Wicked Altar Had Us in a Chokehold | Chapter 1

This week on Dirty Pour, Bri and Allison dive into Wicked Altar by Jane Henry — a dark mafia romance packed with arranged marriages, family loyalty, emotional tension, underground secrets, and plenty of chaos. The girls break down the relationship between Cavin and Aaron, discuss the book’s strongest twists, and debate what worked (and what definitely needed more explanation). From Irish mafia politics and protective antiheroes to hidden clubs and unexpected emotional moments, this episode covers everything that made Wicked Altar a standout read. They also share hilarious real-life stories involving Medieval Times, Renaissance Faire plans, traffic cones, and questionable decision-making after cocktails. If you love dark romance, BookTok recommendations, mafia family drama, forced proximity, and sarcastic commentary, this episode is for you. Chapters 00:00:00 – Wicked Altar First Impressions 00:00:44 – Why the Opening Immediately Worked 00:03:16 – Meet Cavin, Aaron & The Mafia Families 00:06:42 – Arranged Marriage & Family Pressure 00:10:38 – Hidden Clubs, Secrets & Late-Night Adventures 00:12:46 – The First Kiss Scene Breakdown 00:14:30 – Character Trauma & Unanswered Questions 00:15:05 – High School Embarrassment Stories 00:17:48 – Protective vs Controlling Relationships 00:18:24 – Family Betrayals & Plot Twists 00:21:35 – Fight Rings, Loyalty & Chaos 00:25:37 – Medieval Times & Renaissance Faire Stories 00:29:38 – The Traffic Cone Incident 00:33:25 – Planning Renaissance Faire Costumes 00:38:23 – Final Ratings & Next Week’s Read