Her powerful yet sensitive delivery is showcased on smooth grooves and ballads like the John Legend-assisted title track.

"[6] Jon Pareles from The New York Times wrote that "tears lurk just behind Deborah Cox's tremulous voice, and the closer they get to the surface the better she sounds on her fourth R&B studio album [...] While echoes of Ms. Houston haven't completely disappeared, and there's a hint of Ms. Jackson in some songs, the album reveals much more of Ms. Cox's tangy, sympathetic voice [...] Whether she's aching or pulling herself together, she now sounds like her own woman.

"[7] Toronto Star critic Ashante Infantry remarked that while "Cox's rich pipes are as vibrant as ever, there's not a single song taking them to their 1998 "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" zenith.

"[5] AllMusic editor Pemberton Roach rated The Promise three and a half out of five stars and noted that Cox "delivers a set of eminently smooth yet impassioned music which alternates between hip-hop-style jams ("Saying Goodbye") and neo-soul fare ("You Know Where My Heart Is").

"[3] Peggy Oliver from online magazine SoulTracks called the album "a mixed bag [...] Cox's voice is still worthy, cutting like a knife and arousing emotions.