Where to Start: Entering the Gallo World
If you are new to Chelle Bliss, the absolute best place to start is the expansive Gallo World. This interconnected romantic universe centers around the Gallo family, beginning with their tattoo shop in Chicago and expanding across several generations and locations. While many of the books can technically be read as standalones, you will get the best experience by reading them in order to avoid spoilers and watch the family relationships evolve.
The gateway to the Gallo family is the original Men of Inked series. We recommend starting with either the prequel novella, The Gallos, or the first full-length novel, Throttle Me. Starting with Throttle Me is highly popular as it introduces the core romance between Suzy and the bad-boy tattoo artist City, setting the stage for everything that follows.
Men of Inked: The Original Series
The core series follows the original generation of Gallos. You should follow this publication and chronological order to get the full story of the founding family members:
- The Gallos (2014) – Prequel Novella (Book 0.5)
- Throttle Me (2014) – Book 1
- Hook Me (2014) – Book 2
- Throttled (2014) – Book 2.5
- Resist Me (2014) – Book 3
- Resisting (2014) – Book 2.75
- Uncover Me (2015) – Book 4
- Dust Jacket (2015) – Book 4.5
- Without Me (2015) – Book 5
- Rebound (2015) – Book 5.5
- Honor Me (2016) – Book 6
- Worship Me (2017) – Book 7
- Men of Inked Christmas (2017) – Holiday Novella
- Inked Holiday (2023) – Holiday Crossover
ALFA Investigations (Men of Inked Crossover)
The ALFA Investigations series is a direct romantic suspense spin-off of the Men of Inked world, following private investigators who cross paths with the Gallo family. You can read these after finishing the main Men of Inked books, or alongside them after Book 5 (Without Me):
- Sinful Intent (2015)
- Unlawful Desire (2015)
- Top Bottom Switch (2016)
- Wicked Impulse (2016)
- Guilty Sin (2018)
Men of Inked: Southside
This series moves the action to the Southside, focusing on a new branch of characters connected to the Gallo family. It is best read after completing the original Men of Inked series:
- Maneuver (2018)
- Flow (2018)
- Hook (2018)
- Hustle (2019)
- Love (2019)
Men of Inked: Heatwave (The Next Generation)
The Heatwave series is a massive next-generation spin-off focusing on the children of the original Gallo siblings. Because these characters grew up in the original books, reading the first series is highly recommended before diving into these sizzling contemporary romances:
- Flame (2019)
- Burn (2019)
- Wildfire (2020)
- Blaze (2020)
- Ignite (2020)
- Spark (2020)
- Ember (2021)
- Singe (2021)
- Ashes (2022)
- Scorch (2022)
- Torch (2023)
- Inferno (2023)
- Cinder (2023)
- Dare (2024)
Men of Inked: Sinners
This series continues the Gallo world's steamy tradition, focusing on new characters who fall into the family's orbit. These should be read after the Heatwave series:
- Crave (2024)
- Claim (2024)
Other Standalone Series by Chelle Bliss
Outside of the Gallo World, Chelle Bliss has written several standalone series and duets that do not require any background knowledge of the Men of Inked books. These are perfect for readers looking for quick, steamy contemporary romance entries.
Love at Last Duet
One of Chelle's earliest releases, this duet centers on the emotional romance of Kayden and Sophia:
- Untangle Me (2013)
- Kayden: The Past (2013)
Takeover Duet
A corporate rival enemies-to-lovers duet following a high-powered CEO and her competitor:
- Acquisition (2017)
- Merger (2017)
Nailed Down Series
A steamy, small-town romance series co-authored with Eden Butler:
- Nailed Down (2018)
- Tied Down (2018)
- Kneel Down (2019)
- Stripped Down (2019)
Open Road Series
A spin-off romantic suspense world that follows characters moving on after tough pasts:
- Broken Sparrow (2021)
- Broken Dove (2022)
Star Falls Series
A cozy, small-town contemporary romance series set in the town of Star Falls:
- Never Too Late (2023)
- Never Too Soon (2023)
- Never Too Close (2024)
- Never Too Much (2024)
Chelle Bliss's Contributions to Multi-Author Universes
Chelle Bliss has participated in several high-profile collaborative romance worlds. When reading these, note that she only wrote specific books, while the other titles are written by different romance authors.
The Misadventures Series: This is a multi-author standalone collection launched by Waterhouse Press. Chelle Bliss co-wrote the blockbuster Misadventures of a City Girl (2017) with Meredith Wild, and authored Misadventures with a Speed Demon (2018). While platforms list over 30 books in this series, they are standalone romances written by different authors and can be read in any order.
The Salvation Society: Based on the world created by Corinne Michaels, this multi-author project features Chelle Bliss's romantic suspense novel Fearless (2020). The other 22 books in the collection are written by other authors and do not feature Chelle's characters.
Top Shelf Romance: Chelle's standalone novel Enshrine (2016) was featured in the curated anthology volume Make Me Yours (2020) alongside stories by Devney Perry and K. Bromberg.
What to Know Before You Start
Chelle Bliss's books are known for their high heat levels, strong alpha leads, and deeply loyal family structures. If you dislike protective alpha heroes and large, nosey family dynamics, the Gallo books might not be for you. However, if you enjoy emotional contemporary romance, suspense crossovers, and continuous timelines where characters age, marry, and raise families over decades, this is one of the most rewarding worlds in contemporary romance.