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Emmaline : A Novel - Ashli O'Connell

Emmaline

A Novel

By: Ashli O'Connell

Paperback | 19 May 2026

At a Glance

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She crosses an ocean for a brighter future. What she finds instead is a man who intends to own that future.

Liverpool, 1856. Fourteen-year-old Emmaline Kendall has known nothing but poverty and sorrow until missionaries from a fledgling American religion arrive, promising blessings and abundance across the sea. Desperate for a better life, her family joins a company of Mormon emigrants on a trek to the Utah territory.

The pioneer journey across the western frontier is brutal. Hunger, disease, and the ravages of nature claim hundreds of lives. Emmaline survives. But that survival comes at a cost.

When she finally reaches the Mormon settlement in the Rocky Mountains, Emmaline learns the dark truth: She has been promised as a polygamous wife to a powerful man twice her age. Alone and trapped in a world that demands her obedience, Emmaline must decide whether to surrender to a life of silence and subjugation-or risk everything to survive on her own terms.

Inspired by true events, Emmaline is a sweeping saga of courage, strength, and a young woman fighting to find her voice in a system built to silence her.

At times tragic and at times deeply heartfelt, Emmaline is a triumph of the female spirit. It is a story set in 19th century frontier America that will appeal to readers who love female-centered fiction from any era.

Industry Reviews

"I found myself enraged while she was enraged, frightened when she was frightened, and filled with joy once again when Emmaline experienced joy. The unique perspective, narrative, and environment of this novel remains one of the most prevalent of my recent reads."

--Audrey, advance reader, Goodreads

"My 5-star ratings are rare, and I only give them to books that stick with me after I'm done reading them. This is one of them. I'm pretty well-versed in Utah and LDS Church history, and am well aware of the stories of the pioneer handcart companies and the practice of polygamy in Utah before it became a state. This work of historical fiction really brought this period to life, however, and made me see the events from a perspective that I had not considered."

--David, advance reader, Goodreads

"Emmaline is a champion for girls and women in a fear-based system of control."

--Sarah, advance reader, Goodreads

"I read the majority of Emmaline over the course of 3 days because it was gripping, thoughtful and engaging."

--Brittany, advance reader, Goodreads

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