Jenny McCarthy "trusted the process of dating" when she began romancing Donnie Wahlberg.
The presenter, 41, believes her relationship with the singer, 44, is strong because she got to know him for who he is, rather than reading about his past on the internet.
She explained to E! News: "We both trusted the process of dating and we didn't let stories take over. I think a lot of times we get caught up in the fantasy of who we think somebody is, and instead we trusted getting to know who each other are for real.
"So we paid attention to each other, we didn't make up things and Google each other."
The couple are now engaged to be married after Donnie popped the question last month and they have spent the past few weeks planning their big day.
Jenny said previously: "It would be this year or next year. We like the idea of getting away on a vacation, but we also like the idea of keeping it local."
Meanwhile, Jenny has 11-year-old son Evan with her ex-husband John Mallory Asher, and Donnie has sons Xavier, 21, and Elijah, 12, with his ex-wife Kim Fey.
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