Love & Genetic Factor

Roger breaks up with Stephanie because his family fears she might someday develop the same mental illness that stalks her mother. Her father dies suddenly, and Stephanie finds among his belongings the mention of someone named Barbara Rinaldi. In the company of Tony, a ""druggie'' in search of his father, Stephanie trots off to the Umbria region of Italythe phone book doesn't helpwhere many Rinaldis live. While Barbara turns out to to be a contessa and Stephanie's real mother, Tony finds that his dad has a degenerative disease. Now that Stephanie is royalty, Roger wants her back, but she loves Tony. This frayed problem novelwhich includes muscular disease, alcoholism, mental illness, parental death and drug useinvests too much in theatrics and not enough in plot. Sex occurs with a blatant dismissal of the need for birth control. Finally, the ``genetic factor,'' certainly a poignant topic worthy of exploration, becomes entirely extraneous. Ages 12-up. (October)