First bikes.... are the toughest decision.
The utmost important requirement of any bike.... is that it fits well. Well.... unless you just plan to only pedal down to the Dairy Queen, grocery store, errands, or local pub. For short trips size isn't that important. But most serious road cyclists ride enough miles that size really DOES matter. And it ain't just size either. My first bike (which I rode thousands of miles) was just a tad too big... and I was never able to "adjust it" to fit right.
My (designed in Waterloo) Trek 1.1 fits like a glove. And after some time getting to know about and select a good saddle.... it's a bike I can live on.
My CAAD 10... is a much better bike, same size as the Trek, 3+ pounds lighter, and is even adjusted to the same dimensions. The CAAD is comfortable... but it isn't the same as the Trek
I've had a few bikes. I limit the total number I own at any given time. So I buy and sell bike from time-to-time... rotating my herd. . I've often times found 30 year old bikes with practically no miles on the original tires, brakes, and bar tape. Yet the bike hung unused in a garage decade after decade. Make sure you test ride whatever bike you chose. Make sure you know what your bike size is... and why. And be OK with imperfect choice. That first bike is a hard selection to get right.