Maine’s Ashley Hebert finally picked the man she wants to marry.

Even though he seemed to be the man that her sister definitely, positively, didn’t want her to marry.

Hebert, a 27-year-old dental student from Madawaska, picked J.P. Rosenbaum to be her fiance in Monday’s finale of the ABC romance reality show “The Bachelorette.”

Early in the episode, Hebert’s sister, Chrystie Corns, told Hebert that Rosenbaum – a 34-year-old construction manager from New York City – was not for her. And that he was too old.

But in the end, Hebert said she had to trust herself. So she picked the man she was most “passionate” about.

“I don’t want to be with anyone else but you, forever,” Hebert told Rosenbaum, just before he proposed. She said yes.

Fittingly, the show’s producers then played REO Speedwagon’s “I Can’t Fight This Feeling Anymore.”

In the process of choosing Rosenbaum, Hebert broke the heart of Ben Flajnik, 28, a wine maker from Sonoma, Calif. Flajnik also proposed to Hebert on Monday’s episode, only to be told no.

“I don’t know what the (expletive) just happened,” Flajnik told the camera after being rejected.

Hebert earned the starring role on “The Bachelorette” after finishing third on ABC’s “The Bachelor.” In that series, which ran from January to March, Brad Womack did not pick Hebert. (He has since broken up with the woman he did propose to.)

Hebert’s family – mother, stepfather, brother and sister – flew to Fiji for the taping of the finale, to meet the two men.

This season of “The Bachelorette” began in May with 25 bachelors. Hebert narrowed the field to two, and she began Monday’s finale by telling the camera she faced a “very difficult decision” in Fiji. She had to choose between “two amazing guys.”

Just minutes into the episode, one bachelor became less amazing – Rosenbaum. He had the bad luck of making an instant bad impression on Hebert’s sister.

Corns asked Hebert if Rosenbaum made her laugh. When she hesitated on her answer, Corns said it was a bad sign.

“I don’t think he’s the one for you, I’m not seeing it,” Corns told Hebert after meeting Rosenbaum for about 15 minutes, with the rest of Hebert’s family. “I don’t think you were yourself with him.”

Hebert began to cry, trying to defend her feelings for Rosenbaum. Hebert’s mother, Laurie Lavoie, tried to invoke some motherly common sense.

“I don’t think an opinion can be determined after 10 minutes,” Lavoie said to Corns.

But tempers continued to rise. When Hebert tried to talk to her sister one-on-one, she continued to cry and said Corns was being “a bitch” for making her feel “so alone.”

Corns has also been on reality television, demonstrating her couponing skills on the TLC cable network’s “Extreme Couponing.” She also has been married before, and said she wanted to protect Hebert from making a mistake.

“I’m more rational than you,” Corns told a tearful Hebert. “You go with your gut.”

At first, Rosenbaum reacted defensively and was upset that Hebert didn’t quickly discount her sister’s snap judgment.

“I am easily influenced by my family’s opinion,” Hebert told him.

After the finale, ABC aired a one-hour special called “After the Final Rose” to allow all of the parties to talk about “The Bachelorette” finale. On that show, Corns changed her tune.

“I feel like the biggest jerk ever,” Corns said to Rosenbaum. “It’s clear to me now (after watching all of the season’s episodes) that you are the one for her.”

Then, Corns and Rosenbaum hugged.

Also on the special, Hebert said she plans to finish dental school and move in with Rosenbaum in New York City. The couple said they will talk about wedding plans later.

During the finale, after a romantic date, Rosenbaum told Hebert he loved her.

“I want her forever,” Rosenbaum told the camera.

Flajnik had a much easier time with Hebert’s sister, apparently because he did make her laugh. During his brief meeting with the family, Flajnik did his version of “puppy talk” in a high-pitched voice. Everyone laughed, and Corns later said that Hebert was herself with Flajnik.

Hebert and Flajnik then went on a date to a mud bath, rubbing therapeutic mud all over each other.

“I just want to rub mud all over him 10 times,” Hebert said.

Hebert told the camera that Flajnik made her feel “completely comfortable.” She said she could see him as “a friend and a lover.”

Later in the episode, Flajnik said he was in love, and ready to propose to Hebert. He was then seen picking out an engagement ring.

A minute later, Rosenbaum was on camera picking out a ring, too. But he told the camera he was “still a little guarded” because he wasn’t sure how Hebert felt at that point.

“Ben and I both know somebody is going to get their heart broken,” Rosenbaum told the camera.

“I believe Ashley is in love with me,” Flajnik said before walking onto the beach to see Hebert near the end of the finale.

Flajnik then grabbed Hebert’s hands and said “Well, you don’t have a ring on your finger.”

Hebert stammered, and Flajnik stopped her to begin his proposal. On one knee he said, “Will you marry me, make me the happiest man on earth?”

A tearful Hebert responded, “I’m sorry. I want you to know this is the hardest thing I’ve done here.”

“I guess that’s it, right?” Flajnik said, walking away quickly. Hebert went after him, trying to say more about how she felt about him.

“You can’t leave something like this on good terms, it’s not possible,” Flajnik said. “Right now I’m in utter shock. Good things don’t end unless they end badly.”

 

Staff Writer Ray Routhier can be contacted at 791-6454 or at: rrouthier@pressherald.com

 

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