--from the short story "Holding Pattern"

Review of Postcards from Heartthrob Town at it appears in "Passport Magazine: April, 2007:"
"Reading 'Postcards from Heartthrob Town', Gerard Wozek’s bracing collection of short and sexy travel memoirs, it comes as little surprise that the author is a published poet. He has a sharp eye for telling juxtaposition, and a remarkable ability to translate his insight into evocative language. Arriving in Oaxaca, Mexico, he takes note of 'flaking billboards advertising Orange Crush' against a backdrop of 'brooding mountain peaks reaching over a pink horizon.' In Osaka, Japan, Wozek introduces us to Marley, an expat American food fetishist and his local lover, Jinn: 'Sometimes he’d masturbate his partner with the slippery skin of a banana peel, or tie licorice whips around Jinn’s scrotum.' And during a bout of masturbation in a restroom at the Berlin airport, 'the rhythmic motion…reminds me of Franz’ violin bow…the to-and-fro of Franz’ arm reaches a frenzied pitch…and all at once the musician has alchemized into the music itself.' Even when he is not writing about sex, Wozek’s prose really does throb, capturing the aura of eroticism that so often accompanies our explorations of unfamiliar places, both geographic and psychological."
--Jim Gladstone  

Review of Postcards from Heartthrob Town at it appears in "Reader Views: April, 2007:"
"'Postcards from Heartthrob Town' is a collection of short stories about gay men traveling around the world in a quest for sex, love, and companionship. The originality of this collection is partly due to the settings which range from unique sections of the United States to foreign settings including France, Germany, Morocco and Japan. The information the author provides about all these places is astounding--one marvels to think he has visited so many countries, and even more marvelous, if he has not visited all these areas, that he writes as one intimately familiar with each city and its streets. A deeply sophisticated world view is pervasive throughout the work and becomes more so with the progression of each story. Despite the often exotic settings, the real theme of the book is the emotional journey of being gay and seeking love and understanding. Because the same theme runs through the stories, they build on one another, although the reader may have difficulty remembering distinguishing marks of many of them with a few exceptions where a distinct tone comes through as in 'Reuben Ran.' What makes the stories true literature is they go beyond simply focusing on the sexual aspects of being gay and delve into the emotional longings and alienation that gay men experience. They are not quick, pornographic gay fantasies--although they do border on fantasy at times. The happy ending is not achieved by a sexual act--nor do they deal with the angst of one’s sexual identity. They are far from simply “coming out” stories. They surpass these more typical elements of gay fiction. What predominantly sets the stories apart from other gay fiction is Wozek’s mature and sophisticated language. In a few stories, the adolescent characters’ language seems a bit too sophisticated, but overall, the tone and style is powerful and carries the reader along in an almost dreamy addictive prose toward an often emotionally difficult ending. 'Postcards from Heartthrob Town' is not without its moments of humor however. In the first story, “Tenderness among Wolves,” the adolescent boy, just beginning to awaken to his sexual feelings, tries to understand himself by dressing his G.I. Joe toys in grass skirts and allowing them to copulate with one another. The story, 'Reuben Ran,' is of a lighter, more fast-paced tone, and optimistic as the young protagonist runs away from home to study art in Russia. Overall sadness permeates the book, a constant sense of dissatisfaction despite or because of the characters’ frequent obsessions with sex. We see gay couples falling apart, men learning their lovers have cheated on them, or men who are saddened by a past that might include abuse from a previous lover or a best friend who refused to speak to him again when told his friend was gay. In the end, the book seems largely to be about lack of fulfillment, and not surprisingly, recalls E.M. Forster’s novels, although more 'Howards End,'where the characters strive to connect but fail to do so than his gay novel 'Maurice' where the ending is an unrealistic fantasy. In one story, the main character comes to feel sorry for his lover who appears trapped in his sophisticated facade. Similarly, the reader finds himself caught up in the dreamy, exquisite sophistication of the prose, yet all the beauty of the author’s words does not hide the deep unhappiness of the characters and their situations. Whether the reader is gay or straight, he will appreciate that the stories are about the mystery of human relationships in 'Postcards from Heartthrob Town.' Readers will find their own experiences, longings, loneliness, and exquisite fearful romances depicted in these pages."
--Tyler R. Tichelaar  

Review of Postcards from Heartthrob Town at it appears in "Torso Magazine: July, 2007:"
"Author Gerard Wozek's book of new and collected stories focuses on his travel experiences. Though his tone is more on the poetic side, you'll love the stories even if you judge the quality of the tales by the strength of your hard-on. Wozek uses different approaches, as well as fiction and non-fiction. He can elaborate on a hardcore public sex scenario, or simply describe the memory of the first time he slept near his cousin. In a variety of ways, Wozek is able to bring intensity to his stories, and he renders the emotional and sexual charge of every moment in a remarkable way. His literary talent allows him to describe such things as dirty bathroom sex as a sublime experience and a life-affirming practice. If you want more than just right-to-the-point stories, 'Postcards from Heartthrob Town' is your book, with its beautiful poetic renderings and afterthoughts on sexual experiences. I bet it would make a nice travel companion."
--Etienne Meunier  

Review of Postcards from Heartthrob Town at it appears in "Outwords Magazine: April, 2008:"
"As an introductory blurb accurately notes, this book's author, Gerard Wozek, 'examines the link between geographical locale and the compass of his own heart.' This beautifully written work contains 19 stories which serve as both a travelogue of various locations as well as a guide to the interior life of a man questing for meaning in the world. It's a thoughtful and colourful mix of both personal memoir and fiction. As such, it is both an inner pilgrimage as well as a sensuous trek across the globe. Wozek delves back into childhood memories as well as weaving some beautiful insightful prose about his inward and outward travels. The landscape is dotted with lovers along the way but this is tasteful travel erotica not pornography. Throughout there is a linking theme of the basic loneliness, longing and isolation gay men are often heir to--a feeling even in childhood of alienation and of being set apart form others. In a sense, all travel is about a search for wholeness and serenity. The journey may be exciting, even exhilarating, but this book of wanderlust is also about the lure of unknown men as well as unknown places on the map. It explores the mental and physical landscapes these men inhabit and how encounters with them on life's journey subtly change who we are. It is written with tenderness, loving and longing. Skillfully crafted, the stories will give you a real taste of the pulse of many foreign lands, as well as a feeling of connectedness with the heart, mind, and soul of its author. Well worth a read."
--Peter Carlyle-Gordge  

Review of Postcards from Heartthrob Town at it appears in "Best New Writing 2008: Eric Hoffer Prose Award Winners/Hopewell Publications:"
"Gerard Wozek’s essays about travel, as a gay man, are engrossing and warm. His honest writing shows readers that gay life can be both lonely and rewarding. His travels take him to many exotic places; he has adventures—and lovers—along the way. This book is one of the most candid in recent gay literature, echoing Edmund White’s work, although it does contain explicit sexual content."
--Christopher Klim