Franklin was replaced on the tracks he does not sing on by Parliament-Funkadelic's Ray Davis in his only album appearance with the group.

The first single, "Some Enchanted Evening", reached #40 on the Urban Adult Contemporary charts.

For Lovers Only was reissued in 2002 with a bonus track, a remix of "Night & Day" as included on the soundtrack to What Women Want.

AllMusic editor Andrew Hamilton found that For Lovers Only was "arguably the Temptations' best album since Truly for You dropped in 1984."

He added: "Richard Perry outdid himself with this production, he expertly captured the essence of the Temptations, regardless of the members, in these songs.