The Damaged Hearts Bargain

by Sienna Waters

How do you love when you’ve never been loved?

Lucy Evans should be happy. After a rough upbringing, she’s finally found a home in tiny Tetherington. But now she’s watching all her friends pair off and finding herself more and more on the shelf. Until a shoplifting arrest goes wrong.

If there’s one place Cal Roberts definitely doesn’t want to be, it’s Tetherington. But when her estranged mother passes, she has no choice but to head down and prepare the house to be sold. In and out, that’s the plan. Until a dark haired beauty rugby-tackles her in broad daylight.

Cal has a no more than six weeks in any place or with any woman. Lucy has a get a girlfriend by the end of the summer. This is never going to work. Until Cal’s past comes back to haunt her and Lucy turns out to be a savior in disguise.

Gossip is ripe in Tetherington, and not in a good way. But Lucy is sure she can clear Cal’s name even if Cal isn’t sure she wants it clearing. And if something grows between them along the way, well… stranger things have happened in the little town by the sea.

The Damaged Hearts Bargain is a lesbian romance featuring a very happy ending, from bestselling Sapphic writer Sienna Waters, author of The Wrong Date, Crossing the Pond, and Teaching Hope. Like all the books in the Tetherington Hearts series, this is a standalone and can be read independently.

Genres: Romance, Lesbian Romance, Lesbian

246 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 7, 2024

Reviews

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! I’m so glad we got to see more of Lucy, I wasn’t expecting her to get her own book, I’m so glad she did!
Cal is such a beautiful character, her emotions are so real and I loved seeing her growth throughout the book. Cal deserves everything and I’m glad she finds it with Lucy.
I love the found family in this book too, the whole town is kind of like a family and I love that too, but the central found family of Billy, George, Pen, Ash, Lucy and now Cal is everything, I love the support system they have in each other.
I loved Syd too, she came in at all the right moments to help Cal, I hope we get to see her again, even if it’s just a little.
The town itself also sounds so beautiful and cozy, I’ve read multiple small town stories but this location I think is my favorite so far!

[Lorraine Rusnack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the story charming and love this small town. Lucy is quiet a force when she wants to be. Cal really tugged at my heart, even with most of the town against her she did her best to be gracious. There is always more to a story than the town gossip and Lucy kept at it until she had answers. Great writing and a wonderful story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lyn Denison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sienna Waters’ characters never disappoint. Cal and Lucy surely don’t. Come along on their journey as they find the right path for themselves and each other. A cynicism-dousing, soothing and satisfying trip to a HEA.

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Damaged Hearts Bargain is a sapphic, contemporary romance featuring Lucy Evans and Cal Roberts. This is the second book in Waters' Tetherington Hearts series but can be appreciated as a standalone.

After living on the streets and having nothing, Lucy has found a home and friends in Tetherington. She has a community where is appreciated and friends who have become her family.

Cal left Tetherington when she was only 17. She was accused of stealing and when the most important person in her life, her mother, didn't stand up for her, she decided to leave and never return. After learning that her mother passed away, she needs to return to clear out the childhood home and prepare it for sale.

Cal's return to Tetherington is exactly as she expected. Everyone still sees her as the girl who stole from them and they treat her with disdain. She's keen to complete the task quickly and leave as soon as possible. That is, until she meets Lucy.

Lucy doesn't know Cal and is not one to partake in gossip. When her boss mentions something about shoplifting, Lucy chases Cal down and tackles her to the ground, only to discover that her boss was alluding to an incident from many years prior. Lucy is horrified and offers to take Cal for a drink to apologize.

Lucy has been watching her friends pair off and is feeling left out. She wants someone special too. She might be getting ahead of herself but she likes Cal and is interested in exploring that with her. Cal is reluctant knowing that she has no intention of remaining in Tetherington. She is always open and honest with her partners, never hurting them when she walks away. She doesn't want to hurt Lucy.

While these two women have very different pasts, they have a few things in common which brings them together. They both see the best in the other and are good for each other. I enjoyed their story and appreciated how two independent women unexpectedly found not only love but healing.

I find myself enjoying this writer's style and I am looking forward to reading more of her works.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

This follows on from Mended Hearts Bookshop being set in the small town of Tetherington. It’s lovely to catch up with the characters from earlier and although you could easily read this as standalone I think you would get more enjoyment out of it if you read that first.
This is a return to hometown and redemption story about learning to love and to accept being worthy of love. All done in easy to read style with likeable and believable characters.
SW hasn’t written a book I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed and I totally recommend this one too.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lyn Denison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope and Love

Sienna Waters’ characters never disappoint. Cal and Lucy surely don’t. Come along on their journey as they find the right path for themselves and each other. A cynicism-dousing, soothing and satisfying trip to a HEA.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is set in the same world as The Mended Hearts Bookshop and while it is not totally necessary to read that first, there are a lot of characters that carry over and this story takes place afterwards.

Lucy Evans has found a stable home in Tetherington. She has a job, a place to paint and good friends she can count on. Only they are all paired up and the woman that took a chance on her and got her back on her feet, is getting married. She's not jealous, not really. But basically having dated all the lesbians the (very) small town has to offer, she really would like to find her someone. Even if that someone is temporary.

Callan "Cal" Roberts is a pariah in Tetherington. Accused of stealing money, she ran away at age 17 and hasn't been back since. Except now she has to return. Her estranged mum has died, and without any other family, Cal needs to clear out her childhood home and get it ready for sale. In the years that she has been gone, she has established some rules - never stay in the same place and never date the same woman for more than six weeks.

Both Lucy and Cal wear their hearts on their sleeves and neither of them have had a real, romantic relationship in their adult lives. They also both had damaged relationships with their mothers, albeit for drastically different reasons.

This is a story of what happens when Lucy crashes into Cal's life. Well, maybe not so much crashes, but tackles her way in. Literally rugby tackles her, although in her defense it was based on a miscommunication. Desperate to make amends, Lucy agrees to help Cal pack up the house. But Cal's history doesn't just let her take Lucy's apologetic labor, so she agrees to be Lucy's plus one at her friends wedding. But love’s not that easy…

The Damaged Hearts Bargain is quirky lesbian romance with small town feels - aka big hearts, gossip. Our favorite characters from the first book are back as supporting characters along with a few new ones. If you enjoy a sapphic romance with a dash of spice and a dollop of small town drama, you’ll really enjoy The Damaged Hearts Bargain!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Damaged Hearts Bargain by Sienna Waters, we take a trip back to Tetherington and visit with some old and new friends. With Lucy and Cal, we get to explore another relationship while they work through what they know and don't know about how all of that works. Lucy is looking for stability and support after spending her youth in foster homes, and Cal is back in town to wrap up her mother's estate since she passed away. Cal left years ago when she was accused of a crime she didn't commit and a misunderstanding with her mother. Feeling undeserving of good things and struggling to trust, Cal makes no commitments, but Lucy sees something more in her that is worth the risk.
Waters does drop some wisdom in this installment from Lucy's small-town, found family. Everyone is in everyone else's business, but her friends mean well, and they welcome Cal into their circle, as they encourage and care for Lucy. Through Lucy and Cal, we also flip the expectations of what roles a femme and a butch play. Together they realize that no matter how they identify, they both want to give and receive love, and support, and nurture each other as equals. 
This is not my favorite book by this author. The reason for the angst feels a bit contrived and the relationship between Cal and Lucy is insta-love, which isn't exactly my preference. However, I enjoyed the quick, feel-good story that ends with a lovely epilogue. I almost teared up, so I came away with a happy feeling, that counts for a lot. I am a fan of Sienna Waters, and I will always pick up her books regardless. I recommend them for sweet, lighthearted romance if that's your thing or if you need a palate cleanser. 
#butch/femme #sweet #smalltown #foundfamily #bartender #artist #UK #HEA
I received a free copy of this book from the author via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[This · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is set in Tetherington - so we meet up with Pen & Ash and George & Billy again. This time it is Lucy's turn.
Cal has a 6 week rule with women - then it is on to the next one. She has to return to Tetherington to sort out some business and meets Lucy. Cal has history with the town and the population and everybody thinks they know her and shun her.
Lucy is a relative newcomer to the town and everybody loves her.
They both have experience of rejection and
Cue some rehabilitation and rethinking about the past - spurred on by Lucy - while Lucy and Cal enter uncharted waters for both of them.
This story seems a little different to the others - slightly less fluffy. Very readable though.
Cal's character shows a insight into her thinking about her masc identity - always needing to be in control of herself and looking out for others, playing a more traditional masc role - no need for that all the time - especially with Lucy. She can be cared for and protected too.

Epilogue
This shows characters 2 years on and considering a move back to Tetherington but it is a move forward rather than a backwards step.

Read this - although it will work as a standalone it will make more sense when you have the back story of the town and characters.

[Karen Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy, who we met in The Mended Hearts Bookshop, is feeling lonely as she watches all her friends pair up. She comes up with a plan to get a girlfriend by end of summer. At work, she tackles Cal who she believes is shoplifting due to misunderstanding her boss. Cal has returned to Tetherington to prepare the house to be sold after the death of her estranged mother. Town gossip begins about Cal's past and why she ran away as a teenager. Cal's rule is no more than six weeks in any place or with any women. Lucy is determined to clear Cal's name even if she wants it left alone. I enjoyed Lucy's sharp wit and the story line of the gradual coming together of her and Cal.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shannon Luchies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cal Robers, a butch lesbian who specializes in casual relationships, finds out her mother has died and that she needs to return to her home town to deal with things. Home to Tetherington, which she had vowed not to go back to.

Lucy, new Tetherington resident, is curious about Cal and what drove her out of town. And Lucy is dealing with her own troubles as a single woman surrounded by couples.

This is the first time I've seen the locals treat a character badly. I also THINK I figured out what happened with Cal and the theft. We'll see once I get farther.

No spoilers, yup I was right.

Good read, good characters, solid plot and i liked the resolution. 4 out of 5 stars

[Looby Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cal has to return to Tetherington to pack up her childhood home after her estranged mum dies. It’s the last place in earth she wants to be.
Lucy is a foster care survivor and is now surrounded by found family and neighbours even if some of them are terrible gossips.
Lucy and Cal were both complex characters carrying a lot of hurt and scars picked up by their younger selves.
As always the book is full of humour and great lines. There are lots of supporting roles for the people in the first book and a guaranteed HEA. Bliss.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Doug Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Damaged Hearts Bargain brings newly local Lucy together with recently returned Cal together in another enjoyable small English town romance. They each have reasons to distrust a committed relationship, but their chemistry is obvious from the beginning. There is a good cast of supporting characters, many of whom the reader may remember from the first volume in the series. There is a reasonable amount of angst that is consistent with events. Overall a very good tale with a heart warming conclusion.

[Elizabeth M. Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

a very well written sequel

This is the 2nd book in the series, which is important. In the first book you fall in love with the perfect little town and their cute, quirky residents. In this book you begin to see what we from small towns know, it is not always pretty or nice. Gossip, assumptions and cliques exist, and can be very hard and unforgiving. This story is still a warm hearted read and stays consistent with the characters you like.. but it is a bit deeper and more emotional. A nice finish to the series.. for now?

[Lehidaly Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved some of the topics discussed in this book. I especially loved that the author looked into how masc lesbian are often expected to be the more dominant and protective partner when that is not the case. I also found the chosen family trope quite heartwarming. The only reason I am giving the book four stars is because I wished Lucy and Cal had a bit more chemistry, I felt myself wanting more from both characters when reading.

[Stephanie Mohr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another book that takes place in the small town of Tetherington. We get to see some of the characters from the series but this can be read as a stand alone too. I enjoyed meeting Cal and Lucy and seeing them come together with their found family.

Another well written, with interesting characters and a HEA. Well worth the read. Can never go wrong reading one of her books!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ashleigh Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The damage of gossip. A village of 'good' people vilify an adult for something they think she did when she was 17. This is a story of gossip, assumptions, betrayal, lost opportunities and harm it can do when people jump on a bandwagon with what they think is 'evidence'. But it doesn't end there. This is also a story of love, acceptance, forgiveness and healing with a lovely HEA; we're all only human afterall. Highly recommended.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

So lovely!

I read a lot of lesbian romance. Probably more than I would like to admit. But this has to be one of the sweetest that I have ever read. It is not only butch/femme, which is dear to my heart because that's where I live is in that community, but it's just darn sweet. The characters are wonderful, the ending exactly what you would hope for, and every moment in between is a little jewel of joy.

[Kim Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Tetherington Hearts series that can be read alone but you will not be disappointed if you do read the first book. The trust Lucy gives Cal from the start is amazing and the grace Cal gives the whole town is inspiring. Another terrific book from Sienna Waters as usual that you do not want to miss. I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Daisy Teragram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and meaningful
I really loved this story. The characters are very compelling and they have unique histories that influenced them greatly. There's a bit of a mystery running through the story that was fun and made sense. They had to navigate that to get to the root of things. They are just so perfect for each other! It's a cute, fun story but with some pretty serious depths. I really felt for them both now and in the past.

[Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another lovely story from Ms Waters in the Tetherington Hearts universe, can be read as a stand alone. Cal is the bad girl from Tetherington, left when she was young, is forced to return when her estranged mother dies. Lucy has finally found a place to call home and likes Cal, but Cal doesn’t want to stay in Tetherington. Well written, with interesting characters and a HEA. Well worth the read.

[Carolyn G. Manuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Healing Love

Callan Roberts had been wandering the world since she left home at seventeen. Wrongly accused of a crime, she left when her mother didn’t defend her. Returning to clear the house after her mother died, Cal meets Lucy Evans, an artist and a woman who sees her and defends her. Two wounded women come together to heal their damaged hearts. Great series.

[Marian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story in small town Tetherington England. Full of humour, miscommunications and quirky characters.

[Margarita Cherena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy and Cal survived the gossip mill. A tranquil story of love and art. Recommended.

[Rebecca Gaddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

sweet

Traversing a chasm to build a relationship against stormy odds is hard to put on “paper,” but this author got it right!

[Allen Wiese · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was pretty good

Just like it says in the headline, it was pretty good. I recommend reading this book. I enjoyed it a lot.

[Lisa Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this author!

Great story, loved the characters and storyline. Get the author's books and leave your reviews. Thank you for using Kindle Unlimited.

[Maz Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book in the series.
I love the way the author writes the characters, you allows you to picture them both in your mind and they become your new friends.
As my new friend I did want to slap Cal, the six week rule was just her way of running away with making a connection with anybody.
Also if you keep running away, your never going to resolve issues, so I’m glad that Lucy was able to make Cal break her habits.
Brilliant read.

[Andrewd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book wrangles its way thought a number of difficult subjects in a steady and compelling style which I really liked. There is insight which can be a lesson for many of us in helping to understand these.
Above all, love shines through in Sienna Waters’ tasteful manner.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emily G · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Sienna Waters romance never disappoints. I really enjoyed this book. The writing is good, and the characters are so likeable and relatable. I got drawn in and invested in the story. The plot, while being interesting, is not overly complicated but has just enough intrigue regarding the event that led to Cal leaving all those years ago to add a bit of mystery to the romance.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.