Don't rule out any of the various 1911s also. They have a narrower grip than many of the doublestacks and tend to fit the human hand better than most pistols, regardless of the gender or size of the person.

Try out as many models as you can, like other said, make sure it fits you well. FWIW, a Beretta 92 (9mm) is a bit too big for her hands, but my springfield 1911a1 fits her without a problem.

Whatever you get, get some help with learning how to rack the slide. Most pistols have recoil springs of 15-20lbs or more. What works for my wife is that she grabs the back of the slide with her thumb pointed towards her body and the pistol close to the body as well, and pushes the pistol forward with the other hand.