I Love You Because

Diana Rubino

Review by Molly

It is August 1894 and red haired Vita Caputo lives with her family including father, brothers, step mother in New York City. Father Lorenzo and brothers Bruno and Vincente have little use for either the Irish or the police. Vita works in a sweatshop when a pick pocket makes a move that will change her life. Getting fired from her job, and meeting Tom McGlory both Irish and a copper will bring about changes in Vita's life that she had never imagined. When Tom's cousin is murdered and all the evidence points straight to Vita's family Vita is sure her nice Irish cop will turn away from her. Things are not always as they seem as Vita soon learns. Hot weather forces New Yorkers out onto fire escapes to sleep. Vita's dreams of independence, a fortune teller with a purple door, a bohemian, boarding house and meeting church all figure in this tale of romance, politics, intrigue, fifty shares of GE stock and a church wedding.

I Love You Because is a remarkably accomplished work with transitions so smooth one scene slides into another without the reader noticing. Rubino's matchless voice and charming attention to detail once again hold her in good stead on the pages of this pre cursor to her later works. Once again writer Rubino obviously has done much research into the time and place that was New York City at the turn of the century. Under the pen of this talented writer the reader is carried into the heart of politics, murder and chaos that was rampant during that hectic time

A fast-paced chronicle, I Love You Because is a real page turner. From the opening paragraph as we follow Vita from putting on her stockings into the kitchen at six in the morning after working until midnight to make shirts she could not afford to buy, right down to the last page as Vita sits in her new parlor with the people most important to her the reader is kept enthralled.

Rubino's talent for cleverly twisting, perilous scenarios filled with struggle, powerful motivations and richly portrayed characters again comes to life. Vita's courage, determination and plain old grit are admirable. From quiet dutiful girl to compelling woman who can not only stand up for herself, but wage battle for others Vita Caputo grows before our eyes. Tom McGlory is a likeable fellow we would all enjoy having in our own family lineage.

Great book for a long and lazy summer afternoon spent sipping tea and reading for pleasure. I Love You Because will make a nice addition to the family library for those who have a love for history, adventure and bit of romance thrown in.