Customer Reviews

Ship of Dreams

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In 1857 San Francisco, Della Gilliland had made a living selling perfectly safe patented medicine. However, her situation changes when the husband of one of her patients accuses Della of selling him a poison that killed his wife. Not only do customers want their money back, but also an apothecary substantiates the claim that Della murdered a client. Realizing her business is ruined and she probably will face a charge of murder, Della flees the city through a ruse.

Near a steamer with the police searching for her, Della introduces herself as the spouse of New York businessman Kent Bradford, a fellow passenger. Kent remains silent about her ploy because he is conducting a major deal with an investor and Della's claim furthers his chance for success. As the couple becomes acquainted on the long voyage, they fall in love, but neither knows what Mother Nature has in store for them on the ill-fated Central America journey.

SHIP OF DREAMS is more than an Americana romance. The tale is an excellent work of historical fiction built around the actual nineteenth century sinking of a steamer due to a storm. From page one till the finish, the story line remains exciting. It provides insight into the era through real and make believe characters and makes that time period feel very real. The lead couple is an enchanting pair that will garner reader empathy. Brenda Hiatt provides a wonderful novel that deserves cross genre appeal by fans of romance and historical fiction.

Harriet Klausner

Brenda Hiatt has penned another great historical. I thoroughly enjoyed her characters -- Kent who was the epitome of an upperclass, somewhat uptight hero and Della, the miner's daughter who not only had the spunk to intrude on Kent's life, but to also teach him how to enjoy life! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it highly.

I had never read any of Brenda Hiatt's works but was tempted when this became available on Kindle. What a nice surprise.
Ship of Dreams was clever and smart. It had a creative yet believable plot, well developed characters and "heroes" with admirable traits like character, humility and empathy.
Ship of Dreams was less like the sappy romance I expected and more like a good Danielle Steel -style novel which I have enjoyed in the past. To learn at the end that Ship of Dreams was based on historical events was a nice surprise making me appreciate it even more - sort of like The Titanic - in book form.
I am glad I gave Ms. Hiatt a try and will likely read more of her books (on my Kindle of course) in the future.

Finally a Kindle version of this wonderful story! Always a joy to see that spark grow between Della and Kent. A great read!

I just finished "Ship of Dreams" - I really, really enjoyed it. The style and smoothness of the writing is excellent, and the story builds and builds tension...and then BAM! I knew nothing about the SS Central America and how it sank before I read this book, but I felt like I was back in 1857. Even though I wouldn't usually pick up a love story, I think the tight mix with some interesting history and captivating writing made me very glad I read it.

A line-toeing New Yorker gets tricked into claiming a rule-breaking redhead as his wife, just as they board a ship from California to the East Coast. Trapped in their growing web of falsehoods, not to mention trapped in the same stateroom, Kent's and Della's relationship grows more intimate, culminating in a very hot love scene that never once made me roll my eyes. Social barriers and the danger of a very well-written shipwreck threaten to come between them, despite their love. Kent is endearingly pompous in the beginning, and Della is quirky and somewhat shady at first, but becomes a little too admirable and self-sacrificing by the end. I still liked her, however, and found her dilemmas moving and understandable. I would have liked a little more follow-through with the promising love-hate relationship between Kent and his brother. I think it had a bearing on his relationship with the opportunistic but valiant Della. All in all, though, Ship of Dreams is a great read. Take it with you into the bubble bath and take an entrancing trip.

This book is written so beautifully and skillfully that I felt like I was transported to a dock in the 1850's, boarding a steamship. The rising tension surrounding the fate of the ship is contrasted brilliantly by the growing love story between the two lead characters. These characters (and the writing that portrays them) let the reader feel their excitement, their fear, their sadness, and their courage.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

"Ship Of Dreams", suspiciously rip-off title notwithstanding, is a marvelous and romantic voyage. It has a pair of star-crossed lovers who actually talk and are friends first before lovers. A strong courageous heroine meets her worthy match in a proper businessman who isn't as stuffy as everyone thinks.

And there's also a grand shipwreck scene that only adds to the excitement. Simply wonderful.

One star get deducted for the heroine's Joan of Arc act at the final few chapters though.