Wisconsin's Carmen Kocourek says parents' marriage 'raised bar' for her on 'Love Island USA,' forms new couple with latest bombshell

Carmen Kocourek has sure had an eventful stretch of breakups and fresh love interests on "Love Island USA" over the last week.

First, the Wisconsin native was saved by her fellow contestants from going home, she then lost her partner, went all in with someone new and friend-zoned the guy who called her his "No. 1.”

But, through it all, the Franklin High School graduate continues to stress to herself and any potential matches that her parents' marriage is a barometer in which she sets for herself when looking for love.

Here's the latest of what's been going on with Kocourek over the last several days inside the stunning tropical villa in Fiji as more contestants come and go on the Peacock reality TV show.

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The 22-year-old Kocourek and the 23-year-old Carsten Bergersen, also known as Bergie, bonded over their faith, family and being from the Midwest during the first couple weeks all while she was coupled up with 28-year-old Victor Gonzalez.

The "love triangle" of Kocourek, Gonzalez and Bergersen was a primary focus across several episodes and added plenty of drama leading to an elimination last Friday.

After Kocourek and Gonzalez received the fewest votes of the couples in a fan favorite vote, it was up to the other couples to decide who would go home. With Bergersen's persistence, Kocourek's time on the island continued.

"You just make me feel like no other girl here," he told her after helping save her from elimination earlier in episode 10 last Friday.

Kocourek, however, despite saying that she felt a bond with him, saw more of a friendship.

"I don't want to waste my time, I don't want to waste your time," she told him, before adding "you do still feel like home to me compared to everyone else."

While that crushed Bergersen's heart, Kocourek would soon find someone who caught hers.

Carmen loses her partner Victor but finds a new connection with latest 'bombshell' Kenzo

Enter one of the newest "Love Island USA" bombshells, Kenzo Nudo.

Just as Kocourek was one of the early-season "bombshells," Nudo joined the group of islanders to shake up the game and current couples.

Despite Kocourek describing herself as someone who takes her relationships slow, sparks flew almost instantaneously with the 26-year-old Nudo. They eventually formalized their relationship and coupled up early in Tuesday's episode. The duo even won a competition the next day.

"It does feel like I've known him forever. I feel like we've been together for so long. It does feel like fate that Kenzo came in for me," said Kocourek, who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, just as Nudo does.

"Carmen is ticking all my boxes," Nudo told the cameras. "Carmen was the first one that caught my eye. That chemistry almost like set a fire and it hasn't gone away."

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If they were to last, Nudo may need to teach her a thing or two about the great outdoors. Nudo mentioned his ideal date isn't going to a club, but rather some type of adventure like camping.

"You'll have to open my eyes to that," she told him. "I don't think I've ever gone camping before in my life. You can take me when we get back."

Hey, Wisconsin has plenty of campsites for Kocourek to visit on her next trip home, including some not far from Milwaukee.

Carmen highlights her mom and dad's relationship as a barometer for love

That takes us back to her home, another theme of her "Love Island" experience.

The audience again received a glimpse into how Kocourek views what a perfect couple should look like: her parents' marriage. She has told multiple islanders in one-on-one conversations that her parents are the standard for her.

"They've been together since my mom was 18 and my dad was 20," she told Nudo during a "date" in Monday's episode before they were an official couple. "And they got married very young. But they're like to this day still obsessed with each other. They love each other so much. As much as I love them for it, I'm like you all really raised the bar for me. I'm like why would I settle for anything less. I'm just so used to seeing healthy love."

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What's next for Carmen on 'Love Island USA'?

Three people have now left the show either by being voted out and, in one case, a contestant left on her own after deciding there were no matches for her.

For Korcourek, she's now in a couple with Nudo and they appear to be on solid footing as the season marches on in the third week.

But with fan votes coming into play that could send anyone home, and other "bombshells" entering the show, relationships are never safe. The six-week season has a $100,000 cash prize on the line as well as potentially finding a partner.

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Where can I watch 'Love Island USA' 2023 season 5?

"Love Island USA" streams on Peacock nightly except for Wednesdays. Episodes drop on the streaming platform at 8 p.m. Central time.

You can subscribe to the platform here. It costs $5.99 a month for the premium plan and $11.99 for the premium plus plan.