On New Year’s Day 1925 Ivy Rose Murphy awakes to find her world changed forever. Her irresponsible Da is dead. She is grief-stricken and alone – but for the first time in her life free to please herself. After her mother deserted the family, Ivy became the sole provider for her da and three brothers. Pushing a pram around the well-to-do areas of Dublin every day, she begged for the discards of … discards of the wealthy which she then turned into items she could sell around Dublin’s markets.
As she visits the morgue to pay her respects to her Da, a chance meeting introduces Ivy to a new world of money and privilege, her mother’s world. Ivy is suddenly a woman on a mission to improve herself and her lot in life.
Jem Ryan is the owner of a livery near Ivy’s tenement. When an accident occurs in one of his carriages, leaving a young girl homeless, it is Ivy he turns to. With Jem and the people she meets in her travels around Dublin, Ivy begins to break out of the poverty-ridden world that is all she has ever known.
Through Streets Broad and Narrow is a story of strength and determination in the unrelenting world that was Dublin tenement life.
more
Occasionally you find a novel that reminds you of the first joys of reading: new worlds and strange characters wondrous in their humanity. The exhilaration of discovering the you are indeed part of everyman, not alone and solo in the strange landscape of life as you had feared. Humanity…amazing in all its forms.
Good for a beach read, especially if you’re a Downton Abbey fan.
This book was so interesting to me because it is part of my heritage. I love books that show how people can overcome adversity; I could not put it down.
Couldn’t wait to read the rest of the seried.
Going to buy the next book in this series.
I enjoyed this book from beginning to end!
A most original story of the Irish slums, the gritty and tenacious characters fighting to survive. It centered around Ivy, a talented seamstress and her posse of friends She is a very caring woman who is targeted by the local parish priest for reasons no one understands
Ivy is a talented trader, pushing her pram full of items to trade, always finding ways to improve and make a profit on her finds.
On her own after her fathers death, she is finally free to focus on her trade, rather than supporting the lazy, drunken man.
Being a single woman in the slums is dangerous. Her friends are looking out for her, though, and a tenuous romance blossoms.
This is a most well written story of hope against all odds and triumph.
Really enjoyed this book up until the end when I discovered it was a cliff hanger.
I loved the main characters in this story set in the early 1920’s about the struggles of a young woman in Ireland. Her resourcefulness, kindness, and love for others help her through the good and bad changes she has to face.
Such a heartwarming story with a most lovable cast of characters. You will have to buy the sequel after you read this first one believe me!
The entire series is great. Start from book 1 to really enjoy.
A fun quick read. The heroine is scrappy, quick to learn, and fun to read about,
Great picture of Ireland and the struggles of the age.
What starts as a good story gets quite predictable as everything works out for the enterprising heroine.
The characters are so interesting and the storyline takes you to some unexpected places. I had a hard time putting it down. I will definitely read all the books in this series.
I enjoyed this as much or more than any other book that I have read this year. The heroine is resourceful and self-reliant in overcoming the roadblocks that life puts in her way. Just really loved the story!
Didn’t catch my attention.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. Lily Rose is definitely my heroine!
I enjoy books about strong women to turn adversary into a future for themselves. Life is hard, and these characters inspire.
Great story, well developed characters, many life lessons. Don’t miss it.