New Guinea, 1941.
Australian aviatrix Amelia McKenzie’s love for her Pacific Island home of New Guinea is as strong as her love for Daniel, a mixed-race pilot she’s known since childhood. But with the Pacific War looming, women are being evacuated to Australia, giving Amelia no time to prove to her conservative parents it doesn’t matter who you love.
Rejected by the Australian Army because of his colour, Daniel must find some way to defend his home from Japanese invasion. Meanwhile, Amelia is torn between her love for Daniel, her family and her country. They embark on separate harrowing treks across New Guinea’s remote jungles, including the notorious Kokoda Trail – facing treacherous mountains, starvation and the threat of tribal warfare.
They soon realise it’s not just the war that’s keeping them apart, and that they must fight harder to be together. But even the toughest fights require sacrifice. Are they willing to give up everything they know to find a way back to each other?
For fans of Natasha Lester and Sara Ackerman comes this World War Two historical novel based on true events from the Pacific War in New Guinea.
‘Told with heart and vibrant energy, A Dangerous Land is action packed and brimming with love. Marisa Jones’ debut deftly combines the sweetest romance with the tough realities of war, colonialism and racism. Amelia and Daniel leap from the page. Jones is a next-gen Belinda Alexandra.’
KIM KELLY, author of This Red Earth.
About The Author
Marisa K. Jones is a writer, with her debut historical novel, A Dangerous Land, a story about love and belonging set in WWII New Guinea, due for release in June 2023. Prior to fiction writing, she worked as a freelance writer for magazines such as House & Garden, International Traveller, Yoga Journal, Aniko Press and Air Niugini’s inflight magazine, Paradise.
Born and raised in Hawaii, with her late teens and twenties spent in Australia, Marisa loves travelling and can often be found wandering the edges of the globe. She currently lives between Brisbane, Australia and Lae, Papua New Guinea with her family, and draws inspiration from the Pacific, bringing its varied cultures and history to life through words. She has undergone mentorships with Kathryn Heyman and Cathie Tasker and holds a Master of Creative Writing from Macquarie University.
For further info, visit www.marisajonesbooks.com.
