Conflicted Men

by Jason G. Long

Is there redemption to be found in guiding another past the pitfalls of coming-of-age? Or is history doomed to repeat itself?  When Mark, an ageing hedonist scraping his rock-bottom, is encouraged to meet with a seventeen-year-old who is just coming to terms with his sexuality, he spots an opportunity for redemption. Mark thinks he has the boy figured out, but when he sees Jake nurturing an obsession with him, he soon realises he’s out of his depth. Mark knows he owes Jake nothing, but in helping him navigate the gritty and unforgiving London gay scene, he feels on some level he’s navigating his own youth afresh. Perhaps this time around he’ll rescue himself from the depths of addiction, and save the boy in the process.  Should Mark fail in his objective, it will only reinforce that the hole he’s found himself in was always inevitable, should he succeed, perhaps there’s a chance for atonement.   Conflicted Men is a novel about a different side of relationships. A gritty and dramatic story of stumbling upon obsessive love in an unforgiving city.  "Reading about two people who are opposites fascinates me and this story is no exception." - Sandra, Rainbow Book Reviews *** About the Author Jason G. Long was born in 1989 in London, where he would spend his days adventuring in the city, drinking coffee and reading. He loves to write stories with strong, well-rounded and in-depth characters, especially if they're deeply flawed in some way.  His second book, The Dark Shines, was published in January 2018 and his audio-drama podcast Queer Contemplations was written and produced in 2020. Jason completed a BA in advanced creative writing in 2015, which has taught him how to hone the craft of writing, and explore writing scripts for screen, stage, and radio.  You can read more about the author's work at www.longstoriesmedia.com  Genre Gay / Urban / Addiction / Turmoil / Contemporary Romance / Obsession

111 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 2, 2012

Reviews

[Martin Belcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I absolutely loved this book, it had me hooked and 'addicted' from the start! Conflicted Men is a very clever story of an older man called Mark, a sucessful writer but also a drug addict and alcoholic, he feels his life is going no where until he meets Jake, a young handsome guy looking to try out the exciting gay clubs of London's seedy west end and soho. Their relationship is complicated and at first seems one sided but Mark secretly adores Jake but hides his love for him with contempt. Jake continues to be sucked in by the drug and drink filled lifestyle and along with Mark's friends, Hayley and Matt, the consequences for all turn out to be very unexpected!
This is a real gem of a book, it had me laughing, gasping, and in tears. Cleverly written with a complex web of relationships tainted by addiction, this is a wonderful roller coaster ride of emotions. I defy anyone not to to get hooked by this book. I sincerely hope Jason Long goes on to write more fiction, I'll be first in the queue!

[Colin Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me make one thing perfectly clear. I don’t usually read a book till have seen a review, or better, several. Conflicted Men, the debut novel by Jason Long is an exception. Just by chance I learned about this novel, and it was downloaded the very moment it came available. Indeed, exciting to read a novel no one had ever read before.

You know what the book is about. Conflicted Men. I’ll share briefly my experiences as a reader. We get to know a few characters in London, and follow them closely, zigzagging through their lives, get insights in their struggles and joy. Surely, the persons have many issues, which bring them together, and tear them apart. Some of the hardship is no stranger to this reader, other territories less known.

The novel is brilliantly written. Long masters the language in a way I only find when reading seasoned authors. Paragraphs become pure masterpieces, descriptions vivid and spot-on.

Jason Long proves a very talented author. Having read Conflicted Men I’m only waiting for his next novels to emerge.

[Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good reads first reads giveaway free book

Totally different to anything I normally read but really enjoyed it.

[Mrs C · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Even though I found this book to be sad and a bit depressing, I couldn't put it down. The characters are very complex and Mark is just shallow and selfish and even though I didn't like him, I wanted him to find his HEA. It's not a romance story, it's gritty and honest about addictive substance abuse.