Enjoyable romantic stories with adoption themes. ( )

3 linked short romances about three sisters adopted into different families, with romances taking up most of the plot. In the first, the revelation about the adoption when the protagonists's mother falls ill forms most of the alt. plot; the second alt. plot is about the protagonist's panic attacks and how she manages her life so no-one notices, with a bit of propaganda on the side about gifted children. Useful portrayal of chronic illness and mental illness in one go, though I suspect depression is a bit less easy to portray sexily; also the panic attacks are a bit too conveniently "healed" at the end when the birth family are reunited. Third alt. plot is about water rights conflict and the revelation as an adult of being adopted.

The stories are all a bit lightweight but between them they cover a range of adoption outcomes: known adoptee in loving family; known adoptee cared for less well; child discovering only at adulthood they were adopted.

http://rmc28.dreamwidth.org/425155.html ( )