North of South Haven by Rob & Dayna Edwards

Home and Healing Combine in North of South Haven, Heartfelt Novel by Rob and Dayna Marie Edwards

Traverse City, Michigan—In his own words, author Rob Edwards is less a writer than a storyteller. “That’s what I rely on,” he said. “I’m drawn to characters who are relatable and make them work through believable situations.”

North of South Haven

Contrary to his former point, Edwards’ five previous books, including the Bookfest Award-winning novel, I Do or I Don’t, plant him firmly in author territory. His fully-fledged characters, however, often feel as though they might jump out of the page and land in your living room—not least of all, North Nichols Cooper, the protagonist of his newest novel, North of South Haven.

Co-authored with and inspired by his late wife, Dayna Marie Edwards (whose childhood home of South Haven, Michigan serves as the novel’s setting), the story follows a young woman named North, who has returned to the lakeside town of her youth after discovering her husband’s clandestine affair.

A Life Well-Lived

As she attempts to mend the pieces of her broken marriage—a lost cause, though you’ll have to read on for more—North unexpectedly reconnects with the strong and sassy Aunt El, a matronly figure from her early life, whose unwavering warmth and guidance are just the push she needs to start rebuilding in earnest.

Per Edwards, the spark for the story was one of many he discussed with Dayna, who was the brains behind the book’s title and provided the impetus for North’s character. “I wanted to do a story [set] in a charming Michigan small town surrounded by interesting characters,” Edwards said. The pair completed the manuscript the summer before Dayna’s passing and even earmarked it for a potential series.

Though the novel’s concept is fictional, readers will instantly recognize the trappings of a Michigan summer on the lake, from the sidewalks crowded with tourists to mentions of real-life businesses and coffeeshops. In fact, Edwards noted that many of North’s experiences—in particular, her growth as a radio host—correlate directly to those of his wife.

The key takeaways are clear: According to Edwards, having the courage to ask for help is one; understanding your personal strengths is another; but what he really hopes readers recognize is the tender and joyful nod to Dayna’s life.

“There was no doubt in my mind that this book needed to be written,” Edwards added. “I wanted Dayna to have something to leave behind for everyone. I hope [readers] can find pieces of the special person she was in this book.”

Advanced Praise

“North of South Haven is a tender, expansive novel about the long way home and the people who meet us there. […] What unfolds is not just memory but rediscovery—delivered with humor, heartbreak, and unconditional love.

This is a story about how the landscape of our youth can both wound and repair us; how an act of kindness can reroute a life; and how, even in our most broken moments, we may stumble into a version of home that fits better than the one we left behind. Anchored in place and written with a keen eye for the small gestures that change everything, North of South Haven reminds us that the world often offers second chances. We just have to be brave enough to turn toward them.”

—Doug Stanton, New York Times bestselling author of In Harm’s Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors and Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of US Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan.

The Author

Dayna Marie Edwards was a bright light with an exceptionally kind heart. With experience spanning medical assisting, banking, and small business operations, her true passion was media—appearing in commercials, lending her voice to radio, and, after earning a master’s degree in communications, launching a media department for a Fortune 500 company. Privately, she was also a gifted poet and writer who, after encouraging her husband to share his stories, co-created one of her own with him. Though she lost her courageous battle with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 2024, her dream and her words live on in North of South Haven.

Rob Edwards, whose career in video and film production has earned national and international awards, now brings his lifelong dedication to storytelling from the screen to the page, honoring both their shared creative journey and Dayna’s enduring voice.

The Book

North of South Haven

Rob & Dayna Marie Edwards

180 pages, 6” x 9”, B/W

FICTION/Small Town & Rural/ Women/Literary

ISBN: 978-1-968761-35-6, $24.95 (Hardcover)

ISBN: 978-1-968761-36-3, $17.95 (Softcover)

Mission Point Press, June 4, 2026

Copies are available for preorder at Bookshop.org and Amazon. On its June 4, 2026, publication date, it will be available for purchase wherever books are sold. For information or to arrange for signings and events, contact the author at edwardr5000@gmail.com  or visit rob-edwards.net.