I have had the PT709 Slim and am was very impressed by it. It is was the same size as my XD-S, holds held 7+1 rounds, and has had the "Strike Two" capability (essentially an automatic DA re-strike) in that if for some reason the first pull of the trigger doesn't ignite the round (usually because of a hard primer), all you have to do is pull the trigger again (Taurus claims there is a 93% change the round will fire on the second strike)
It also has had a slide lock, which many gun newbies prefer (I don't) and a very short trigger reset which I do like (and wish my XD pistols were the same). Recoil is was very managable and no more snappy than my no longer around PT111 Mil-Pro which is was bigger and heavier.
But the two best things about Taurus pistols is that they are inexpensive (the Slim can still be found for around $350), all of mine have been were 100% reliable, and they warranty the gun for life no matter if you're the original owner or the seventh owner. The PT111 I got in a swap had a bent lip on one of the mags, I contacted Taurus CS and was sent a form to return it. About a week later, I got a new mag in the mail which has since been lost to the ages.
If I weren't such a big .45ACP fanboy or was on a budget, I would have no problems carrying any of my former Taurus pistols (I also have a PT739 TCP) as a primary self-defense weapon if I still had them. I simply prefered the larger round for increased wounding effectiveness and the recoil characteristic of "pushing" more than "snapping" up until such time as every single gun I owned, plus all the ammo I had stored up, fell overboard in the Gulf of Mexico thanks to a freak seagull attack on our boat!
Cheers! M2