Welcome to TE!

Jamis and Surly make some nice bikes. (A steel Jamis is a strong contender for my next road bike, and I've been looking at a Coda as a possible commuter.) For what it's worth, I had never ridden a road bike before I bought my Giant. It is a little bit of an adjustment (the bikes can feel squirrelly at first), but you get used to it--just relax! And make sure you get a bike that fits you properly.

How tall are you and what's your inseam (crotch to floor, not your jeans)? If you have proportionally long legs, the standover height becomes less of an issue than the reach/top tube length. If that's the case, you either need a size smaller than the shop might otherwise measure you for, or a proper women-specific bike, depending on your specific proportions.