THE PETERSFIELD Bookshop is one of just two book shops to stock the recently published semi-autobiographical book the The Girl from Pompey by Bryony Best.

Bryony, 37, was born and raised in Portsmouth and has experienced an interesting life.

Currently she lives at Hayling Island with her fiancé and much-loved Chihuahua dog.

But Bryony was once in a very dark place.

She had an alcoholic father, suffered drug addiction, attempts by others to take her life, and along the way she has been desperately trying to find her way back to herself.

After battling both drug addiction and alcoholism for many years, Bryony escaped near death to recover and lead a healthy, sober lifestyle.

It was through Bryony’s recovery, which started at St James’ Rehab facility in Portsmouth, that inspiration struck and a new addiction started to unfold.

She became obsessed with discovering the key to happiness and fulfilment.

The Girl from Pompey is a shared collection of both research and answers that she discovered.

Data was gathered from varied backgrounds of adults, friends, family, colleagues and strangers too.

Since releasing the book in November, Bryony has been overwhelmed by the support and feedback from local people, and local shop owners.

The Petersfield Bookshop in Chapel Street and JK Wellness in Drayton are the first businesses to stock and sell the book.

But it has been social media ‘tagged’ in this country and abroad.

Bryony said: “I felt scared to share the book with the world, but I can honestly say that I feel both honoured and privileged for all the support I have received.”

The Girl From Pompey follows Bryony as she searches for answers, seeking them from the people who cross her path.

Family fences need mending, and so does her life.

She is a girl on a mission with a burning question – what is happiness and fulfilment? Who has it, and how can she get it? As her quest unfolds, will she answer her questions?

As well as writing, Bryony works as a qualified holistic therapist, and has been living a very different lifestyle for many years now.

A day like any other usually starts with an early morning meditation, followed by composing a list of goals and tasks for the day.

Bryony has studied and passed qualifications to improve her life, she is certified in Animal Psychology and enjoys helping animals.

She also gained teaching qualifications at the University of Surrey, and is a trainer and a motivational life coach.

The Girl from Pompey costs £9.99 in paperback, and the Kindle downloadable version is £3.99 from Amazon.