Grace of the Empire State
Gemma Tizzard
The Blurb:
A daring young woman takes her brother's place to risk her life in New York City. A breathtaking historical novel full of heart and hope, family and friendship, and the sacrifices we make for love...
As the Great Depression bites, show dancer Grace's Irish immigrant family can't afford the rising rents, nor the medicine that her little sister urgently needs. When her twin brother is injured and can no longer work on the construction of the half-built Empire State Building, Grace steps up - literally. She trades her dancing shoes for worker boots, braving deadly metal work hundreds of feet in the sky.
But survival isn't guaranteed. Failure could mean not only losing her job, but also her life, and the livelihood of her family and team.
Sparks fly across the great metal beams, as a terrible accident and a split-second decision leaves Grace re-evaluating everything that she thought she knew about herself…
My Review:
When I was asked if I would be interested in reading and reviewing Grace of the Empire State, I was immediately seduced by the blurb and the advance reviews. A 1930s New York setting – tick. A bold, brave, heroic female central character thrown into a dangerous and precarious world – tick. An edge-of-the-seat page-turner – tick. All underpinned by an exploration of the enduring force of family connections, the strength of friendships, and a touch of heartwarming romance.
It promised everything required to enhance a couple of cold January afternoons. And it certainly didn’t disappoint. I was immediately captivated and read it in three sittings.
There is a strong and evocative sense of place in Gemma Tizzard’s writing, and the fast-paced and terrifying construction environment is skilfully described. I was up there with Grace, hundreds of vertiginous feet above the street, dizzy and reeling.
Tizzard is also a writer who creates effortlessly authentic dialogue and believable, relatable characters. Grace is both courageous and resilient when faced with her family’s seemingly insurmountable problems, and we find ourselves rooting for her from the start as she makes numerous sacrifices, proving herself to be a true heroine. We are also treated to an entire supporting cast, all equally compelling. Every character in the book, however minor, is painted with the same deft strokes by Tizzard. I came to care about each and every one of them as they struggled to carve out their lives in the Great Depression.
I thoroughly enjoyed Grace of the Empire State – a great debut! Many thanks to Alara and Headline for the ARC and for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour.
Published by Headline Review (28 Jan. 2025)
About the Author:
Gemma Tizzard is from Berkshire, and currently lives in Southampton, where she works as a marketing manager by day, and writes historical fiction by evening. She can most often be found scribbling notes from research books about her latest obsession, or plastering the walls with Post-It notes. Whenever she's not working, she can be found reading, or planning her next travel adventure. She has a degree in American Studies and a particular interest in untold women's stories throughout the twentieth century. GRACE OF THE EMPIRE STATE is her debut novel, available in January 2025, with a second, set in Boston in 1942, due in 2026.
Gemma also writes rom-coms, and was longlisted for the Comedy Women in Print (CWIP) Unpublished Novel Prize in both 2021 and 2022.
Other Reviews:
'A page-turning debut...that reminds us that women have been quietly saving the day since the dawn of time' New York Times bestselling author Kristin Harmel
'A wonderful story of courage, sacrifice, resilience and love. Heart-warming, romantic and at times utterly nerve-wracking, I loved every minute of it!' Anita Frank '
A thrilling, heartbreaking story about the power of family, friendship and women struggling to survive in a man's world. A must-read for historical fiction fans' Annie Lyons
