My daughter learned with 22 autos (she never really liked the long DA pull on a revolver). When it came time to pick, she tried an assortment of revolvers and semi-autos.

She liked the 1911, having been shooting it since she was about 10 or so, but she just didn't want the Condition One carry mode.

In the end, she opted for a Glock 17. It fit her hand perfectly, the recoil was very controllable, the pistol was wide enough to dissipate the "blow" to the web of her hand, but thin enough to be comfortable, the trigger was more manageable than a DA revolver trigger, and it held three times as many rounds, yet took up the same "real estate" as a 2 1/2 inch K frame Model 66. She also liked the lack of levers, etc., to remember. Point pistol, pull trigger. If you don't want to fire, do not pull trigger. And, unlike a cocked DA revolver, no need to learn to safely decock like with a revolver. Just remove the finger from the trigger, and all safety mechanisms are re-activated. She has never found a reason to switch. The M&P 9 series was not available then.