Jesse Metcalfe vs. Robert Buckley? ‘Chesapeake Shores’ Star Barbara Niven Is #TeamEvan
Some Chesapeake Shores fans might be holding out hope that Abby O’Brien will reunite with Trace Riley in the final season of the Hallmark Channel drama. But one person involved with the show is happy that Abby has embarked on a fresh romance with Evan Kincaid. Barbara Niven, who plays Abby’s mom Megan, says Evan is a better fit for her on-screen daughter than Trace. Plus, there’s little hope of a Jesse Metcalfe return to Chesapeake Shores.
‘Chesapeake Shores’ star Barbara Niven says Evan is the right guy for Abby, not Trace
For years, Abby (Meghan Ory) had an on-again, off-again romance with her first love, Trace Riley (Jesse Metcalfe). But she and her high school sweetheart never could make things work. At the end of Chesapeake Shores Season 4, it looked like they were headed to a happy ending. But when the show returned for a fifth season, viewers learned that Abby and Trace parted ways again. This time, the breakup appeared to be permanent, with the brooding musician leaving town shortly after.
Abby spent much of season 5 happily single. But she couldn’t deny she had a spark with new-in-town billionaire Evan Kincaid (Robert Buckley). Now, the two are definitely an item — and Niven couldn’t be happier.
“I love how he makes her laugh! She was always way too serious with Trace,” Niven recently tweeted, along with a GIF of Abby and Evan smiling and laughing. “You gotta have a little of both in a healthy relationship.”
Will Abby get a happily ever after with Evan?
Chesapeake Shores is in its final season, and though we’ve only seen two episodes so far, there are plenty of signs that Abby and Evan are endgame. The pair went on their first date in the season premiere. And what a date it was, with Evan dropping anchor in front of the O’Brien family home in his just-purchased yacht and then asking Abby to come aboard.
In episode 2, Abby struggled to come up with the perfect idea for their second date. Finally, she decided to take Evan crabbing. It wasn’t just about introducing him to a local Chesapeake Shores tradition; she was also telling him more about herself. Abby’s dad Mick (Treat Williams) used to take her and her siblings crabbing when she was younger, and it’s a precious childhood memory.
There are still eight episodes to go in Chesapeake Shores’ final season. That’s still plenty of time for Abby and Evan to experience some bumps in their brand-new romance.
One potential issue? Abby is likely going to want to stay close to her family and Chesapeake Shores. But will Evan be willing to give up his jet-setting lifestyle for love? Still, they should be able to work out any issues they have and end up together before the final credits roll. It’s hard to imagine Hallmark ending one of its shows with a still-single leading lady (though it did happen in Cedar Cove, which left the status of two key characters up in the air in its series finale).
Why did Jesse Metcalfe leave ‘Chesapeake Shores’?
Is there any chance that Trace could return and sweep Abby off her feet before Chesapeake Shores ends? Anything is possible, but there’s little sign so far that such a thing is likely to happen.
Jesse Metcalfe announced he was leaving Chesapeake Shores in 2021. He explained on Instagram that he “wanted to leave on [top]” and that the “didn’t like the direction [his] storyline was going.” But in an interview with The List earlier this year, he indicated he might be willing to return, on one condition: If Trace and Abby got back together.
“I think that’s the scenario that makes the most sense,” he said. At the same time, he acknowledged that the show was moving in a different direction.
“So, now, [Ory] has a new love interest on the show, and she’s gotten the opportunity to take her storyline and her character in a completely different direction,” the actor said. “And I certainly hope that she’s enjoyed that.”
New episodes of Chesapeake Shores Season 6 air Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark Channel.
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