To save her family from ruin, a daring dancer must take her twin brother's place as a riveter high atop the in-progress Empire State Building, in this breathtaking debut novel.

WORKING WOMEN IN HISTORY: Historical women's fiction continues to be a reliable and consistent seller, as fans look for the untold stories of women across the ages. Grace is an irresistible protagonist, taking on a "man's job" with skill and aplomb that readers will love. Grace of the Empire State offers readers a bird's-eye view of both the NYC skyline and America between the wars, as told from the perspective of an "ordinary" girl.

RECOGNIZED WRITER: Gemma Tizzard was longlisted for the 2021 and 2022 Comedy Women in Print (CWIP) Unpublished Novel Prize.

Praise for Grace of the Empire State
"An inspiring story… With engaging characters and a vibrant depiction of Manhattan--its glittering possibility and its stark heartbreak--Tizzard's novel soars like its namesake building, and moves along as elegantly as its nimble, determined heroine." - Shelf Awareness

"Themes of love, responsibility, and duty enhance the reader's emotional investment… Populated by a cast of delightful supporting characters and set in a working class milieu we don't always see in historical fiction, this is a good choice for fans of Marie Benedict, Dolen Perkins-Valdez, and Fiona Davis." - Booklist

"Set to the desperate backdrop of the Great Depression, Grace of the Empire State is a thoroughly enjoyable story of family, sacrifice and first love that reminds us that true strength comes from within--and that women have been quietly saving the day since the dawn of time." - Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Lost Names (8/22/2025)