Fleur talks of break-up

Fleur Verhoeven.

Hawke's Bay resident and Bachelor New Zealand winner Fleur Verhoeven has spoken out about her break-up with Bachelor Jordan Mauger.

He dumped Ms Verhoeven hours after the show's finale when she was selected as the winner and his true love.

While on holiday in Fiji with fellow Bachelor contestant Shari Flavall, Ms Verhoeven revealed to Woman's Day that although she was now focusing on getting on with life, she still had weak moments.

"There have been times when I've thought, 'I wish I'd just come second'," she told the magazine, "I wonder how much less that would have hurt because, even now, I still get a bit sad and wish Jordan had given our relationship more time.

"I had every reason to believe things were going to turn out differently for us, but I don't want to be that desperate girl," she said.

"My friends and family keep trying to reassure me it wasn't my fault, but it's impossible not to take a rejection like that personally."

In a "tell all" chat with the magazine last week, Mr Mauger had claimed Ms Verhoeven was well aware of his dwindling feelings. He also said he was upset Ms Verhoeven had announced their separation alone in a TV interview on Story.

She said she never had any intention of leaving Mr Mauger out of the interview. "As far as I knew, he was aware of what was going on. I simply thought it was his choice to not be a part of it."