My very reluctant wife started with a myriad of .22 caliber rentals from the case and from what we currently owned.

She feared my 6inch Model 17 and really wanted to shoot the tiny Beretta 21a.

It didn't take long for her to change her mind after a few hotter .22 cal loads.

Flying (hot) brass can be disconcerting. A stiff trigger from a Jframe Taurus revolver turned her off.

Eventually she found a comfort zone and was plinking away confidently and safely with her favorites. A Ruger Mark II and a Walther P22.

After a few more sessions I pushed her into .38 Special factory loads. Nervous at first, she settled in first with the L frame, then the K frame, then finally to a steel J frame.

Your preconceptions and desires will likely be altered drastically over time. My advice is to spend money renting and shooting as many different calibers as are available. Spend money on good instruction.

You'll figure it out...