jamesl wrote:
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Any program that allows for the use of layers and/or masking will let you to have selective control when applying adjustments. This includes programs like "Affinity Photo", "ON1 Photo RAW", "Photoshop Elements", "Corel Paint Shop Pro" and if you want free software, you have "Gimp". There are a number if others as well as the ones I mentioned.
While all the choices you mention are potentially good alternatives to Lightroom, they are all at least as complex to use with an equally large learning curve which is exactly what the OP wanted to avoid.