[4][5] Manchester promoted the album by performing its first single, "In a Perfect World", on the soap opera General Hospital.

[10] Entertainment Weekly wrote that, "too often, the tunes on If My Heart Had Wings sound like bland anthems in search of a maudlin movie score.

"[14] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette thought that "Manchester turns in a hopelessly-out-of-it performance that serves as a harsh reminder that having great pipes is no guarantee of success.

"[16] The Atlanta Journal-Constitution opined that it was "too bad Manchester couldn't take a cue from Bonnie Raitt, whose music has grown along with her shock of gray hair and her insight.

"[12] AllMusic wrote that the album was "filled with big, dramatic ballads and widescreen production values.