The latter part of the book is based on a real historical event, the final voyage of the SS Central America, so they're a bit too busy with other priorities to be bed-hopping.

As I mentioned, Della and Kent spend a great deal of the first part of the book talking and getting to know each other. Despite that seriously cheesy cover (I'll show it to you in a bit), this is not a sexed up romance, so if that's what you're looking for I'd suggest you pass and keep on looking. Once that spark ignites, the path to true love gets a bit rocky when they face a wee bit of a storm at sea. Della and Kent start off talking about their lives and getting to know one another as friends - you aren't going to get insta love and steamy kisses on every page. This being a romance novel and all I think you'll guess where the rest of the story is headed, although Hiatt lets that part of the story build slowly. Bemused, Kenton plays along at first, but confessing the truth could squash his hopes of a business deal, so he finds himself stuck in the role for the entire trip back East. But how to get on board when there's not enough money for it? Why, she marches up to ever-so-handsome Kenton Bradford (of the New York Bradfords!) and introduces herself to his business associate as his wife. With the law hot on her heels and justice in San Francisco somewhere questionable, Della figures her safest bet is to get on the first ship heading out-of-town. Della Gilliland has been making her way in the world by selling harmless medicines, but one of her *patients* has just died and she's being wrongfully blamed for it.

Ship of Dreams by Brenda Hiatt