Ah. I just remembered a lot of talk about how her relationship with Lefroy wasn't like that when the movie came out. In the movie, the relationship was less innocent, and did cross the bounds of propiety (though not as far as our modern minds immediately leap when that's said.) It sounds like, historically, it was never allowed to progress beyond puppy love.

The movie makes it her choice to not be with him (for very good reasons, though I suspect the historical Lefroy wouldn't have allowed them to be in the position they were in) and she effectively says "screw reality...I'm going to write stories where everyone gets exactly what they want, even if they suffer a bit first."

For my part, I actually found the small bits of her relationship with Woosley(the other man) more interesting, and, of the 2 men, sympathized more with him.