside from the age gap, the chemistry does not appear to be “there” and that it seems the two have more of a flirty friendly relationship than a passionate one.
In October 2021, Serena clapped back at critics of her relationship with her older man. The bride-to-be posted a TikTok video in which she addressed the question, “Why are you engaged to someone who is 11 years older than you?” Her response featured a slideshow of thriving celebrity couples who have large age gaps between them, including Beyonce and Jay-Z, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, and George and Amal Clooney, according to Us Weekly.
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