In just a few short weeks, "The Bachelor" lead Joey Graziadei will presumably get down on one knee and hand out an engagement ring — and a final rose. Before the Montgomery County native is tasked with making that life-altering decision, he got the chance to learn more about his eligible bachelorettes by visiting their hometowns. 

On the eighth episode of Season 28, which aired Monday, Graziadei traveled across the country to meet the families of his top four contestants: Kelsey Anderson, Rachel Nance, Daisy Kent and Maria Georgas. By the end of the episode, Graziadei narrowed down the contestants to three in preparation for next week's overnight dates in Mexico. 

RELATED: Joey Graziadei chooses his top 4 contestants as 'The Bachelor' enters homestretch

When Graziadei was a contestant on the last season of "The Bachelorette," the hometown dates were a turning point for his relationship with lead Charity Lawson... in a bad way. She left Montgomery County with doubts about their relationship after his family expressed their concerns.

So, it's no wonder that Graziadei seems prepared to take the hometown dates on his season of "The Bachelor" extra seriously.

"This week is a really big deal," Graziadei says in an interview. "I have four amazing women and I can't wait to meet their families. I want to be a part of their family as much as they are a part of mine. So I'm hoping that after this week we have the ability to look forward to what can come at the end of this and where our relationship can continue to grow to."

Here's what happened when Graziadei visited each of the four finalists' hometowns:

(Spoilers ahead)

Kelsey Anderson's hometown

For the first hometown date of the season, Graziadei heads to New Orleans, Louisiana, to visit the hometown of Anderson, a 25-year-old junior project manager. Before visiting with Anderson's fam, the couple spend some time exploring the city. They ride a tandem bike through a park, get messy while chowing down on beignets, stroll Bourbon Street and dance to live music. 

They also excitedly spot several fluttering butterflies. On a one-on-one date earlier in the season, Anderson told Graziadei that she believes butterflies are a sign of her late mother, who died after battling cancer. Later, while they're sitting in a bar on Bourbon St., Graziadei asks how Anderson is feeling, acknowledging that it must be a tough day for her knowing her mom can't be there.

"I obviously wish that she could meet you," Anderson tells Graziadei. "I think that she would love you. I think that she would ask you some difficult questions that need to be asked. ... I miss her a lot. I miss her in moments where it just feels like she should be here." 

During their day out in NOLA, the pair also happen to spot a bride getting professional photos taken, which prompts them to talk about their own future together. Anderson says she is excited but also "pretty terrified" about potentially leaving heartbroken. Graziadei also opens up about his own fears about proposing to someone who isn't 100% in on the relationship.

"She has real fears like I do," Graziadei says to the camera. "But I just want us to give into this fully, because I see that future with her."

Graziadei then meets Anderson's dad and siblings. After catching up about the couple's journey on "The Bachelor" so far, the group spends some time smiling and laughing as they look through old albums containing family photos, including pictures of Anderson's mom. 

Anderson's father, Mark, soon pulls Graziadei aside for a chat. He says he wasn't too sure about his daughter entering this process at first, and wants to know how Graziadei can tell when he finds the right one for him while dating multiple women.

"All I can tell you is that my feelings for her are real and they do make sense," Graziadei tells him. "And I'm extremely hopeful."

Mark leaves the conversation feeling "reassured" by Graziadei. Regardless, he knows that Anderson will do what's best for her.

"I think a man deserving of Kelsey is one that she picks," Mark says in an interview.

Anderson also has a chat with her dad, during which he says that he hopes that all his kids will one day experience a love like he had with their mother, because it's "the best thing in the world." Anderson tells him that she thinks she loves Graziadei.

"I think Kelsey is ready for the happiness," Mark says in an interview. "And with that she has to be ready to suffer through heartbreak if that's what happens. I feel very, very happy, and it was wonderful to see Kelsey, to see Joey and the connection that they have. I understand there's still the other women, but I think Joey will take care of Kelsey. And I do hope she's engaged when she comes home."

After meeting Anderson's family, Graziadei says he feels "really, really happy" and would consider himself lucky to be part of it. Anderson is also excited that her family validated the connection she feels with Graziadei, and she says she could feel her mom's presence throughout the date. 

Rachel Nance's hometown

For the next hometown date, Graziadei spends time with Nance, a 26-year-old ICU nurse from Honolulu, Hawaii. "The Bachelor" didn't make the trip all the way to Hawaii, but instead Nance's family flew out to Rancho Cucamonga, California, to meet the couple for a backyard barbecue.

Nance is feeling nervous before introducing Graziadei to her family. She preps him on some of the aspects of Filipino and Hawaiian culture that he may experience at her family gathering, and also warns that her parents may be apprehensive about their non-traditional form of dating. She also tells Graziadei that the last guy she brought home got really close with her parents and they took the breakup hard. She was almost engaged to her ex and went through "true heartbreak," which she believes her parents are trying to shield her from going through again. 

At the party, Graziadei meets Nance's family, including her parents, sister and nephew. He impresses her mom, Noela, by greeting her with mano po, which is a gesture in Filipino culture that is performed as a sign of respect.

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"I loved how he just really honored and respected my husband and me," Noela says of Graziadei in an interview. "Family means a lot to us, so I really admired that about him."

Graziadei, Nance and her family then play games, dance and eat. The family has a pig roast in honor of welcoming Graziadei to the family. Noela tells Graziadei that in Filipino culture, interested suitors must eat the full ear of the pig. Graziadei then happily consumes the pig's ear.

Nance talks with the "number 1 man" in her life, her father Hakim, telling him how much she's enjoying the experience and how she feels happy and safe with Graziadei. Hakim tells her he's never seen the show, but he knows there's a proposal at the end. Recalling Nance's past heartbreak with her ex, Hakim advises his daughter to keep an "even keel" even if it doesn't go her way. Nance's mom also tells her to guard her heart. 

Graziadei has a "tough" conversation with Noela, during which she expresses her skepticism about the process and gets emotional thinking about Nance's past heartbreak.

"I wish you the best," she tells Graziadei. "Obviously, I wish my daughter the best more, because she's been hurt ... My concern for her is there are three other women involved."

"All she wants is for her daughter's heart to not be hurt," Graziadei tells cameras after his coversation with Noela. "It just puts a lot of pressure on, is it going to be Rachel? And I still need time to figure that out."

Graziadei asks Hakim whether he would consider offering his blessing to propose, and he gives an answer that Graziadei interprets as not a no, but also not a yes. 

Earlier in the episode, Nance tells producers she'd been planning to tell Graziadei she's falling in love with him, but after her own chats with her parents she's unsure about whether she should open up or guard her heart. Her sister Amanda tells her that if she genuinely feels a connection with Graziadei she should "go all out" and follow her heart.

Nance later takes her sister's advice. As Graziadei is leaving, she tells him she's falling in love with him. 

"Ive been waiting for this for weeks, and it feels so good for it to be out there and feel real," Graziadei says of Nance's declaration.

Daisy Kent's hometown

After Nance's date, Graziadei heads over to Becker, Minnesota to hang out with Kent, a 25-year-old account executive. Ahead of their date, Graziadei tells producers that he could see himself falling in love with and getting engaged to Kent. But, he's been feeling apprehensive about their relationship since she told him she can't fully express her feelings for him until she sees how he gets along with her family.

For the first portion of their date, Kent takes Graziadei to explore her family's old Christmas tree farm, where she spent most of her childhood. The couple ride on a horse-drawn carriage and admire the venue's festive holiday decor. He even creates an ornament for the special "wishing tree," which reads: "I wish for our relationship to grow and blossom into something beautiful."

A group of Kent's friends show up to surprise her. She gets emotional as she tells them how transformative the experience has been, especially in the face of her health struggles which have included hearing loss and the installation of a cochlear implant. 

"I was always like, what person would want to be with me, because of this, because it makes me a little different," Kent said of her health struggles. "But this whole experience has honestly changed my perspective and my outlook on life. And thats completely because of (Graziadei) and how he's looked at me and treated me. And even if it's not us at the end, which I hope it is, I'm gonna have that forever and I know what I deserve."

Graziadei then meets Kent's family, including her parents, grandparents, sister and brother. Kent tells the cameras she is looking forward to having her family help her sort through her feelings, since she currently feels a bit confused when it comes to her relationship with Graziadei. 

In a conversation with Kent's mom Julie, Graziadei tells her how Kent has not yet opened up about her true feelings for him.

"I feel like Joey truly does love her," Julie says in an interview. "But it seems like she is not being vulnerable to the full extent. So she'll have to get there if they end up going any further, I believe."

Kent opens up to her parents about her frustrations over putting up walls and holding back her true feelings from Graziadei. Her dad, Brandon, tells her that if she really is falling for Graziadei she should shoot her shot.

"If you think that you're falling in love with him, I think it's a no-brainer," Brandon tells her. 

He jokingly adds, "It's not like you're gonna lose your hearing over it," and he and Kent break out into laughter.

With her father's advice in tow, Kent puts aside her fear of getting hurt and tells Graziadei that she is falling in love with him and has been for some time.

"Regardless of what happens I'm just gonna go for it wholeheartedly because I think there's something amazing here and I want to see what it could be," she adds

"I feel the same way," Graziadei replies.

Maria Georgas' hometown

For the final hometown date, Georgas, a 29-year-old executive assisant from Ontario. Graziadei meets up with Georgas at Niagara Falls, where the pair take a ride on the Maid of the Mist sightseeing boat.

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While Graziadei is having fun with Georgas — taking shots of Canadian maple whiskey and even cartwheeling across the deck of the ship — he can't help but feel nervous about Georgas' near-exit last week. 

"It seems like with Maria, as soon as I take one step forward, sometimes we take two steps back," Graziadei says. "So I'm hoping she's still falling. I'm hoping she still can see this. I don't want to leave here with doubt."

Georgas apologizes, telling him that she only thought about leaving because it was hard seeing him with other women, but that he is the "epitome" of what she's been looking for in a man. Graziadei tells her it scared him that she wanted to leave, and he wants to feel more confident in what they have. He also is "blown away" when he finds out that he's the first boyfriend that Georgas has ever brought home.

Regardless of his concerns, Graziadei meets Georgas' family, including her brothers and her father Nick. Georgas became extremely close with her dad after she and her mother got in a horrific car accident when she was a baby that left her mom seriously injured and unable to be as present in her life.

"Maria is 100% daddy's girl," Nick says in an interview. "If she gets hurt, it would be a problem for Joey."

After enjoying a spread of Greek food, Nick pulls aside Graziadei for a chat to find out more about his feelings for his daughter. 

"Maria has expressed to me that she's falling for me and it was one of the more special moments that we've had," Graziadei tells Nick. "But I have not expressed anything back because I don't know how you could say it to four different people. I dont understand how that could hold the same amount of weight and I want all my words to have a lot of intention."

Nick seems to respect Graziadei's approach. Graziadei goes on to share that he does "fully" feel it with Georgas but he's scared of the way she holds back her feelings. He also asks whether Nick would be open to giving his blessing if they do get to the point of a proposal.

"The way I see Maria tonight, I haven't seen her that way with anybody, and I tell you that honestly," Nick tells Graziadei. "So if she chooses you and you choose her ... I would have no problems giving you my blessings. ... Take care of her, respect her, and we're gonna have one big fat Greek-Italian wedding."

Nick then advises his daughter to let her guard down and give Graziadei a real chance, because he's a "down-to-earth guy" and he's never seen her so happy. He also tells his daughter about Graziadei asking for his blessing to propose, which makes Georgas cry happy tears.

Georgas resolves to heed her dad's advice and share that she's in love with Graziadei. But, as Graziadei is saying goodbye, Georgas can't seem to get the words out, only telling him that she feels "very strong" and that her feelings are growing.

"I want to tell him how I feel, but why am I so worried? I don't know why I didn't say it," Georgas tells producers. "I just froze. It sucks that he's gonna leave today not knowing how I really feel ... I feel like I regret that." 

Who went home this episode?

The four ladies and Graziadei head back to Los Angeles for the rose ceremony, which takes place in an airplane hangar. 

"These are the four women I've had the strongest relationship with; no goodbye is gonna be easy," Graziadei tells cameras ahead of the ceremony. "No goodbye is really gonna make sense. I'm sending someone home that I care deeply about. But the most important thing for me to do tonight is not second guess. At this point, I have to go with my gut."

Before he can hand out any roses, Georgas interrupts to ask Graziadei if she can speak with him privately. She tells him that she is falling in love with him, and didn't want to regret not telling him.

But, it seems Georgas' declaration was too little, too late, because once the rose ceremony resumes she does not get a rose. While saying goodbye, Graziadei explains that he just had too many doubts about their relationship. 

Kent, Anderson and Nance will continue on as Graziadei's final three contestants. In next week's episode, Graziadei and the gals will travel to Tulum, Mexico for the infamous Fantasy Suite dates, which is when Graziadei will have the opportunity to spend private time away from cameras overnight with each of the remaining contestants. The episode will also feature cameos from some fan-favorite "Golden Bachelorette" contestants, including Delco's Susan Noles.

"The Bachelor" airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.