Read my many other posts on women's bikes. As mentioned you could go used to get better components, but at the same time getting a women's model brand new, shiny, clean - there's really something to that for her. Plus you know nothing is worn out. New Shimano 2300 or Sora actually works well.
Where are you riding - are you heading out into the Pompey/Caz/Lafayette/Fenner/Manlius/Chittenango areas? One of my biggest opinions on the new rider bike is the triple crank. They are just that much harder and confusing to use for a newer rider, not to mention the inevitable chain rub. I'm a huge advocate of compacts especially when you can match up with a large rear cassette. My wife has a Campagnolo 12-29 cassette with the same range as her old 52-42-30 triple + 12-25 cassette - but that's impossible to find retail. the 12-26 range is the common cassette with compacts. But in those riding areas I mentioned a triple becomes much more of an option to seriously consider.

I think SRAM is on the right track with their new Apex group. Triples should be reserved for 80 lb loaded touring bikes while recreational road should have compact double fronts and larger cassettes giving the same range.

Anyhow, the Jamis Ventura Sport and Comp have women's versions and are slightly below and above Felt price point. There is also the entry Specialized Dolce, although not as nice a looking bike.

So if you are more on the flatter rolling areas of north/west/NE Syracuse, then a compact is a much wiser choice. But if you are are hitting the Appalachian Plateau then look for something with a low around 30 gear inches and that just may mean a triple.