Returns and Exchanges

by Kayla Rae Whitaker

Following her ‘dazzling’ ( The Guardian ) debut, The Animators , Kayla Rae Whitaker tells the sweeping story of one Southern family’s rise and fall throughout the 1980s, a tragicomic tour de force about love and marriage, parents and children, and the promise and limitations of the American Dream.

Baker-Taylor’s is a family business. Fran (née Baker) and Fred Taylor run a successful chain of discount retail stores in Kentucky and they’re cautiously expanding: Ataris and Hot Wheels, new branches and new management. With four healthy children and financial stability their own parents could have only dreamed of, Fred and Fran are the American dream: rags to riches, a family dynasty built on years of hard work and long hours. Underneath the surface, however, the business is changing at a breakneck pace, and each family member is struggling to keep up.

Money is transforming Fred, and the extremes to which he will go to fit in with the high society crowd are embarrassing, if not downright dangerous. Oldest son Josiah wants nothing to do with the family business, Sam is seeing things that might not really be there, and Benny and Birdie are growing up with a fraction of the parenting that their older brothers did. Meanwhile, Fran, her family’s stable core, is falling for Wendy, a cashier at Baker- Taylor’s, risking everything along the way.

While trying to maintain the facade of a perfect success story, Fred and Fran discover that in matters of love and money, once it’s gone, it’s gone ― no returns, no exchanges.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Queer, Family

432 pages, Hardcover

First published May 19, 2026

About the author

Kayla Rae Whitaker’s work has appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Buzzfeed, Literary Hub, Electric Literature, and others. Her debut novel, THE ANIMATORS, was named one of the best debut novels of 2017 by Entertainment Weekly and one of the best books of 2017 by NPR, Kirkus Reviews, and BookPage. Her second novel, RETURNS AND EXCHANGES, will be published by Random House in May 2026.

Reviews

[Kristy]

An absolutely excellent generational saga, chronicling the rise and fall of the Taylor family, headed by Fran (Baker) Taylor and her husband, Fred. The pair are expanding their chain of Baker-Taylor stores, while raising Josiah (their eldest, who wants little to do with his family); Sam (struggling with mental health issues); and their youngest, Benny and Birdie, who are enjoying the freedom that their newly distracted parents bring.

Following the family from the 1970s and beyond, this story is incredibly well-written, giving us well-drawn characters via a multi-POV tale. It's heartbreaking at times, exploring the concepts of motherhood, patriarchy, and money, money, money! Fred wants more of it while Fran finds herself falling for Wendy, a cashier in one of their stores.

The story highlights how different LGBT individuals were treated in the 1980s--Fran is the heart of her family, yet her heart is with a (forbidden) other. The relationships are nuanced, taunt, and fraught with emotion.

This story starts a bit slow, but it's incredibly compelling. I was completely caught up in the trials and tribulations of this family, and I think you will be, too.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Random House in return for an unbiased review.

[Emily Poche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Random House for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Returns and Exchanges by Kayla Rae Whitaker is an impressive, sprawling American family novel. Concerning the Taylor family, the owners and operators of Baker-Taylor discount store, it follows them through their rise and inevitable fall. The story is at once a portrait of the pitfalls of the American dream and of an evolving American family.

This book was absolutely captivating. Even though the pace of this book is slow and measured at times, it manages to maintain a high level of engagement as it skips from family member to family member. The way that the shifting focus and relatively leisurely pace manage to hold the reader’s attention is through absolutely meticulous character work. I thought that Whitaker did some of the most impressive character building I have recently read. Each of the Taylor family member, and many of the secondary characters, is distinctive and deeply detailed. They have speech patterns that are distinct, and unique emotional reactions that feel so natural to the characters the author has created. As the book progresses, each of the characters evolves and changes, in a way that is both interesting and realistic. There’s never a whiplash of choices or a complete 180 in terms of characterization. The ways that the players in this story evolve is so thoughtful and sensible. I also appreciated that there are very few true black-and-white characters in this story. Our main cast of six are given layered and complex attributes. Characters can be unfaithful wives but doting mothers, or driven businessmen who are out of touch and personally ineffectual.

I also loved the way that the American South plays its own character in this story. The economic and business climate is what underscores the story, including the looming threat of “the Beast,” a thinly veiled zeal-Mart clone. Whether it’s the attitudes of the established, moneyed, Lexington class or the reaction to the Taylor’s divorce, the role or the late 80’s Kentucky features heavily.

I was so happy to receive an ARC from NetGalley because this was a book that I really sunk my teeth into. I thought it was fascinating and yet not completely gut wrenching. I would recommend this as a book to both read and keep an eye on, 5/5 well-deserved stars.

[Miss Murder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Real rating: 3.5 stars, rounded down

I was super into the first 200 pages of the book and was surprised I was only halfway through after all of the plot that happens that I figured would naturally come to a close soon. Instead, I got another 200 pages of what felt like very slow character development to make up for a very fast-paced beginning.

Unfortunately, that left me feeling bored at times and wondering what the meandering character vignettes meant to accomplish. I’m sure the purpose was to get that “second generation” feel from it, but it fell somewhat flat at times. Wish it would’ve started from the beginning without solely focusing on the children in the second half of the book.

Regardless, it was interesting to me and I liked the overall story & feel. The writing was a bit confusing at times in the beginning because it seemed as thought characters were thrown in without introduction and was very confusing.

[Jillian B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a family undergoing constant change: rising and falling wealth, mental health crises, and marital tensions. Though they are, at times, cruel to one another, the Taylors remain connected. The complexity of the relationships feels realistic. Readers will enjoy following the deeply imperfect Taylor clan through all the messiness of life. Full review on BookBrowse: https://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/in...

[Sheila The Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really excited to start Returns and Exchanges by Kayla Rae Whitaker because everything about it sounded like something I would normally really enjoy. I loved the cover right away, the description hooked me immediately, and I was especially interested in the late 70s and 80s setting because this is basically the world I grew up in. Fred and Fran are around my parents age, so I really thought this was going to be one of those family stories that pulled me in emotionally.

And honestly, I did really enjoy the beginning. I liked the whole family-owned department store setting and the way the story starts out right before Christmas in 1979. It had a lot of potential for me.

But somewhere around the 30% mark, I realized I just wasn’t feeling much emotionally from the story itself, and I think that ended up being the biggest issue for me. I kept wanting to feel more connected to these people and more invested in what was happening to them, but I never really got there. The story moves around between a lot of different perspectives, and instead of making me feel closer to the family, it actually made me feel more disconnected from them.

I also think I wanted a little more nostalgia from the time period than I ended up getting. Since this is such a familiar era to me, I thought that alone would make me connect more deeply, but it just never fully clicked for me the way I hoped it would.

A lot of the book focuses on Fred and how frustrating everyone around him finds him, and after a while I just found myself losing interest instead of becoming more invested. By the end, I finished it mostly because I wanted to see it through.

I can definitely see this working better for readers who love big multi-generational family stories, but for me, I just never found that emotional connection I was hoping for.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

[Liz Hein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kirkus called this a blue collar Franzen novel, and…yes.

[Tess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely blown away by this epic novel! I had just been wondering when her follow-up to her incredible THE ANIMATORS would be and I understand the wait. This sprawling family drama, which spans decades, is juicy, heartfelt, and quite the deep dive into a family business struggling to come of age, alongside the family itself. You are going to love this one, put it on the top of your 2026 reads NOW

[Rena Boord · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this arc form the publisher. This is an absolutely wonderful novel that will stay with you long after you have finished reading it. The characters are so finely drawn (especially Fred!) that you will start to recognize them as people from your own life.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kayla Rae Whitaker's first book, The Animators, was one of my top reads of 2017 when it was published. It felt almost criminal how long we had to wait for her follow up, but the wait was worth it. I devoured Returns and Exchanges and really enjoyed the good old fashioned family story.

Fran and Fred are a rags to riches story, growing their small discount store in Kentucky to a regional success. When we meet the Baker-Taylor family in the early 80s, things are rosy for Fran, Fred, and their four kids. Business is booming and life is good. However, a chance encounter for Fran turns out to be a life altering event, and will help drive the family arc in a different direction. And we all know what was waiting on the horizon for mom and pop stores in those days. As one character notes, the Baker-Taylor outsized success only lasted one generation.

The story is told in the different voices of the family - the characters are well drawn and it was easy to get lost in the story. I have to say, while Fred at first was annoying, I was infuriated with him by the end and I'm not sure how the other characters extended him so much grace (no spoilers, but there were some things that were unforgiveable to me). It did keep things interesting though by providing dramatic tension throughout the book.

It is weird to read a book set in a historical time you lived through. I think Whitaker captured this time well, not just some of the details, but also the prevailing attitudes at the time. And she didn't get too cutesy going overboard with cultural references of the time.

All in all, a solid five stars and I imagine this book will also be one of my top ten reads at the end of the year.

[Tell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterwork of queer expression and a family novel all rolled into one, "Returns and Exchanges" takes us into the heart of the Taylor family before, during, and after a crisis and before, during, and after they make a fortune.

This book is both about the acquisition and transformation process that happens as you're roiled by new circumstances and as you watch your family be pulled out from underneath you. Characters are expertly drawn, showing us flashes of who they will become as they're transformed by money.

This book is about a woman seeking to express herself, live in her truth, and trying not to buckle under the weight of a dozen expectations put upon her, and about her family members adapting (or failing to adapt) to a transformative circumstance. Whitaker writes short, sharp sentences that stick with the reader, and I loved the deep dive into the specificity of Midwestern family politics and class tensions. I loved her last novel and this one is filled with even more heart and even more barbs. Loved.

[Aislinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

[4.75⭐️] the rise and fall of a local store enterprise mirrored that of my heart rate throughout the expanse of this book. Holy.

I was initially intrigued by the blurb of this book, but I didn’t anticipate the level of page-turning hunger that the story gave me. It had been a hot minute since I had felt this way about a book.

Returns and Exchanges spans through decades and from varying perspectives of the members of the family, but in a very fluid and captivatingly blurry way. But despite the ever changing perspectives, nothing felt repetitive nor did I have a character that I felt disinterested in (there’s usually always one!!).

The characters were well formed, yet mysterious in ways, as some characters never got a full explanation into their “end” since the story perspective shifted. But the way these people were written, and in a highly specific scenario that is in no way relatable to my life story, felt authentic and heartbreakingly relatable.

I have to give Whitaker her flowers, as she is an excellent writer. Her story jumped off the page and enveloped me in no time and didn’t let go until the final word. Id happily read more of her work.

All that to say— I cried, I grew twitchy with anger, I smiled, I held my breath. I felt like I was one of the Baker-Taylors at certain points. This sad but endearingly compassionate story is one for the books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC of this modern classic in exchange for my honest thoughts!

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just wonderful. Do you like family sagas? This is one, what makes it unique is the parents are co-founders of a department store chain in the 1970s. Examines the acceptance of queer people in Kentucky during that time, family legacies, gender, forgiveness. One of my best books of the year so far.

[Maxine Springer · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 | This is the type of book that’s 100% in my wheelhouse. I was SO excited to read another book from the author of The Animators (another 5-star read IMO). A family saga that focuses at times on each of the family members across the years, I loved and hated these characters, cheering or cursing them along the way (although there are no complete saints or total villains in this story). It’s so tough sometimes to read a story that unfolds over such a stretch of time, and although the book is a bit long, the pacing of this felt perfect (and honestly, I could have read more)! Loved it.

[Lauren]

Pains me to put this one aside! Been waiting on her sophomore release for a decade! This was really bland and felt similar to multiple other books I’ve read. DNF @ 10%

[Kristine]

It hurts to hit the Historical Fiction Button for the 1980’s. I love to read about this time period b/c that was when I was a teenager and in my early 20’s. You Know, Generation X.

Well, guess I have become Historical, too. Looking forward to Reading this One. Yes, need my Tri-Focal Glasses.

[Kris V · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read The Animators when it first came out and was blown away, so I knew that whatever Whitaker wrote next I had to read and I was *not* disappointed. What we have here is an epic tale that spans generations within a family line. What begins on Christmas Eve in 1979 in Kentucky, and ends in 2015 and told by the Matriarch of the family, is a story about a family’s journey with their line of discount stores and their evolution of each member as they change and grow and branch out into who they’re meant to be. It’s a whirlwind of a novel that was impossible to put down, writing that pulls you in and makes you laugh as hard as it makes you cry for their losses. I honestly found myself initially saddened by the ending only because I realized I hadn’t wanted it to be over, which is a sign of a really good book.

I thank Random House for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I have pre-ordered my own copy because I want this beautiful book on my shelves, and I highly recommend everyone else purchase a copy as well.

Kayla Rae Whitaker is a treasure.

[Mika · Rating 4 out of 5]

You might describe this as "Trollope does Dallas." No, not that way, you pervert! It's just as if Trollope wrote a novel about an 1980s family business deeply tied to a place. You might also just describe this as a "bluegrass Forsyte Saga," for a similar vibe. Or if you want to go academic, allude to the political scientist Sam Popkin and call this a novel about the moral economy of the entrepreneurial striver. You shouldn't, for many reasons, say it's sort of a "hillbilly elegies." The central characters might be from eastern Kentucky, but it's the gentiles and strivers in Lexington which make up the world in which they themselves strive, upward, together, against others and one another.

And, really, Trollope is the best model here. He, too, wrote insightfully about institutions such as politics, the church, or, as also in this novel, business. And he wrote about personal lives tied up with those institutions. And he wrote extra insightfully about the way structures constrain people's — particularly women's — agency.

But none of this is to say this fabulous and very satisfying novel is at all derivative. After all, Trollope didn't write about the likes of Sam Walton (hovering ominously here over our protagonists' own smaller chain of stores behind the thin veil of "the Beast" and coming from Oklahoma) or, say, Michigan's Fredrick Meijer. And he didn't write about the homophobic macho cultures of the 1980s, or what it was like to be a teenager in the '80s.

I imagine this novel will get (or already has been) compared to Buckeye, and for good reasons: location, long family saga, homophobia and being in the closet and coming out and times changing (at least a bit) for the better. But the comparison should not be about which is better, but that both are wonderful, rich on their own and interestingly complementary together.

[Lyon.Brit.andthebookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Report: Returns and Exchanges by Kayla Rae Whitaker

Set against the backdrop of a family owned discount department store in Lexington, Kentucky…Returns and Exchanges follows the Baker-Taylor family as they navigate the changing tides of the 1980s. As success…ambition…love…and loss reshape their lives..each family member is forced to confront what they're willing to hold onto and what they might lose along the way.

This will absolutely be on my favorite books of the year list. And it's all thanks to @momadvice for putting this gem on my radar!

If the inner workings of a family discount store…the rise and fall of a family business and the beautifully messy reality of life sound appealing…please put this one on your list.

I loved this family so much. Kayla Rae Whitaker's writing is stunning and she has an incredible ability to make you feel every triumph…mistake and hope right alongside her characters. The Baker-Taylors felt completely real to me…flawed and lovable and unforgettable. What struck me most was how the novel captures a moment in time that often feels simpler from a distance…yet the struggles these characters face are just as complicated and relatable as anything happening today.

I read this one in print…which worked wonderfully given the large cast of characters and shifting perspectives. That said, I can already see myself revisiting it on audio someday. And now I absolutely need to pick up The Animators!

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...

[Martha Paola · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mi top del año. Diagnóstico cultural y sociológico de 1979-1990 en 432 páginas. La ficción de la masculinidad resumida en una frase: "Síndrome de John Wayne". Las renuncias derivadas del matrimonio como institución. Mujeres que descubren el feminismo 20 años tarde. Sin duda leería un spin-off sobre Wendy. ¡Qué vivan los queer de Kentucky!

> The life she had, Wendy told her, was all hers—she had fought for it, hard.

[Geonn Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope it's not ten years before her next book, but she does make it worth the wait. An excellent follow-up to The Animators.

[Stephanie Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book. It will without a doubt be in my top three this year. I loved the characters, the story, the writing. It had grit and heart.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

[BookByBook karenreadslotsofbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW:
Returns and Exchanges by Kayla Rae Whitaker 4.5⭐s
PUB DATE: May 19, 2026

I was immediately drawn to this work of historical fiction for the 1980s nostalgia. Whitaker’s family drama takes place in 1980s Kentucky and provides a unique premise that tells a story about the trials and tribulations of mixing family and business.

Synopsis: The story centers around Fred and Fran, the owners of a chain of Taylor-Baker’s, discount stores that provide a second home for the four children they are raising: Josiah, Sam, Benny, and Birdie. The cast of characters includes board members, extended family, friends, and neighbors. Fred and Fran begin from humble beginnings, work hard, and grow their business. As business grows and as the economy changes, so do the power struggles, the lifestyle, the dynamics of the marriage, the parenting, and how each child’s relationship with their parents and the feelings about Taylor-Baker’s changes. It is evident that each character’s feeling of self-worth directly impacts the choices they make. Despite the tumultuous dramas and ups and downs the family experiences, a tight bond exists. Each character’s willingness to self-reflect and determine the importance of money, success, love, and acceptance helps this family to continue to remain united, valuing family over glory. However, when one family member continues to seek money, material possessions, and praise, greed and pride threaten the foundation of this family.

My Thoughts: This family feels real. Each member struggles with their own demons during a time period in the South that has deep rooted societal expectations of the roles of husbands, wives, sons, and daughters. It is interesting and at times sad to see how greed, money, power, and “the good old boys’ club” mentality affect people who love each other. I rooted for Fran and the siblings as they each come to terms with their relationships with each other and are able to empathize with each other, seeing things from the other’s perspective. Whitaker satisfyingly draws the story to a conclusion by fast forwarding to 2025 as the new generation learns the story of the rise and fall of the Baker-Taylor family.
The only reason I did not give this 5 stars is because of the first 20% of the book. The story immediately kicks off with a large number of characters and what feels like a constant dialogue between them. I struggled to figure out who was who and how to make sense of the dialogue as it jumped from one conversation to another. After passing the 20% mark, the story settled into a steady flow allowing me to get to know each character deeply. I am glad I stuck it out and kept reading. Reflecting, I am guessing the author’s purpose in the chaotic beginning was to paint the picture of the hecticness of life for this family trying to run a business and raise a family.

I highly recommend reading Returns and Exchanges by Kayla Rae Whitaker! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with a digital copy of this book.

[This Curly Arab · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Baker-Taylor family is complicated, and the story leans into that. It’s divided into three parts, with each section giving perspective from different family members. You end up experiencing the full scope of the story through these varied viewpoints, which adds so much depth.

What stood out most to me was how the characters evolved into their truest selves over time. Watching who grew and who regressed felt very real and honestly a little uncomfortable in a way that works.

At its core, this is a story about how messy and complicated family can be. Whitaker does such a compelling job exploring obligation, love, and the choices people have to make to move forward.

This book pulls you in slowly. At first, it feels like you’re just reading about a family dealing with everyday hardships, but then it opens up into something much richer layered with complexity, devotion, and emotion.

I was really impressed by this one. Such a strong second novel, and Kayla Rae Whitaker is definitely an author to keep an eye on.

*ARC provided by Random House through NetGalley for my honest review

[PJ S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for this ARC.

Wow, I was not prepared for how much I loved this book. Such an emotional journey through the Taylor family’s rise and fall … and rise.
What started somewhat slow and benign quickly became a page-turner, riding a roller coaster of emotions through an entire family’s worth of riveting characters. There wasn’t a single person in this story that I wasn’t invested in. Even the ones I hated, I was rapt by.

I was definitely not at all prepared for a heartbreaking story about anti-LGBTQ hate crimes, or criminally egregious sexism. I’m old enough to remember the before times, but not old enough to really understand how bad it was. Kayla Whitaker has done such a thorough and historically accurate, and also gut-wrenching, job of recreating that world for us. I imagine we will be seeing this book all over ‘recommended reads’ lists, for its cultural relevance and highlighting of the stories of marginalized peoples.

Beyond the cultural context and morality play of it all, Returns & Exchanges is such a good story. A narrative so deep and descriptive that I felt like I was a member of the Taylor family myself. Watching the kids grow up. Watching the adults grow up. Predicting how they would lash out, based on historical behaviors, like how I’d gossip within my own family. The lit-fic version of “world building,” I guess.

I would be happy to see this one optioned for screen. But I’d also be very happy to preserve it in print, in its perfect form, where Fran and Fred and Wendy and Luce and Jack exist only in my mind, untainted by some Hollywood director’s perception of what they should look and act like. Which would be very ironic, for a story whose entire premise is about the dangers of hubris and living for your public image.

[Caitlin Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First, thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this incredible book.

I’ve been really into family dramas lately, especially if they take place in the 80s, so every bit of the description of this book spoke to me — but I had no idea how much I’d absolutely fall in love with the Baker-Taylor family. I loved the structure of this book, with (nearly) every family member getting a strong focus. I love that it spanned decades, letting you really fall in love (or not!) with each character. Even the side characters were dynamic and well fleshed out. The entire book was completely engrossing and I found myself getting lost in it over and over again.

I hope you all fall in love with this book, and this family, as much as I did.

[Stephanie Dargusch Borders · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, a disappointment. I’ve waited almost a decade for Kayla Rae Whitaker to release her sophomore novel. The Animators blew it out of the water for me and I thought it was phenomenal. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one. I wouldn’t necessarily say it started off strong but I like the sense of place—a 1980s setting. Clocking in at well over 400 pages though, it became a slog. I cared less and less as the book went on and by the end I just wanted it to be over. There was definitely potential here but it missed the mark.

[britt_brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Been waiting several years for a follow up to The Animators, which I loved. I so wanted to, but just couldn’t get invested, nor connect. Didn’t feel the nostalgia. Regardless, I’ll still give this author from my home state another go when she writes her third.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Rachael Remlinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully executed family saga- rich sibling dynamics always get me

[Marci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story about how families deal with change! Really enjoyed this book.