The Reason Love Is Blind's Matt Barnett Chose Amber Over Jessica

There's a new Netflix reality TV show sweeping social media. No, not The Circle — that's so six weeks ago. Instead, Love is Blind is a beautifully wacky combo of 90 Day Fiancé meets Married at First Sight featuring Vanessa and Nick Lachey as the hosts. It's a real-life experiment testing the old adage that "love is blind." Of course, that saying is not always true, since some of the show's pairs proved they didn't find "the one" for them, despite forming a strong initial verbal connection. Warning: Spoilers ahead for Love is Blind.

Matt Barnett (who has everyone call him by his last name) and Amber Pike are one of Love is Blind's few success stories. The couple got engaged, solely based on hearing each other's voices while isolated in individual pods, and followed through with a wedding. But it wasn't without some bumps in the road: Barnett was a bit of a heartbreaker, forming relationships with Jessica Batten (who got engaged and later split from Mark Cuevas) and Lauren "LC" Chamblin (who left the show solo).

If you were watching from your couch, wondering why things played out the way they did, there are finally some answers. So grab a Love is Blind-approved gold wine glass and let's dive in.

Matt Barnett recently explained the reasoning behind his final pick to Entertainment Weekly. "I don't think anybody could ever imagine what is going on in my mind," he said. "With Jessica, I got this thought in my head that she was just a salesperson because I knew that's what she had done in the past. It made me reevaluate if she was just trying to sell herself to me." In other words, things didn't feel super genuine.

So, what made Amber Pike stand out? It's pretty simple. Barnett told EW, "Amber just had that fire that I needed in my life." Even though there was a spark with Lauren Chamblin, he realized they formed "a better friendship than actually a marriage."

Barnett also opened up to the Los Angeles Times, admitting, "It may not have seemed like the most sensitive to other people's feelings way to go about it, but I think it was my process and it got me to where I was in the right headspace to actually take that next step and then follow through with the person that I did love for the rest of my life." Still, he "felt terrible" and even contemplated leaving at one point, saying, "There were days I'd just be crying randomly because I didn't know what to do and I didn't want to hurt someone." Fellow contestant Rory Newbrough (who definitely didn't get enough screen-time) encouraged him to stay.

According to E! News, Barnett and Pike are still married. Barnett recently shared a photo from their wedding (which took place in 2018, BTW) on Instagram and wrote, "One of the craziest, most wonderful experiences of my life. I wouldn't trade it for anything in this world. #loveisblind #loveiscrazy #loveisanadventure #takethatleap."

Over on her own IG, Pike reflected on the big day with equal sentimentality. "I couldn't have asked for a day more full of love and happiness," she wrote. "I am forever grateful for all of the amazing people in my life that keep my heart so full."

In his interview with the Los Angeles Times, Barnett admitted that despite any ups and downs, "I don't think I would change anything." For more insight into exactly where these two stand today, tune into Netflix's Love is Blind reunion, dropping on March 5. You'll also get to see another fan-favorite couple — Cameron Hamilton and Lauren Speed — so that automatically makes it worth watching.