Book Review - Let the Bells Ring Out by Milly Johnson

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Title: Let The Bells Ring Out

Author: Milly Johnson

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: 23rd October 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

Seven people, four days and a snowy Christmas on board a luxury sleeper train. This festive season getting away from it all takes on a new meaning…

‘Escaping into Milly’s world is always a joy and Let The Bells Ring Out is Christmas perfection!’ JILL MANSELL

The Yorkshire Belle is a glamorous steam train all decked out for an escapist festive getaway. It is not supposed to be where a group of people, all trying to get to their destinations for the holidays, will spend their Christmas. 

Seven people, each with their own hopes and dreams, secrets and sorrows, board the train as strangers, but as the snow keeps falling and they realise they are going nowhere fast, they are forced to slow down and embrace the present.

This Christmas on board the Yorkshire Belle, will the friendships they make change their lives forever?

Definitely a content for new favourite book by Milly Johnson.  This was simply superb and ever so addictive. 

It takes a few chapters to fully get into the flow of this book, as you are introduced to seven characters in a short space of time,  all of whom are setting off for their Christmas destinations, and all of which despite travelling in various directions, end up getting stuck in the same snow storm and taking shelter in a rather small local station. 

They as a group board the Yorkshire Belle which then breaks down before it gets them to the next station where they thought connections would be available.  The driver and conductor abandon them to go and get help and as the snow worsens the group move into the far more luxurious part of the train. 

And for me that is where the story starts to get going, and where I started to properly work out which character was which, and why they were travelling and getting everything straight in my head.  It really wasn't that far into the book and from there I was hooked. 

Of course my first thoughts were that this was also an excellent opening for a festive thriller, with the snow and remote setting, but it's a Milly Johnson so was always going to not have a growing body count, and instead heartwarming moments, and festive feelings. 

During their time on this train, I would say a Christmas miracle comes over each and every person.  They are all changed for their time together and it was as if this varied group of people were fated to be together to affect teach others lives. 

I absolutely loved all the characters, especially Roo's poetry, Frank's cooking the real BBC Brian on the radio. the fact we had Santa present, seeing how Grace starts to reframe the past 5 years in her life. And for Elizabeth to realise she may not be in the right relationship. And that's just to name a few. 

There is plenty of festive cheer for our group of cut off from the real world people, as they share their stories and get to know each other. 

There is a bell theme running through the book and when it was revealed to the reader, it just made me smile while being very impressed by it too.  It's hard to explain but its a bit different and clearly researched and was very interesting. 

It's such a cozy novel, with a whole lot of heart and humour. So everything you expect from this author, by the bucket load.  It's absolutely wonderful. 

This really does have a sprinkling of festive magic, scattered amongst the pages and was a delight to devour.  

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.