This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨


First Impressions
So in the Hidden Moon I was able to buddy read this one with "Whiskey In The Jar" and it was blast doing so. I really loved the way in which we were able to do this together. This is an author I have been meaning to read much more of but honestly just kept forgetting about and now that I have read this one, she is definitely going to become much more of a priority. Because while this wasn't a perfect romance....it was a very well written story and I want to do much more of these and honestly I love this setting and era and not many authors write in it, in fact, very few do. And it had such genuine diversity in it and not any of that race swap so many authors do these days now.

First Line
At night, the imperial captal became a place of lanterns and shadows.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Gao
The Heroine: Wei Wei Bai

Summary
Lady Bai, Wei-wei is the only girl in her family and is completely devoted to her family. But there is a part of her that yearns for something more than what is expected of her from family and societal expectations. When her brother gets caught up in a murder mystery involving some high officials of the Emperor, she keeps running in the rogue of the underground....Gao. There is not much known about Gao or even if he is truly trustworthy, but Wei Wei knows that she can trust him. He is like a steady rock in a flowing stream that keeps her steady and balanced. Through a course of events Gao and Wei Wei work together to solve a mystery.....but will they be able to solve the mystery and even more importantly find their way against the boundaries that keep them apart from investing in anything more serious than a platonic relationship?

What I Loved
I really experienced such a fun time with "The Hidden Moon". This is a story its better to know the amount of the romance level that you will be experiencing though. Keep in mind that the romance isn't necessarily the focus of the book....its more the mystery that drives the plot, the romance felt more in the back but there is still a good focus of it....however romance readers that expect the romance to be full frontal of the story will need to be prepared for the aspects of it here. I would say its 1/2 mystery and 1/2 romance. It felt split between the two elements but the way the author brings it all together really works very well. o

She is a fascinating author and I loved how she captured the culture and history so well in this one. You can tell she definitely does her research and writes so well a story that is detailed and vivid in the details. I felt the chemistry between our pair very quickly. Every moment that they are together were honestly my favorite moments of the book. Yeah the mystery was kinda cool and I liked how it kept me guessing. But what really motivated me to stick with this book was the love story that was building between Gao and Wei Wei. I was really impressed with the heroine. Because even though she did have some bluestocking tendancies, she also still retained her femininity and softness and care she had for others. I loved her thoughtful and graceful nature, how meticulous her intelligence is and how attentive she is of those around her. The hero is a bit of a rake, he has worked in the underground of the city and doesn't have a super clean white past. He has a ruggedness about him.....like a jungle cat. The way in which he fights for Wei Wei was really beautiful. And the third act was the best part of the book!!! LOVED how they reached their HEA .....truly satisfying.

What I Struggled With
My issue was while the mystery was nice....it was too focused in the story. I definitely wanted more romance in this book. I loved their connection, and just wanted more of it and felt like it could have been a bit more focused but I know this is the writing style of this author. But also the pacing when in and out in parts and lost my attention at times. It was really when the romance was happening I was full alert....the mystery aspects did drag a bit.

Overall View
The Hidden Moon is a story that will instantly capture your attention, it digs deep into the vivid portrayal of the setting, will inspire the reader to use their imagination involving the mystery and will keep you on your toes from beginning to end!

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Historical Romance, China-Tang Dynasty
Character Types: Bluestocking, Teacher/Tudor
Themes: Mutual Pining, Danger/Suspense, Holy Grail Mystery
Tropes: Forbidden Love, Class Difference

Book Perspective
3rd POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Both

If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Anna Lee Huber
Amanda Quick
Lauren Willig

Recommendation For Reading Order
You can read as a standalone if needed

Steam/Spice Explanations

Simmering cup of tea---soft warm touches and light intimacy
Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
Blazing fire to the building-The prime focus is the sex scenes, scorching hot, and could burn one. Less focus on the emotional intimacy to the relationship.