In the whirlwind world of reality television, few stories have captivated audiences quite like the tumultuous romance between Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen, stars of Hulu's The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. As Paul prepares to step into the spotlight as the next Bachelorette for season 22, questions linger about her on-again, off-again relationship with Mortensen, marked by multiple breakups, reconciliations, and public scandals. The couple's timeline, pieced together from social media posts, podcast appearances, and episodes of their show, reveals a relationship spanning over three years with more twists than a soap opera.
Their story began in the summer of 2022, shortly after Paul's high-profile divorce from her first husband, Tate Paul. The split was triggered by revelations of a "soft swinging" sex scandal within their Mormon community, which thrust Paul into the national spotlight. According to reports from Us Weekly, Paul hinted at a new romance in July 2022, but it wasn't until September of that year that she officially introduced Mortensen to her followers on social media. This initial phase of their relationship lasted from July 2022 to February 2023, clocking in at over 215 days of dating amid the fallout from her personal life.
Paul, who shares daughters Indy and Ocean with Tate Paul, found in Mortensen her first public boyfriend post-divorce. The couple's early days were relatively private, but cracks soon appeared. In February 2023, Paul was arrested on domestic violence charges following an altercation with Mortensen. She faced charges including aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, child abuse with injury, and criminal mischief. Six months later, Paul pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, while the other charges were dismissed with prejudice as part of a plea deal finalized the following month. Despite the incident, Mortensen publicly defended Paul, even as their relationship status remained rocky.
Far from ending things, the arrest seemed to mark a turning point rather than a conclusion. From February 2023 to October 2024, Paul and Mortensen were together for more than 608 days, though they didn't publicly confirm their reconciliation until June 2023. During this period, they filmed the first season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which premiered on Hulu in September 2024. The show spotlighted their volatile dynamic, featuring episodes centered on cheating allegations, heated arguments—including one over Paul attending a Chippendales performance in Las Vegas—and the broader tensions of their unconventional relationship.
In March 2024, amid the filming, the couple expanded their family with the birth of their son, Ever. Paul, speaking exclusively to Us Weekly one month after the show's premiere, expressed a desire for viewers to see beyond the drama. "I really wanted them to see me and more of me and my personality and a deeper level," she said. "I feel like I come off so different online than I actually am in a conversation. So I felt like this was my chance to tell my story and get a deeper look into who I am."
Mortensen, too, voiced frustrations about his portrayal on the series. Paul relayed his concerns during the same interview, noting that he wished audiences had seen his "good soft side." She quoted him as saying, "I look like this asshole to you while you’re pregnant—when that’s just not the case of how I treated you the whole time. Yes, I did defend myself in cases, but that’s not how I am to you." The reality star admitted the on-screen depiction captured raw emotions but omitted the full context of their bond.
By October 2024, as the first season aired, Paul was candid about the strain. In an interview for Us Weekly's cover story, she described watching the episodes as emotionally taxing. "It’s really hard for me to watch [the ups and downs with me and Dakota] because it’s all such true feelings," she said. "None of it is fabricated or acting or nothing. It’s all real. So it’s really hard for me to watch that back to that. That’s probably one of the hardest moments." At the time, she described their status as ambiguous: "I would say we’re working on things and I actually have no idea where it goes with us from here. We are not fully together, but not fully done. I don’t know where the future holds with him and I."
Their pattern of splits and reunions continued into late 2024. In November 2024, the couple briefly reconciled, only to part ways again by December after announcing they wouldn't spend Christmas as a family. Subtle social media hints, including separate TikToks, suggested both were single. This short-lived reunion lasted about 30 days, according to timelines compiled by entertainment outlets.
The period from December 2024 to October 2025 remains the murkiest chapter in their saga. Paul and Mortensen reportedly reunited multiple times, as depicted in seasons 3 and 4 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. On a September 2025 episode of the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, Paul was pressed about their most recent intimate encounters. "It’s over and we’ll see that play out," she replied. "I can’t remember off the top of my head to be honest." She later admitted to a hookup at the Stagecoach music festival in April 2025 and "one after," calling the situation "very confusing if I’m being honest."
Mortensen responded lightheartedly in the comments of a related TikTok post, writing, "1 or 2 times. Got it lol." Trailers for season 4 of the show, filmed in the weeks before Paul headed to the Bachelorette filming location in October 2025, hinted at at least one more encounter, adding fuel to speculation about their inability to fully sever ties.
Reflecting on the early days of their romance, Mortensen opened up on the "The Viall Files" podcast in June 2025 about his initial hesitations. "I was so afraid of how much I liked Taylor and how afraid I was of her and knowing that I didn’t know really what she wanted, or if this could even be a thing," he said. "I didn’t really necessarily want to give her 100 percent of me because I was afraid of that. I didn’t want to get hurt by that, because that’s how I am. When I’m all in, I’m all in." His words underscore the vulnerability that has defined their connection, even through scandals like a 2025 public split triggered by Mortensen's alleged sexting with one of Paul's family friends.
Paul's decision to join The Bachelorette comes after that final breakup, signaling a potential fresh start. Fans are left wondering if Mortensen might make a surprise appearance, echoing dramatic crossovers in Bachelor Nation history. The show's producers have not commented on any such plans, but the timing—mere months after their latest entanglements—has sparked widespread buzz on social media.
Beyond the personal drama, Paul and Mortensen's story highlights the pressures of fame within niche reality TV circles. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has drawn praise for peeling back the layers of ex-Mormon life, but critics note it often amplifies sensational elements at the expense of nuance. Paul has emphasized her goal of humanizing her experiences, yet the cycle of breakups has overshadowed that intent for many viewers.
As Paul enters the Bachelorette mansion, her past with Mortensen serves as a cautionary tale of love under the microscope. Whether they reconcile once more or part ways for good remains to be seen, but their journey—from scandalous beginnings to family milestones and repeated splits—continues to fascinate. With season 4 of Mormon Wives on the horizon and The Bachelorette filming underway, audiences are braced for more revelations that could redefine their legacy in reality TV.
The broader implications for Paul extend to her role as a mother and public figure. Balancing co-parenting with Tate Paul, raising Ever, and navigating new romances will test her resilience. Entertainment insiders report that her selection as Bachelorette was influenced by her compelling backstory, though details on suitors or production timelines remain under wraps until the show's 2026 premiere.