The Last Father-Daughter Dance
- Judith D Collins
- Jan 3
- 5 min read
A Short Story
By: Lisa Wingate
Narrator: Sarah Naughton
ISBN: 978-1662537134
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories
Publication Date: 01/01/2026
Format: e-book
My Rating: 5 Stars
For a father and daughter, it’s a journey through the four seasons in a poignant short story about memories and everlasting love by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Wingate.
Olympic silver medalist Kalista Brooks has built a successful life in California, complete with a thriving sports technology company and a handsome fiancé. But when her father’s heart condition takes a critical turn, she rushes home to Atlanta. There, her father makes a surprising request: to relive favorite memories from all four seasons in just one month at their old farmhouse in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
With help from the community and her long-lost sidekick Calvin Calhoon, Kalista creates a tapestry of cherished moments—dogwoods in bloom, homemade blackberry jam, autumn bonfires, and a magical winter evening that will live forever in her heart. But as father and daughter share these precious weeks together, Kalista discovers that time has a way of revealing what matters most. In the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains where she grew up, she learns that sometimes the sweetest seasons of life come when we least expect them.
From the Publisher
In this emotional new short story from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours, a daughter races against time to create four seasons of memories with her terminally ill father. Set in the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains, this tender tale of love, loss, and unexpected joy will appeal to readers of Kristin Hannah and Catherine Ryan Hyde.
—Selena James, Editor
About the Author
Lisa Wingate is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Before We Were Yours, which has sold more than three million copies and been translated into over forty languages worldwide; Shelterwood; The Book of Lost Friends; and the nonfiction book Before and After, coauthored with Judy Christie. Wingate is an Oklahoma Book Award finalist, a Goodreads Choice Award winner, and a Southern Book Prize winner. She lives in the Hill Country of Texas and the mountains of Colorado. For more information, visit www.lisawingate.com.
My Review
Lisa Wingate's THE LAST FATHER-DAUGHTER DANCE is a heartwarming and poignant short story that delves into the intricate themes of memory, the selfless sacrifices made within families, and the importance of cherishing what truly matters in life.
Through vivid imagery and emotional depth, the narrative captures the bittersweet essence of family bonds, the seasons of life, and the lasting impact of shared moments that shape our lives.
About...
Kalista "Kal" Rose Brooks is an Olympic silver medalist runner training for her third Games in California. Her life is busy; she is engaged to her business partner and co-managing a thriving sports technology company that is currently teetering.
Kalista’s mother calls her home to Atlanta with devastating news: her father (affectionately known as "Coach") has a critical heart condition—congestive heart failure—and is not eligible for a heart transplant.
At the airport, Kalista runs into Calvin "Cal" Calhoon, her childhood friend and former track teammate whose life was shaped by her father. This chance meeting rekindles a bond from their youth.
Instead of remaining in a clinical setting, Kalista's father asks to spend his final weeks at their old family farmhouse in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Because he likely will not live to see another year, her father wishes to relive memories of all four seasons in just one month. With the help of Cal and the local community, Kalista recreates these seasonal hallmarks at the farm:
A journey through the four seasons:
~Spring: Dogwoods in bloom.
~Summer: Making homemade blackberry jam.
~Autumn: Large community bonfires.
~Winter: A "magical winter evening" that serves as the story’s emotional peak.
During this time, Kalista puts her training and business on hold. The experience forces her to reassess her values, realizing that her relationship with her father and the people who truly support her are more important than her professional accolades or the pressures from her fiancé.
My thoughts...
In Lisa Wingate’s captivating short story, the father-daughter dance emerges as a poignant symbol that beautifully illustrates the importance of presence over performance. This heartfelt moment serves as a reminder to cherish the legacy of love over the fleeting nature of worldly achievements. Its depth of meaning is intricately interwoven through various thematic layers, highlighting the profound connections that bind us and the enduring impact of choosing emotional richness over superficial success.
~The Fulfillment of a Final Wish
~Prioritizing What Matters Most
~Healing Old Wounds
~A Tearful, Joyful Goodbye
Ultimately, the magical winter evening dance Kalista creates for her father at their Blue Ridge Mountain farmhouse is the story's emotional peak and most significant season, serving as a symbolic "last dance" that honors their bond and allows Kalista to find internal resolution even as she faces an impending loss.
With the invaluable assistance of Calvin and the dedicated members of the local community, they embark on a remarkable journey to create an enchanting winter wonderland in the span of just one month. This magical evening serves as the perfect backdrop for the poignant tale—the final father-daughter dance.
It symbolized the realization of their heartfelt desire to forge one last, unforgettable memory together, a profound moment to cherish before the inevitable farewell. The air is filled with twinkling lights, gentle laughter, and a bittersweet sense of love, encapsulating the beauty and fragility of their bond.
Themes:
~Presence Over Performance
~The power of memory, wisdom, and legacy
~Prioritize Happiness Over Expectations
~The Stop, Look, Think rule
~Unspoken Love and Community
~Self-Discovery and authenticity
~Embrace the Seasons
~Going Back to Move Forward
Her father's wise advice ultimately empowers Kalista to find internal resolution and peace, choosing a future aligned with her own values even as she prepares for his passing.
The central takeaway of The Last Father-Daughter Dance is an important reminder to prioritize "people over things" and to be fully present in the current moment, rather than perpetually chasing future achievements.
Recs...
Readers who enjoyed the poignant, family-centered themes of The Last Father-Daughter Dance may enjoy other emotional, character-driven fiction, including novels by Catherine Ryan Hyde, Kristin Hannah, and Patti Callahan Henry.
Other Lisa Winage books exploring family:
~Before We Were Yours
~The Prayer Box
~The Book of Lost Friends
The audiobook...
I had the distinct pleasure of immersing myself in the pages of the book while also experiencing the audiobook, brilliantly narrated by the award-winning and immensely talented Sarah Naughton. Her captivating voice added an extra layer of emotion, transforming the story into a truly magical and beautiful experience. It was an unforgettable performance that resonated deeply within me, leaving a lasting impression.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Jan 01, 2026
My Rating: 5 Stars
