Gibbons's first novel, Ellen Foster (1985), earned her critical acclaim. The San Francisco Chronicle called it "a perfect little gem."

Loosely based on her experiences as an orphan after her manic-depressive mother committed suicide and father drank himself to death, this book demonstrates the resilience of women, a theme found in all of Gibbons's work, when the protagonist survives traumatic ordeals to achieve autonomy from her abusers. Considered a feminist The Catcher in the Rye, Ellen Foster was a best seller, won the Academy of Arts and Letters' Sue Kaufman Award for First Fiction, and has been included in educational curricula at the high school and college levels.

A Virtuous Woman explored similar themes of love and belonging and was critically received as a superb second novel. Gibbons's depiction of southern people, especially women, was acclaimed as authentic and insightful. Her writing style was praised for its...