![\"Shorna](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_258557540-cd16.jpg\")
\n\t\tShorna fell for Adnand while on holiday in Crete (Picture: Discovery Plus\/TLC)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tShorna fell for Adnand while on holiday in Crete (Picture: Discovery Plus\/TLC)<\/p>\n
When Shorna headed to Crete<\/a> for her summer holiday, she was hoping for a relaxing break \u2013 but a dodgy hotel room door changed everything. <\/p>\n After checking in, Londoner Shorna and her 15-year-old daughter headed to their room only to discover the key wasn\u2019t letting them in. Hot and tired after an early start and a four-hour flight, they marched down to reception to ask for assistance.<\/p>\n They were told someone would come to help them. That someone turned out to be \u2018charming\u2019 hotel worker, Adnand, and suddenly Shorna was grateful for the inconvenience.<\/p>\n She was even more appreciative when he happened to be driving past in a golf buggy two hours later, as she and her daughter were heading to the complex\u2019s restaurant<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2018He offered us a lift and I sat in the front with him. As we made the short journey, we chatted easily about his Albanian upbringing and his job. I felt like I\u2019d known him for years; it was an instant connection, and I found him really attractive,\u2019 Shorna tells Metro<\/strong>. \u2018Usually, I just like to just chill on holiday<\/a> without talking too much to others, so I don\u2019t usually give out my phone number or social media<\/a>, but we exchanged details.\u2019<\/p>\n When Adnand, 25, asked Shorna, 45, to go for a drink that July night in 2023, she agreed after some gentle encouragement from her daughter.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018We held hands walking into town, and I thought, \u201cWow, this is moving so fast.\u201d He was protective of me, making sure I was okay, and I just felt so secure around him. As we said goodnight, he kissed me on the cheek. I wondered if this was the start of a new story,\u2019 Shorna remembers.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018Because of his work schedule, we only got to see each other one more time over the week\u2019s holiday \u2014 he took me on a sunset walk along the beach, which felt so romantic. He did go in for a proper kiss, but I didn\u2019t feel ready as I am quite reserved.\u2019<\/p>\n A month later, Shorna flew back to Crete to see Adnand \u2013 this time, she came alone. Their relationship sped up, and in \u2018seven beautiful days\u2019, they shared a first kiss, slept together, and fell in love. <\/p>\n \u2018It felt like a full-blown relationship, and I was happy that our connection was as genuine as I thought it was when we were constantly FaceTiming in between the two trips. We couldn\u2019t take our hands off each other as we explored the island with boat trips, ice-cream walks, and sun lounger starlight gazing,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n \u2018The first time Adnand said \u201cI love you\u201d, we were in the lift going up to my room, and all over each other. It sounds crazy, but it was so sweet.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018When I had to leave, it was so sad. He didn\u2019t want me to go, and I didn\u2019t want to go, but I had to. We were standing by the car taking me to the airport, kissing and hugging, delaying the separation for as long as we could.\u2019<\/p>\n The fact that she was two decades older than Adnand wasn\u2019t lost on Shorna either.<\/p>\n \u2018Before Adnand, I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d date a younger guy despite getting a lot of attention from them, but I surprised myself. I quickly became okay with it, but others around me didn\u2019t,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n \u2018My eldest daughter, Kayla, is almost the same age as him, and she thought I was just a holiday romance to him because she wasn\u2019t there. She thought his age meant that all he wanted was to go out, have fun, and party instead of settling down. She doesn\u2019t know him as well as I do.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018I told her that age is just a number when you\u2019re in love. We have this taboo in society, but it doesn\u2019t matter. A man wouldn\u2019t be scrutinised in the same way.\u2019<\/p>\n Shorna\u2019s friendship group also don\u2019t approve of the difference in ages, and stated they\u2019d never go for someone so young. However, Shorna says defiantly: \u2018I\u2019m not them.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n She adds: \u2018They said I was gullible and even made comments that he only wanted a visa. I never doubted his intentions because that\u2019s not something he brings up.\u2019<\/p>\n Once back home, Shorna was committed to maintaining her relationship with Adnand, and so they spoke daily over the phone, making grand plans to reunite. They agreed that Adnand would eventually move to London and help run her cleaning company.<\/p>\n Their whirlwind romance was seemingly perfect, but Shorna then had an awakening that changed her focus \u2014 she became interested in Mormonism.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t\t\tWhat is Mormonism?\t\t\t<\/p>\n The religion, also called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), was founded by Joseph Smith in the 1820s in Western New York. Joseph claimed that\u00a0God and his son,\u00a0Jesus Christ, instructed him to join none of the existing churches as they were incorrect, and was told, through angels, that God would use him to re-establish the \u201ctrue Christian church.\u201d<\/p>\n In 1830, Joseph published the\u00a0religious text, Book of Mormon,\u00a0which he claimed to have translated from ancient writings found on\u00a0golden plates buried in a nearby hill. The location of which was shown to him by an angel.<\/p>\n While sex is an important part of bond-building and procreation for a married couple, it\u2019s forbidden for church members who aren\u2019t married. Other acts like \u2018passionate kissing\u2019 and \u2018petting\u2019 are frowned upon, with former LDS\u00a0President Ezra Taft Benson saying: \u2018The plaguing sin of this generation is sexual immorality. In the category of sins, the Book of Mormon places unchastity next to murder.\u2019<\/p>\n Also banned in the Mormon church are alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee and drugs.<\/p>\n \u2018Back home in Jamaica, I grew up Christian, but didn\u2019t feel like I was as close to God as I could be in adulthood. I knew that I wanted to change that. I wrote the goal on a piece of paper and put it in a jar. I ended up getting talking to some missionaries, who inspired me to act on it,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n \u2018I went to church after our chat, and the sisters and brothers were so welcoming and invited me to witness a baptism. I started crying, and then they took me to one side and said that it was a sign from God. I felt like it was my time to let God into my life, and I began taking lessons.\u2019<\/p>\n While she was going through the life change, she decided not to discuss it with Adnand, as he was struggling with the distance and becoming unresponsive. This meant that when Adnand got back in touch with Shorna a few months later, he was completely clueless. <\/p>\n Deciding the information was better shared in person, Shorna flew to Greece in May 2024, almost a year after they first met.<\/p>\n \t\t Adnand, who is Muslim but not practising, was ready to shower Shorna in kisses and put his hands all over her. However, she quickly rejected the public displays of affection, leaving him feeling confused, hurt and frustrated. <\/p>\n Shorna explained that her newfound faith was the reason and admitted that from now on, holding hands was the most they could do. <\/a><\/p>\n At first, Adnand thought it was a joke, but soon realised that any sort of sexual relationship was off the cards unless they were married \u2013 something he wasn\u2019t sure they were ready for.<\/p>\n Talking about that moment, Shorna explains, \u2018I was happy and proud of being Mormon, and wanted to share that experience with him. I knew he might not take it well, because we had a physical relationship, and it was a big change, but I hoped he\u2019d be open-minded and understand my choice to abstain for God.<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018It was a bit of a terrible time in Greece,\u2019 she adds. \u2018He made comments such as \u201cWell, I\u2019m Muslim, so I can have six wives\u201d. His reaction was normal as it was a big change, and he\u2019s human, but I still found it upsetting.\u2019 <\/p>\n Shorna was determined to show her boyfriend that she was still the same person, so she took him on romantic bike rides, and they could have long chats.<\/p>\n \u2018I showed him that we could still do stuff together and by the end of the week, Adnand said that he was up for giving it a try,\u2019 she remembers. <\/p>\n \u2018He told me he\u2019d propose, which made me happy. My life felt like a puzzle, and everything was finally fitting into place.\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018I was so overwhelmed,\u2019 says a happy Shorna. She teases that people who want to find out if they say \u2018I do,\u2019 will have to watch Discovery+\u2019s 90 Day Fianc\u00e9 UK<\/a>.<\/p>\n The series follows couples from two different countries who navigate cultural differences, family expectations, and personal doubts, while deciding whether one person should move their life. It originally began in the USA, and the name derives from the couples featured all receiving or applying for a K-1 visa, which requires the foreign fianc\u00e9 of an American citizen to marry within 90 days of entering the country. Shornan and Adnand\u2019s love story is being followed for the third UK series.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t Shorna explains there\u2019s another non-negotiable in their relationship: No children. As she\u2019s just begun he menopause, Adnand has had to accept that she won\u2019t be giving him kids. \u2018He just said he\u2019ll be a step-grandfather instead of my daughters\u2019 children,\u2019 she explains, adding that she doesn\u2019t have time for anyone who doubts their relationship.<\/p>\n \u2018Regardless of what anyone says, I\u2019m still gonna jump in because I love him. I don\u2019t listen to what people say, because it\u2019s not their life.\u2019<\/p>\n The next season of 90 Day Fianc\u00e9 UK starts on Discovery Plus today<\/p>\n Do you have a story you\u2019d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Josie.Copson@metro.co.uk<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Share your views in the comments below.<\/strong><\/p>\n Arrow Arrow![\"?My](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_258557599-053b.jpg\")
\n\t\tTheir relationship was intense (Picture: Discovery Plus\/TLC)<\/p>\n![\"?My](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_258557541-4e32.jpg\")
\n\t\tIt\u2019s a big life change that she kept to herself (Picture: Discovery Plus\/TLC)<\/p>\n![\"?My](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_258557597-13ee.jpg\")
\n\t\tAdnand thought Shorna was joking (Picture: Discovery Plus\/TLC)<\/p>\n![\"?My](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_258557601-cb07.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe conversations didn\u2019t initially go well (Picture: Discovery Plus\/TLC)<\/p>\n![\"?My](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_258551601-5b44-e1752161813452.jpg\")
\n\t\tTheir story is being featured in 90 Day Fianc\u00e9 UK (Picture: Discovery Plus\/TLC)<\/p>\n![\"?My](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_258557537-f646.jpg\")
\n\t\tKayla didn\u2019t entirely approve of their relationship (Picture: Discovery Plus\/TLC)<\/p>\n
\nMORE: I\u2019m an \u2018angry mum\u2019 \u2013 but I always make sure to apologise<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: I was diagnosed with a brain tumour after doctors dismissed symptoms as heatstroke<\/a><\/p>\n