The Jealous God
John Braine1964

The story of Vincent Dungarvan, youngest sin in a north-country Catholic family, a schoolmaster, at thirty still virgin.

When he does fall in love he falls passionately.

The girl, Laura, is not only erotically attractive she is intelligent, warm, sincere, but his church stands as a barrier between them.

Before this conflict is resolved Vincent's whole world has been shaken and another man's life destroyed.