HGTV Star Leslie Davis Opens New Chapter with Engagement, Reveals Past Divorce
In a candid blog post titled “Leslie’s Life Update,” HGTV personality Leslie Davis has finally addressed the swirl of questions surrounding her personal life, confirming that she divorced her ex-husband Jacob in 2022 – a fact she had kept private until now. The 42-year-old “Unsellable Houses” host opened up after fans expressed confusion over her recent engagement announcement. “Okay…Okay… I know what you’re all saying… ‘I didn’t even know you were divorced!'” Leslie wrote, acknowledging the more than 1,000 social media comments inquiring about her previous marriage. She explained that keeping certain aspects of her personal life private has been challenging as someone in the public eye, but it was a boundary she deliberately chose to maintain, especially when it came to her family dynamics.
Despite the end of their marriage, Leslie emphasized the positive co-parenting relationship she maintains with Jacob, who is father to their three sons – Kyler, Cash, and Cole. She described her ex-husband as a “rockstar of a dad” who has always preferred staying out of the limelight. Their post-divorce relationship reflects a transformed but still loving connection: “Jacob and I will always share love for each other, just now in a new way,” Leslie wrote. “We have learned to become the best teammates, to lean on each other, to support each other’s new adventures, and always put our boys first.” This commitment to prioritizing their children’s wellbeing was central to Leslie’s decision to keep the divorce private, approaching the situation with both sensitivity and even a touch of humor, noting, “And seriously, who even announces a divorce anyway LOL!”
The revelation about Leslie’s previous marriage came after she surprised fans with joyful news on January 14, announcing her engagement to Don Reidy. She shared the romantic details on Instagram, describing how Don proposed during a snowy snowmobile ride in Leavenworth, Washington – made all the more special by the presence of her three sons. “Turns out Rock the Block gave me a win in more than one way,” she wrote, referencing the HGTV competition show where their relationship began. Her heartfelt post continued with touching sentiments about her new partner: “Don, you are my safe place, my teammate, and my favorite adventure buddy. What started as a friendship during one of the wildest experiences of my life turned into true love.”
The love story between Leslie and Don has the quintessential elements of a modern romance, beginning when they met during the filming of “Rock The Block” Season 5 in Florida. Don was working as a contractor on the house that Leslie and her sister Lyndsay were transforming for the competition. Through the high-pressure environment of reality TV production – with its “stressful days, endless hours, and lots of laughs in between” – they formed a strong friendship that continued after filming wrapped. Despite geographical challenges, with Don based in Colorado working on other HGTV projects while Leslie finished filming “Unsellable Houses” Season 5 in Snohomish, they maintained their connection through dedicated effort.
Their relationship evolved naturally from friendship to romance through “hundreds of FaceTime calls that turned into dates and quick weekend trips to see each other,” Leslie shared in her blog. This gradual progression from colleagues to friends to partners illustrates how meaningful connections can develop unexpectedly, even in the hectic world of television production. The involvement of Leslie’s children in Don’s proposal suggests a thoughtfully blended approach to their relationship, with Don recognizing the importance of including her sons in this significant moment – a gesture that Leslie described as making the proposal “even more perfect.”
Leslie’s openness about her journey through divorce to new love offers a refreshingly honest glimpse into the complexities of relationships in the public eye. By maintaining privacy around her divorce until she felt ready to share, while now celebrating her engagement openly, she demonstrates a balanced approach to navigating personal milestones under public scrutiny. Her story resonates as a reminder that second chances at love can come in unexpected ways and that co-parenting relationships can evolve positively after divorce. As Leslie embraces this new chapter with Don, whom she describes as her “favorite adventure buddy,” her fans have responded with overwhelming support for her happiness, appreciating the authentic way she’s chosen to share her life’s transitions.
