I loved this fascinating story set in America during the Great Depression. I thought this was such a a lovely story and was so interested in how the workers built the Empire State. At times my heart was in my mouth when Grace was working up high without any safety ropes, I assume this was true and a lot of workers must have fell to their deaths. Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

It’s not often I experience vertigo when reading a book but from the nerve wracking opening chapter of this fascinating novel my heart was quite literally in my mouth as I observed Grace O’Connell take those first few steps out onto the shell of the Empire State Building in 1930s New York.

When her twin brother Patrick is injured at work and with her family’s, already precarious, financial state affected by the deep depression, Grace takes her brother’s place in a four man team of riveters employed to work on the outer shell of the Empire State Building. This is no place for a woman but with her identity hidden, and masquerading as her brother, Grace grows in skill and confidence but is always aware that being hundreds of feet above street level, with nothing but steel and air below her, definitely brings its own dangerous challenges.

The author has captured to perfection the sheer scale of the danger faced by all those who once worked on this iconic building. The constant fear of falling, the heat of the metal, the unpredictability of the weather and the absolute terror that Grace would be discovered meant that I raced through the book in a couple of sittings. I was eager to learn more about this intrepid young woman whose love for dancing gives Grace the strength and poise she needed to keep her balance on the steel beams. The city of New York, deep in depression, came alive, the hustle for jobs, the unscrupulous landlords who took but never gave back, the overwhelming power of friendship and the deep abiding loyalty of all those who tried to protect Grace’s secret.

Grace of the Empire State is so impeccably researched it brought history alive in a really authentic way and so knowing absolutely nothing about the construction of the Empire State Building I was inspired to look at the archive photographs of Lewis Hines, the official photographer, and marvelled at the bravery of the ‘sky boys’ those structural workers who risked their lives as they put the gigantic steel frame together.,

Thank you NetGalley and Headline for this eCopy to review

Grace of the Empire State by Gemma Tizzard is a captivating debut novel that transports readers to the heart of 1930s New York City, during the construction of the Empire State Building. The story follows Grace O’Connell, a daring dancer who must take her twin brother Patrick's place as a riveter on the skyscraper after he is injured. This act of bravery is driven by the need to support their family during the Great Depression.

Tizzard masterfully weaves a tale of courage, determination, and the power of family and friendship. Grace's journey is both inspiring and heart-wrenching as she navigates the male-dominated world of construction, proving herself as capable as any man. Her growing affection for her colleagues, especially the Italian immigrant Joe, adds a layer of warmth and humanity to the story.

The novel's setting is vividly depicted, bringing to life the gritty streets of New York and the breath taking heights of the Empire State Building. The camaraderie among the workers and the dangers they face are portrayed with authenticity and depth, making the reader feel every moment of tension and triumph.

One of the standout aspects of the book is its exploration of themes such as love, responsibility, and sacrifice. Grace's split-second decision during a critical moment high above the city encapsulates the essence of the novel—risking everything for the sake of others.

Overall, Grace of the Empire State is a beautifully written, emotionally charged story that will stay with me long after I turned the last page. Tizzard's debut is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the enduring bonds of family and friendship

What a wonderful book this is. I love historical fiction, as any regular readers of my blog will know, but this one is a little bit different, and a little bit special.

Grace O'Connell is a dancer dreaming of working on Broadway, but lacking the confidence to audition when her family's life is turned upside down.

Her twin brother Patrick is injured and unable to work. If he can't go to work not only will he lose his job, but also the jobs of his friends and family around him.

Patrick is 'working the steel' part of the men building the iconic empire state building. If one of them goes down, they take the whole team with them...

Not only that but the twin's younger sister Connie is gravely ill, and they need the additional income to be able to pay for her medicines and treatment.

As Grace sees it, there is only one possible solution, she must masquerade as Patrick for enough time to allow his injury to heal and return to work.

They look alike enough for it not to be noticeable, as long as she can learn to do his work effectively, the weeks should pass quickly and no one will ever know.

Except nothing of course is that simple.

The challenges that the O'Connell family, and those around them are nothing short of devastating. I've not read another historical fiction novel set in the great depression before, but I can only imagine how tough it must have been.

Grace's courage and love for her family are nothing short of outstanding and really shine through in this novel. Grace is an amazingly brave young woman, and if everyone was a little bit more like her, the world would be a much better place.

Grace of the Empire State by Gemma Tizzard publishes January 28th with Headline Review and is described as 'a breathtaking historical novel…set against the backdrop of a city at a crossroads, this electrifying story is full of heart and hope, family and friendship, and the sacrifices we make for those we love.'

Having a degree in American Studies inspired Gemma Tizzard to write a story, although fictional, of a young woman who would strive and succeed to undertake the unimaginable. This woman was from an Irish immigrant family and her name was Grace O'Connell. The Great Depression left many families almost destitute but Grace's father had always provided well for his wife and children. Unfortunately tragedy struck when he was killed in an accident leaving the family financially crippled. Grace and her twin brother Patrick would become the main breadwinners while their mother looked after their sick younger sister Connie.

Grace was a dancer, with ambition to take to the bigger stages but for now she dances in a club while Patrick works on the construction of The Empire State Building. Grace and Patrick have a fractious relationship as he doesn't agree with the late hours she keeps but Grace misses her father terribly and the late partying and socialising distracts her from the reality of her situation.

When Grace is laid off she is terrified of what her future will hold but her world is thrown completely into disarray when Patrick is injured. Now, with neither working, a dangerous idea takes fruition. Grace and Patrick are almost identical and, with her agility and balance, a plan is concocted that just might work. Grace swaps her dancing shoes for hob nail boots and, risking life and limb, she transforms into Patrick, joining his crew (with their knowledge) on the site. The risk is enormous but Connie needs medicine and the family need money to pay the rent. Can Grace pull off this daring and extremely dangerous role?

Gemma Tizzard takes the reader on an extraordinary adventure from the clubs and taxi dances of the 1930s up into the heights of the New York skyline. Grace O'Connell is a wonderfully depicted young woman. She has courage in abundance and a heart of gold. The nature of the construction work is intense with descriptions that gave me a small bit of insight into the danger of the work and what it must have been like for the partners and families of these men on a daily basis wondering if they would come home. At approximately 1,250-feet tall The Empire State Building was the tallest structure in the world until the 1970s. Gemma Tizzard describes it in her Author's Note as a building that 'was seen as a beacon of hope for the struggling city.' The sheer immensity of the project must surely have been daunting and through Grace, Patrick and their friends we get a real sense of time and place.

Grace of the Empire State is a story of resilience highlighting how, in the face of adversity, the human spirit can triumph. Grace faces personal hardship and societal struggles, but she never loses her sense of empathy and kindness. Gemma Tizzard encourages her readers to become invested in Grace's journey, which adds a very authentic layer to the story. A very engaging novel Grace of the Empire State is packed full of warmth and inspiration, with some very tense moments. It is a compelling tale exploring family dynamics, relationships, love, regret and joy. A scintillating read, Grace of the Empire State is a treat for all historical fiction fans.

When Grace's twin brother is injured, he can no longer work. Grace steps up and takes his place, working on the construction of the half buit Empire State building. Set during the great depression, this book shows the hardships many families faced. Showing Grace's desperation to keep a roof over her families head and get medicine for her sick sister.

Historical fiction is a genre I've always loved, but I haven't read much of it recently. This was a great book to get me back into the genre. I've never read a book about the empire state building being built, and even though the story itself was fiction, it really brought to life the hardships and desperation many families faced at the time.

It was a book full of friendship, family, courage, and great sadness. I really felt for every single character in this story. The way all their lives were intertwined created an amazing plot.

I would definitely recommend this book! It had me gripped from the very beginning and had me rooting for Grace and her family throughout.

What a wonderful book of courage and hardship and how family are important.

Grace is a dancer but unfortunately due to the depression she no longer has a job. She lives with her twin brother Patrick, her younger sister Connie and her Mother Mary they just about survive with the two jobs but what will Grace do now. Patrick has an accident at work and Grace ends up learning his job so that they can survive. Her cousin Seamus and the two other work colleagues Frank & Joe helps her.

It was an interesting story and to see how dangerous in those times to construct the Empire State Building, how dangerous it was. I could not put this book down and the way the story went I just wanted to read on. The characters all worked well together.

In this gripping debut novel, Grace O'Connell must disguise herself as her injured twin brother, Patrick, and work as a riveter high atop the Empire State Building to save her family during the Great Depression.

As she proves her strength and forms deep connections with her colleagues, including Italian immigrant Joe, Grace faces a life-or-death decision when a colleague is stranded in a dangerous accident.

This heart-pounding story explores themes of bravery, sacrifice, family, and loyalty, set against the backdrop of 1930s New York City. The book’s vivid portrayal of Grace’s daring journey left me with a new appreciation for the iconic skyscraper. A powerful and emotional read that will stay with you long after the last page.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Grace O’Connell always felt happy and safe until her father died, now America’s in the midst of the Great Depression and her twin brother Patrick works at the construction site of the Empire State Building and Grace is a dancer and they support their widowed mother and younger sister.

Even with both siblings working money is tight, and when Grace is laid off and Patrick is injured on the job, she has no choice but to take his place on the team and it’s made up of four men and Grace disguises herself as a man and her brother.

Grace’s first day as a “catcher” is daunting and she’s working eighteen floors up, with the support of the Seamus and the Gagliardi brothers Frank and Joe she gets through it. Grace aches all over, but as the weeks pass she gets stronger and her team members are pleased she's pulling her weight and they still worry about her identity being discovered. One side of the job she wasn’t prepared for was how dangerous it is, accidents happen and a slight error or a being in the wrong place at the wrong time and you could be injured or killed and she witnesses this firsthand.

I received a copy of Grace of the Empire State from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review and it’s the author’s debut novel.

The narrative is set in New York during the Great Depression, a time of long lines of desperate men trying to find jobs, hungry children and families struggling to pay their rent and not ending up being tossed onto the street and homeless.

I really liked the characters, especially Grace, Mary and Connie, the Gagliardi brothers, Seamus and Patrick, Bruno and Florence and the way everyone banded together and helped one and another and the overall theme of the story and the importance of family and sticking together, sacrifice and friendship, helping others and those in need, hope and affinity.

Gemma Tizzard has written an inspiring historical fiction story, a great way to start her writing career and four and a half stars from me.

Breathtakingly beautiful 1930s novel about a young woman and her quest to help her brother and survive. Loved every minute! Shows just how strong woman are