We’re going to count down from the number 5 bad romance all the way to number 1, the very worst pairing of the year on the Peacock soap.
Days of our Lives: Messiest Couples of 2025 Reviewed – Jada Hunter and Rafe Hernandez: Love Gone Wrong in Salem
Alright, the couple that ranked number 5 on our bad romance list of 2025 is Jada Hunter (Elia Cantu) and Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering). We knew Jada and Rafe were doomed. That poor man cannot keep a long-term relationship, usually through no fault of his own. He is smart, he’s hunky, he’s handsome. It never works out for him.
Jada and Rafe found love at work, and things were great for a while. Even though, of course, she got his job. But when Arnold Feniger (Galen Gering) strolled back into Salem to blackmail EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) after years of being presumed dead, everything went off the rails for Jada and Rafe.
Arnold took Rafe’s place while EJ held Rafe captive. Long story short, Arnold pretended to be Rafe. He broke Jada’s heart and almost got her fired as part of his plotting with EJ. But even after Rafe was rescued, it was too late. The damage was done.
Betrayals, Affairs and the End for Rafe and Jada on DOOL
It didn’t help that, in the interim, Jada slept with Shawn Brady (Brandon Beemer). She had to confess that. Rafe forgave Jada, but she found out Rafe slept with his ex-wife, Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney). They just couldn’t move past their mutual infidelities. Rafe tried again with Sami off screen, but it fizzled. Jada is out there right now looking for love.
Brady Black and Ava Vitale: Toxic Love and Bad Decisions
Alright, the next bad romance, number 4 on our list, is a pairing that involves Brady Black (Eric Martsolf). This man has a taste for toxic women and so many bad romances in his past. Another bad girl he got involved with, even though she was semi-redeemed, was Ava Vitale (Tamara Braun). They started up in 2024, but it lasted and carried over into 2025. So that’s why we’re including it this year.
Their relationship began on a platonic note in late 2024. They were unlikely allies against hillbilly criminal Clyde Weston (James Read). Then sparks began flying for Ava and Brady. That was fine, but they had a heck of a time going on a real date or even exploring the romance because of Brady’s toxic daughter Rachel Black (Alice Halsey) and her nonstop pranks.
Days of Our Lives: Rachel’s Meddling and the Downfall of Ava and Brady’s Romance
In early 2025, the romance between Ava and Brady finally blossomed. They got intimate and declared mutual feelings for each other. However, Rachel never stops meddling. She harassed Ava with terrible texts. Eventually, Rachel lured Ava. There, Rachel and her crazy namesake grandma Rachel Blake (Roslyn Gentle) actually held Ava captive.
Brady thought Ava left town to see her son Tripp in Africa. Later, Stephen Brady (Stephen Nichols) figured out she didn’t go to the other continent. With Rachel being so psycho, Ava decided to walk away. She decided the romance with Brady was too toxic because of his toxic little daughter. And that was quite accurate. It was a bad romance.
EJ DiMera and Belle Black: A DOOL Pairing Full of Trouble
Next on our list, the number 3 terrible romance of 2025: EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) and Belle Black (Martha Madison). I actually liked EJ and Belle together, but it turned out really bad. They had a one-night stand back in 2022. But then Martha Madison was part of that mass upheaval where they took out a lot of actresses on Days. She got severely blackballed and decided to walk away.
Fast forward. The bad producer was gone, and a lot of women came back. On New Year’s Eve 2024, EJ invited Belle to be his date for a DiMera New Year’s party. In early 2025, after EJ drove Belle home from Jada’s bachelorette party, their chemistry reignited. EJ and Belle kept their relationship secret at first, even when they started hitting the sheets. But EJ’s shady dealings made Belle take a step back.
It was like one step forward, one step back. Then EJ got shot and went into a coma. He was fighting for his life. That’s when Belle finally confessed and told EJ she loved him while he was in a coma. His mom, Susan Banks (Stacy Haiduk), overheard Belle and encouraged her to tell EJ that she loved him once he woke up.
Sami Brady and a Courtroom Meltdown End EJ and Belle’s Romance on Days of Our Lives
But Belle’s sister Sami also overheard and was very nasty to Belle about getting involved with EJ. Belle and EJ both admitted they’d fallen in love and took their romance public. When Johnny was on trial for shooting EJ, EJ tried to use their relationship as a tactic to get a mistrial. He accused Belle of bias because she was involved with him. Belle dumped EJ on the spot right there in court. It didn’t help Johnny at all. It was a very toxic ending to a very awkward romance.
Chad DiMera and Cat Green: Abigail’s Ghost Haunts this DOOL Match
Alright, the second to last on our list, the second worst romance of 2025, is Chad DiMera (Billy Flynn) and Cat Green (AnnaLynne McCord). After Chad forgave Cat for posing as his dead wife Abigail Deveraux (AnnaLynne McCord), he and Cat became friends. But she already had feelings for Chad. She was getting feelings all the while she was conning him.
He grew feelings too, but Chad really tried to fight them. Cat and Chad finally got intimate. Almost immediately, Rachel Black (Alice Halsey) told her cousin Thomas DiMera (Christopher Cary) that she’d seen Chad kissing Cat. Rachel also told Thomas that Cat had been pretending to be his dead mom Abigail. Thomas freaked out, and so did Jennifer Horton (Cady McClain), who despises Cat for pretending to be Abigail.
Days of Our Lives: Family Fallout for Chad and Cat’s Romance in Salem
Chad was pressured and he called things off with Cat because of his family. Her Abigail scheme was a deal breaker for the Hortons. She and Chad can’t overcome these obstacles. I still think Cat and Chad may have some potential, but right now things are too toxic between them with Thomas running interference and Jennifer ready to take custody of Chad’s kids. Plus, Cat is being drawn to EJ. It looks like her bad romance with Chad is done, at least for now.
Sophia Choi and Tate Black: DOOL’s Most Disastrous 2025 Couple
Finally, our number one worst couple of 2025 on Days of Our Lives was one that didn’t last long but was truly awful. The ripple effects of their pairing are still happening. We’re talking about Sophia Choi (Rachel Boyd) and Tate Black (Leo Howard). Sophia had been crushing on Tate for a while, but he was crushing on Holly Jonas (Ashley Puzemis). Sophia jumped at the chance to jump into bed with Tate. She got pregnant. That led to Sophia giving birth alone, dumping the baby at the fire station, and falsifying an adoption.
Tate was so tormented by her lies and lack of closure on the baby. It was causing a lot of problems in his life. Then he found out Sophia didn’t even realize that he might not be the dad. It turned out Aaron Green (Louis Tomeo) was the father. Aaron had a thing for Sophia. They had a Netflix and chill day watching that soap opera, The One Day, and apparently were not very careful. Sophia was desperate to keep Tate away from Holly and caused trouble for them even up until a couple of weeks ago. Sophia took naughty pictures of Holly and texted them to Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman).
Then she sent a fax saying Johnny was sleeping with his students. This romance was toxic because Tate never really wanted to be with Sophia. She lured him when he was at a low point and got him into bed. Tate never loved Sophia. He didn’t really ever like her as more than a friend. But she was obsessed with Tate. That’s why she’s in Bayview now. I don’t know if her troublemaking is done.
