Cheryl: My Story is an autobiography written by the British recording artist Cheryl, who was known at the time as Cheryl Cole, co-written with Rachel Murphy. It was published by Harper on 11 October 2012. In addition to dealing with her childhood and her rise to fame as a member of the girl group Girls Aloud, Cheryl also discusses her volatile marriage with the footballer Ashley Cole, her life-threatening battle with malaria and her relationship with The X Factor boss Simon Cowell. While Cheryl was the subject of criticism for some of the book's content, Cheryl: My Story was well received by entertainment critics, who complimented the candid nature of the autobiography. It topped The Sunday Times Bestseller list, selling an average of 2,000 copies a day in its first five months of release.