All The Drama Around Vanderpump Rules Star Katie Maloney's New Boyfriend Nick Martin, Explained

Plenty of "Vanderpump Rules" fans were surely happy to hear that series star Katie Maloney has a new love in her life. Unfortunately, in true "Vanderpump Rules" style, this romance is already stirring up drama. In October 2024, it was confirmed that Maloney is dating Sleeping with Sirens guitarist Nick Martin. Yet, details that have surfaced about Maloney's musician beau have some folks worried.

On the October 16 episode of her podcast, "Disrespectfully," Maloney announced her relationship, saying, "Yeah, I'm in love, everybody. Katie's in love." Maloney was married to her "Vanderpump Rules" costar Tom Schwartz from 2016 to 2022. In addition to their love of emo music, recent divorce is another thing Maloney and Martin have in common. A source told Page Six, "While the pair started out as friends, things took a turn this past summer in August and their relationship developed really quickly." They added, however, that Maloney and Martin have been "trying to keep things under wraps," since the guitarist is in the middle of what is allegedly a difficult breakup. Despite going through a split, the insider added that Martin is "growing his relationship with Katie in the meantime." Martin tied the knot with Jenna Martin in 2016 — the same year Maloney and Schwartz said "I do." While having certain things in common with a new significant other can be a positive thing, it seems that some are concerned about Martin's past relationships.

Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz went through their share of relationship struggles before calling it quits. And, it seems that the notion of Maloney getting into another turbulent relationship has her loved ones concerned. A source told The U.S. Sun that Maloney's "friends have questions and concerns. He's a touring musician so that will raise problems eventually." The source added that "Some questionable decisions he's made in the past have also made her friends compare him to Tom Schwartz. They love Katie and they just want to make sure Katie isn't dating a Schwartz 2.0. Everyone knows she deserves so much better than that." 

It is unclear exactly when Nick Martin split from his wife, Jenna Martin, but she posted lovingly about him on Instagram as recently as Valentine's Day 2023. So, it's safe to say that how quickly he's found himself in a relationship with Maloney is clearly causing some alarm. Yet, the quick divorce isn't Martin's only red flag. After news broke that Martin was dating the "Vanderpump Rules" star, his ex Brandy Baye took to Instagram to dish about their relationship. According to her, she dated Martin in 2024 from March through August. She called him a "pathological liar" and claimed that he "took pride in bashing women," cheated on her, and "lied to [her] about the timeline of [his] divorce." So, while Maloney may be happy in her new relationship, it's clear why friends and fans of the star have concerns.