- During episode 8 of "The Bachelor," many viewers took issue with a love letter Peter wrote contestant Hannah Ann. They said it was an elementary way to show love.
- But therapist Rachel Wright said she actually found the letter one of the best and healthiest moments in the two-hour episode.
- "I heard him say things about her that I have not seen," on the show, Wright said, which gave viewers more insight into why the duo feels connected to each other.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
Judging by reactions on Twitter, Monday's hometowns episode of "The Bachelor" — where Peter Weber visits the homes and families of the final four women on the show — was a train wreck.
Many viewers took issue with a love letter Peter wrote contestant Hannah Ann, calling it cringey because of its simple and generic-seeming prose, like how he called her "intentional."
But New York City-based therapist Rachel Wright said she actually found the moment one of the best in the two-hour episode.
The letter was a response to a letter Hannah Ann previously gave Peter, in which she lists all of the things she loves about him. Peter said he was inspired by Hannah Ann's sentiment, so he wrote his own, which he then recited to her.
In Wright's weekly "The Bachelor" recap podcast "The Wright Reasons" which she hosts with her husband Kyle Wright, she said she found most of the episode "infuriating," but enjoyed how Peter's letter gave more of a behind-the-scenes look at the pair's romantic connection, something that isn't common on the reality show.
On social media, fans had a different take. "Ladies and gentlemen, the most generic letter of all time," one user wrote. Another called the letter "elementary school-level."
Peter's love letter is a hint that he and Hannah Ann have a close bond
According to Wright, the majority of episode 8 was an exhausting experience because it fed into old tropes about women being considered property and the unhealthy idea that a person's partner should be the center of the universe.
But Peter's letter injected a dose of relationship reality back into the show, Wright said, because viewers got to see a healthy relationship moment. For Wright, the letter hinted that Peter and Hannah Ann's intimate connection runs deeper than the brief conversations they show on camera.
"I heard him say things about her that I have not seen," on the show, Wright said, which gave viewers more insight into why the duo feels connected to each other.
Wright also said the way Hannah Ann's sister reacted to Peter's note signaled that she agreed Peter loved her sister even though he had yet to directly tell her.
Love letters can affirm lovers' feelings for each other
Although people prefer to give and receive love in different ways, like through gift-giving, spending time with their partner, or having physical intimacy, complimenting your partner can be another way to strengthen your connection and show appreciation for them, Insider previously reported.
We won't know until next week whether the letter exchange between Hannah Ann and Peter had this effect, but based on Wright's analysis, it's certainly possible.
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