Reba McEntire started dating a new man during the pandemic: 'A very sweetheart of a guy'

Reba McEntire is one in a million for so many reasons — there’s her voice, comedic timing and hosting skills, to name a few. Now, as she revealed on the latest episode of her Living & Learning with Reba McEntire Podcast titled “Dating,” there’s yet another reason she’s a standout: she found new love during the pandemic.

McEntire said that she’s been seeing CSI: Miami star Rex Linn and that she went on her “first date in a long time” at the beginning of the year "and then February on, it was the COVID pandemic.”

While the challenge of getting to know someone during quarantine can seem overwhelming, McEntire and Linn seemed to enjoy connecting without the distractions of daily life. “We were talking, texting, FaceTime,” she said. “And that's a really good way to get to know people.” She found that this means of exploring one another was genuine and they were able to figure out how much they have in common and discover a mutual admiration for one another. Plus, McEntire said, there was a comfort in having a confidante.

"It's good to have a person to talk to, laugh with, get into subjects about what's going on,” the country star admitted. “Discussions about our past, our family, funny stories, him being an actor, me being an actress. And he's very into my music. I'm very into his career. It's just great getting to talk to somebody who I find very interesting, very funny, very smart and is interested in me, too."

McEntire was married to Narvel Blackstock for 26 years before the two were divorced in 2015. She was open about how painful the experience was, telling Today that the divorce was “not my idea” and that she “didn’t want it any way, shape or form.”

In 2017 she struck up a romantic relationship with oil geologist Anthony "Skeeter" Lasuzzo. They were together for two years before breaking up at the end of 2019. Now, she’s found a partner in Linn, who McEntire called “a very sweetheart of a guy.” And there’s a lesson to be learned from the Reba star about putting yourself out there and letting love in, even during these unprecedented times.

For most single people, looking for love during quarantine seems incredibly intimidating, so much so that they aren’t even willing to give it a chance. But Lindsey Metselaar, dating expert and host of the We Met at Acme podcast, says that it’s simply a matter of adjusting to the new normal that we are all living in.

“You can do a New York Times crossword together, you can cook together, watch the same show, you can learn a TikTok at the same time, learning a new language together, playing virtual games together,” she says. “There are so many fun activities you can do.”

Mestelaar acknowledges that virtual and social distance dating can be a bit awkward, especially considering the varying effects quarantine has on people’s mental health and self-esteem. But she says that as long as you are communicating honestly and openly, you can still find the same connection that you would have had before the coronavirus changed everything.

So what are you waiting for? Download the dating app of your choice, start swiping and see if you can meet someone new. Maybe you’ll meet the one or maybe you’ll just have a nice conversation. Either way, take some inspiration from McEntire and take a chance on romance. And, most importantly, remember that the heart won’t lie.

Read more from Yahoo Life:

• Adam Sandler tried intermittent fasting because he 'ate a lot over the pandemic'

• Gay men reclaim #ProudBoys on Twitter with photos of LGBTQ love

• Mom removed from flight because her son refused to wear a mask speaks out: 'Very traumatizing'

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