My wife also enjoys my model 15. She prefers shooting .38s in it, just because she says the magnums are too loud. As long as she shoots now and then, it doesn't matter to me what's in the cylinder.
I'm picking up an older S&W M&P tomorrow (a deal I couldn't pass up, even though it will delay the new Encore I had planned on). We'll see how she does with a K-frame then. The trigger is better on the Smith, but as handling goes, IMO nothing beats that heavy DW frame and barrel for comfortable shooting.
Regards,
Mike