J.P. Rosenbaum Hates Roller Coasters—And the Dating World Right Now

Five years after his split from Ashley Hebert, Bachelor Nation’s J.P. Rosenbaum is keeping his love life on pause—and he’s got a perfectly on-brand way of explaining why.

During an Instagram Q&A on Tuesday, June 9, the 49-year-old opened up about navigating single life in a way that was equal parts honest and humorous. When fans asked if he was seeing anyone, Rosenbaum didn’t dodge the question but gave a refreshingly candid answer: nope, not at the moment. What followed was the kind of self-aware commentary that suggests he’s done some real thinking about what he wants and what he’s willing to tolerate. The dating world, he explained, has been an interesting couple of years—too much of a roller coaster. Then came the punchline:“P.S. I really hate roller coasters. Not a metaphor, but also a metaphor.”

It’s easy to laugh at the quip, but there’s genuine reflection buried in there. Despite the ups and downs, Rosenbaum made it clear he’s not giving up on partnership. He’d prefer to go through life with someone special at his side, and he absolutely sees himself settling down again—marriage and all, though he’s open to whether the legal paperwork really matters in the end. What he wants is the commitment, the shared life, the whole package. He just wants to be more intentional about it this time.

What’s also noteworthy is how Rosenbaum and Hebert have managed their post-divorce dynamic. Nearly five years after their separation was announced in 2020, and with their divorce finalized in October 2021, the former couple has created what actually sounds like an adult blueprint for co-parenting. They share custody of their two children—Fordham, 11, and Essex, 9—and Rosenbaum described their relationship as a“good coparent, same team mentality for the kids”situation. More than that, it’s friendly and supportive, with Rosenbaum saying they were“fortunate to have an amicable post-divorce relationship.”He still loves Hebert as the mother of his children, and she’s moved on with Miami-based food blogger Yanni Georgoulakis, whom she started dating in 2021.

The Bachelor franchise has its share of failed relationships, but Rosenbaum and Hebert’s story offers something less common: evidence that it’s possible to end a marriage with grace and still keep each other in your orbit. Their journey—from meeting on season 7 of The Bachelorette in 2011, to a proposal and wedding in Pasadena, California, to two kids and eventually a parting of ways—is a reminder that happily ever after doesn’t always look like the fairy tale you imagined. Sometimes it looks like co-parents who genuinely like each other, who prioritize their kids, and who have the maturity to stay on the same team even when the romantic chapter closes.

For now, Rosenbaum’s taking his time in the dating world. And honestly, given how thoughtfully he’s approaching it, that seems like a pretty smart move.