Without getting into specific bikes, I will just add another vote that I would give preference to non-suspension forks.
My first bike in 20+ years is a Giant Sedona DX, and I only wish it were a Cypress (for the 700c wyheels) and had no suspension... But it has been a good bike, with 3 years and about 2000 miles on it...
If you do opt for suspension, be sure it is adjustable. I don't know if there are any that aren't, but my suspension forks are adjusted to the stiffest setting, and my suspension seatpost is tightened completely, and is in effect a solid seat post.
My prediction is you will fall in love with cycling, and get another bike after a year or two after you learn about where and how you ride, and refine your preferences.
__________________
Slow Ride Cyclists of NEPA
People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson