Hmmm.
Everything below is obviously my understanding: not necessarily true [for anyone else].
His request for advice is a real difficult one. If he doesn't understand the difficulty, maybe you should use a car metaphor?
Like wanting a small car that is fun to drive, handles well, accelerates rapidly, has good top-end speed, gets good gas mileage, can move a 60" flat-screen tv or an overstuffed chair from the store, carries 6 people and feels right to both you and the wife for when you go to the opera as well as a ho-down at the honkey-tonk. In other words: meets ALL needs, in each situation, but with only one vehicle.
What he asked you seems like this is the type of car they would want also.
His wife liking to shoot it and it being small may be incompatible.
Generally, the smaller the gun the more it moves, which means newbies find themselves less accurate and have less fun.
Tough call.
I will only share one point of personal observation regarding what others have brought up.
I used to have a Kahr K9 [all steel compact 9mm]. Sold it when I got an M&P 9c, due to capacity. Sold Kahr due to financial needs.
Went shooting with dad 4 years ago or so. Shot his Walther PPK .380 as he shot my Kahr. Swapped.
I found the .380 to feel worse in my hand than the Kahr, and I attribute that to the blowback design. Whatever force the round generates in the .380, the recoil spring and cocking of the hammer are the only things to reduce the recoil impulse.
Most 9mm and above use a different locking design that tilts the barrel and absorbs some of the recoil.
I perceived the Walther .380 as more jarring, with a worse vibration imparted to my hand. YMMV.
Personally, I don't see a real
need for the .380 guns much, unless looking for concealment at the beach with some of the 'micro' guns, nowadays. Price per round, stopping power and capacity are now equaled or exceeded by some 9mms. There are still smaller .380s, but I would hate to shoot them frequently: so small they don't look like fun to shoot.
Before the 1990s, there weren't many options for concealed carry guns: .25/.32 and .380 were the go-to in semi-auto designs.
Now we have the M&P Shield, Ruger LCP, Kahr K, CW, P and PM pistols, and others that are not much larger than the Bersa mentioned, and they have the 9mm round [or .40].
If your friend wants concealment BUT fun, I'd recommend something size-wise no smaller than the Bersa mentioned, but I would explain the frequent relationship between small size and more gun motion when firing, leading to worse accuracy due to more perceived recoil. This can make the smallest guns less fun.
If there is only ONE gun in their house, I'd recommend something size-wise
like a Glock G19. Large enough to absorb a lot of the recoil at the range for frequent range days, able to attach a light/laser for night-stand duty, small enough to carry concealed if needed [yes, others ARE smaller].
Personally, I'd recommend both a full-sized 9mm and a compact/concealed-carry sized one: but they want ONE.
good luck!
At least my friend just wants a range gun that will be a night-stand gun and one his wife can use: no desire for her to love it or for it to be easy to conceal.