A Dangerous Land: A gripping novel of love and belonging set in the wilds of World War Two 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. New Guinea, 1941 Australian aviatrix Amelia McKenzie is hardly conventional — how can she be when she grew up in 1930s New Guinea, a remote paradise with a dangerous reputation. But the New Guinea Amelia knows isn’t very dangerous with its lavish parties and strict decorum, so, when her friendship with a mixed-race pilot, Daniel, turns to romance she’s determined to prove to her conservative parents it doesn’t matter who you love. Meanwhile, Daniel is trying to figure out where he belongs in this mixed society, in love with Amelia but wary of upsetting her father, who employs him as a pilot. When Pearl Harbor hits and women are forced to evacuate, Daniel agrees with Amelia’s father to end the relationship in return for Daniel being allowed to serve in the ‘whites only’ army. Amelia is torn between her love for Daniel, her family and her country. She refuses to leave but when the Japanese attack their town, Amelia and Daniel suddenly become trapped and must separate. They embark on harrowing treks across New Guinea’s remote jungles, including the notorious Kokoda Trail – facing treacherous mountains, tribal warfare and the threat of the Japanese lurking around every bend. 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 The Nightingale and The Diplomat’s Daughter comes this World War Two historical novel based on true events from the Pacific War in Papua New Guinea. —- ISBN: 9780645800531