In support of the album, Braxton embarked on the Secrets Tour, playing dates in North America and Europe from August 1996 to October 1997.

[5] The sixth track "How Could an Angel Break My Heart" was co-written by Babyface and Braxton and features saxophonist Kenny G.[3] Over a "lulling" ballad melody, the lyrics detail a lover's wayward behavior.

[3] On "Why Should I Care", Braxton ascends to a high, breathy croon,[3] while on "I Don't Want To", R. Kelly provides the soft bump-and-grind sound,[4] in a song about a romance in denial,[3] and "I Love Me Some Him" was written by Andrea Martin and Gloria Stewart and produced by Soulshock & Karlin.

The fourth official single, "How Could an Angel Break My Heart", which features Kenny G on the saxophone, became another top-40 entry in the United Kingdom, while failing to enter the charts in the US.

Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic wrote that Braxton's "vocal talent is what unites Secrets and makes it into a first-rate contemporary R&B collection.

Braxton is a singer who can cross over into the smooth confines of adult contemporary radio without losing or betraying the soul that lies at the foundation of her music, and her talent burns at its brightest on Secrets.

"[2] Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly praised the "core Braxton/Babyface collaborations" on the album as "diverse, witty, and exquisitely modulated", noting Braxton's "technical range" and "ability to deliver Secrets' sermons of sensuality—little gospels of good and bad loving—with unusual eloquence.

"[3] Robert Christgau, writing in The Village Voice, stated, "The apprentice diva of the debut was modest, composed, virtually anonymous.

[16][17] The album was certified eight-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 3, 2000,[18] and as of April 2011, it had sold 5,364,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.