Leni TurnerI learned very young that love had the power to destroy us and vowed never to lose myself to love another. I escaped Texas and broke his heart to save myself. Five years later, my dreams shattered, I’m on a bus, back to the place I never wanted to be. Liam MooreAfter years without contact, I find her green eyes staring back at me, and I realize how much I’ve missed her. She doesn’t … her. She doesn’t want me in her life, but I don’t know how I’ll make it without her in mine.
Sometimes, the thing you’re most scared of has the power to save you in the end.
***Intended for mature readers due to content.
more
A Hundred Ways to Love by Ellie Wade is the story of Liam Moore and Leni Turner.
Leni’s parents were not good examples of what love is. Len’s father was abusive to her and her mother. Len’s mother turned a blind eye towards everything about her father. Leni only had her art, her Grandmother and Liam to give her any happiness. But her father took her art away then she started having stronger feelings for Liam than that of childhood friends so she stop coming to her grandmother farm where Liam was a neighbor of hers. Then Leni become of age to go to college where she got her degree but has found that hasn’t made her happy nor the life of turning people away. So she returns to her Grandmother where is to be with her. Of course Liam is still living there which starts to open up her feelings for him again. Liam always cared for Leni and now that she is back he wants to make her happy and his.
Great second chance at Love.
This was the first book I read by Wade and it was great. Perfect second chance romance with some enemies to lovers as well as friends to lovers vibes and all the small town romance you can handle. It was awesome. I love to see how much Leni grew throughout the book. She wasn’t always the most likeable character but you still rooted for her. Liam was that great southern gentleman that all the ladies swoon for. Perfect book boyfriend but even more perfect for Leni.
I absolutely loved this story. Everything I’ve read by this author is phenomenal, with this story being one of my favorites. Finding one’s happiness and true self is important and just what Leni needs to do and Liam is the right one to set her straight. He too needs his happy ending, but can these two finally find their way to each other? Don’t miss out on this amazing story!!!
Sometimes when you try to not become a specific thing or a certain way, you inadvertently do things which cause you to become the very thing you hated. Leni spent most of her life trying to not become her parents; she becomes her mom, leaving her to believe she doesn’t deserve to be loved. If only she knew Liam loved her… Growing up in an abusive household wasn’t conducive to Leni’s well-being. Every summer, Leni stays with her grandmother, Mimi, and it’s a much-needed escape from having to keep up appearances and hiding bruises. There is so much push and pull between Leni and Liam, and you cling onto every word because you are rooting for them to realize they deserve to be happy, especially Leni.
There is so much to unpack in this story. Leni’s and Liam’s story is so raw and gritty. It pulls at every emotion you have because you feel like you’re going through this pain with them. This book started a bit heavy, and at times I felt like it won’t lighten up, but my God, by the end of the book, I was in love. There was so much individual growth and acceptance, which can lead to a little reflective. A Hundred Ways to Love was my first book by Ellie Wade, and it was stunning.
4.5 Stars!
Ellie Wade has a way of pulling in from the very first sentence. She has that beautiful talent. This book is no different. I was pulled in from the start and the story was jam packed with every emotion. It makes you feel. This story is real, it’s raw, and it’s emotional. It’s beautiful. This book tells a story of growth and loving yourself even when you haven’t been shown the love you deserved in your life.
Leni has had a rough life, to say the least. She doesn’t think she deserves love and her heartache seeps through the pages and into your heart. Liam, oh Liam. I love him, seriously. He has loved Leni since they were kids, if only she’d let him in. It’s a heartbreaking story as Leni falls but inspiring as she picks up the pieces. Liam and Leni push each other and don’t get along at every turn, but it’s an amazing story to watch unfold.
I could go on and on about this book, but I’ll just recommend it and tell you…you need this book. It’s heartbreaking, but inspiring. It’s about strength and hope. It’s a love story we all want to read about, and you won’t be sorry you did.
“A chance meeting with a bubbly, green-eyed girl in a cornfield changed my life, and I’m still reeling from its effect.”
Holy wow. I am still speechless 18 hours after finishing this book. I’ve always loved Ellie Wade’s work and this one is no different. I was captivated by this story. I loved Liam and Leni’s story and omg Mimi was my favorite person ever! Watching Leni’s transformation was something beautiful.
I was mesmerized by this entire story and I wish there was much, much more! I would love to read more from this town!
“You’ve been my everything, all I ever needed.”
I really enjoyed this book. It was heartfelt, sweet, heartbreaking and just amazing. This author has a true storytelling gift.
Leni and Liam have known each other since childhood. They played together every summer when Leni would visit her Grandma. They grew to be best friends until one day they weren’t. What was a beautiful friendship turned into despise, hatred and heartbreak.
Leni grew up in a house where she was more of an inconvenience and disappointment than the light of her parents’ lives. She was ignored and when she was acknowledged it was usually because she was doing something her parents did not agree with. Her parents set the worst example of what love is, their love with each other was just toxic. Leni only cared for two things in her life, her grandmother and the time she got to spend with her and her art. Because of Leni’s parents, Leni really struggled with emotions and knowing how to handle them properly. When though love was this horrible oppressing thing that she never wanted anything to do with, because of that she cut ties with her best friend and distanced herself from everyone. She never wanted any true emotional attachments. My heart broke so much for Leni. Her parents and their black cloud influenced her so deeply that she never realized what she was doing to herself. Thank goodness for her grandmother and Liam.
Liam is so swoon worthy. He is a great book boyfriend. He didn’t ever truly give up on Leni, no matter how much she threw at him he was waiting in the background. Hoping that she would come to realize what she threw away that day when they were 13/14. He always had hope. He made my heart soar with his love for Leni. He was patient, kind, and willing to help her anyway he could. He treated her like a wild horse, with caution. He also wasn’t blind, which made him very real. He knew what could happen if he didn’t keep vigilant with Leni and always kept that in the back of his mind.
This love story was so sweet, it was real and heartbreaking too though. I really enjoyed this author’s writing and plan to check out her other books.
How do I even begin?! Liam is definitely a man sent from heaven above! This story is a great way to show women that there are still good men in this world who want to give the woman he loves everything she deserves. Lena had a rough childhood and horrible parents. But the way the story ends is just magical.
Another amazing cover to start. (Seriously Ellie always has incredible covers). Then the story was just perfect. Leni has had a tough childhood thanks to horrible parenting. But luckily visits to her Gram’s for the summer had always been her saving grace, not to mention her BFF Liam. They were inseparable as kids but then once the teen years rolled around, home life became even worse for Leni and she lashed out. Now yrs later she is forced to return from NYC and moves in with her Gram. And who is the first person she runs into coming off the bus, Liam of course. It’s a bit of enemies to lovers at first (more so on Leni’s side) but she slowly lets herself remember why they were close as children and he starts to break down her walls and find not only happiness with him but true joy for where her new life path has ended up. Beautiful story.
You will fall in love with Liam He is the definition of a southern gentleman, and Mimi is the best grandma in the world she was my favorite! This story of first love and finding yourself was such a sweet read, I enjoyed it from page one. At times my heart broke for Leni and other times I wanted to shake her for being so stubborn! I would definitely recommend this read to others.
I really enjoyed reading about these interesting characters with great backstories. The plot zips along and I really found myself wrapped up in Leni and Liam’s friendship and eventual love story. This was a great read and I highly recommend.
When all you know of love is that it has the power to destroy a person and their dreams, you’ll fight to avoid it at any cost. This book is an emotional tale of a young woman trying to navigate her life through adversity and heartbreak and finding the strength to let her walls be broken down enough to understand how to be truly loved.
This book, I’m telling you THIS book, I could not get enough! I couldn’t put it down and it was amazing!!
“He’s the boy next door on steroids, and I suppose he literally is that for me– minus the muscle-enhancing drugs.”
Liam, Liam, Liam! Talk about a swoon-worthy book boyfriend. He is the perfect man – sweet, caring, fun, and loving! And he was so good to Leni, even when she didn’t deserve it.
“With just this simple gesture, he makes me feel accepted, content, and though it causes the butterflies to take flight within my belly, I feel cherished.”
Leni has had a rough childhood and at times it was hard to read about. But she always had her Mimi and Liam. There were times when I cried for Leni and then there were times when I wanted her to get out of her own head and yell at her to open her eyes.
This story brought out all of the feels. I laughed; I cried; I swooned. There was the perfect blend of sweet and steamy. I read this book in a day because I was so invested and needed to know how it ends. I adored Mimi. Fantastic read and I can’t wait for more from Ms. Wade! (5 stars)
This book was amazing couldn’t put it down, felt everything the main character felt, Ellie is a fantastic writing
I think I have found a new book boyfriend in Liam! I mean he is super sweet and caring. He knows the real Leni not the one she’s pretending to be. He sees her potential and helps her see her future. He lets her have her space to figure things out. He knows he loves her and has since they were 6 years old but she needs to figure out her own feelings towards him. Leni hasn’t grown up the way Liam has. She was born with specific needs. Her father wants her to be and act a certain way. This isn’t Leni at all. She’s a free spirit with a love of painting. Her joy was going to her grandma’s house for the summer. Mimi reminds me of my grandma. She was always cooking for others and everyone knew her. Makes me miss her. She is the bright light in Leni’s life other then Liam. This book was so sweet even the times that Leni didn’t know what she wanted and cursed the little town. She had to grow up and realize what was important in life and where she needed to be to be happy. I highly enjoyed this book and would read it again and again!!
Holy packed with the feels! This story is raw and emotional. It is about mental growth and seeing you are worthy of love even if it isn’t from the people that are supposed to love you unconditionally. Leni has not had a great life and you can feel her pain radiate in this story as she struggles to find her place. Liam has loved her for as long as he can remember but Leni refuses to get close. With Liam’s persistence, Leni starts to open up. It is heartbreaking to watch her crumble but so stunning watching her rebuild herself. Through little moments and a little nudging from her grandmother, Leni opens her eyes and starts to take control and realizes that she needs to let go of the reasons holding her back. The chemistry has sizzle between these two even when they butt heads but it is evident how much of a connection they have even though they had not seen each other for so many years.
Overall, I am in love with this story. It is heartbreaking but also uplifting. It really shows that you can love and be loved. Wade has always been a favorite of mine. Her words are emotional and heartfelt. You get wrapped up into the world that she creates and A Hundred Ways to Love will do just that. I highly recommend this book. It is one of my favorites so far of the year!
When someone breaks your heart the devastation is immense but when you know the decision your making is guaranteed to break your own heart it’s soul destroying but fear plays a major part in Lenies decision those meat to love her destroyed her mind as well as heart and she will never give anyone the power to make her experience that ever again.
Liam has had two loves in his life, farm life that takes up every minute of his day and exhausts his mind and Lenie his first love that exhausts his heart and takes up every spare inch of his sanity.
This is a wonderfully written romance filled to bursting with emotions, overflowing in words of regret and fear but also little segments of hope slither through the pages till they finally take root and reward us with a story as pretty as a garden in full bloom!
This was my first read from author Ellie Wade and I can’t wait to discover more of her amazing words in the future!
First time reading Ellie Wade and have to say her writing in this story is very charming.
Eleanora, (Leni) Turner is an only child, her parents are not very nice people, her father is physically abusive and her mother is subservient to him and doesn’t take care of her daughter. At age 13 Leni has a great sense of self, she knows what she wants and what she will not tolerate. However, her parents try to compromise her integrity by insisting she become someone who she is not. The one person in her life is her Grandmother, Mimi who loves her unconditionally and she learns about life and love from her. Leni spends most of her teenage years and young adult life shutting people out and running away from Texas to find happiness. When life doesn’t turn out the way she planned she returns to live with her Mimi she realizes that there are a hundred ways to love.
It was good, second chance love!
As per usual, Ellie Wade has produced an incredible love story with A Hundred Ways to Love. A story of overcoming one’s fears to love and be loved. Main characters, Leni and Liam have a timeless love story and you root for them to overcome their battles and come together. I could hardly put this book down. I highly recommend this and all of Ellie’s other novels!