Rating: 
Summary: Innovative and delicious romantic comedy!
Review: I loved this book! I don't know how this author keeps coming up with such innovative plots, but this is definitely one that would make a great movie. I adored Dorsey, fell in love with Adam, and was amazed by the way the secondary characters like Carlotta and Lucas jumped right off the page into my heart. And as always, Ms. Beverly's writing sang with style and charm. So many books today seem sort of generic, but this writer's voice is so strong it keeps me coming back for more.
Rating: 
Summary: Silly
Review: I read romance, so I must necessarily and regularly suspend my disbelief of romance heroines' (and heroes') actions. But the actions of Dorsey, the heroine in How to Trap a Tycoon, made me want to throw this book against the wall. Dorsey is supposed to be a serious academic, committed to her college and her career. Yet, Dorsey allows her editor to guilt her into playing "dress up" and go on a book tour which could ruin her reputation. When she gives in, I lost all respect for her. And the hero! He's dumb enough to sleep with Dorsey and then not recognize her because she wears a tight dress and a lot of makeup. Bevarly almost made up for her characterization with some funny lines -- the only reason this book didn't hit my wall. However, this book doesn't match My Man Pendleton in wit. (If you want to read a good Bevarly book, I suggest finding My Man Pendleton.) On a side note, as I have spent a lot of time in the Michigan Avenue Borders, I was happy to see it appear in print.
Rating:
Summary: This book is priceless!
Review: I really enjoyed this one and more than any other Elizabeth Beverly book this one hooked me totally and [...]in. The characters were great (except the mother who drove me up a wall!) and the hero Adam was so HOT! This is a funny, clever read that will definitely satisfy romance fans.
Rating: 
Summary: Cute, Fun Screwball Comedy Set In Present Day
Review: I've read this author's prior two novels, which are also screwball comedies like those seen in the 1930s. This third book is her most succssful in terms of updating the screwball comedy to 2000. In the other two I still felt a bit caught in a time warp. She also sets this novel in Chicago which works nicely. Basically, a woman finishing up her PhD in sociology writes a bestselling tongue-in-cheek guide for trapping a rich guy and, of course, "traps" the very guy without even trying while she works undercover at a rich man's Men's Only Private Club/Bar. She's using this job to get data for her dissertation on power between men and women. It's a fun story, an enjoyable entertainment and of absolutely no "higher" value whatsoever. This is also her 3rd cartoon cover and it is probably her cutest. A cartoon cover actually suits her novels quite well whereas some novels which use them are not as lighthearted as the cartoon cover would imply to the reader.
Rating:
Summary: hilariously enjoyable romance
Review: In Chicago's Severn College teaching assistant Dorsey MacGuinness is shocked by the stir caused by her satirical book HOW TO TRAP A TYCOON. She wrote the book based on her mother's experience under the pseudonym of Lauren Grable-Monroe. Proceeds were to help her mother remain financially secure. However, the book has become a national sensation. Even at the Drake's Men's Club where she works the bar, her book is the topic of heated conversation between the Editor in Chief of Man's Life magazine Adam "Oban over ice" Darien and one of his reporters. Adam plans to uncover the identity of the mysterious Ms. Grable-Monroe. Adding to her concern is that her publisher wants Lauren on tour since every woman in America has adopted the book as their bible in the battle of the sexes. Can she pull off a masquerade when the man she loves is determined to unmask her alter ego? HOW TO TRAP A TYCOON is a hilarious contemporary romance that winks at the "rules" of the sub-genre, using humor to tell its tale. The story line is genuinely amusing with its book within book approach to the gender wars. The lead characters are an entertaining duo while the support cast provides pathos and depth to the lighthearted romp. Elizabeth Bevarly has carved out a niche as one of the leading authors of satirical romance. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Delightful, sophisticated humor
Review: One can't simply read ABOUT Liz Bevarly's characters; one lives THROUGH them, in large part due to the author's wonderful, unhurried meanderings through their heads. HOW TO TRAP A TYCOON is no exception. On the surface, the story line may seem a bit far-fetched, but is nonetheless a perfect vehicle for Ms. Bevarly's strong, unique voice. And, if you scratch just below the surface, you'll find a nice little theme going there about identity and how the face we show to the world isn't always who we really are. Which is one reason I, for one, absolutely adored the secondary romance, finding its more serious tone a nice counterbalance to the main storyline. In fact, I'm not sure I didn't love the more layered Lucas and Edie -- both of whom were not at all who they appeared to be on the surface -- even more than Adam and Dorsey. And let me tell ya -- there are a couple lines in there that I'm sure are destined for the Most Often Quoted Hall of Fame. Fun book.
Rating:
Summary: Snared
Review: Solid, staid, sociology professor, Dorsey MacGuinness, is having trouble with coincidences. Not only can't she escape the sensationalistic claptrap bestseller "How to Trap a Tycoon", but the tycoon she'd most like to trap, Adam Darian, the hunky publisher of Men's Life magazine, is interested in hooking and sinking the book's illusive author, career mistress Lauren Grable-Monroe. But the biggest coincidence of all is that Lauren, the blonde bombshell in sexy heels, and Dorsey, the auburn haired sociologist in hiking boots, are one in the same. Adam Darian has it all. He's got money, success, and membership to one of the most exclusive men's clubs in town. Only two things stand in his way of real happiness - Dorsey "Mack" MacGuinness and Lauren Grable-Monroe. He's tired of pining for the smart, pretty, and unavailable "Mack" and he's sick of hearing about that damn book written by Lauren. But when he sets his sights on writing a tell-all article about Lauren and hopefully ruining the woman's hype, he soon learns that "Mack" isn't as unavailable as she seemed. Just who is Dorsey MacGuinness? Romantic comedy fans will love this book inside of a book. The humor is extremely witty, the characters are loads of fun, and the romance sizzles. The subplot between Darian's columnist Lucas and Dorsey's co-worker Edie is interesting and engaging and the cloak and dagger techniques Dorsey uses to escape the media are extremely entertaining. All in all, Elizabeth Bevarly trapped my interest and didn't disappoint.(...)
Rating: 
Summary: Reads like a comedy act
Review: The only lasting impression I have of this book is that it read like a script for a sit-com or a stand-up comedy act. It is over-flowing with one-liners, tongue-in-cheek observation, and quirky dialog like "Whoa, baby" and "One hot tomata". I kept expecting to hear a laugh track going off, or a drum roll after the punch line. Humor and comedy can add sparkle and life to a story; but like everything else, when used in excess it just gets monotonous.
Rating:
Summary: Reads like a comedy act
Review: The only lasting impression I have of this book is that it read like a script for a sit-com or a stand-up comedy act. It is over-flowing with one-liners, tongue-in-cheek observation, and quirky dialog like "Whoa, baby" and "One hot tomata". I kept expecting to hear a laugh track going off, or a drum roll after the punch line. Humor and comedy can add sparkle and life to a story; but like everything else, when used in excess it just gets monotonous.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining
Review: The witty language and contemporary characters fascinated me most in this first book I read by Elizabeth Bevarly. The plot may be a bit far-fetched and the reasoning behind some of the character's actions somewhat weak. Also, the sweet but fairly sentimental subplot between Lucas and Edie gave the main couple too heavy a counterweight. But overall the strong and fresh voice of the author and her nevertheless clever musings on the people in corporate America made this book a thoroughly enjoyable read.
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