I used to think I didn't like romance plots, but have had a recent revelation that I actually really like them, it's just the typical romance leads I don't enjoy, I just don't find pretty people compelling. What I DO find compelling is romances with characters who think/have been told they're undesirable, or even just aren't typically depicted as desirable.
Examples of this that I've liked are The House in the Cerulean Sea, The Man Who Laughs, Big Eden, and The African Queen. The romantic subplots in the old Hellboy movies and Paprika are also standouts.
Basically I'm wondering if there's anything out there with a male lead/love interest who has at least two of the following traits: 40+, overweight, disfigured/scarred, trans, not human, just generally ugly or not a masculine 'ideal'? Bonus points if it's gay, but I'm perfectly happy with straight romance.
I don't care about nsfw content, whether it's there or it isn't, but I'm not looking for any YA recs. I also don't mind if it's not primarily a romance, so long as the romance storyline is prominent.
by shabnakadyj