[2] Conceived after Hurts' departure from Aftermath Entertainment, she elaborated on the production of the album in 2011: "Ready Now was a new era in my career as an independent artist.

"[3] AllMusic editor Todd Kristel called Ready Now a "sultry sophomore album [that] is more concise than her hour-long debut.

She still relies on backup singers to complement the vocals, but her voice has gotten stronger; she displays greater emotional nuance (e.g., "Ready Now") and vocal nimbleness (e.g., "Can't Be Mad"), and the production of her voice has gotten less overblown [...] It's still a satisfying set of sexy, silky smooth music.

He felt that "Hurts oozes personality, and the racy, sexy, and mature Ready Now almost completely fills the promise of her debut.

"[5] Stefan Braidwood from PopMatters found that "although the album is not lacking in cohesion, its many points of reference form a whole that is both evocative of the (superior) originals, and less than the sum of its parts.