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Can I be your favourite?
Charismatic. Funny. Good looking.
He’s living on top of the world, the King Midas of London. An existence of abundance, and yet something’s missing.
After the worst night of her life, she turned into a ghost of herself, even once
finding herself on top of a building ready to jump. With trauma being her only companion, living a normal life became impossible.
He’s the personification of sunlight, she’s haunted by darkness.
They should have never met and yet, fate had other plans.
But is love really enough when all odds are against you?
Does the King get to crown his queen in the end?
This book is only intended for a mature audience of eighteen or older.
He’s living on top of the world, the King Midas of London. An existence of abundance, and yet something’s missing.
After the worst night of her life, she turned into a ghost of herself, even once
finding herself on top of a building ready to jump. With trauma being her only companion, living a normal life became impossible.
He’s the personification of sunlight, she’s haunted by darkness.
They should have never met and yet, fate had other plans.
But is love really enough when all odds are against you?
Does the King get to crown his queen in the end?
This book is only intended for a mature audience of eighteen or older.
622 pages, Hardcover
Published April 1, 2025
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 31, 2025
Thank you Cleo Orleans for this ARC
What a beautiful book. I truly wasn’t prepared for everything this story would make me feel.
Cleo Orléans’ writing is exceptionally delicate. Poetic without being forced, intense without being overdone. With every page, I felt like I was reading something unique—something overflowing with emotion and truth.
The biggest highlight for me was the way the relationship between the protagonists develops. Ivy and Jon aren’t just two characters who fall in love—they build a bond based on trust, respect, and care. And that takes time. The slow burn here is essential, not just for the plot but for the depth of their emotions. Every conversation, every glance, every step they take holds real meaning.
Ivy is an incredibly well-crafted character. Her pain, her insecurities, her sharp humor—everything about her feels authentic. Jon, on the other hand, is one of those rare characters in romance fiction: he understands boundaries, he respects Ivy’s pace, he is present without overstepping.
This is a book about trauma, about rediscovering who you are, and about finding love in a way that doesn’t suffocate but embraces. It was an intense and emotional read, and without a doubt, one of the most unforgettable I’ve ever experienced.
What a beautiful book. I truly wasn’t prepared for everything this story would make me feel.
Cleo Orléans’ writing is exceptionally delicate. Poetic without being forced, intense without being overdone. With every page, I felt like I was reading something unique—something overflowing with emotion and truth.
The biggest highlight for me was the way the relationship between the protagonists develops. Ivy and Jon aren’t just two characters who fall in love—they build a bond based on trust, respect, and care. And that takes time. The slow burn here is essential, not just for the plot but for the depth of their emotions. Every conversation, every glance, every step they take holds real meaning.
Ivy is an incredibly well-crafted character. Her pain, her insecurities, her sharp humor—everything about her feels authentic. Jon, on the other hand, is one of those rare characters in romance fiction: he understands boundaries, he respects Ivy’s pace, he is present without overstepping.
This is a book about trauma, about rediscovering who you are, and about finding love in a way that doesn’t suffocate but embraces. It was an intense and emotional read, and without a doubt, one of the most unforgettable I’ve ever experienced.
September 19, 2025
A very unique and memorable story
"Treasure and Temptation" or "Can I be your Favourite?" is the second book of the Decadent Sinners Trilogy, but it doesn't requires you to read the first part, although it improves the feeling of being connected with the world and the side characters. What you will find in-between these pages is a story created with passion and emotions. Cleo Orléans tells the story in the only way it should have been - from the eyes of Ivy, our protagonist, who we find in a very dark place, suffering from her trauma, even years after. I could feel her being detached from life, as if she was still stuck in a body no longer listening to the impulses coming from her brain. As the story progresses, she learns to like herself again, JC, the man she slowly falls in love with, supporting her over her journey. None of them saves the other, they grow together in a natural and very touching quest to overcome their pain. JC has been framed and outmaneuvered, a situation at work has put him in a position that will destroy him soon, and there's nothing he can do, except wait for his unknown executioner to bring an end to it. Which would only lead to prison or even worse.
The story features throwbacks to her past, which lets you experience how much Ivy has changed. The author has chosen two stylistic devices, which make her story stand out. The First are the throwbacks, which sometimes take you out of the present at the wrong time. Sometimes, especially in the first half of the book, I had little struggles to remember if the current flashback takes place before the last flashback, or if all the flashbacks are in chronological order. There are dates to identify, so maybe I should have paid more attention to the timeline. The second stylistic device was the multiple personas of Ivy. "Before-Ivy, Now-Ivy and Trauma" are like Ghosts, following our main character wherever she goes. They sometimes stop Ivy from saying what she wants to say, whispering foul things into her ears, that she will never be worthy of love again, that she is a dirty and disgusting thing, that shouldn't be allowed to exist, forget be with a caring and good person like JC. They make it impossible for her to realise, that he fell in love with her a long time ago. As a reader I wanted to shake her by the shoulders and tell her "You sweet confused thing, why can't you see what's in front of your eyes??!!" For it does feel so satisfyingly well written, when she finally realises she can heal, she can love again, and has always been deserving of it.
The aesthetics of the book are Top Class. The removable cover truly mirrors how Ivy felt, how she's a walking dead, with some fractions of her golden self leaking. But is it herself melting to be fully golden again, or the last bit of her soul leaking out of her before she really has no life left in her? I guess it's up for interpretation. But it was the Peacock Hardcover, that took the top spot. One of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen.
Honestly, I struggle to find things I didn't like about the book. I am disappointed, that the author decided to change the name from "Can I be your Favourite?" to "Treasure & Temptation", as the first one is not only much more fitting to the story, it also sounds less generic. I am very happy my version got the better title. I did notice a little more grammar mistakes or missing words than in most books, the author did a better job in that regard in the first book.
And there were shipping problems with the hardcover book on release. It took quite some time for it to reach its destination, but it's now a long time ago. These problems are surely fixed by now, and it's nothing the book or the author should be judged for. Although she might want to consider changing the supplier, if her supplier has a past of shipping problems, as these probably stopped people from ordering the most beautiful version of the book.
It's a clear 4,5/5. Love the way it played out, it is a long story, but at no moment it feels like filler. It's as long as it needs to be, one more sign of a really great work. I like both characters even more than the protagonists of the first one!
Well done Cleo Orléans!
"Treasure and Temptation" or "Can I be your Favourite?" is the second book of the Decadent Sinners Trilogy, but it doesn't requires you to read the first part, although it improves the feeling of being connected with the world and the side characters. What you will find in-between these pages is a story created with passion and emotions. Cleo Orléans tells the story in the only way it should have been - from the eyes of Ivy, our protagonist, who we find in a very dark place, suffering from her trauma, even years after. I could feel her being detached from life, as if she was still stuck in a body no longer listening to the impulses coming from her brain. As the story progresses, she learns to like herself again, JC, the man she slowly falls in love with, supporting her over her journey. None of them saves the other, they grow together in a natural and very touching quest to overcome their pain. JC has been framed and outmaneuvered, a situation at work has put him in a position that will destroy him soon, and there's nothing he can do, except wait for his unknown executioner to bring an end to it. Which would only lead to prison or even worse.
The story features throwbacks to her past, which lets you experience how much Ivy has changed. The author has chosen two stylistic devices, which make her story stand out. The First are the throwbacks, which sometimes take you out of the present at the wrong time. Sometimes, especially in the first half of the book, I had little struggles to remember if the current flashback takes place before the last flashback, or if all the flashbacks are in chronological order. There are dates to identify, so maybe I should have paid more attention to the timeline. The second stylistic device was the multiple personas of Ivy. "Before-Ivy, Now-Ivy and Trauma" are like Ghosts, following our main character wherever she goes. They sometimes stop Ivy from saying what she wants to say, whispering foul things into her ears, that she will never be worthy of love again, that she is a dirty and disgusting thing, that shouldn't be allowed to exist, forget be with a caring and good person like JC. They make it impossible for her to realise, that he fell in love with her a long time ago. As a reader I wanted to shake her by the shoulders and tell her "You sweet confused thing, why can't you see what's in front of your eyes??!!" For it does feel so satisfyingly well written, when she finally realises she can heal, she can love again, and has always been deserving of it.
The aesthetics of the book are Top Class. The removable cover truly mirrors how Ivy felt, how she's a walking dead, with some fractions of her golden self leaking. But is it herself melting to be fully golden again, or the last bit of her soul leaking out of her before she really has no life left in her? I guess it's up for interpretation. But it was the Peacock Hardcover, that took the top spot. One of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen.
Honestly, I struggle to find things I didn't like about the book. I am disappointed, that the author decided to change the name from "Can I be your Favourite?" to "Treasure & Temptation", as the first one is not only much more fitting to the story, it also sounds less generic. I am very happy my version got the better title. I did notice a little more grammar mistakes or missing words than in most books, the author did a better job in that regard in the first book.
And there were shipping problems with the hardcover book on release. It took quite some time for it to reach its destination, but it's now a long time ago. These problems are surely fixed by now, and it's nothing the book or the author should be judged for. Although she might want to consider changing the supplier, if her supplier has a past of shipping problems, as these probably stopped people from ordering the most beautiful version of the book.
It's a clear 4,5/5. Love the way it played out, it is a long story, but at no moment it feels like filler. It's as long as it needs to be, one more sign of a really great work. I like both characters even more than the protagonists of the first one!
Well done Cleo Orléans!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2025
I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars. trigger warning mentions and has rape flashbacks, ptsd,anxiety,panicattacks etc.
As someone who has my own ptsd from sa (different from main character getting spiked) this book made me feel seen, heard and more importantly understood. I was very apprehensive reading this as not all authors handle the subject well or turn it into a kink or something. that is not this book!
But read it i did (I'm the stubborn kind mentioned in the book as the person who won't let that bad person take anything more from me and influence me.
Reading the journey of her moving past her anxiety and panic attacks, growing and talking about what she feels, hears, triggers I just wanted to annotate so I can give this to someone and say "this is me, this is what goes through my head in those moments ". It's a struggle getting passed the feeling of not being worthy, of being seen as something other than a victim but also giving us space to get through those same feelings when needed.
Cleo, you are now officially one of my all time favourite authors and I can't wait to buy a real book of this to start annotations (which i truly hate haha). I'm so glad you put out a call on threads asking why out of 70 arcs only 2 people left reviews and asking for new people to read. this literally had no influence over me as generally I only leave short reviews as I want people to decide for themselves if a book is worth reading without influence from reviews. This book is different and I will tell everyone and anyone I can to read it given the chance. not only people who have experienced this and are further in their journey and can handle it but also as a tool for anyone who has thought I wonder what my friend/relation feels at that moment
As someone who has my own ptsd from sa (different from main character getting spiked) this book made me feel seen, heard and more importantly understood. I was very apprehensive reading this as not all authors handle the subject well or turn it into a kink or something. that is not this book!
But read it i did (I'm the stubborn kind mentioned in the book as the person who won't let that bad person take anything more from me and influence me.
Reading the journey of her moving past her anxiety and panic attacks, growing and talking about what she feels, hears, triggers I just wanted to annotate so I can give this to someone and say "this is me, this is what goes through my head in those moments ". It's a struggle getting passed the feeling of not being worthy, of being seen as something other than a victim but also giving us space to get through those same feelings when needed.
Cleo, you are now officially one of my all time favourite authors and I can't wait to buy a real book of this to start annotations (which i truly hate haha). I'm so glad you put out a call on threads asking why out of 70 arcs only 2 people left reviews and asking for new people to read. this literally had no influence over me as generally I only leave short reviews as I want people to decide for themselves if a book is worth reading without influence from reviews. This book is different and I will tell everyone and anyone I can to read it given the chance. not only people who have experienced this and are further in their journey and can handle it but also as a tool for anyone who has thought I wonder what my friend/relation feels at that moment
March 27, 2025
Can I Be Your Favourite? is a quiet triumph in trauma-informed romance. It is one of the most beautifully crafted books I’ve read. Cleo Orléans's writing is the stunning masterpice I've come to expect: raw, lyrical, and emotionally resonant without ever feeling forced or overwrought. Every sentence feels intentional, every metaphor layered with meaning. It’s the kind of prose that doesn’t just tell a story- it pulls you into it.
What sets this book apart is how it handles trauma and healing with such nuance and care. Ivy (our FMC) is sharp, introspective, and painfully real. Her internal monologue is a masterclass in character voice- equal parts heartbreaking and darkly humorous. And Jon is a refreshingly grounded and emotionally intelligent love interest who never oversteps but always shows up.
This is not your typical romance. It’s slow-burn in the best way- focused on rebuilding trust, rediscovering identity, and finding safety in love. The relationship between Ivy and Jon is tender, consent-driven, and deeply respectful, making their emotional and physical intimacy all the more powerful.
If you're someone who appreciates brilliant writing, deeply developed characters, and a story that prioritizes emotional truth over cheap drama, this book is a must add to your TBR. Don't let the page count intimidate you- it's worth every moment and absolutely unforgettable. Can I Be Your Favorite? Yes. Yes, you can.
What sets this book apart is how it handles trauma and healing with such nuance and care. Ivy (our FMC) is sharp, introspective, and painfully real. Her internal monologue is a masterclass in character voice- equal parts heartbreaking and darkly humorous. And Jon is a refreshingly grounded and emotionally intelligent love interest who never oversteps but always shows up.
This is not your typical romance. It’s slow-burn in the best way- focused on rebuilding trust, rediscovering identity, and finding safety in love. The relationship between Ivy and Jon is tender, consent-driven, and deeply respectful, making their emotional and physical intimacy all the more powerful.
If you're someone who appreciates brilliant writing, deeply developed characters, and a story that prioritizes emotional truth over cheap drama, this book is a must add to your TBR. Don't let the page count intimidate you- it's worth every moment and absolutely unforgettable. Can I Be Your Favorite? Yes. Yes, you can.
April 7, 2025
5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2/5🌶️🌶️
What to Expect:
🌿Opposites Attract
💛Mental Health Rep
🌿Trauma Healing
💛He Falls First
🌿Touch Her &
💛Suspense
🌿Dark Romance
Can I Be Your Favorite? by Cleo Orléans is a quiet, breathtaking triumph—a trauma-informed romance that wraps you in its raw beauty from the very first page. Ivy and Jon’s story unfolds with aching patience(cue EPIC SLOW BURN), prioritizing trust, healing, and emotional safety in a way that feels both tender and revolutionary.
Ivy is a sharp, introspective FMC whose voice is equal parts heartbreaking and funny with dark humor, making her one of the most authentic (and very relatable) characters I’ve ever read. Her journey through trauma, finding herself, and healing is deeply personal, yet totally resonant. Jon, in contrast, is a refreshingly grounded love interest—emotionally intelligent, respectful of boundaries, and unwaveringly present–basically a walking green flag. Together, they build a connection rooted in trust and mutual care, proving that real intimacy starts with safety.
Every sentence was crafted with complete intention, weaving a narrative that’s as poetic as it is profoundly human. This isn’t just a love story—it’s a masterpiece of empathy, character depth, and the quiet power of being truly seen.
2/5🌶️🌶️
What to Expect:
🌿Opposites Attract
💛Mental Health Rep
🌿Trauma Healing
💛He Falls First
🌿Touch Her &
💛Suspense
🌿Dark Romance
Can I Be Your Favorite? by Cleo Orléans is a quiet, breathtaking triumph—a trauma-informed romance that wraps you in its raw beauty from the very first page. Ivy and Jon’s story unfolds with aching patience(cue EPIC SLOW BURN), prioritizing trust, healing, and emotional safety in a way that feels both tender and revolutionary.
Ivy is a sharp, introspective FMC whose voice is equal parts heartbreaking and funny with dark humor, making her one of the most authentic (and very relatable) characters I’ve ever read. Her journey through trauma, finding herself, and healing is deeply personal, yet totally resonant. Jon, in contrast, is a refreshingly grounded love interest—emotionally intelligent, respectful of boundaries, and unwaveringly present–basically a walking green flag. Together, they build a connection rooted in trust and mutual care, proving that real intimacy starts with safety.
Every sentence was crafted with complete intention, weaving a narrative that’s as poetic as it is profoundly human. This isn’t just a love story—it’s a masterpiece of empathy, character depth, and the quiet power of being truly seen.
May 24, 2025
📚Book Review📚
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm so glad I buckled in for this 15hour read🙈
It was sooo worth it! I love the characters and the journey they go on and how they grow, I laughed cried and over all felt the happiness in this story ❤️
Definitely worth a read!
#arccopy #arecreview #bookdragon #kindlebooks #book #bookarc #booksbooksbooks #booknerd #bookstagramuk🇬🇧 #bookstagram
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm so glad I buckled in for this 15hour read🙈
It was sooo worth it! I love the characters and the journey they go on and how they grow, I laughed cried and over all felt the happiness in this story ❤️
Definitely worth a read!
#arccopy #arecreview #bookdragon #kindlebooks #book #bookarc #booksbooksbooks #booknerd #bookstagramuk🇬🇧 #bookstagram
June 17, 2025
amazing story, and loved how great and patient Jon was. however, dome stuff was getting a bit repetitive and it could've been a bit shorter of a book. but amazing nonetheless. loved it
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews