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I was the golden child. The one all the Cerberus guys looked up to. I was on my way to becoming the next career Marine.

But after my last deployment to Syria, being a Marine was no longer an option.

Unfortunately, my not so honorable discharge from the Corps didn’t get rid of the demons created while I was enlisted.

Not even my childhood friend can save me. I’ll destroy her just like I destroyed everything else I touched.

205 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 8, 2019

1044 people are currently reading
647 people want to read

About the author

Marie James

103 books2,918 followers
Marie James is a mother of two boys and wife of 17 years. She's spent most of her life lifetime living in central Texas, with only short stays in South Carolina, Alabama, and Florida. Her passions include reading everything under the sun and sewing, although she doesn't get to sew much these days!.

Writing has always been a passion and she's enjoying every step of the journey!

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5 stars
1,423 (58%)
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689 (28%)
3 stars
280 (11%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 218 reviews
Profile Image for Jac K.
2,537 reviews498 followers
February 24, 2021
Welp, that was a disappointment. Griffin was the original kid; his mom Misty showed up on Shadow’s door with a newborn in tow. (Jasmine might be older, but he was there first😊) Griffin gets into some trouble and is discharged from the Marines, and he comes home a raging alcoholic. Ivy has loved Griffin forever, but he’s always checked out her slutty sister Gigi. I’m just going to spoiler tag the rest…
Profile Image for Nerdy Dirty & Flirty.
3,985 reviews362 followers
August 9, 2019
description
Marie James is freaking amazing. The words she writes are freaking magic. Like how I initially didn't like Griffin. The way he acted and the things he said when he first came home had me not being a big fan of his. But his pain and hurt struck a chord. He was clearly messed up over what he'd done. And it was just written in such a moving way that by the end I loved him. That's the kind of magic in her writing. Griffin was just one of the things I loved. Ivy was so much stronger and kinder and just amazing then I thought possible. The previous books gave mere glimpses of her but this was so much more. This whole story left me with that satisfied and happy feeling that I generally get after finishing a book by Marie James. It was full of so much emotion and touched on sensitive subjects but in a way that clearly showed care and respect.

After finishing this I'm so very excited to see what more she has in-store for readers in her Cerberus series.
Profile Image for Shannon Blackwell-williams.
101 reviews27 followers
April 19, 2023
Loved everything about this book!! Marie just never disappoints, she’s an amazing author!

Outstanding characters, realistic problems & trials & HEA.... what more could you ask for?! Sexy men!! And you got ‘em!

Loved everything Griffin & Ivy, even if it made me cry.
Profile Image for Chrissy.
1,390 reviews62 followers
September 8, 2019
Entertaining, but not the best in the series

I don’t think this was the strongest Cerberus MC book I’ve read. It was pretty predictable and didn’t have much building up of tension. The style of writing was easy and natural but I just didn’t feel there was much of a plot and to be honest, Griffin was a bit of an idiot.

Griffin and Ivy grew up together in the MC but they weren’t really friends. Ivy always had a huge crush on Griffin and never really looked at any other man, despite being away at college for two years.

Griffin went into the marines when Ivy was 16 and then when she was 18 she went away to college in Rhode Island, hundreds of miles away. They didn’t really see each other until Griffin got discharged from the marines and Ivy came home to see if he was ok.

Griffin was going through some severe trauma but I really didn’t like the way he treated Ivy initially. Ivy was sweet and naive, how that happened when she grew up in an MC I don’t know, but that was the character. He went out of his way to shock her and push her away in the most unpleasant way possible rather than telling her straight that he wasn’t in the right place to be anything to her.

I also felt that Ivy was too forgiving, but that is just my personality and I wouldn’t make the choices she made so it annoyed me a bit. However, the choices she made were consistent with the way her character was written, so I can’t complain too much. I just thought that even though she initially stood her ground, she did let him get away with a lot.

So like I said, not my favourite Cerberus MC book, but as I enjoyed the rest, I’d probably pick up the next in the series when it comes out.
Profile Image for Jenny B.
1,297 reviews29 followers
August 9, 2019
It feels like ages since reading a Marie James book and this book did not disappoint me at all. I absolutely loved this book and how the author really gets into the minds of the characters. I feel as if I am right there with the characters and in the midst of their good times and struggles. Griffin has always wanted to be a Marine, grew up got his wish and then things went awry. He is struggling after being discharged and Ivy (one of his childhood friends who has had a crush on him forever) is there trying to help.

This book really puts these characters through a mental and emotional journey and has left me longing to read through this again. I love these characters and the other characters who come into play (which I have read about over the years) makes me feel even more at home with this book
Profile Image for Kylee.
3,009 reviews57 followers
August 10, 2019
Have loved this series from the beginning and as we head more and more into the second generation my attachment to this series grows stronger. Griffin is drowning in guilt, shame and nightmares but can his childhood friend and the one that has loved him from afar be his saviour. In true Cerberus MC fashion this family will show their strength, love and loyalty to Griffin even when he fights them every inch of the way. Griffin and Ivy’s story is eye opening as he finally sees the girl that is now a woman before him. Their story to happiness is hard and at times you want to dislike Griffin but the torment that plagues will have you cheering for him to have his pleas for help heard. A story that is highly emotional that will cause your heart to ache, appreciate our servicemen and have you falling in love right along side these two.
Profile Image for Courtney Turner.
1,716 reviews4 followers
August 8, 2019
Okay so first off I have to say gawd I waited so long for this book and hands down Marie James delivered with it!

Next in the agenda is Griffin. Oh I didn’t like him at the beginning! I knew he was going through a lot but how he treated Ivy?! Gawd I wanted to punch him! But I still loved him and I new he would redeem himself and he did.

Ivy was an angel through all of this book and you can’t help but fall in love with her sweet and loving nature. I found this book was addictive right from the start. And impossible to put down till the very end.

Hands down Griffin is my favourite book of 2019. And I can’t wait to see what else Marie has for us this year!

The Cerberus 2.0 has been epically amazing and addictive and I can’t wait for the next book in this series.
Profile Image for Tracey Vuolo.
736 reviews18 followers
August 8, 2019
Marie James is back in the game with Griffin. I missed this MC series. I read this story in one sitting and was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how the drama would unfold. Griffin was such a tortured soul and Ivy was his only light. I loved this couple. I could feel their pain and frustration. I adored Ivy’s dad and the conversation he had with Griffin. Marie this book is full of regret, devastation, hope, strength and unwavering love and this couple a match made in heaven.


Tracey, Life Reads With Friends
Profile Image for MandaC86.
1,283 reviews6 followers
November 15, 2022
Slow

This one was a little slow there was plenty of chance for something faster to happen with hi commanding officer but it wasn't even touched it was a missed opportunity I think there needs to be something added to this book but I can't put my finger on it
Profile Image for Rose.
1,455 reviews15 followers
December 14, 2022
Loved Griffin and Ivy!

This book was different than I expected but I definitely enjoyed it. I loved that Ivy may have been very quiet but she had a backbone and she knew how to stand up for herself when she had to. I look forward to getting to know more of the family.
Profile Image for Ana Rita.
1,773 reviews41 followers
August 10, 2019
It’s been so long since I’ve read a book from this lady and I missed her. She has written one of my favorite MC series and since that day, my interested in this genre grew even more.
Marie James knows what she’s doing. Her book will make you scream not only in fear but also smile with joy and will melt a few panties on the way… Just have a look for yourself and you’ll see.
Griffin is her latest release and it’s the eight-book from the Cerberus MC 2.0 Second Generation… But if you want to know these series start from the beginning. Read Cerberus MC series first and only then grab 2.0 Second Generation l. I can guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.
This new book explores the lives of Griffin and Ivy.
Griffin was supposed to follow his career in the Marines but his last tour crushed him and made him leave the marines behind. Now he had a bunch of demons chasing him and…
Ivy has been in love with Griffith getting for so long that she can’t precise the date. Being the daughter of the MC president she’s well guarded but sometimes love speaks louder. When Griffin returns she only has one thought. To be with him, no matter what, and help him the best way she can. But sometimes…
Mesmerizing… This is the word that popped into my head when this book was over.
You know that I’m an MC fanatic and Marie James has given us this series that will rock your world. Each book is magnificent and this new one was so much better.
Perfect plot, very well written, super engaging and intense.
It’s amazing what a traumatic experience can make to your mind. One minute you think you’re OK and the next everything crashes down. Just like that.
Sometimes you might want to run away or even die but life has other ideas and sometimes…
I’ve been wanting to read ghee two stores for so long that I was afraid to be disappointed but when this book ended o wanted to slap myself… Seriously? How could I doubt this author…
It was amazing to have news from the other main characters. It was perfect.
I need to make you see that this series is to die for and that you must read both series. Just trust me.
Marie James… You can’t disappoint. Your words have the ability to lift my heart but with a flick of a page, you can make me cry.
You are amazing and I can’t wait for Samson’s story to arrive.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Profile Image for JoAnna G.
677 reviews9 followers
August 12, 2019
This is book seven in this series and also it's the kids so a spin-off of sorts. I have been waiting on pins and needles for this book since I first read about Griffen previously. He had an edge to him. This book is emotional and has some triggers for some. Get ready for Griffen and Ivy.

As I said I read the original series and I read all about their parents. Now we get the kids. We have Ivy, who is young and naive in a way, as well as quiet and stays in the background. She is always overlooked by her twin sister Gigi, the outgoing one, who wants to be seen an heard.

Griffen is a marine that has been sent home. He never saw ivy the way she wanted him to see her. Now that he is home he is trying to keep his distance. He doesn't think he is what is needed for Ivy. The marines changed him. He has seen and done things that no one should have to witness. It changed him. He is now home and hiding from everyone. Hos friends as well as his family. He just doesn't want to face them. He is a broken man with some incredible demons.

These two. The chemistry all of it. I loved them. I loved the naivety of Ivy and I loved how Griffen treats her, later. He never really thought about her in the sense of a lover, though he always saw her watching. They grew up together. No matter how he pushes her away she is his balm. SHe can center him just by her presence. I love love loved this book.

This book is the rollercoaster of emotions. I loved it, as I said. It was everything I thought it would be and more. I was drawn in and I am so loving reading about the kids. Then we, at the same time get to read about the parents through their kids. It is like revisiting. Ivy has always had a thing for Griffen. Her parents, as well as he could see it in the works. I loved both sets of parents. These men are alpha males with a soft heart for their families and the woman they love.

Always looking forward to more in this series. It was a fantastic read.

Profile Image for Jennifer Pierson.
11.7k reviews188 followers
August 10, 2019
I'm not sure how Marie James keeps penning all these original stories surrounding the Cerberus MC, but she does a brilliant job keeping them fresh, and I'll NEVER EVER get enough! This is the story of Griffin & Ivy, two kids belonging to members of Cerberus MC. Griffin was a proud Marine, until he took an order from his commanding officer which led to him ultimately coming home in shame & disgrace. He suffered badly, drinking all the time to keep the nightmares & guilt at bay, acting the fool to those he loved when he came face to face with any of them, and just generally being a giant douche. I'm not saying his pain wasn't real, but I am saying that some of his actions made it hard to remember that he deserved some compassion & empathy, especially since he wasn't willing to let anyone in, including Ivy, the one person who would do anything for him. She's a childhood friend, even though she wanted more, he always had eyes for her twin sister instead, which pissed me off when his inner monologue made that clear to be honest. However, she did her best to get through to him for the most part, even when he was such a jerk to her, and I really believed she should have junk punched him. This story definitely had all the feels to it, as I went back & forth between one extreme to the next when it came to anger then empathy/pain for him. Thankfully, it was a slow burn romance, because Griffin had some big problems with drinking & PTSD, so I appreciated the fact that Ms. James wrote it with such a realistic feel. There was even a twist or two that had me dropping f-bombs by the end, so once again, Griffin is another story that checked all my boxes in the series, and I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Profile Image for Amsa.
270 reviews54 followers
November 26, 2021
Didn't hate h per se, but the way she acted whenever sex especially kinky sex was mentioned annoyed the shit out of me. Didn't she grow up in a badass MC? Didn't she ever see porn? Above all why was she begging for scraps from h when all he did was treat her like shit especially in the beginning, when she was planning on going on a date with some nice shy guy? She didn't even give him a chance. In my eyes, all this made her pathetic and a loser.
H always had a thing for Gigi, h’s sister, so much so that everyone thinks he's in love with Gigi. But he played it off by saying Gigi wanted attention and she got it. But dude, you gave her ALOT of attention. Then he straight out lies by saying he never imagined or wanted any connection with Gigi be physical or a future because early in the novel in bar when h comes to collect him he says she is the wrong sister and it way always Gigi that he noticed in a room and Gigi who always made his dick hard. Had she Gigi given any hint H would have easily pursued a relationship ship with her. So yeah he basically LIED. BTW I still feel h was second best.


Georgia?” My nose trails up the soft column of her neck, something I’ve never done. She freezes for a quick second before taking a step back. The second my eyes can fully focus on her, I realize my mistake. The brunette standing in front of me isn’t sexy little vixen Gigi, but her more homely sister—“Genevieve.”

See HOMELY sister.

Ok read if you ask me. No great suspense or action.

Ps. You don’t have to cruel to people who are nice to you because you have the excuse of being a tortured soul.
Profile Image for Renee Sturgill.
176 reviews
August 12, 2019
Can't get enough of this series!

Marie James continues with doing an amazing job with this series. From the parents all the way up to the kids being grown adults now and getting there stories.

Griffin comes back from deployment but for different reasons than what his family and friends know about. Can he eventually tell them the real reason.
while trying to keep the demons at bay he consumes himself with alcohol, that seems like the only thing that helps.

Ivy has always had her eye on Griffin, when he comes home she knows there is something seriously wrong and she wants to help him.

There feelings for each other grow and Griffin realizes with the help of his family that he needs to get better and work on himself not only for Ivy's sake but for himself for the long haul.

I love how the passion and love pours throughout the pages. I can't wait to read more!
Profile Image for Natalie Johnson.
283 reviews5 followers
August 8, 2019
Griffin has just returned home after being discharged from the military. He was a career Marine, but did something stupid and got kicked out. He gets home and just wants to be left alone.

Ivy was a childhood friend and she had always had a crush on him. But when he left, he treated her as a child. She wants to help him, but he doesn’t make it easy.

I loved this book. With all the demons and secrets that Griffin came home with, Ivy seems to calm him. But will she stay when she knows all his secrets. Cerberus MC has always been one of my favorites and this book is just one reason why. It dealt with several tough topics, PTSD and the results of following orders, and was an honest look at consequences.
Profile Image for Ashley Carr, LSoR.
5,018 reviews64 followers
August 7, 2019
This is a fantastic addition to the series. I love it when the series has been around and the kids have grown up and gotten their own stories. This story centers around Griffin and Ivy once Griffin is dishonorably discharged from the Marines and the struggles he faces with PTSD, lies and cover-ups. Ivy is his rock even though he pushes her away at every turn. I couldn’t stand Griffin and the way he treated Ivy but you just have to love him in the end. Does he conquer his demons or does drown his sorrows in the bottom of a bottle? Will Ivy stick by him even when he is being an a$$ to her? I highly recommend this book and the series!! I can’t wait for the next installment of this series!
Profile Image for RLoves2Read.
515 reviews13 followers
August 13, 2019
This long awaited addition to the Cerberus MC series was a terrific delight! Griffin and Ivy's story was such a pleasure to read. Marie James continues to make this MC series one of my all time favorites. She has skillfully written these characters with so much life that you can't help but fall in love with them. Griffin's struggles with what happened during his time in the Marines and Ivy, who crushed on him from afar during their childhood, is determined to help him. Through the good and the bad, Griffin finally sees Ivy as more than just a silly girl crushing on him.

This entire series is a must read and I look forward to book 9, Samson!!!
Profile Image for Becky Venetta.
100 reviews
August 11, 2019
Griffin comes home from the Mariners after being dishonorably discharged he feels his life is over and wants to be alone. Ivy has loved Griffin as long as she remembers but Griffin had only had eye for her twin sister . When Ivy hears Griffin is comeing home she comes home for the summer hoping to help him out. Griffin is going back and forth with ivy from makeing her sad to happy and the more time he spends with her the more he begins to see what hes missing. there story is amazing and I could not put it down Marie James has done it a again
Profile Image for Debbie Earley.
2,942 reviews18 followers
August 12, 2019
Absolutely amazing

I don't even know where to start this review. This book was very emotional for me. My heart hurt for Griffin and all he endured while serving his country. The flashbacks, fear of losing or someone hurting Ivy. Ivy finally getting her happily ever with the man she loves and staying by his side after he returned home. Thank you Marie for giving us one truly emotional amazing story. I can't wait to read Samson.
21 reviews
July 26, 2021
The "next generation mc Cerberus" books are a total let down! The women are portrayed as weak victims and accepts being treated like complete SH*T and all the men are cruel, abusive and gets off on degrading "their woman" and then makes a 180 in the last chapter and the readers are supposed to accept it bc the guy spits some BS about how much they love their female and every insult, cheating and manhandling is forgotten. This was the last chance I gave this author.
Profile Image for Kim  Brewing.
3,635 reviews37 followers
August 11, 2019
This author knows how to tell a story. Even though there were a couple of thoughts and actions by Griffin that made me doubt his feelings for Ivy in the beginning, I'm still giving this story 5 awesome stars! I loved that Ivy did not change who she was at all during the story. I loved second generation stories and these kids grew up great!!
Profile Image for Kristina Farmer.
106 reviews1 follower
August 24, 2019
A must read!!

I loved Griffin. He had a lot of demons but he started working through them with Georgia. I was so happy to see them finally end up together but not so happy about the way the military treated him even though it was the higher up officer that caused it all. I recommend this book and every other Cerberus Book she has written. Marie James is the bomb!
Profile Image for Spunky N Sassy.
5,408 reviews119 followers
August 27, 2019
Spunky N Sassy Rating: 5.0

~~~~~~~~~~Julie's ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review~~~~~~~~~~

Griffin got everything that he wanted until it was all taken away. The MC stands by him but Ivy is where his heart is. She loves him but he is too stubborn to see it. This book was amazing. Really gives those heart strings a huge tug. Awesome writing.
Profile Image for Maria (Ri).
5,154 reviews16 followers
September 10, 2019
4 stars

I have loved this series and was excited for this book. However, it was missing something for me. I felt bad for Griffin but still never quite connected with him or Ivy the way I was hoping. I wanted more of a resolution or future for these two. Hopefully, I'll see more of them in the other books.
2 reviews
April 18, 2023
One of the best in series so far

This one was really relatable for me. The biggest thing that chaps me in reading this series, though, is Marines refer to ourselves as Marines, jarheads, devil dogs, Woman Marines... never soldiers (they're Army), and never Corpsmen (Navy Medical personnel).
Profile Image for Tammy Cody.
271 reviews19 followers
August 8, 2019
Absolutely loved Griffin! I’ll admit I haven’t read the entire Cerberus series but I still loved this book! Griffin has some emotions to overcome after his service in the Marines but Ivy takes them in stride. Well written and couldn’t put it down. Can’t wait for the next one!
Profile Image for Kimberly Dunn.
70 reviews3 followers
August 11, 2019
Love the dark and twisty!!!

This is definitely a new favorite for me!!! I loved Griffin at the end and I loved Ivy from the beginning!!!! They were built for each other but things had to get dark before they both realized how true that was. Amazing job!!!
Profile Image for Shannon McFadden.
Author 5 books42 followers
August 23, 2019
Griffin is awesome

I've waited for this story for awhile now and I love it! I wish more folks would talk about ptsd. But and Griffin are perfect together! This series is amazing. Can't wait for Samson's book.
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