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Gemma Tizzard

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Six upcoming historical fiction releases I’m super excited about!✨

These stories span everything from Victorian London and Gilded Age New York to 1940s Boston and 1970s Northern Ireland, and run the gamut from historical mystery and romance to family drama and even a little domestic suspense.

Two even feature one of my favorite topics ~ women in finance.💰

Some of these are publishing very soon, while others won’t be here until 2027, but they’re all worth putting on your radar!

Which one are you most excited to read?📚

#HistoricalFiction #Bookstagram #GreatBooks #PublishingSoon

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Grace of the Empire State ★★★★½

Set in New York during the Great Depression, this follows Grace O’Connell after desperation pushes her into the dangerous world surrounding the construction of the Empire State Building.

Not my usual genre but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this.

The characters are easy to root for, the romance subplot is handled well without overtaking the story, and while the pacing isn't fast it never felt like it dragged.

A really good debut novel and I say that as someone who doesn't typically read historical fiction or character focused books!

#bookstagram #historicalfiction #bookreview #readersofinstagram #bookrecommendations

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A must read for every historical fiction fan❤️‍🩹

Grace of the Empire State is an electrifying debut novel set in Manhattan of a remarkable woman ahead of her time. Inspired by the courage and sacrifice of the workers who built the Empire State Building.

Get your paperback copy now.

#GraceoftheEmpireState #GemmaTizzard #historicalfiction #bookstagram

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Be swept away with @betholearyauthor #betholeary @gemma_tizzard #gemmatizzard #sweptaway #graceoftheempirestate #paperbacks #womenwriters #aussiereaders #2025 @harpercollinsaustralia #harpercollinsaustralia @hachetteaus #hachetteaustralia #bookcovers #bookpic #historicalfiction #romance

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Gemma Tizzard's gorgeous debut novel GRACE OF THE EMPIRE STATE is out now in paperback from @headlinebooks

Congratulations Gemma!

Swipe to see some of the wonderful praise it's received!

Set during the Great Depression and scaling the (literal) highs and lows of 1930s New York, GRACE OF THE EMPIRE STATE is an utterly gripping, heart-warming and romantic story about a daring dancer who risks her life atop the Empire State Building to save her beloved family.

#historicalfiction #paperbackpublication #empirestatebuilding #debutnovel #graceoftheempirestate #headlinebooks #gemmatizzard

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Out this week✨

Grace of the Empire State is an electrifying debut novel set in Manhattan of a remarkable woman ahead of her time. Inspired by the courage and sacrifice of the workers who built the Empire State Building.

💫'Breathtakingly beautiful 1930s novel about a young woman and her quest to help her brother and survive'

💫'READ IT! Hold your breath! Hang on! And CHEER!'

💫'A powerful and emotional read that will stay with you'

Order your paperback copy now.

#GraceoftheEmpireState #GemmaTizzard #HeadlineBooks

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review: GRACE OF THE EMPIRE STATE 🏙️

I think the best kinds of 5-star reads are the unexpected 5-star reads – the hidden gems, the ones that surprise you out of nowhere.

I hadn’t heard about GRACE OF THE EMPIRE STATE until @gallerybooks kindly sent me a complimentary finished copy earlier this year, after it was published in late January. One of my yearly goals was to read 25 historical fiction books, so it fit perfectly with my plans. I’m so grateful that it came my way because it’s one of my favorite books I’ve read so far this year.

As the title and (gorgeous) cover suggest, it’s set in 1930 during the construction of the @empirestatebldg. Times are tough as New Yorkers struggle to find work and provide for their families. The title character, Grace O’Connell, is the daughter of Irish immigrants. She’s a gifted dancer who ends up losing her job at a local club when it closes. Her twin brother, Patrick, works “on the steel” at the Empire State Building site – one of the most dangerous professions imaginable – and a desperate situation forces the O’Connells to switch places.

The pacing of the story is quick and gripping, there’s no shortage of action, and the chapters are short (to my delight). It’s not exactly a “found family” trope, but the side characters are compelling enough that I’d be happy to read a spin-off about each of them. It’s also not the most diverse book I’ve ever read, but it does include representation of immigrants and people with disabilities.

It’s not often that I pick up a debut, but I was so impressed with @gemma_tizzard’s breezy writing style that I am very much looking forward to whatever she writes next.

Five stars from me! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#gifted #bookreview #bookreviews #historicalfiction #fivestarreview A hardcover book being held up against a blue sky in the background, with the words “5-star Review” above the book.

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Reading recommendations for the chick flick souls! 📚💃🏽✨

Featuring @authordylannewton @annajohnstonauthor @gemma_tizzard and Lauren Layne

Now live on Substack! ✒️

Find the link in my bio.☝🏽

Give them a read and let me know your thoughts! 💬

If you like what I write, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber to my Substack account! 🧡

#writersofinstagram #substack #subscribe #stories #reading #bookstagram #readingrecs #writingcommunity #writers

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„Connie wird sterben, wenn du nicht für mich einspringst.“ (S. 70)
NY 1930: Als sich ihr Zwillingsbruder den Arm bricht, muss die Tänzerin Grace O’Connell seinen Job beim Bau des Empire State Buildings übernehmen, damit sie ihre Miete und die Medikamente für ihre jüngere, kranke Schwester bezahlen können.
„𝐇𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐡“ von @gemma_tizzard ist ein spannender Roman über das Leben der Einwanderer in NY in den 1930ern und die Gefahren beim Bau des Empire State Buildings aus dem Blickwinkel einer Frau. #werbung @sfischerverlage @nichtohnebuch
https://nichtohnebuch.blogspot.com/2025/06/hier-oben-sind-wir-unendlich.html

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☀ Sommerzeit, Sonne und neue E-Premieren zu Einführungspreisen laden zum Lesen nach draußen ein (Sonnenschutz nicht vergessen 🧴🕶️).

Links zu den Büchern, findet ihr, wie immer, in der Story – happy reading!

📚#bücher #wochenende #bücherangebote #büchersindtoll #bookstagramdeutschland @sfischerverlage @laurenwauthor @gemma_tizzard @autorinkatharinaoswald @kristinapfister_schreibt @sarahleipcigerwrites

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Grace of the Empire State by @gemma_tizzard

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

🏙️My Thoughts🏙️
I LOVED this! It was so different than anything other historical fiction I’ve read. Grace is an amazing FMC that can do anything she sets her mind to. She goes from being a dancer to an iron worker building the Empire State Building. This story was so layered and simply amazing. I have never been more proud of a character.

Thank you to @gallerybooks for the gifted copy of this book to read and review.

❓QOTD: What was your last 5 star read so I can add it to my TBR?

#graceoftheempirestate #gemmatizzard #gallerybooks #bookreview #booksta #bookstagram #books #booksbooksbooks #fivestarread #fivestarreads #bookrecs #bookrecommendations

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Thank you @cubsfan3410reads for reading with me!

I picked this up on a whim from my library, drawn in by the title and cover—and I’m so glad I did. Grace of the Empire State is one of those quiet, powerful novels that stays with you long after the final page.

Grace herself is such a compelling character. I found myself deeply moved by her bravery, her quiet resilience, and the inner strength she shows as she navigates grief, identity, and a shifting sense of self.

Set in 1930s New York, Grace of the Empire State follows Grace, a young woman whose life takes a dramatic turn after her brother—an ironworker helping build the city’s iconic skyline—is seriously injured on the job. Forced to put aside her own dreams of dancing, Grace steps in to take his place, trading ballet shoes for a hard hat as she joins the dangerous, male-dominated world of steelwork high above the city streets. As she learns to navigate this gritty new reality, Grace discovers an unexpected inner strength and determination, challenging societal expectations while holding her family together. It’s a powerful story about resilience, identity, and finding grace in the most unlikely places.

The writing is beautiful—poetic, but grounded—and New York City comes alive in the background, a perfect backdrop to Grace’s emotional journey.

I was honestly shocked to see how few reviews this book has on Goodreads. It deserves so much more attention. If you love thoughtful, character-driven stories that explore real emotion with honesty and grace (no pun intended), please pick this one up. It’s a hidden gem.
📖 by @gemma_tizzard

#books #bookreview #review

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