Lift Me Up

by Milly Johnson, Colleen Prendergast (Narrator)

A heartwarming story from Sunday Times bestseller Milly Johnson.

Tam Remington had her life planned out. Until a conversation in a broken lift—with her worst enemy—changes everything.

For a decade, Tam has quietly held YorkMart together whilst others took the credit, making herself smaller in the process. When she's briefly promoted to acting Managing Director, she finally has a chance to shine—until her promotion is snatched away and handed to Jack Cesaroni—the man brought in to do the job that should have been hers.

Tam expects nothing but disappointment from Jack. But when they're trapped in a lift between floors thirteen and fourteen, he sees what no one else Tam is exceptional. That single word of recognition sparks something Tam thought she'd lost—and an unexpected connection she never saw coming.

Now Tam faces an impossible stay being the smaller version of herself she's become used to, or take a leap and reclaim the vibrant, authentic woman she once was—and discover how wonderful it could be if she lets someone see the real her…

For fans of Jenny Colgan and Jill Mansell, this enemies-to-lovers story shows sometimes you need to get stuck to find your true self.

“A brilliant, life-affirming story about a woman rejecting the expectations of others, transforming her future and living her life the way she wants to. Absolutely fantastic.”—Phillipa Ashley

“A gorgeous story fizzing with Milly’s wit and brimming with heart—it will, appropriately, lift you up and put a big smile on your face, as well as reminding you to be true to yourself and not fade into the background. A tonic for our times. Perfection!”—Veronica Henry

Genres: Romance, Short Stories, Fiction, Contemporary, Novella, Ebooks, Chick Lit

Audible Audio

First published May 1, 2026

About the author

Milly Johnson was born in Barnsley, raised in Barnsley and still lives in Barnsley. She writes about strong women, often having a renaissance, all ages and has just released her 22nd novel Same Time Next Week. Do check out her website for up to date news and appearance dates.

As well as a novelist she is a professional joke writer, performance poet, newspaper and magazine columnist and also after dinner/motivational speaker.

She is on insta as @themillyjohnson, facebook as @millyjohnsonauthor, Twitter as @millyjohnson and a ridiculous presence on TikTok @millyjohnsonauthor. Do give her a follow - even if it's just out of sympathy!

Reviews

[angelinabvby ۶۟ৎ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing, Amazon Original Stories, and Milly Johnson for this ARC for an honest review.

· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ read raw spanker's review or else

𝓻𝓲𝓹 @ 50%

i refuse to believe this wasn't written by jeff bezos

💸✨ 𝓯𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 💸✨
{❤️‍🔥} rivals to lovers
{💸} finance bros
{🛗} stuck in elevator

goddamn was this a whole lotta word vomit. there were chapters of unnecessary background info and paragraphs of even less necessary finance bro terms. jack & tam have the chemistry equivalent of cardboard and weren't even stuck in the elevator for that long. one thing this book manages to do well is make me hate literally all the characters.

also tamlin + amarantha = tamantha

Thank you again to NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing, Amazon Original Stories, and Milly Johnson for this ARC for an honest review.

💋 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭 💙
THE RAGE STARTS NOW WITH 👅RAW SPANKER👅

💋 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭 💙
SHOULD I RAGE READ THIS

[Casey Reads 🌸 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I hated the main character Tamantha (also that name bothered me lmao). I found her to be boring and had absolutely no backbone. So I just found the whole book not great.

When writing shorter books or short stories, the burden is on the writer to create interest and excitement in less pages and I don’t think that was really accomplished here.

Thank you to Amazon First Reads for the free advance copy.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I get where the author was going with this passive protagonist. She started her at the bottom and gave her room to work her way back to herself. Good for the FMC, Tam, but it was just hard at times to root for her. I just couldn’t not think, ‘why are you letting your family and fiancé walk all over you?’ Every Sunday, she went to lunch with her family and every Sunday, they abused her unmercifully. Hey girl, you think maybe not going would speak volumes? I just have a hard time with the ‘we expect you to come so we can treat you like shit,’ and then you go. That’s kind of on you, Tam, and again, it makes it hard to root for you.

Here’s another thought. If you completely change your personality for a person, but then at the last moment, change course, does it even count? Should we be happy that some dude called Tam ‘extraordinary’ which was a trigger to undoormat herself? Why did you need the guy? And why is that romantic?

This is probably the sixth or seventh British author I’ve had to say this about, but here it is again. Your book is chick lit, not romance, so please stop marketing it as such.

Also the book description has typos.

[Bloomy Soul · Rating 1 out of 5]

~ 1 star

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Read Ragelina's review here

Meredith the savior once said -

"It's not too late to back out"

Every single person revolving around Tamantha(Tam) is cruel. Pity on you Tam. Such unlucky.
Yes Tam you get stuck in lift forever. Always wrong choices.

I already forgot what i read :((((
I wanted to read this so i don't finish The Love Hypothesis early, but I finished that first. This was a torture read for me.

ᯓᡣ𐭩 date : 11 May, 2026
ᯓᡣ𐭩 time : 19:00

─ ⊹ ⊱ ⊰ ⊹ ── ⊹ ⊱ ⊰ ⊹ ─

𐙚 ˚໋ P r e -r e a d🍸✩‧₊˚

‧₊˚🖇️ Rage buddy reading with 𝓡𝓪𝓰𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓪 🎧
ᯓᡣ𐭩 date : 10 May, 2026
ᯓᡣ𐭩 time : 9:27

────୨ৎ────────୨ৎ────────୨ৎ────

[Izzie (on pause) McFussy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pleasing palate cleanser with two warnings.

‼️Warning #1: In the first half Tam is a nonstop negative Nellie. She’s the woman next to you on a plane who never stops talking doom and gloom. If this hadn’t been a short story I would have looked for the exit and strapped on a parachute.

But the second half… 😍 More than worth the wait. It brought the Smiles and Feels. Nice writing too.

‼️Warning #2: Brandenberg cake was referred to seven times. 🤤 Before the last page was read, there was a dent in my pocketbook and added paunch to my pouch after Amazon dropped one at my door.

Amazon First Reads Selection for April.

[ObscureVi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was expecting a light, fast read and in a way, that's exactly what I got... just not one I found myself enjoying.

I've been drawn by the cover (love this style and I will probably never get tired of seeing it, a lot better than the long era of shirtless men we had for years lmao) and the very trope that probably most of us picked this book because, stuck in the elevator/lift (with your enemy?).

You will probably ask: Vi, why the question mark? Well... if you check the blurb, you will see this: "This enemies-to-lovers story shows sometimes you need to get stuck to find your true self." Maybe it's because I was reading it in the middle of the night, shortly after waking up, unable to fall back asleep, but during those 100 pages? There was nothing that gave me the enemies vibe, not even a tiny bit. It feels like it's just Tam being mad/irritated/annoyed that after a decade of working and letting people get on her head (I'm an introvert, socially awkward and depressed on top of that, so people get on mine too, because I'm totally not assertive, so while I could relate to it in a way, even I found it... too much?), suddenly someone else got promoted and on top of everything it was Jack.

Speaking about Jack, I feel like we barely got to know him, to the point that I didn't really care about someone who's our main male character (not to mention, that it was probably too little of him? It might just be me or my feelings about the book, but it's like he was mentioned a lot more than he actually appeared during the story).

Finally, that takes us to the whole romance part of the book, that honestly, I feel like there wasn't any. The whole book was more of something along the lines of: one word from a man that is her "enemy" suddenly makes her want to change her life and get rid of abusive people in it while we are at it.

That's it, that's the plot in my opinion, almost 130 pages down to one sentence.

[˚⟡˖ ࣪ desiree ˚⟡˖ ࣪ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will always be a sucker for covers like this one. Truly one of my favorites — and honestly, the cover was probably the best part of the entire experience. If I hadn’t listened to the audiobook version, I genuinely don’t think I would’ve finished it, so thank goodness it was short.

Tam was… definitely a main character. There were moments where she felt relatable and other moments where she completely frustrated me. She was something, that’s for sure. I also didn’t hate her name nearly as much as some reviewers seemed to, but that’s just personal preference.

What I really wanted, though, was more of Jack. Which feels strange to say considering he’s supposed to be the main male character, yet he barely feels present in the story at all. He’s mentioned constantly, but actually shown? Hardly ever outside of a few conversations here and there. I wanted to know him better. Isn’t that the whole point of a romance — getting to know the characters enough to decide if you’re rooting for them? It’s hard to do that when one half of the pairing barely exists on page. But hey, at least we got to live inside Tam’s head the entire time.

That being said, I didn’t desperately hate either character. I just don’t think the story gave them enough room to fully become anything memorable. The conversation between Tam and Jack in the broken lift was one of the strongest moments in the book for me, and I kept wishing we got more scenes with that same energy throughout. Their dynamic had potential. I was clinging to every little crumb of it.

Ironically, it felt like Harris(the fiancé) was far more of an “enemy” to Tam than Jack ever was. Jack was also much more likable than Harris, and at times even her own family felt more antagonistic toward her. Jack was probably the best part of the entire story, which makes it even more disappointing that we barely got him.

I do enjoy this author’s writing style, and the writing itself was probably the strongest part of the book for me. If this had been expanded into a full 200–300 page novel instead of a very short story, I genuinely think it could’ve worked much better. There were ideas here that had real potential.

What disappointed me most was the marketing versus the actual story. Going in expecting an “enemies-to-lovers” romance about being trapped with your enemy sounds exactly like the kind of thing I would love, but this barely delivered on that premise at all. It never truly committed to the enemies-to-lovers aspect, and it also never fully committed to being a self-discovery story either.
Honestly, it should’ve gone all in on one direction. Either make it a full-blown enemies-to-lovers romance or focus entirely on Tam reclaiming herself, rediscovering her worth, and growing beyond the life she was stuck in.
Both ideas could’ve worked beautifully together — enemies to lovers while finding yourself but here it felt like a weaker version of what it could’ve been.

People have labeled this contemporary, chick lit, and general fiction, and I’d agree with all of those. But romance? Not really. At least not in any meaningful way until the very end, when the book is basically over. The romantic tension just never felt developed enough to carry the story the way the blurb promised it would.

Overall, this felt less like a terrible book and more like a missed opportunity. There was a genuinely good story buried in here somewhere, and that almost makes it more frustrating.

*•.¸♡ 💐 ...thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC!
all thoughts and opinions are my own. ♡¸.•*

[Stanjay Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this short story—it hooked me from the very first scene. What would you do if you found yourself stuck in a broken-down elevator (or “lift,” since the story is set in Europe) with the person who beat you out for a job and is now your boss? That’s exactly the situation Tam finds herself in, and it becomes the catalyst for her journey toward self‑discovery and recognizing her own worth.

The author writes with striking clarity about how women are often taken for granted in both their personal and professional lives, and how “going along to get along” can slowly erode one’s sense of self. Tam is fighting to be acknowledged for her hard work at her company, and she’s also struggling to feel seen and valued by her fiancé.

In that cramped elevator, a conversation meant to distract from the stress of being trapped becomes something deeper. Her boss listens, challenges her, and ultimately reaffirms her value. Later, an encounter with an old friend just before her wedding reinforces that message and pushes her to take an honest look at her relationship—a relationship that has become stifling rather than supportive.

I loved the blend of seriousness and humor throughout this story, and I’m genuinely excited to read more from this author.

[caleigh · Rating 1 out of 5]

i don’t expect much from a short story, but oh my god this was insufferable. first i couldn’t get past the main character’s name being tamantha. with a t. that’s not a typo. then it was the nonexistent-slash-plain bad plot. and how boring it was. and the fact that i STRUGGLED through a 100 page novella. wouldn’t waste my time if i could rewind time.

[Mageesgirl=Jan Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

HOW FUN!

Just the right book for mood lifter! Laughed out loud several times! This is not for everyone! Honestly - it just filled a gap for me that needed some attention! A little (?) Predictable maybe a lot!! Perfect for a rainy afternoon and a sick cat.
Well done you!

[Violet · Rating 4 out of 5]

He would not have been number one on Tam Remington’s list to be stuck in a lift with. In fact, he’d be way down the list, possibly hitting triple figures.

This is a heartwarming novella that packs an emotional punch into a short story. Tam has spent ten years keeping YorkMart running smoothly while everyone else took the credit. The frustration peaks when she’s passed over for a big promotion in favor of Jack, a high-flying newcomer. On top of that, she’s stuck with a fiancé who is constantly trying to change who she is.

The story shifts when Tam and Jack get trapped in a lift together between floors. It’s a great setup because Tam, convinced she’s about to be fired anyway, stops holding back. She tells him exactly what she has done for the company and what she would do if she were in charge. The writing is witty, making the dialogue sharp, funny, and warm.

At its heart, this is about a woman finding her self-worth again. It is satisfying to watch Tam get the "lift" she deserves.

[CB]

Not Interested - 🧽

[Caitlyn Krueger · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was cute but i truly can’t get over her name being tamantha that can’t be real

[CrinM · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute little story about rediscovering, loving, and choosing yourself. Such an important lesson more people should learn before tying the knot with someone that doesn’t truly appreciate them. A lot of hate for Tam in reviews, but anyone who has been emotionally abused and manipulated understands that you actually don’t know how to have a backbone to stand up for yourself. It’s a skill to learn and seeing that strength building in her till she had enough to draw a boundary was awesome.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, my! I wanted this novella to go on and on. It was a delightful read about two women who went from unheard to goodbye. I absolutely loved this!

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 It was easy to see the ending coming, but it was a light easy read and a reminder to be yourself and not dim yourself to suit other people

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I ended up DNF’ing Lift Me Up by Molly Johnson at around 20%.

I really tried to push through, but the British verbiage made it hard for me to fully settle into the story. I kept feeling a little disconnected, like I couldn’t quite get into a good reading flow.

Tamantha, the main character, was also pretty underwhelming for me. She felt passive in her own life. She’s not even planning her own wedding or picking out her colors, and the way her siblings talk to her at the table just made me feel sad for her more than anything else. And honestly, even her name bothered me. I couldn’t get past it, which didn’t help me connect to her character at all.

I do think Jack had the potential to be a great character, and I’m sure the story probably builds in a meaningful way. But getting through so much of Tamantha’s unhappiness and lack of direction just wasn’t something I could stick with.

This one just wasn’t for me.

[Doreen Kidd · Rating 1 out of 5]

5 pages of redemption after 100 pages being downtrodden

This was not a happy or uplifting read for me. The main character is downtrodden, mentally beaten down until she had little personality and no self confidence. After 100 pages of seeing her diminished and dismissed, the book finally changes. Not an enjoyable read.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story

I think this story is a wonderful woman finding her self, but not a powerful romance. I loved the friendship with Anna the best. I will be reading more by this writer. Highly recommend

[Celina Rangel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ummm there’s not much to say but that I loved it! This was the perfect short story that was quick but also felt complete. A woman whose light was being dimmed at work and at home but found her way back to herself after being trapped in an elevator. Amazing! 😍

[QuirkyTofurkey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly, this one wasn’t for me. I was immediately drawn in by the fun and colorful cover, but once I started reading, I struggled to connect with the main protagonist and found nearly everyone around her uniquely exhausting.

I read to escape, and instead I found myself checking how many pages were left.

Short stories can be especially tricky, as they have so little space to build connections and engage the reader. While this one didn’t land for me personally, I’m sure it will absolutely find its audience.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories, and Milly Johnson for the advanced reader copy. This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely short novella that was heartwarming and genuinely uplifting. It highlights how kindness, love, and genuine friendship can act as lifelines, especially when someone is struggling to see their own worth. A reminder how a single moment of compassion can shift someone’s perspective.

*Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories, and Milly Johnson for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[IngallsTurnsThePage · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a delightful bite-sized palate cleanser for a female reader. Reminders to not shrink to fit into someone else’s life. Bring old friends back into your life with ease and love. Let yourself be surprised by how the strength shown by the least likely of sources can be the inspiration needed to stand up for yourself. Tam deserves to live in bright colors and this short story was a reminder of that. I wished there was more to read but the ending was satisfying in its ability to let the reader fill in the rest.

[Elizabeth Prevost · Rating 1 out of 5]

snooze fest. Literally. I fell asleep so many times trying to finish this short story. Lame, boring, plain, annoying, just a few words to describe this book. I didn’t hate the main characters name of Tamantha but to me it sounds Australian not British. Funky name. The plot was 97% Tamantha being complicit to her looser fiancé who made her dull her sparkle. What you expected to happen didn’t happen until the last chapter of the book.

[Katie Blomquist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Left me smiling

This quick read was just what I needed. I was rooting for characters very different from myself and yet very similar. The writing flowed and for a short time I was immersed in a lovely story with a predictably and beautifully happy ending.

[Lindsey Pope · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great little book. Milly Johnson writes the perfect feel good stories that just make you smile. You know everything will work out for the best because “it’s a Milly” and I always enjoy the ride. What a lovely surprise finding it free on Amazon first reads too.

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick Summary: A choosing self, gen-fic short

My Review: Lift Me Up by Milly Johnson is associated with Amazon Original Stories. It was released on 5/1/26.

About the Book: "Tam Remington had her life planned out. Until a conversation in a broken lift—with her worst enemy—changes everything."

In My Own Words: A young woman finds her own brand of happiness in this maddeningly brilliant, heartwarming short.

My Final Say: I adored this hilariously sobering novella. Although it was short, it packed quite a punch. I loved Tam; she was real. Capable but restricted. Aware yet limited. Stable yet unfulfilled. Brave and true. I was so glad that she found herself...plus a whole lot more.

There are life lessons and wisdom-colored choices sprinkled throughout the pages. It gets a gold heart in my book.

Reasons I enjoyed this book:

- Easy-to-read ✅
- Original ✅
- Realistic ✅
- Funny ✅
- Witty ✅
- Entertaining ✅

Note: I actually listened to this book and liked it so much that I secured a digital ARC of it. The audiobook was excellent.

Rating: 3.75/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/4
Level: 🫶
Format: 🎧📱

Thanks and appreciation are extended to the author, to the publisher (Amazon Original Stories), and to NetGalley. I was thoroughly entertained. I am grateful for the opportunity.

[Liz | lizzuplans · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice short story with a lot of character development for such a small amount of pages.

I found the FMC to be quite unsympathetic. To be fair, this was mostly because of being in a terrible relationship with a shitty man and having a shitty family.

Still, not standing up for yourself, allowing to be made smaller and smaller, having no backbone, actively working with others to negatively change everything about you… not a fan.
(Yes, this can happen in real life. That does not mean I enjoy reading about it!)

I did appreciate the lack of romance. It would have been easy to have her to fall for a new man, but this story was all about falling (back) in love with yourself.
But then: why is this presented as a romance book “?

I would personally would have liked less focus on diminishing yourself for your partner / relationship and the realisation that your life is not what you want it to be, and more on the uplifting parts of finding yourself (again).

Minus points for the names Tamantha, Hellen, and Jame.

Cute cover though! (If a slight catfish.)

2.5 stars rounded up.

I received an ARC of this book (thanks!) and these are my own opinions.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lift Me Up by Milly Johnson
Narrated by Colleen Prendergast

This is very much women’s fiction / chick lit not sure why it has a romance tag.

Narrator did a great job, and I preferred the audiobook to the eBook

This is the story of Tam who has a horrible family and fiancée. All the nice people in this story seem to be beaten down by the people around them. Finally, after years manage to realise the situation they are in and remove themselves.

Thanks to NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing, Amazon Original Stories and Milly Johnson for the audio ARC

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ideal right before bedtime fluff. Not so boring that it immediately puts you to sleep, but not so well crafted as to inspire any thoughts about it.