As Helen clutches the rail of the ship as it gently rolls through the ocean waves, her mind fills with thoughts of her future in America. While her memories of the past year haunt her nightly, she has no idea that she is the subject of talk on the ship. Everyone wants to know how an unescorted woman has gained access to a first-class cabin and a seat at the captain's table.

Helen, who grew up in an affluent family, is traveling to meet her betrothed, Gustav Krueger, who, once she arrives in America, plans to take her to the Dakotas to homestead with him. As her journey leads her away from devastating circumstances in the old country to a new life in a foreign land, she must accept that she will not see those she left behind—including her true love—for a long time, if ever. But when she arrives at the dock and Gustav is not there to meet her, a chain of events unfolds that leave Helen wondering if life in America will demand more of her to survive than she imagined.

Helen in America continues a story of perseverance, strength, and determination as a young woman attempts to prevail against all odds in a new land.