Fiercely independent and passionate, Brigid feels hindered by her family and the strict society of her small Irish town in the early 1900s. 

Brigid and her cousin Molly, who is more like a sister, dream of a new life in the seemingly unlimited land of opportunity they call Yankeeland-America. Brigid gets her chance when she emigrates with her husband Ben and her brother James, while Molly stays in Ireland. 

But when Brigid's quest to have a child leads her to seek unconventional help, her mental stability is questioned. She is soon caught up in a patriarchal medical establishment she has little power to fight. 

The new life in America Brigid dreamed about takes a drastic turn. Decades later Brigid's grandniece discovers a sack full of letters between the two cousins. She unravels the story and vows to tell the tale of what really happened to Brigid in Yankeeland.