I loved this book. The intensity between Nick and Stella was instantaneous and it only grew as the story progressed. I don't often find insta-love believable, but I felt it between these two characters throughout the entire story. From the way they met, to discovering things about each other, to their happily ever after, I could not get enough of them together. This was my first by Nicola Rendell and it won't be my last.

Shimmy Bang Sparkle was somewhat different kind of read than we all are probably used to. It was funny and interesting although I couldn't get into it in the beginning. With the time and deeper into the story I kind of got there and started to love the lead characters. Nick and Stella got this hotness around them, they don't even know they radiate it. The attraction is feelable through the pages. Together they work on plan to get Northern Star. They got the plan now it just needs to work....

The story could be described as a modern Robin Hood story with interesting ending, but don't worry good thing takes its time.
I have to say I laughed quite a lot and truly loved this book.

I’m soooooo in love with this book. I love the story, love the characters, love Stella and Nick together and of course Priscilla is such a cutie. This book will definitely give you the feels. I love how much they truly felt for each other and you could feel that as you are reading. I’m so glad I got an arc of this book because it was truly was a gem to read

Shimmy Bang Sparkle was the first book I read written by Nicola Rendell. To be completely honest, I thought this book was going to be something dark and naughty but it ended up being such a cute book to read. From an original plot, to delightful characters and their hilarious banter, to the writing, this book was written with a contemporary romantic reader in mind.

Shimmy Bang Sparkle was my first Nicola Rendell read, and it absolutely will not be my last. It was extremely well written, and while at first glance you may assume it’s just another contemporary romance with a predictable trope, it is not that. It’s very original from the plot, to the banter, to the main characters and the side ones. I think people who enjoy movies like Ocean’s 11/12/13/8 and wish that there was a little bit more heat and romance to the plot will enjoy Shimmy Bang Sparkle. I think Rendell did a good job making both the love story and the heist plot interesting. I was invested in Nick and Stella, and I was on the edge of my seat to see how things would turn out for the story as a whole.

All in all a refreshingly unique contemporary romance read!

Shimmy Bang Sparkle - Nicola Rendell

I loved the blurb for this book, going into it, thinking a little thriller / mystery but was pleasantly surprised by the tone of the book.

A little more romcom with a touch of mystery and a whole lot of naughty.

I loved Stella’s sass and her gentle and kind heart. Her concern for Mr Bozeman was so endearing. Nick’s role in the story as the alpha male, bad boy was perfectly created and executed.

A great story with a fabulously surprising plot, well developed characters and a whole lot of wickedly naughty fun made this a wonderful read. I’ll be seeking out more from Nicola Rendell.

Thank you to the publisher for providing the book through NetGalley.

I quite liked the story! It was different and not really my usual fare, but very well written. The only thing I would have liked was a bit more romance, but overall a very good book! Recommend.

5+ Stars

Okay, I'm going into fangirl mode here because I have read every one of Nicola's book and just when you think she can't possibly write another book better than the last, she goes and blows it out of the water again. This woman writes naughty romance with humour like no other author I know. Her writing is witty, sweet, romantic with that touch of angst thrown in to keep you turning those pages right until the very end. Her words and phrases deliver you right into the heart of the story where you are mesmerised by this ladies marvellous imagination, her very talented way with words and phrases put together to make you swoon, yes ladies swoon - literally !!!

Stella Peretti (yes, even her name is perfect) is part of the Shimmy Shimmy Bang notorious female jewel thieves and is on a mission to complete their biggest heist yet. Stella will let nothing stand in her way, that is until Nick Norton bombards his way into her life, a criminal himself he is just out of prison and is looking for no complications; just an easy ride with his head down trying to keep out of trouble; until he sees Stella that is !!!

I swear the chemistry; the heat between these two people will set the pages of this book on fire, the build up of their relationship is funny, complicated, and perfect with the banter between the pair absolutely legendary. Nick, who at first seems like a normal kind of guy, but the more layers that are revealed, the more we see a different side to Nick, and I totally fell in love with this man. Stella is a goddess with a big heart, determined in all ways and loyal to all she loves. Along with her friends, Roxie and Ruth and a little dog called Priscilla this story literally did sparkle and light up the pages with their antics.

Absolute total perfection. This book will have you smiling wide, swooning hard and will make your heart smile.
#gobitethestars !!!

As far as I’m concerned, Nicola Rendell’s writing is pretty near perfection, and with every new book, I love her a little more. Her writing transports me into the story with every gorgeously written scene, her beautiful phrases, vivid imagery, exciting action, and some of the best damn dialogue out there. Shimmy Bang Sparkle once again illustrates just how talented this author is at creating tightly written, cleverly crafted stories that will have you biting your nails in anticipation, clutching your heart at the suspense, and swooning over the chemistry between Nick and Stella.
Stella … her heart of gold radiates so much love for her roommates, her elderly neighbor, the precious little Priscilla, and best of all, the underdog. Watching her mind work is pure entertainment!
Nick … at first glance, he’s a straightforward kind of guy. But the more time he and Stella spend together, the more Nick reveals of himself and his past. What a sigh-worthy man! I couldn’t stop thinking, “I want me one of those!”
Shimmy Bang Sparkle is a gazillion carat diamond of charming, quirky, swoony, delicious romance that you will absolutely adore!

Go Out There and Bite the Stars

One: Be Smart.
Two: Do it for a damned good reason.
Three: Never take more than you need.

Stella and her best friends Ruth and Roxie are the Shimmy Shimmy Bangs – the lady Robin Hoods of the American Southwest, straddling the line between unknown and notorious—and they’re planning one last heist. The North Star.

A jewel thief fresh out of jail trying to stay on the straight and narrow, Nick Norton never wants to be caught with stolen jewels again. That all goes out the window when he falls hard for Stella. When their plans go sideways and Ruth and Roxie end up out of commission, can Nick be the pinch hitter they need to complete the job?

Shimmy Bang Sparkle just stole a spot as one of my favorite books ever! It’s that fantastic. Stella, Nick, and Priscilla had me constantly smiling. It has everything from lasagna to larceny, with laugh-out-loud humor, fun characters, an original story line, great writing, off the charts sexiness, plus all the cleavage and sparkle you could want—and not just the jewels!

“Find someone who makes you want to saddle up and ride off into the sunset. Find someone who makes you so happy you could just about cry.”

I adore Nick and Stella, and I love how Nicola Rendell always incorporates a four-legged friend like Priscilla, and makes them just as much an integral part of the story as the main and secondary characters. Plus she’s such a cutie patootie, how could you not love her!? Nicola Rendell has definitely made me so happy I could just about cry with how much I love the characters in Shimmy Bang Sparkle. I never thought anything could top Max, Rosie, Cupcake and Julia Caesar, but Nick, Stella and Priscilla stole the top spot in my heart!

The perfect book if you’re looking for a fun read with heat, heart and humor.

Is" Jewelry Heist Romance" a thing? If not maybe it should be! This book was so much fun! I am not new to Nicola Rendell and if I'm being honest she has yet to disappoint me with anything she has written. Shimmy Bang Sparkle is a contemporary romance stand-alone in dual POVs. Our heroine is Stella. She is sweet, funny, and a bit quirky. But Stella has surprising secret side. Our hero, Nick is fresh out of jail. Gonna try to walk the straight and narrow for the first time in practically ever. I love the way these two meet. I love Stella's big heart and her devious ( criminal?) side as well. Nick is a great hero. A muscled, tatted bad boy ( maybe former bad boy?) These two have quite the crazy (criminal?) adventure on their way to finding love. This book had a bit of everything....suspense, humor, and a sweet heartfelt romance. And the heat? This is five flame smoking hot deliciousness! Great read!

Shimmy Bang Sparkle was a great read! I loved Stella and Nick! They had amazing chemistry from the beginning and scorching sexy scenes! I loved their relationship! I loved Priscilla, she was so adorable! This was sweet and funny!

I loved this book so much. It was such a fun heist romance story! Their connection was great and you seriously swoon over Nick almost every moment. So much fun! Can't wait to read more by Rendell.

This is my first Nicola Rendell book and I have to say I enjoyed reading this. It is definitely worth checking out

I read this book because I really wanted something different. I know what I like and can sometimes overload on the same type of story. This book is definitely out of the realm of my usual preferences and in a lot of ways that worked against it as I discovered that I am really not a fan of heist plot lines. I found myself skimming all of the action. The romance was a little insta-lovey for my tastes but I understand that some things would have to suffer in order to focus on the caper.

I am glad that I read this book though because it really showcases Nicola Rendell's writing. It was detailed and descriptive, well paced, and full of both humor and emotion. I have a couple of her other books already waiting on my Kindle and I will moving them up to the top of my TBR.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

A sexy crime caper, Shimmy Bang Smile sees jewel thief Stella meet up with recovering criminal Nick, and they team up for One Last Job. The heat is there, from the beginning, and it’s all very illicit and also explicit and that part is hot. The dual narrative is interesting, and there is a very distinct difference in their voices, which is well done. But it all takes a turn for the very conventional at the end, and the story wraps up with so much sugar it might give you diabetes. – Glory Martin

This review appears in Romantic Intentions Quarterly #2, out July 3.

This well written book about two jewel thieves took me on heart felt adventure where you feel how wonderful it is to be in love, to look at the world thru rose colored glasses just because this person exists. Is there any greater feeling?

Nick a harden criminal just got out of jail when he saw Stella thru a jewelry store window. He went in to tell her that her cell phone had fallen out of her purse but instead was drawn into her ingenious con. That was it, he had met the woman of his dreams. If they can just pull off just one more big job they would be set for life. The supporting characters and the little dog Priscilla add a very special personal touch to the story.

Things don't always go as planned and dreams have a way of changing. This romance is fill of twists and turns and plenty of surprises that will keep you entertained till the last page.

Nicola Rendall is a master at creating a visionary, emotional experience for her readers. Her characters come to life, you hear the sounds, see the colors, smell the smells etc... A must read!

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy provide by Montlake Romance/NetGalley.

This was my first book by Nicola Rendell, but it won't be my last. I enjoyed the banter and chemistry between Nick and Stella. I loved learning about their individual backstories and why they chose the life they did. The chemistry between Nick and Stella was off the charts and so hot! Learning the backstory about the Shimmy Bang Sparkle trio was intriguing. Hopefully there will be a story for Roxie and Ruth as well! The last little bit with the actual heist got a bit complicated to follow (but that happens with a lot of heisty movies too). I'm sure once I re-read the book it will make more sense to me. Overall a great book!
**ARC Provided by NetGalley. All opinions are my own.**

This was pretty fun. It’s not everyday you get to read about jewel thiefs. Nick and Stella are not only super sexy together, they make a great couple. Great chemistry. There were a couple of times they made me chuckle. Sure, there was some silly parts here and there, but it made the story entertaining. I loved the details on the jobs they pulled off, it was really clever. If this were a movie, I would totally watch it. It has like an Ocean’s 8 feel but there’s only 3 of them. I hope we see more of the Shimmy Shimmy Bangs!

Rated 3.5 Stars

Shimmy Bang Sparkle was cute, sweet and naughty. I expected it to be dark and seedy because the hero and heroine were both jewel thieves, there were dark and seedy elements to it but it was overall pretty light. That wasn't the only surprising thing about it. I liked that the hero embarrassed himself in front of the heroine the first time they met, it's usually the other way around. They had this strong rapport from the very beginning that I enjoyed.

All in all I found it enjoyable and would recommend to those looking for a light, easy read.