If you can, be sure it's something she would learn to carry, dress to carry, learn to handle/shoot well.
I got my wife a nice little CZ75 Compact and she just loved it. I had it machined for a DP Pro and she just loved it even more. Then a couple months ago she started complaining that it was too heavy and too bulky (she's lost 25 or 30 lbs. lately - I'm not supposed to know how much) and she's not happy with it now.
Ended up getting her an M&P Performance Center Shield in 9MM. At least for right now, she "loves it." We'll see how long that lasts.
