Iris Kendall is taking another shot at romance after Love Island USA. Though she made it to the Season 7 finale with Pepe Garcia, the two broke up shortly after leaving the villa. Since the split, Iris has been spotted spending some time with TJ Palma, who she briefly connected with on the show. And on Sept. 16, Iris and TJ hard-launched in the most fashionable way possible.
After Iris and TJ were seen attending buzzy Fashion Week events and album release parties hand-in-hand, the two made it very clear that they’re now a couple in a romantic photoshoot full of stylish pics, which they both posted on Sept. 16. The freshly launched couple has yet to speak about their relationship, but you know what they say: a picture is worth a thousand words. And these adorable shots tell a special love story.
A day earlier, on Sept. 15, they posted a joint TikTok, sharing a behind-the-scenes look at them getting ready together. In the video, they lip-synced a conversation between Ken and Barbie from the 2023 Barbie movie.
The recent rekindling comes about three months after Iris and TJ first coupled up in the Love Island USA Season 7 villa. Though they had chemistry right off the bat, they were immediately separated by the Casa Amor twist. When neither of them developed any real connections with the new islanders, Iris and TJ came back to each other and were finally able to build a solid bond… for a few days. Just when it seemed like the two were becoming a really strong match, TJ was sent home in a surprising vote by the rest of the islanders.
With TJ gone, Iris partnered up with Pepe for the remainder of the show, finishing in third place with him. At the time of his elimination, TJ told Elite Daily how difficult it was to watch Iris move on with someone he considered an “older brother.”
“I’m human at the end of the day, so it was definitely heartbreaking watching that happen,” TJ said. “But I get that the villa is built for that, so if their connection is stronger than Iris and I’s connection, then I’m perfectly fine with that. I just hope it’s super genuine. I hope they’re both not just doing it for TV.”
While Iris and Pepe’s connection did seem strong for a while, it didn’t last in the real world. And now, TJ and Iris are finally getting their well-deserved second chance.
