Summer House’s Sam Feher Wouldn’t Give Up Single Life For Just Anyone

When Bravo announced Sam Feher would be joining the cast of Summer House Season 7, they kept her bio cheeky: “Very single, Samantha has a consistent roster of four or five men and is keeping things casual until there’s someone worth dropping everyone else for.” They weren’t wrong: Going into the show, Feher had no intention of getting into a serious relationship.

“Obviously, I'm not going to turn love away if it comes in my direction, but I definitely wasn't expecting it,” Feher, 25, tells Elite Daily. At the start of filming in summer 2022, the New Jersey native was happy to date around, meet new people, and keep things casual. “I went into the summer thinking, ‘Oh, my God, this is going to be so fun. There are going to be so many hot guys everywhere. I can't wait.’”

But things changed when Kory Keefer (who previously appeared on Winter House Season 2) joined the show in Episode 8. The couple had an instant connection. “What are the odds that the one guy that comes along halfway through the summer ends up being the man of my dreams? I just got lucky,” she says. They spent the summer getting to know one another and made things official in March.

Here, Feher opens up about her relationship with Keefer and why he was worth ditching her roster.

Elite Daily: You recently went public with your relationship with Kory. What was that like?

Sam Feher: I was nervous, but I was also really excited. When you choose to live your life on TV, one thing that's a little overwhelming is how everybody feels entitled to have a say. I didn’t know how people were going to react.

Before we made it public, [Summer House cast mates] Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula told me, "Just you wait. As soon as you guys announce it, the cheating rumors begin, and people start sending you, 'I matched with him on Hinge in 2021.’” But they also said, “It’s a test of your trust for each other because people will come barreling towards you with opinions and accusations, and that will show how you guys operate as a couple.”

ED: The beginning of your relationship is shown in this season of Summer House. How has it been, watching that back?

SF: It's really fun because you get to watch your love story like it's a movie. How many people can go online and watch a video of their first kiss with their person? It’s so special.

It’s also cool to watch the confessionals and surveillance cameras back. At the time, I didn't know what Kory was saying about me behind closed doors. We had just met and were still playing it very cool. But then I get to see a conversation he had with Craig [Conover], saying, "I really like Sam." It adds some special layers to all of it.

ED: When did you first realize things with Kory had the potential to go deeper?

SF: We started sleeping in the same bed a couple of weeks into seeing each other, even before we started hooking up. In those moments, there were so many wholesome conversations. He would tell me stories about his childhood, and we’d talk about our families and values. That showed me that it wasn’t just about hooking up and flirting. We hadn’t even touched each other yet except to make out in front of all our friends, but I was really starting to like him as a person.

You can be out there having fun, dating around, and looking for the love of your life at the same time.

ED: Why do you think so much of the drama on Summer House often revolves around the couples in the house? How did you avoid that in your and Kory’s budding connection?

SF: This is a friend group before anything else, and every time two people couple up the dynamic shifts. It's human nature for change to feel uncomfortable. Suddenly, you have to think about them as a unit. They’ll probably spend more time together and become each other's best friend. But all that drama is recoverable. It just takes open communication to get past it.

For Kory and me, because we’re new on the show, there wasn’t that added tension. It wasn't like, "Oh, these are my best friends, and now I'm pushing them to the wayside to be in this relationship." It's not like the rest of the cast knew me super well and then suddenly didn't recognize me. Everyone was super supportive. I think a lot of people could feel our chemistry right off the bat.

ED: You’re obviously happy now, but it seems like you were having fun dating in NYC prior to meeting Kory, too. What was your mindset like at that time?

SF: I love meeting people. Every time I went on a date, I would think, "Even if we don't fall in love, this could be a new friend. Who knows?" For me, that approach really helped. Keeping your mind open to alternative possibilities is what makes it exciting and fun, and it keeps you from getting burnt out.

ED: What's one misconception people might have about your love life from watching you on TV or following you on social media?

SF: Before meeting Kory, I was single, having fun, and dating a couple of people. I think it led to a misconception that I couldn't be — or didn't want to be — in a serious relationship. But those things are not mutually exclusive. You can be out there having fun, dating around, and looking for the love of your life at the same time.

Dating multiple people is an empowering experience: being able to make decisions about who you're spending your time with and what you like, what you don't like. I actually encourage people to date around in order to find the right person for them. I think that's the only way you can do it.

ED: Are there any fears you used to have about dating or relationships that you've overcome?

SF: The fear of being my biggest, truest, boldest self. I dated a guy all throughout college who was just a monster. He loved me, but I'm not sure he liked me. Every time I was a little too extra, he put me down. It really did a number on my self-esteem. In every relationship after that, I was a backseat driver, afraid to be completely myself.

On the show, those feelings came to a head. Being in that house is like a pressure cooker for your emotions. It's really hard to put on the cool-girl show all the f*cking time, so pieces of my personality would break through. I really do credit Kory and my friends in the house for reminding me of my value as a person, even when I'm being my loudest self. They don't tell me to tone it down. They don't tell me I'm better when I'm quiet.

That’s why my relationship with Kory feels so safe. I am not too much for him. It was never even a thought that went through his head. Even when I explained that insecurity to him, he was like, "Oh, that's f*cking weird. You're not too much." It feels so good to be with somebody who thinks that way.

ED: Being accepted as your full self is so important. How does that play into your definition of love?

SF: This is something my mom always told me growing up: Being happy, compatible, and having chemistry is all important, but the real key is finding that person who makes you a better version of yourself. And you should do the same for them.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.