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See the Ivy Rose books in order by Gemma Jackson, with quick summaries, series background, and a clear guide to where Ivy's Dublin story starts.

Last updated: July 1, 2026

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Ivy Rose books in publication order

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4 books

1

Through Streets Broad and Narrow

by Gemma Jackson

2013

Ivy Rose Murphy has spent years keeping her family alive in Dublin's tenements. After her father's death, a chance meeting and a desperate child draw her toward a bigger future.

2

Ha'penny Chance

by Gemma Jackson

2014

As Ivy's fortunes rise, so do the dangers around her. A stalker, new money, and Jem Ryan's hopes for marriage force her to choose how much independence she is willing to risk.

3

The Ha'Penny Place

by Gemma Jackson

2015

Ivy's knack for turning castoffs into cash is finally paying off, and her dolls are reaching smart Dublin shops. Then Ann Marie's innocent day with her camera threatens to wreck everything Ivy has built.

4

Ha'Penny Schemes

by Gemma Jackson

2017

Married life does not make Ivy's world easier. As jealous neighbors, Father Leary, and opportunists circle closer, she and Jem must protect their future without losing the people who depend on them.

Ivy Rose books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "Through Streets Broad and Narrow"

    Through Streets Broad and Narrow

    by Gemma Jackson

    2013Ivy Rose, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Ha'penny Chance"

    Ha'penny Chance

    by Gemma Jackson

    2014Ivy Rose, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "The Ha'Penny Place"

    The Ha'Penny Place

    by Gemma Jackson

    2015Ivy Rose, Book 3
  4. Book cover for "Ha'Penny Schemes"

    Ha'Penny Schemes

    by Gemma Jackson

    2017Ivy Rose, Book 4

Series background & context

The Ivy Rose books begin in 1920s Dublin, in and around the inner-city tenements known as The Lane. At the center is Ivy Rose Murphy, a young woman who has already spent years keeping her family afloat before the story even opens. She knows how to push a pram through wealthier streets, collect what other people throw away, and turn scraps into something that can be sold. Survival is practical work in these books, and Jackson never lets you forget it.

When Through Streets Broad and Narrow starts, Ivy is thrown into a new phase of life by her father's death. That loss hurts, but it also loosens the hold her family has had on her. From there the series follows a woman who wants more than mere endurance. Ivy is ambitious, sharp-eyed, and stubborn. She wants money, security, respect, and the chance to choose her own future.

The city matters as much as the plot. The wealthy houses Ivy visits are only a short distance from the poverty of The Lane, so class difference is never abstract. She can see it, carry it home in her hands, and try to remake it into opportunity.

Around Ivy grows a strong supporting cast. Jem Ryan, the local livery owner, becomes one of the most important people in her life, while Ann Marie Gannon brings friendship, money, and a doorway into a very different Dublin. There are children to protect, neighbors to help, brothers who complicate things, and people who resent any sign that Ivy might rise above the place she came from.

Across Ha'penny Chance, The Ha'Penny Place, and Ha'Penny Schemes, the series keeps widening. Ivy's work grows from simple scavenging and market selling into new ventures built on sewing, trading, and sheer nerve. But success brings pressure. Reputation matters. Gossip matters. The church matters. Father Leary, in particular, is the kind of enemy who can make everyday life feel dangerous without needing a weapon in his hand.

These books are historical sagas, but they are also very much about work. About making things. About how a woman with no safety net builds one anyway. The tension often comes from money, jealousy, respectability, and the constant risk that one bad turn could undo months of effort. Jackson also gives the series a lived-in feel, where small errands and arguments matter because everybody's lives are tied so tightly together.

Expect warmth, grit, and a large cast whose lives keep crossing in useful and messy ways. The romance is important, but the bigger story is about self-respect, community, and the hard business of changing your station without losing yourself. If you like character-driven historical fiction with vivid neighborhood life, Ivy Rose is the kind of series that settles in and keeps unfolding book by book.

Edited by

Richard Reis

Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.

Anurag Ramdasan

Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.

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