Isla Vista Halloween

A Novel of College Love, Angsty Road Trips and Meeting Jesus Christ

One summer break, a student from the University of California, Santa Barbara, travels to the East Coast to visit his girlfriend. Upon his arrival, she promptly dumps him. Devastated by the rejection, Jack spirals into a deep depression. In his pain, he turns to alcohol as an escape from his heartbreak and confusion.

Returning to the West Coast, Jack struggles to regain a sense of purpose. His days are filled with loneliness and disillusionment, with the weight of his emotional turmoil threatening to crush him. As he hits bottom, Jack experiences visions of Jesus Christ, who appears to him in times of need, offering guidance, wisdom, and the occasional joint. These encounters challenge Jack to confront his pain, face his demons, and re-evaluate his life during Halloween in Isla Vista, the home of UCSB.

Through these visions, Jack finds a renewed sense of hope which helps him understand the depths of his suffering. Jack finds a new and unexpected love—a connection that offers him the possibility of redemption.

Isla Vista Halloween explores themes of love, loss, faith, and the search for meaning in a world that often seems chaotic and cruel. Through Jack’s transformation, the book delves into the power of inner strength and the importance of hope, showing that even in the darkest of times, love conquers all.