Warning: Spoilers from Episodes One through Nine of “Love Is Blind” Season Five below.
Lydia Velez Gonzalez was the first contestant introduced in Season Five and it’s clear why: She is one of the most outgoing cast members featured in the season, and only one of six to end up engaged.
Gonzalez, a 30-year-old geologist, grew up in Puerto Rico before relocating to Houston, where Season Five was filmed. Early in the season premiere, she shared in her confessional that in the past she was criticized for being “too much.”
“I think that I am the right amount of me,” she confidently told the cameras.
She didn’t hide her effervescent personality in the pods and briefly developed a connection with Izzy Zapata before he decided to pursue other relationships. Lydia shed a few tears after being rejected but she later shifted her focus to James “Milton” Johnson IV, a 24-year-old petroleum engineer.
During their first date, the two intellectuals chatted about their jobs and their shared interest in different types of rocks. Lydia initially worried about him being nearly seven years her junior, but she couldn’t deny their connection.
Lydia and Milton became the third and final couple to get engaged at the end of Episode Four. Later, Milton’s family questions their relationship and calls out their age difference. And her past relationship with another person in the pods — Uche — created some of the most intense drama of "Love Is Blind" so far.
Until the Season Five finale arrives on Oct. 13, read a recap of Milton and Lydia’s relationship so far.
Episodes 1 to 4 recap
“I’m really big into metamorphic rock." So went one of the first fun facts Milton shared about himself after meeting Lydia in the pods.
He added that he owns a polarizing microscope and she gasped.
“Oh my God, you’re such a nerd!” she playfully replied. “I don’t usually go for a nerd, though!”
He marveled at them having the same passion and background, but the conversation shifted when Lydia asked him to reveal his age.
Milton wanted her to answer first and she shared she was 30. He momentarily avoided disclosing his age before telling her he was 24.
“Oh my God, Milton. I’m dying!” she responded.
He tried to convince her to look past the seven-year age gap, pointing out that the purpose of the experiment is to remove all outside factors, including age, and form an emotional connection in the pods. Milton then had an important question that would determine their future.
“Do you ever, like, get quartz and plagioclase confused?” he wondered.
When she said she could tell the difference, Milton said Lydia was his most promising relationship. But, she said in her confessional she still thought he was too young for her.
In Episode Two, Lydia told Milton she was having a rough day after Izzy cut things off. She started crying and said, “I crave so hard to be loved for who I am.”
He told her she is worthy of love. “I mean, I’ll be honest with you. You’re my strongest connection,” he said.
Milton continued, “I think you’re the person I, like, look forward to talking to the most.”
He applauded her for being able to freely express her emotions, something he struggles to do. The engineer revealed he was “really unhappy” as a child growing up in Japan and his parents were strict, so he processed his emotions in secret.
When they had another pod date in Episode Three, Milton gifted her a bee and she gave him a metamorphic rock. He said he appreciated their similar sense of humor. He also opened up about his past health struggles and said he was falling for her.
In Episode Four, Lydia dropped a bombshell, which affected the mood on their next date. She revealed that she had dated fellow Season Five contestant Uche Okoroha months before the experiment began.
“I don’t have any feelings to be unresolved,” she assured Milton. In response, he said he needed a five-minute break. She sobbed and worried she lost him.
When they returned to the pods, Milton wanted more details about her relationship with Uche. She said they met in 2020 and three months before the experiment she chose to “move on.”
Milton said he likely would’ve stopped speaking to Lydia if he knew the information earlier. He described the situation as “messy.”
But a few minutes later, they were laughing about it. By the end of Episode Four, Milton put the drama behind them.
During their final date, he said he spent all night thinking about her. She said she was confident that they could build a life together.
“I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life, and it’s crazy. It’s absolutely crazy. I honestly think it’s gonna be amazing. Never boring. Always laughing. And I’m just so excited,” she said.
He knelt down and said, “I feel like I’ve definitely fallen in love with you during this, like, journey. You’re gonna be my Puerto Rican wife?”
She said “yes” and cheered, “Oh my god, we’re engaged!”
Episodes 5 to 7 recap
Before they could join the other couples in Mexico, Milton and Lydia needed to meet for the first time in person. During the reveal, they quickly strolled toward each other. “I’ve been waiting forever for this,” he said before proposing again.
They joked about his mustache and 6 foot 7 frame compared to her petite stature. “He is nothing what I expected,” Lydia told the cameras while laughing in her confessional interview. “I am marrying a giant!”
They kissed multiple times and Milton agreed that the experiment worked.
“I would say this is probably the second–biggest moment in my life,” Milton shared in his interview. “The first probably being, like, when we get married.”
In Mexico, the two continued to bond over their shared sense of humor and teased each other about their physical features.
Lydia mentioned their age difference and that Milton looked young. But she said he acted mature, which reassured her they were a good match. They spent the rest of their vacation making out in the pool, discussing their sex life and poking fun at their age gap.
Back in Houston, Milton briefly worried they wouldn’t have enough time to see each other before their wedding. He was assigned to work nights, meaning he would head to work when Lydia returned home. He promised to make time for her and they quickly resolved the issue.
Lydia visited Milton’s apartment for the first time, playfully criticizing his taste and “horrible, hideous” rug. She then met his roommate, Josh. When she asked Josh if Milton was ready for marriage, he responded, “I do think he’s ready. He speaks about you in a way that I haven’t heard him speak about other girls, and I’m not just saying that being a good friend.”
Next, it was time to meet Lydia’s mom, Lydia Sr., and her brother, William, for dinner. Lydia and Milton gushed about their connection and discussed their plans for the future — they said they plan to raise their children to be bilingual.
Lydia’s mom wondered what made their relationship special. Milton answered, “With Lydia, it’s really good because we always find that compromise.”
His fiancée started to become emotional and said she doesn’t take him for granted.
William and Lydia Sr. happily welcomed Milton into their family. Lydia’s brother translated for their mom who said, “The only thing I want for you is to be happy. Both of you.”
Just when their relationship appeared to be drama free, they were thrown another curveball. Some of the cast reunited for a party in Episode Seven, including Uche, who wanted to confront Lydia about their past.
“I think it’s very possible that Lydia came into the experiment with the wrong intentions, and I want to get to the bottom of it. I just need an explanation,” Uche told the cameras.
He approached her and asked to talk. Lydia agreed but became frustrated when Uche accused her of being dishonest. She left and returned with Milton, who informed Uche that they had plans and needed to leave soon.
Milton let Uche and Lydia resume their conversation. The lawyer alleged that Lydia was “stalking” the women he followed on Instagram when they were dating.
She pushed back and said the real reason they broke up was because he cheated on her. “And then had the nerve to judge Aaliyah when she told him about her past,” she told the cameras.
Their conversation turned into a shouting match and Lydia left, again, to find Milton. Episode Seven ended with Uche pulling Milton for a chat. In the preview, he tells Milton his theory that Lydia planned for them to meet.
The teaser also included a glimpse of Lydia and Milton at the altar on their wedding day. In one scene, Lydia cried and asked, “What am I doing wrong?”
Episodes 8 to 9 recap
Episode Eight opened with Uche warning Milton about his potential future with Lydia. He mentioned that Lydia was "getting in Aaliyah's head" when they were in the pods together. Uche also said Lydia was "dishonest" when they dated.
Lydia then pulled Milton away from Uche as her ex repeatedly asked her to allow them to finish their conversation.
"I think if Milton says yes at the altar, that would be one of the biggest mistakes that he's ever made," Uche bluntly told the cameras.
Lydia later joined the other ladies and said she thought Uche was upset because the experiment worked out for her, and he left the show single. Meanwhile, Milton resumed his conversation with Uche. The lawyer went through his theory that Lydia went on the show to reunite with him.
"My mom always told me, like, your perception is, like, your reality," Milton responded.
Milton and Lydia left the party hand in hand after he gave her a pep talk, reassuring her that she is a strong woman and shouldn't focus on Uche's opinion of her.
At the end of Episode Eight, Lydia met Milton's sister, Jessica, his mom, Rita, and his father, James. Although Rita seemed impressed by Lydia's educational background, she didn't warm to her potential daughter-in-law immediately.
"Like, just curious on what someone 30 would be interested in a 24-year-old?" Rita asked.
Lydia replied, "Where I was when I was 24 ... do I really think I was mature enough for a marriage? Probably not."
"But I've dated guys who were 38, 34, and they haven't been able to express their wants and needs in a mature way, and your son did just that," she added.
Milton then said it felt like his sister and mom were interrogating him and Lydia.
After he said he felt ready to get married, Jessica said his answer was “phony.” She later told Lydia she couldn't fully see the connection between her and Milton.
When Milton and Jessica met in Episode Nine, he said Lydia thought the introduction to his family was "intense."
For Lydia and Milton's final date, they had a romantic private dinner at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. They were getting along until Milton said he thought Lydia was not the "exact same person" he met in the pods.
They then took turns listing each other's annoying habits. Finally, Milton brought up the disagreement between Lydia and Uche. He said she did not control her emotions or handle the situation properly. She walked away from the table and cried.
"I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings," he said when she returned.
She said she needed him to understand her, adding, "I'm sorry that I don't abide by your expectations."
They said they loved each other and held hands before a teaser for the finale began.
In the clip, Lydia told her family she felt hurt and judged during their final date. Milton was shown referring to Lydia's emotions as her "weakness" before he walked down the aisle.
Episode 10
In the finale, Milton and Lydia's nuptials were shown second, after Izzy Zapata and Stacy Snyder's wedding.
Lydia arrived at the venue first, with the conversation from her disastrous finale date with Milton still on her mind. But, she said that she was still confident she wanted to marry him even though they butted heads.
"I will never stop being who I am and I hope today he realizes that I’m exactly what he needs," she said, echoing a desire she previously shared in the pods.
When Milton arrived, he shared that he worked a late shift and went straight from the office to the wedding venue. "I got off at, like, 7:00 a.m. today. I've been up ever since….just because I worked all night and got no sleep (that) isn't gonna stop me from having a great day," he told the cameras.
But as he prepared to walk down the aisle, he became less idealistic. He started to get nervous and realized he still needed to write his vows. Milton eventually settled his nerves and spoke to his father, who gave him some advice for a healthy marriage.
"Learn to fight fair," James told his son.
Meanwhile, Lydia continued to gush about their connection with her family. As she prepared to say "I do," her mother reassured her that she would always be by her side. Lydia then glided down the aisle with a wide smile on her face before taking Milton's hands.
She recited her vows and said she fell in love with Milton because he allowed her to be herself. During his vows, Milton applauded her mature communication.
"I never had a doubt about you and I hope it continues to be like that forever," he said at the end of his profession of love.
When it was time to make their decisions, both Lydia and Milton said "I do." He then immediately kissed her as their friends and family laughed. The officiator reminded him that they hadn't reached that part of the ceremony yet.
They exchanged rings before Milton was finally told he could kiss his bride.
After leaving the altar, they newlyweds stood under a gazebo and popped champagne. At the reception, they cut their cake together and spoke about their future. Lydia said she was looking forward to "the beginning of our forever."