Novels:
* Ellen Foster (1987): Her debut novel, it tells the story of a young girl navigating poverty and abuse in the South. It was a critical and commercial success, winning the Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction and the American Book Award.
* A Cure for Dreams (1990): This novel explores the lives of three generations of women in a small North Carolina town.
* The Reasons We Lie (1993): This novel delves into the complex relationships between a mother and daughter.
* A Garden in the Dunes (1995): A story of grief and renewal set against the backdrop of the Outer Banks.
* Charms for the Easy Life (1999): This novel centers on a young woman who moves to New York City, searching for a new life.
* The Ballad of Frankie Silver (2001): Based on a true story of a woman in the 19th century who killed her husband.
* Lucky (2007): A story of a young woman searching for her identity and purpose.
* The House on Hope Street (2012): A novel about a family struggling with the secrets of their past.
* The Vanishing Season (2015): Focuses on a woman who returns to her hometown after a tragedy, seeking solace and confronting her past.
Short Story Collections:
* The Secret Life of Rain (2003): A collection of short stories exploring themes of family, love, and loss.
* These Is My Words (2009): A collection of short stories featuring strong female characters facing challenges in rural North Carolina.
Gibbons' work has been praised for its lyrical prose, its exploration of complex female characters, and its depiction of life in the American South.