THE SOAPS : SUMMER LOVE: STEAMY STORY LINES UNFOLDING

It’s summer. Time to lie on the beach and cultivate a tan. And for the daytime soaps, it’s time for hot new romances and the rekindling of some of the love stories that have chilled during the cold months of winter.

What does your favorite soap hold in store? Here is a sampling of coming story lines:

Unlike the last several summers, this one will not see an abundance of teen romances. Although several soaps will feature “young love” stories, this year the focus seems to be on the lives and loves of the soaps’ more mature characters. Also, most of last year’s teeny-boppers have grown up.

On “All My Children,” a lot of attention will be paid to Erica Kane’s (played by Susan Lucci) love for Jeremy Hunter (Jean LeClerc), which has been wrought with complications. The course of true love, which never runs smoothly for this couple, will be even rougher with the addition of Matt Conley (“All My Children” newcomer Michael Tylo), who met Erica after she and Brooke were kidnaped and their hijacked plane went down on an uncharted island.

“Another World” will be full of suspense as star-crossed Cass Winthrop (Stephen Schnetzer) tries to patch things up with his true love, Kathleen McKinnon (Julie Osburn). Cecile De Poulignac (Nancy Frangione) has thrown a monkey wrench into this love story by telling Cass she just had to have a child. International politics also will be woven into the summer story line--and someone will be killed before it’s all over.

“Search for Tomorrow” will feature a December/May love story involving Quinn McCleary (Jeffrey Meek) and his young love, Evie Stone (now played by Joanna Going). Quinn will start out by providing Evie with a lot of brotherly love, but it won’t be long before his feelings change to the real thing.

“General Hospital” will focus on several love stories including that of newlyweds Felicia and Frisco Jones (Kristina Malandro and Jack P. Wagner), and the hot romance between Monica Quartermaine (Leslie Charleson) and Sean Donely (John Reilly). The budding feelings between the mysterious Duke Lavery (Ian Buchanan) and Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) will be the story to watch on this show.

Diving into the world of young love will be “As the World Turns,” which has focused much attention on the love quadrangle involving Dusty Donovan (Brian Bloom), Lily Walsh (Martha Byrne), Meg Snyder (Jennifer Ashe) and her brother, Holden Snyder (Jon Hensley). Holden will be scheming to win Lily away from Dusty and Meg will do her darndest to sabotage Lily’s longtime love for Dusty.

“Ryan’s Hope” will tackle the subject of interracial romance as Frank Ryan’s (John Sanderford) feelings for his assistant district attorney, Diana Douglas (Tracey Ross), go from business to love.