‘My holiday romance with a man 20 years younger was tested when I became Mormon'

Metro

20 hours ago

When Shorna headed to Crete for her summer holiday, she was hoping for a relaxing break – but a dodgy hotel room door changed everything.
After checking in, Londoner Shorna and her 15-year-old daughter headed to their room only to discover the key wasn't letting them in. Hot and tired after an early start and a four-hour flight, they marched down to reception to ask for assistance.
They were told someone would come to help them. That someone turned out to be 'charming' hotel worker, Adnand, and suddenly Shorna was grateful for the inconvenience.
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's restaurant.
'He 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'd known him for years; it was an instant connection, and I found him really attractive,' Shorna tells Metro. 'Usually, I just like to just chill on holiday without talking too much to others, so I don't usually give out my phone number or social media, but we exchanged details.'
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.
'We held hands walking into town, and I thought, 'Wow, this is moving so fast.' 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,' Shorna remembers.
'Because of his work schedule, we only got to see each other one more time over the week's holiday — 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't feel ready as I am quite reserved.'
A month later, Shorna flew back to Crete to see Adnand – this time, she came alone. Their relationship sped up, and in 'seven beautiful days', they shared a first kiss, slept together, and fell in love.
'It 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't take our hands off each other as we explored the island with boat trips, ice-cream walks, and sun lounger starlight gazing,' she says.
'The first time Adnand said 'I love you', we were in the lift going up to my room, and all over each other. It sounds crazy, but it was so sweet.
'When I had to leave, it was so sad. He didn't want me to go, and I didn't 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.'
The fact that she was two decades older than Adnand wasn't lost on Shorna either.
'Before Adnand, I didn't think I'd 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't,' she says.
'My eldest daughter, Kayla, is almost the same age as him, and she thought I was just a holiday romance to him because she wasn't there. She thought his age meant that all he wanted was to go out, have fun, and party instead of settling down. She doesn't know him as well as I do.
'I told her that age is just a number when you're in love. We have this taboo in society, but it doesn't matter. A man wouldn't be scrutinised in the same way.'
Shorna's friendship group also don't approve of the difference in ages, and stated they'd never go for someone so young. However, Shorna says defiantly: 'I'm not them.'
She adds: 'They said I was gullible and even made comments that he only wanted a visa. I never doubted his intentions because that's not something he brings up.'
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.
Their whirlwind romance was seemingly perfect, but Shorna then had an awakening that changed her focus — she became interested in Mormonism.
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 God and his son, Jesus 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 'true Christian church.'
In 1830, Joseph published the religious text, Book of Mormon, which he claimed to have translated from ancient writings found on golden plates buried in a nearby hill. The location of which was shown to him by an angel.
While sex is an important part of bond-building and procreation for a married couple, it's forbidden for church members who aren't married. Other acts like 'passionate kissing' and 'petting' are frowned upon, with former LDS President Ezra Taft Benson saying: 'The plaguing sin of this generation is sexual immorality. In the category of sins, the Book of Mormon places unchastity next to murder.'
Also banned in the Mormon church are alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee and drugs.
'Back home in Jamaica, I grew up Christian, but didn't 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,' she says.
'I 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.'
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.
Deciding the information was better shared in person, Shorna flew to Greece in May 2024, almost a year after they first met.
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.
Shorna explained that her newfound faith was the reason and admitted that from now on, holding hands was the most they could do.
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 – something he wasn't sure they were ready for.
Talking about that moment, Shorna explains, 'I 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'd be open-minded and understand my choice to abstain for God.
'It was a bit of a terrible time in Greece,' she adds. 'He made comments such as 'Well, I'm Muslim, so I can have six wives'. His reaction was normal as it was a big change, and he's human, but I still found it upsetting.'
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.
'I 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,' she remembers.
'He told me he'd propose, which made me happy. My life felt like a puzzle, and everything was finally fitting into place.'
'I was so overwhelmed,' says a happy Shorna. She teases that people who want to find out if they say 'I do,' will have to watch Discovery+'s 90 Day Fiancé UK. More Trending
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 fiancé of an American citizen to marry within 90 days of entering the country. Shornan and Adnand's love story is being followed for the third UK series.
Shorna explains there's another non-negotiable in their relationship: No children. As she's just begun he menopause, Adnand has had to accept that she won't be giving him kids. 'He just said he'll be a step-grandfather instead of my daughters' children,' she explains, adding that she doesn't have time for anyone who doubts their relationship.
'Regardless of what anyone says, I'm still gonna jump in because I love him. I don't listen to what people say, because it's not their life.'
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The next season of 90 Day Fiancé UK starts on Discovery Plus today
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