Found: An old story about a forbidden love, and love spurned or neglected.

If I'm doing this wrong, I apologize. I am new here as of about 3 minutes ago.

It's been 22 years since I have read this particular book. It was set in possibly Victorian times? It was about two men, one was a man with a dark or dour countenance, and possibly misshapen in some way? Sickly? And the other was the son of a powerful family, or a family of some repute. And there was a woman in the middle of these men, that they both wanted. One, the one with the grim, or more aptly 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 countenance, wanted this woman because he passionately loved her, even though he was looked down on by her family, or those that took her in possibly? And the other wanted her because I think he knew it would hurt the other man, and he was not a very good person. I believe she ended up marrying the "not very good-hearted" man, and the other had to live nearby witnessing it, though I think he ended up leaving for a time. War, or travelling or some such perhaps. Again, I could be getting some of these details completely wrong. But the gist is here. It kind of puts me in mind of a much darker "Gone With The Wind", if you overlook the gaping differences in plot details, though Gone With The Wind was pretty dark in it's own right.

I know I'm probably doing a very poor job of explaining the story. I apologize, and I don't expect this to lead anywhere. But a shot in the dark is a shot nonetheless. It may sound like a cheap Harlequin Romance (no offense to anyone that reads those), however if I remember correctly this particular novel was actually quite well known, and was written around a century ago or more, at the time of my reading. It was not, by any means, just another "smutty" romance novel. (again, no offense to anyone who likes those... I am only attempting to use generally accepted terminology to convey the essence of my meaning. it may sound as though I hold some prejudice toward anyone who reads those, I assure you I do not. my mother used to read them, and I love her dearly.) It had a very grim or depressing tone to it, at least in my recollection, that is how I felt while reading it. I do not remember if it was authored by a man or a woman. I want to say it was a woman, but I could be mistaken. It was, as I said, about much more than just the love between peoples, and I will remember the story and how it made me feel to my dying day, though I do wish I could remember more details.

Possibly Sylvia's Lovers by Elizabeth Gaskell?

Long shot, but could it be Wuthering Heights? Or one of George Eliot's? Adam Bede has a suitor join the militia, and Mill on the Floss has a hunchbacked suitor.

>3 saskia17: I think that's the one! Wuthering Heights! The authors name is definitely familiar to me. As is the title. I will let you know.
So is Sylvia's Lovers, though I think that's because of Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show lol. My father used to like to listen to them, and Sylvia's Mother was always on the radio.

>2 konallis: Thank you for the reply, it brought back a few memories. :) Though I believe Saskia17 was correct with Wuthering Heights.

If Wuthering Heights is the one, now I'm embarrassed I couldn't figure that out. It fits your description pretty well.

>7 Cecrow: I believe it is. It was a very gloomy and depressing story. But I have a fond memory of it, if that makes any sense at all.
Also, don't be embarrassed, we are only human. I am just glad you are here. :)

>5 Uden_One-Eye: Yay! It's the first book I think of when anybody says grim, depressing romance. :) Glad that was it.

>9 saskia17: Me too lol. It would have bugged me, not being able to remember the name. So thank you, once again.