Courtney Robertson: "I Felt Brainwashed" on The Bachelor

USMagazine, Friday, November 9, 2012, 5:00am (PST)

Champagne picnics. Moonlit strolls. Stunning vistas. And total isolation.

Courtney Robertson says she couldn't resist falling for now-ex Ben Flajnik on The Bachelor in 2011. "In many ways, I felt brainwashed," the model, who filmed for two-plus months without access to TV or social media, tells Us Weekly. "You're so closed off!"

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Now that the engagement is over, the L.A.-based Robertson, 29, regrets being duped by the show's over-the-top romance tactics.

She recalls one date in Switzerland when the San Francisco winemaker, 30, thoughtfully brought popcorn, her favorite snack. "But I realize it wasn't him. It was the producer," she says.

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After the show wrapped, the long-distance duo rarely saw each other and, left to his own devices, Flajnik was no Prince Charming. "Ben said he was 'all picnicked out,'" she explains to Us.

Robertson was "shocked and hurt" when her fiance was caught kissing other women in February. By October, she knew it was over. "I've never experienced heartache like this," Robertson tells Us. "We had baby names picked out!"

"I put up with more than I should," she says.

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But the model is now bouncing back -- with Bachelorette alum Arie Luyendyk Jr., 31. "He's a cool guy," she says. "I'm just trying to figure out the next step."

This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Courtney Robertson: "I Felt Brainwashed" on The Bachelor