Jared Johnson of AllMusic rated the album four-and-a-half stars, writing that "Ripen showed enough growth to widen McDonald's group of core listeners well beyond the coffeehouse crowd", and that the release is "extremely likeable".
Jared Johnson of AllMusic rated the album four-and-a-half stars, noting that "Ripen exhibited enough development to attract listeners beyond the coffeehouse scene", and stating that the release is "extremely appealing".