Bachelorette Suitor Takes 'Fault' for Failed Romance with Jenn Tran: 'Couldn't Get Those Feelings Further' (Exclusive)

The Bachelorette’s Jonathan Johnson is reflecting on why he didn’t receive the final rose from Jenn Tran.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Jonathan opens up about being eliminated from the show following fantasy suites and what he would differently if he could go back in time.

“I've never been good at validating my own feelings — I think a lot of people struggle with validating their own feelings,” he explains. “And I've found that on the show, especially with Jenn’s help. So I think, moving forward, I'm just going to be like, ‘Hey, do you love this person? Do you like this person? Are you sad? Are you happy? What do you want out of this?’ And just allowing for myself to feel whole.”

Adding that he is working on being able “to feel my feelings,” Jonathan recalls bringing Jenn home to meet his family and trying to find the right way to express his feelings to her — especially when he knew America was watching him.

“That was crazy, pulling up to my mom's house and seeing this whole crew of people that I spent the last six weeks with in my actual reality was mind-blowing,” he says. “I'm like, ‘You're a producer and you're a producer and you're a cameraman. And I've known you for six weeks, not at home, and now you're in my space.’"

“But then going there, I think having my hometown and getting to introduce my family to Jenn was the eye opening piece that I needed to help myself get there,” he adds, referring to using the word “love” with her.

On last week’s episode, after telling Jenn, “I don’t want to say ‘love’ if I’m not fully there” before introducing her to his family, Jenn told him she needed clarity regarding his emotions. Ultimately, he shared, “Jennifer Tran, I am falling for you,” but he now tells PEOPLE that by then it was too late.

“It was just my fault that I couldn't get those feelings further,” he adds, noting: “[My family] had nothing but great things to say. And honestly, since it's aired, and obviously they know that I'm not with her, they've been bummed. They're like, ‘We loved her. She was incredible. We could've seen you guys having an amazing life together.’”

This won’t be Jonathan’s final shot at love on screen, though. During the Men Tell All special on Aug. 27, he was the first person to be asked to join the upcoming season of Bachelor in Paradise, which he accepted.

“I wish somebody gave me a heads up so I didn't just sit there and laugh and smile like an idiot,” he jokes. “Because I literally heard it and I went, ‘Whoa.’”

Jonathan confesses he has never seen BiP, and hadn’t even watched The Bachelor or The Bachelorette until he found out he was cast. Then, he watched Joey Graziadei’s season, which Jenn was on, but says he doesn’t know much beyond that.

“I guess now I'm in the nation,” he says with a laugh.

While he doesn’t have his eye on anyone in particular yet, he tells PEOPLE he is going to start doing some research about his potential new love interests.

“I've been so locked in on myself and the season in front of me right now that I haven't even had a chance to look,” he says.

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The Bachelorette airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.